Halloween is my second favorite holiday! Before someone says “second isn’t that great,” may I state for the record that Hershey Kisses and Miniatures come wrapped in silver foil. Meeting adjourned.
This Sunday, children will don costumes, eat candy, and find delight in all the spooks and scaries that Halloween can offer. Suddenly, I am a child. My costume of choice is a koala onesie. I will be finishing my Halloween scary movie viewings with “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Halloween,” and maybe a little “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” if time allows. I will pass out candy to any neighborhood kids, but will probably steal a Kit-Kat for myself if given the opportunity.
I’m so excited for Halloween! Nothing is more fun to me than getting dressed up, eating candy (we know this), and getting scared out of my wits! I wish that more of my immediate circle enjoyed haunted houses like I do (daytime or at sunset, with respect. Entering at night disrespects the ghosts and it’s my fault if they take their revenge accordingly). Halloween parties lie in the not-so-distant future (I hope). In the meantime, however, here’s a quick round of “This or That” to give a better idea of what I love most about this spooky time of year.
Buy a Costume or Make a Costume? I will buy my costume, each time, as I have neither the talent nor the resources to make my own costume. However, I would love to flex that creative muscle in the future at some point!
Trick or Treat? Treat. I want the candy.
Scary Movie or Scary Show? Scary Movie! I love “American Horror Story” and “The Twilight Zone,” but spooky cinema just hits differently for me.
“Hocus Pocus” or “Nightmare Before Christmas”? I had actually not seen “Hocus Pocus” until last Friday. I totally see the hype! Between these two movies, I would pick “Hocus Pocus.” I would also pose a follow up question: is “Nightmare Before Christmas” a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? Is a hot dog a sandwich? Are we human? Are we dancers?
Ghost or Wizard? Wizards tend to be more magical and filled with wonder. Ghosts tend to be more melancholy or sad. I want to help them, but some of them would rather haunt than receive help! In addition, I have a real kinship for Hermione Granger. We’re bookworms with big wild hair besties for life.
Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror? This one is a toughie! I love both so much, but I would say Tower of Terror, because *I* think it’s scarier!
Zombie or Vampire? Zombies will eat you alive. Vampires will just suck your blood. Plus, after that, you get to live deliciously. Vampires are also better looking than zombies. If I had to pick one to suffer through eternity, I pick Vampires.
Spider or Bat? Spiders! Bats are way creepier to me. I loved Stellaluna, but real bats make me way more uneasy.
Halloween Party or Cozy Spooky Night? I love Halloween parties! In an ideal world, I host a cool Halloween party and still answer the door for trick or treaters.
Apple Cider or Pumpkin Spiced Latte? Apple cider. Every time. Not even a question.
For good measure, here’s five Halloween favorites!
Favorite Candy for Trick or Treat: Fun sized midnight Milky Way bars or 100 Grand Bars. They aren’t my go-tos if I’m feeling a craving in the check-out line, but on Halloween, all bets are off.
Favorite Halloween Costume: I had a bunch of good ones, but I dressed like Hermione Granger in third and fourth grade. I mean it! We had a shared love of books and lack of control over our hair. As an adult, I love punny costumes. A friend dressed one year as Black Mail (black unitard with a postage stamp), another year as White Trash (white shirt and pants with garbage taped on her clothes) and French Kiss (Breathless outfit with a beret and Paul Stanley makeup).
Favorite Scary Movie: The Shining. This video essay perfectly explains why.
Favorite Halloween “Episode”: I love when tv shows do holiday themed episodes! My instinct is to throw it to either “Introduction to Statistics” or “Epidemiology” from “Community.” However, I have to also shout out “The Ghost in Suite 613” from “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” That episode both scared me and made me laugh when I was a kid!
Favorite Halloween Tradition: I love bobbing for apples! It may be that apples are an autumnal fruit, but I think it’s the most fun game and should be socially acceptable at all parties.
Stay safe, and stay spooky! Happy Halloween to us all.