Thirteen Things I Need For Halloween
(in no specific order)
No. 1
I have to watch the movie Sleepy Hollow. It has the perfect mix of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Johnnie Depp, and Christina Ricci. I think it's Burton's best film. It's spooky without being overly violent and gory and that suits me just fine.
No. 2
No excuses, I have to watch It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. For me the most significant line is "I got a rock." It just breaks my heart every time. It's also the place where I first thought about dunking for apples. Does anyone really do that?
No. 3
At some point, I'll settle into a cozy chair surrounded by cats and read The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury. You were probably expecting me to say The Halloween Tree, but if you haven't read The Homecoming I suggest you pick it up. It's the story of a family of vampires, ghosts, and witches coming together for a family reunion. You can read it in five or ten minutes. Do it.
No. 4
Number four happened just this past weekend. I stopped at a Dunkin Donuts shop and had a pumpkin donut. Sure, the orange-iced donut with a black munchkin in the middle and iced spider legs called to me, but I knew it wouldn't be right not to have a pumpkin donut first. It was as fresh, moist, and delicious as I hoped it would be. I'm usually not a fan of the pumpkin-spiced anything, but that donut brings me to Halloween every year.
No. 5
I don't know why, but every October I buy a giant bag of Smarties. It's not something I give the trick-or-treaters; they'd probably throw them away. If someone asked me what my favorite candy was, Smarties wouldn't even come to mind, but for some reason I eat them during October. This year I bought a bag of Sweet Tarts shaped like bones and skulls and it just wasn't the same. I'm headed to the store today to get my bag of Smarties.
No. 6
I look forward every year to seeing the Halloween decorations hit the stores. I get most excited for HomeGoods and Target and I'll stalk the stores for weeks starting in August for signs that the fresh batch of decorations are coming. When I arrive and see the fully stocked aisles my heart beats a little faster. I don't go directly to the Halloween section. I circle it like I'm going after some prey. I size up the people nearby wondering if I'll have to wrestle something out of their hands. So far everyone has made it out alive.
No. 7
The day I decide to pull out my Halloween decorations is always monumental. While it's true that many of my things stay up year round, I know it's Halloween when I pull out my collection of pumpkins. My favorites are the carved gourd I purchased at a farm in North Georgia, the giant wax pumpkin I purchased at Target to use as part of our wedding decorations, and the beeswax pumpkins that glow so beautifully.
No. 8
On October 1st I dive deep into my closet and pull out my bin of winter clothes. This treasure chest includes my Halloween wardrobe for the month of October. Every Halloween t-shirt, dress, and skirt is inside there. I try to wear something Halloween-ish everyday in October. It always make me happy. (Last year I posted about my Halloween wardrobe- see it here.)
No. 9
Visiting a pumpkin patch is high on my list. I don't even always carve the pumpkins I buy. Sometimes they become squirrel food, but I love seeing mounds of pumpkins. I love walking through the rows and picking them up to find the perfect shape and the most decorative stems. The decisions are treated as life changing and I take choosing a pumpkin very seriously. I do not condone buying pumpkins from grocery stores or super stores unless there is an extreme emergency.
No. 10
More food: Halloween is the only time I make foods like mummy hotdogs and skull cookies. I don't really like cooking unless I have lots of time. So when I make something different it's an event in our house.
No. 11
In the days surrounding Halloween, I'll set up some candles around our family altar and prepare some of the favorite foods that those of our family who have died loved to eat or drink. Sometimes it's a jelly donut for my mom and a Zima for my dad when I can find it. I'll spend a few minutes thinking about them all and wishing them well. It's an important part of the season for me. (You can read more about our family altar here.)
No. 12
Decorating the outside of our house is always a highlight. I pick a day in early October when the weather is beautiful and I start pulling out all the lights, the tangled extension cords, the banners, and most importantly the flames. This year I'm running a little late and am still putting it all together. I should have pictures of this year's decorations for you next week.
No. 13
I really enjoy handing out candy on Halloween. I hope for pleasant weather so that I can sit on our front porch and wait for the kids to arrive. I usually have a cocktail nearby and a spooky podcast playing and between visitors I often feel a little spooked. I love talking to the kids about their costumes and, for those older kids without costumes, I ask them to sing a song or tell me a joke. Everyone who arrives at our door gets candy.
I think that about wraps it up! As I look over this list, I realize I have to get moving on some of these things. The season passes so quickly; enjoy every minute of it.
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