Looking to bring a bit of the macabre into your days? I've been collecting some death days and events that you may want to mark with a candle or cocktail- the preference is yours. Let me know if I missed one!
P.S. While you won't find murderers here (except Lizzie Borden- she fascinates me), I do include witch trials because the women and men tried for witchcraft should be remembered as being falsely accused and a warning to not believe everything you hear (or read.)
January
- 1 (1818) Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus by Mary Woolstonecraft Shelley is published
- 1 National Bloody Mary Day (sure it's a cocktail, but it is bloody!)
- 5 (1886) Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stephenson is published
- 5 Schnabelpercheten (Austria) Frau Perchta (or Berchta) arrives
- 5 Befana Arrives (Italian Witch)
- 6 (1946) Dion Fortune Death Anniversary (Occultist, Author)
- 8 (2007) Yvonne De Carlo Death Anniversary (Lily Munster on The Munsters)
- 13 The Nuuttipukki (goat men) arrive on Saint Knut's Day in Finland
- 14 (1978) Blossom Rock Death Anniversary (Grandmama Addams on The Addams Family)
- 16 (1979) Ted Cassidy Death Anniversary (Lurch on The Addams Family)
- 18 (1971) Virgil Finlay Death Anniversary (Horror and Science Fiction Illustrator)
- 28 (2023) Lisa Loring Death Anniversary (Wednesday Addams on The Addams Family)
- 29 (1845) The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe first published
- 29 (1955) Les Diaboliques film is released in France
February
- 1 (1851) Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Death Anniversary (Author of Frankenstein)
- 1-2 Imbolc, NeoPagan celebration of Spring
- 2 (1948) Gertrude Barrows Bennett/Francis Stevens Death Anniversary (Author)
- 2 (1969) Boris Karloff Death Anniversary (Actor)
- 3 (2006) Al Lewis Death Anniversary (Grandpa Munster on The Munsters)
- 5 (1956) Invasion of the Body Snatchers film release in the U.S.
- 6 (2009) Coraline film released in U.S.
- 7 (1823) Ann Radcliffe Death Anniversary (Author)
- 9 (1855) Devil's Hoof Prints Sighting, Exe Estuary in East and South Devon, England
- 10 (1944) The Uninvited film release in U.S.
- 13 (1935) Violet Page /Vernon Lee Death Anniversary (Author)
- 16 (1992) Angela Carter Death Anniversary (Magic Realism Author)
- 16 (2014) Michael Shea Death Anniversary (Fantasy & Horror Author)
- 19 (2020) José Mojica Marins "Coffin Joe" Death Anniversary (Brazilian Horror Icon)
- 20 (1936) Max Schreck Death Anniversary (Count Orlok in 1922 Nosferatu film)
- 20 (1992) Dick York Death Anniversary (1st Darrin Stephens in Bewitched t.v. series)
- 23 (1996) Mary Reilly Gothic horror film release in U.S.
- 24 (2006) Octavia Estelle Butler Death Anniversary (Science Fiction Author)
March
- 1 (1692) Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, & Tituba are brought before the Salem Village magistrates and this marks the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials
- 1 (1984) Jackie Coogan Death Anniversary (Uncle Fester on The Addams Family)
- 1 (1979) Sweeney Todd play opens on Broadway
- 3 (1966) Alice Pearce Death Anniversary (Actor portraying 1st Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched )
- 6 (1997) Ursula Torday Death Anniversary (Gothic Mystery Novelist)
- 7 (1992) Fox Mulder and Dana Scully work on their first X-Files case
- 8 (1967) Rankin/Bass stop-motion Mad Monster Party released
- 10 (1997) First television episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer airs
- 14 National Spider Day
- 15 (1820) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving published
- 15 (1937) Howard Phillips (H.P.) Lovecraft Death Anniversary (Author)
- 17 (2011) Michael Gough Death Anniversary (Actor in horror films and Tim Burton films)
- 18 (1763) Detroit's Nain Rouge (Red Dwarf) first appears (Check out the yearly parade)
- 20 (2013) James Herbert Death Anniversary (Horror author)
- 21 (2013) Rick Hautala Death Anniversary (Horror author)
- 22 (1991) Gloria Holden Death Anniversary (Actress know for Dracula's Daughter)
- 30 (1988) Beetlejuice film released
- 31 (1960) Lady Cynthia Asquith Death Anniversary (Author)
April
- 4 (1987) Catherine Lucille (C. L.) Moore Death Anniversary (Author)
- 5 (1892) Amelia B. Edwards Death Anniversary (Author)
- 10 (1990) The Juniper Tree film release at Sundance
- 14 200 Days till Halloween!
- 14 (2012) Jonathan Frid Death Anniversary (Barnabas Collins on Dark Shadows) (Actor)
- 15 (1892) Amelia Edwards Death Anniversary (Author)
- 15 (2000) Edward Gorey Death Anniversary (Artist & Author)
- 16 (2021) Felix Anthony Silla Death Anniversary (Cousin Itt on The Addams Family) (Actor)
- 17 International Bat Appreciation Day
- 19 (1989) Daphne du Maurier Death Anniversary (Author)
- 20 (1912) Bram Stoker Death Anniversary (Author)
- 21 (1934) 1st Photo of the Head and Neck of Loch Ness Monster Taken
- 24 St. Mark's Eve Ghosts Appear
- 27 International Crow and Raven Appreciation Day
- 29 (1980) Alfred Hitchcock Death Anniversary (Film Director)
- 30 Walpurgisnacht
May
- 1 Beltane
- 3 National Paranormal Day
- 4 Alice goes down the rabbit hole in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- 5 Jonathan Harker meets Dracula in Dracula by Bram Stoker
- 9 (1968) Marion Lorne Death Anniversary (Aunt Clara on Bewitched) (Actor)
- 9 (1980) 1st Friday the 13th (franchise) film release
- 11 My Birthday! (I'm afraid I won't be able to update with my death date)
- 11 (1983) Zenna Henderson Death Anniversary (Author)
- 12 (2014) Hans Ruedi (H.R.) Giger Death Anniversary (Artist)
- 13 (2014) Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart Death Anniversary (Author and Priestess)
- 14 (1878) Last Witchcraft Trial Held in the United States in Salem, MA
- 16 (1985) Margaret Hamilton Death Anniversary (Wicked Witch in the Wizaard of Oz) (Actor)
- 17 (1900) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is Published
- 18 (1995) Elizabeth Montgomery Death Anniversary (Samantha on Bewitched) (Actor)
- 19 (1780) New England's Dark Day
- 22 World Goth Day
- 23 (1980) The Shining film U.S. release date
- 24 (2015) Tanith Lee Death Anniversary (Author)
- 26 (1647) Alse Young of Windsor, CT was hanged for witchcraft in Hartford, CT (thought to be the first person convicted of witchcraft in the United States)
- 26 (1897) Dracula by Bram Stoker Published
- 26 World Dracula Day
- 30 (1984) Eli Colter Death Anniversary (Author)
June
- 1 (1927) Lizzie Borden Death Anniversary
- 1 (1941) Hugh Walpole Death Anniversary (Author)
- 4 (1982) Poltergeist film release
- 5 (1893) Lizzie Borden's trial for murder begins
- 5 (2012) Ray Bradbury Death Anniversary (Author)
- 6 (1650) Mary Johnson of Wethersfield, CT was hanged for witchcraft in Hartford, CT
- 7 (2015) Christoper Lee Death Anniversary (Actor)
- 8 (1984) Ghostbusters film release
- 9 (2017) Adam West Death Anniversary (Actor who portrayed Batman tv series)
- 10 (1692) Bridget Bishop is hanged for witchcraft in Salem, MA
- 11 (1982) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial film U.S. release
- 12 (1936) M. R. James Death Anniversary (Author)
- 12 (1968) Rosemary's Baby film release
- 12 (1987) The Witches of Eastwick film release
- 15 (1881) Marie Laveau Death Annniversary (Voodoo Priestess)
- 15 (2016) Lois Duncan Death Anniversary (Author)
- 16 (1816) Lord Byron reads Fantasmagoriana and inspires great new ghosts stories
- 16 (1999) Screaming Lord Sutch Death Anniversary (Musician & Activist)
- 16 (1816) Ghost Story Writing Contest proposed by Lord Byron
- 20 (1893) Lizzie Borden is acquitted for murder
- 20 (1975) Jaws film release
- 21 The usual day for the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere
- 22 (1956) Walter de la Mare Death Anniversary (Author)
- 23 St. John's Eve, a night of witches, ghosts, and magic
- 23 (1819) Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving published
- 23 (2013) Richard Matheson Death Anniversary (Screenwriter)
- 25 (1976) The Omen film U.S. release
- 26 (1946) The Lottery is published in New Yorker Magazine
- 27 The events of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson take place
- 27 (1966) Dark Shadows 1st episode airs
- 28 (1975) Rod Serling Death Anniversary (Screenwriter)
July
- 2 World UFO Day
- 2 (2002) Coraline by Neil Gaiman published
- 2 (1993) Fred Gwynne Death Anniversary (Actor who portrayed Herman Munster)
- 8 (1994) Dick Sargent Death Anniversary (2nd actor to portray Darrin Stephens, Bewitched)
- 9 (1774) Anna Morandi Manzolini Death Anniversary (Anatomical wax modeler)
- 14 (1999) Blair Witch Project film release
- 16 (1993) Hocus Pocus film release
- 20 (1999) Sandra Gould Death Anniversary (Actor portraying 2nd Gladys Kravitz, Bewitched)
- 23 100 Days till Halloween!
- 24 (2022) David Warner Death Anniversary (Actor in many dark films, including the Omen)
- 27 (1612) Trial of the Pendle Witches, York Assizes
- 28 (2014) Margot Adler Death Anniversary (Wiccan priestess, author, and journalist)
August
- 3 (1983) Carolyn Jones Death Anniversary (Actor portraying Morticia Addams, The Addams Family tv series)
- 4 International Owl Awareness Day
- 5 (1960) 13 Ghosts film released in U.S.
- 7 (1985) Grayson Hall Death Anniversary (Dr. Julia Hoffman, Dark Shadows tv series)
- 8 (1965) Shirley Jackson Death Anniversary (author)
- 9 (1516) Hieronymus Bosch Death Anniversary (artist)
- 11 (1994) Peter Cushing Death Anniversary (actor)
- 15 General date of the Japanese Obon Festival or Ghost Festival
- 15 (1975) The Rocky Horror Picture Show film is released in the U.S.
- 16 (1956) Bela Lugosi Death Anniversary (actor)
- 17 Black Cat Appreciation Day
- 17 (1935) Charlotte Perkins Gilman Death Anniversary (author "The Yellow Wall Paper")
- 17 (2012) ParaNorman film released in the U.S.
- 18 (1612) Trial of the Pendle Witches, Lancaster Assizes , England
- 19 (1612) Trial of the Samlesbury Witches, England
- 19 (1692) 5 falsely accused witches are hanged in Salem, MA
- 21 (1981) An American Werewolf in London film released in U.S.
- 24 (1990) The Witches film released in the U.S.
- 26 (2020) Joe Ruby Death Anniversary (Co-creator of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!)
- 28 (1985) Ruth Gordon Death Anniversary (Minnie Castevet in Rosemary's Baby film)
- 30 International Frankenstein Day
- 30 (2015) Wes Craven Death Anniversary (Horror Film Director)
September
- 2 (1973) J. R. R. Tolkien Death Anniversary (Author)
- 3 (1969) First Episode of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Airs
- 5 (1975) Ben Mears arrives at 'Salem's Lot in the novel 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King
- 8 (1960) The Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho is released in the U.S.
- 10 (1993) First episode of The X-Files airs on FOX
- 11 50 Days till Halloween!
- 11 (2010) Kevin McCarthy Death Anniversary (actor in Invasion of the Body Snatchers)
- 12 (1952) West Virginia Flatwoods Monster sighting
- 12 (1992) Anthony Perkins Death Anniversary (actor in Psycho)
- 17 (1962) Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury published
- 18 (1964) The Addams Family t.v. series 1st episode airs
- 20 (2012) Frankenweenie film released
- 21-23 Mabon celebrated
- 21 (2018) Hilda animated series released on Netflix
- 23 (1972) Rankin/Bass stop-motion Mad Mad Mad Monsters t.v. special airs on ABC
- 23 (2005) Corpse Bride film released in U.S.
- 24 (1964) The Munsters t.v. series 1st episode
- 24 (2004) Shaun of the Dead film released in U.S.
- 27 (2022) The Munsters movie by Rob Zombie is released on Netflix
- 29 (1988) Charles Addams Death Anniversary (Cartoonist)
- 30 (2022) Hocus Pocus 2 film release date
- Last Saturday in September, National Ghost Hunting Day
October
- 1 (1968) Night of the Living Dead film release
- 6 (1962) Tod Browning Death Anniversary (Film Director of Dracula and Freaks)
- 7 (1849) Edgar Allan Poe Death Anniversary
- 11 (1974) Texas Chainsaw Massacre film release
- 12 (1692) The Salem Witch Trails ends with a letter from Massachusetts Bay Governor William Phips
- 16 (1869) Cardiff Giant is unearthed in Cardiff, NY
- 16 (1998) Practical Magic film released in the U.S.
- 19 The 13 Days of Halloween begins!
- 25 (1978) Halloween film release in the U.S.
- 25 (1993) Vincent Price Death Anniversary
- 26 (2001) 13 Ghosts film remake released in U.S.
- 26 National Pumpkin Day
- 27 (1966) It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown airs for 1st time
- 29 (1390) 1st witchcraft trial in Paris, France
- 29 (1993) The Nightmare Before Christmas film release
- 30 (1938) Orsen Wells' War of the Worlds radio drama broadcast for the 1st time
- 30 Mischief Night, Devil's Night, Cabbage Night celebrated
- 31 Halloween!
- 31 (1926) Magician Harry Houdini Death Anniversary -he vows to send a message back from the dead if possible
November
- 1-2 Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations
- 3 (1976) Carrie film release
- 3 (2014) Over the Garden Wall animated series released on Cartoon Network
- 6 (1662) Dorthe Lauritzdotter was burned at the stake for witchcraft at the Vardø Witch Trials
- 9 (1984) 1st A Nightmare on Elm Street (franchise) film release
- 9 (1988) Rosemary Timperley Death Anniversary (author)
- 10 (1819) The Spectre Bridegroom by Washington Irving published
- 10 (1974) Vampira film is released
- 11 (1958) Bell, Book and Candle film release date
- 13 (1972) Count von Count arrives on Sesame Street
- 16 (1955) The October Country by Ray Bradbury is published
- 19 (1999) Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow film release date
- 21 (1931) Frankenstein film release date
- 21 (1955) Les Diaboliques film release in U.S.
- 23 (1990) Roald Dahl Death Anniversary (author)
- 23 (2022) Tim Burton's Wednesday t.v. series premieres on Netflix
- 27 (1990) David White Death Anniversary (Larry Tate in Bewitched)
- 28 (1859) Washington Irving Death Anniversary (author)
- 29 St. Andrew's Eve
- 30 (1947) Aleister Crowley Death Anniversary
- 30 (1982) Release of Michael Jackson's Thriller
December
- 1 (1642) Connecticut outlaws witchcraft "If any man or woman be a witch (that is) hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death"
- 5 Krampusnacht
- 6 (1973) The Wicker Man film is released
- 7 (1990) Joan Bennett Death Anniversary (Elizabeth Collins Stoddard in Dark Shadows)
- 7 (1990) Edward Scissorhands film released
- 7 (2014) Ken Weatherwax Death Anniversary (Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family)
- 14 (1984) Original Frankenweenie Short Film released
- 14 (2016) Bernard Fox Death Anniversary (Dr. Bombay in Bewitched)
- 15 (1974) Young Frankenstein film released
- 16 (1594) Allison Balfour hanged unjustly for witchcraft
- 17 (497) Saturnalia celebrated for the first time (Julian Calendar)
- 18 (1956) A. M. Burrage Death Anniversary (author)
- 19 (1843) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in published
- 20 (1820) John Bell Death Anniversary (victim of the Bell Witch)
- 21 Winter Solstice/Yule in the Northern Hemisphere
- 21 (2007) Sweeney Todd film release date
- 23 (1893) Hansel and Gretel opera performed for the first time
- 26 (1973) The Exorcist film release
- 31 Huldufólk or Hidden Folk of Iceland travel about