The Halloween Blog
Where spooky is always in season.
10+ years of decor ideas, recipes, DIYs, playlists, spooky travel, interviews, and more — updated year-round because October 31st doesn’t wait.
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6 Shops for the Halloween Reader
This week's Halloween Hunting roundup is for the readers: six shops for a curated horror book subscription, gothic bookmarks, a headstone bookmark holder, a Halloween-themed reading tracker, folded-page book art, and even original Halloween poetry from a fellow small maker.
How to Plan the Perfect Fall Day Out (for a Halloween Lover)
For Halloween lovers, a fall day out is practically a sacred ritual. Here's how to build one that actually delivers, from pumpkin patches and antique shops to cemetery walks and fall markets.
Trick-or-Treat Dirty Sodas
Dirty sodas meet spooky season in the best possible way. The idea is simple: make two drinks — one a friendly, crowd-pleasing treat and one a sneaky, unexpected trick — and dare your friends to figure out which is which. Here's how to pull it off, plus six Halloween pairing ideas to get you started.
6 Shops for Halloween Self-Care & Beauty Treats
This week's Halloween Hunting roundup is for treating yourself: six shops for gothic-inspired makeup, crystal-infused bath products, and spooky self-care boxes — perfect for a night in, a Halloween party getting-ready session, or just making an ordinary evening feel a little more witchy.
5 Q’s with Lindsay Swearingen
Lindsay Swearingen designs cross-stitch patterns for the dark-of-heart — and if you think cross-stitch can't be spooky, her work will change your mind fast. The author of Creepy Cross-Stitch, Magickal Cross-Stitch, and the newly released Cross-Stitch from the Dark Ages talks Halloween, her origin story as a stitcher, and the 8-foot-tall Over the Garden Wall decoration she built for her front yard. Get to know her in this quick Q&A.
Halloween 101: How to Plan a Halloween Costume on a Budget
Your closet is hiding a better costume than you think. Here's how to plan a Halloween look that's budget-friendly, creative, and won't have you panic-shopping the week before.
Halloween Hunting: Pumpkidz
This week's Halloween Hunting find is a whole storybook world: Pumpkidz makes hand-sewn, pumpkin-headed plush characters, each with their own name and personality, plus a companion novel that brings the whole world to life. Started by a mom who left her EMS career to build something with her son, this one's as sweet behind the scenes as the dolls themselves.
Pumpkin Punk Radio
A 25-track Halloween playlist for the rebellious and weird — Pumpkin Punk mixes power chords, post-punk, and creepy-campy energy for fall.
What Everyone is Buying for Halloween This Year
It's Orange Tuesday, the official kickoff to Halloween shopping, and HalloweenCostumes.com's new survey shows exactly what people are putting on their porches this year. I went through every category with the picks I'd actually spend money on. (Tombstones, I'm coming for you!)
Halloween Music History: “Thriller”
“Thriller” never set out to become a Halloween anthem, and it’s iconic music video was nothing more than an attempt to revive sagging record sales. Yet, here we are. Learn the musical history behind this song and all the people that went into making it larger than life.
6 Shops for Witchy & Occult Lifestyle Goods
This week's Halloween Hunting roundup is for the witchy at heart: six shops for hand-forged ritual tools, tarot decks, apothecary candles, and one-of-a-kind altar pieces — including a Salem shop I’ve shopped in person that’s devoted entirely to sea witchcraft.
Halloween is a Season (and the Numbers Finally Agree!)
HalloweenCostumes.com surveyed how people plan, shop and celebrate Halloween in 2026. The headline: it's a season now, it starts early, and comfort beat quality for the first time ever. (I've been saying this for 11 years!) Here’s all the details you need to know.