For those of us who herald the coming of Halloween each year like an Irishman awaits St. Patrick’s Day,
the season of spooky is finally upon us. Here’s a peek inside the witchy-woman journal of the Queen of
Halloween (at least, that’s what the neighborhood kids call me!)
| April 31 |
Note it’s the six-months-to-Halloween mark and time to start planning. Pick out costumes. They sell out early and are on sale now, along with decorations. Visit favorite site www.frightcatalog.com to check out specials. |
| August 15 |
Admire how early the stores are starting to put out Halloween stuff. Get the latest new cool Halloween decoration online so you can be the first one to have it. |
| September 1 |
Finalize concept of annual clever Halloween party invitation (try to beat last year’s miniature coffin and Astroturf grave plot from the year before). |
| September 9 |
Order (or make, if you’re insane) Halloween costumes for you and your husband and the kids. By ordering early you have time to return them if they don’t fit. Best site? www.buycostumes.com |
| September 15 |
Prep. Buy fog for fog machine, orange lights for candle-in-each-window, plan a design for overall ‘haunting’ of home exterior. |
| September 30 |
Do not panic—but tomorrow is the big day: time to mail invitations. |
| October 1 |
Decorate your spooky Victorian house (bought strictly as a Halloween decoration) because all the neighborhood kids are counting on you. Somebody’s house has to be the best at Halloween, and you have accepted the challenge. Block everything else from your calendar this day. This is your Christmas Eve, you Santa of Halloween, you. |
| October 10 |
Order light sticks. The kids go nuts over these on Halloween night. Order a few non-creepy blow-up pumpkins or something to give to cute dressed-up babies. |
| October 15 |
Add complete graveyard to front lawn. By waiting a few weeks after the initial decorations, the graveyard will now grab the attention of the neighborhood as the big day approaches. |
| October 17 |
Check your music. Forget about the cheap $1.99 cheap cassette of ‘spooky sounds’ you have (they’ll give you a migraine) and upgrade to an awesomely spooky CD of creepy haunted house organ music by Midnight Syndicate. Amazon it. |
| October 20 |
Prepare prizes for costume contest: Best Couple, Funniest, Scariest, Most Original, Best Group, Best Overall. Start prepping spooky-themed party table. Will it be a skeleton dining at the table this year? Or miniature spiders hanging from the ceiling on their webs? |
| October 26 |
Purchase several hundred full-size candy bars. You didn’t get to be the Queen of Halloween by giving out the lame small candy bars, and the word has spread, so you have a ton of trick-or-treaters coming. Besides, full size candy bars conveniently provide egg insurance for your house. |
| October 28 |
(Or whatever the Saturday night before Halloween falls on.) Have your annual amazing grownups-only Halloween party. Eat, drink, be merry. Light your house with candlelight only. Take digital pictures, run Power Point slideshow of past years’ costumed guests. |
| October 30 |
Prep candy tray. Of course, you’re going to let the kids pick out their own candy bars. Replace porch light with purple or yellow bulbs. Carve pumpkins. Roast pumpkin seeds—they are great brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt. |
| October 31 |
Set up fog machine and spooky music. Get your costume on for the trick or treaters. As it starts to get dark, crack the light sticks. Light a bunch of candles around your front door area- it’s much spookier. Now relax and enjoy. |
