31 Days of Halloween Watch List

Amanda's 31 Days of Halloween Watch List

Every October I try to watch one fall or Halloween movie for every day of the month. The list starts cozy and gets scarier as we get closer to Halloween, so you can ease in or jump straight to the scary stuff. A few nights are double features too (there are just so many good movies to choose from, so why not!?) Movies with a candle next to them have a matching scent from our Fall Collection.

October 1: Practical Magic 🕯️ cozy witch
October 2: Double Feature: Hocus Pocus + Hocus Pocus 2
October 3: Double Feature: Halloweentown + Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
October 4: You've Got Mail 🕯️ booked & busy
October 5: The Addams Family
October 6: Twitches
October 7: Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
October 8: When Harry Met Sally 🕯️ all too well
October 9: The Haunted Mansion (2003)
October 10: Beetlejuice
October 11: The Nightmare Before Christmas 🕯️ dead inside
October 12: Edward Scissorhands
October 13: The Craft
October 14: Sleepy Hollow
October 15: Twilight 🕯️scent of a killer 
October 16: Interview with the Vampire
October 17: Scream
October 18: Ouija
October 19: Sinister
October 20: IT
October 21: Pet Sematary
October 22: Insidious
October 23: Double Feature: The Conjuring + The Conjuring 2 🕯️ ghost town
October 24: Double Feature: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It + The Conjuring: Last Rites
October 25: Double Feature: Hell House LLC + Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel
October 26: Double Feature: Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire + Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
October 27: A Nightmare on Elm Street
October 28: Hereditary
October 29: The Shining
October 30: Halloween (1978)
October 31: Trick 'r Treat 🕯️ ghoul's night

One thing about me, is I love to plan a fun party. I couldn't make this list and then not share some ideas  to make the vibes immaculate too!

Host Your Own Spooky Movie Night

Watching alone on the couch is great, but some of these movies are better with friends. Here are four movie nights from the list, with everything you need to host them. None of them require a big budget or a pile of plastic decorations. Use what you have, borrow or thrift what you don't, and let the candles do a lot of the work!

Witchy Girls' Night: Practical Magic (October 1) or Hocus Pocus (October 2)

Set the scene: Gather every candle you own on the kitchen table or coffee table, with cozy witch in the middle. Add dried flowers, fresh herbs in jars, or a stack of old books. Pajamas or long skirts are the dress code.

What to serve: Midnight margaritas (or a sparkling cider version), a big bowl of popcorn tossed with cinnamon sugar, and a snack board with apples, cheese, and dark chocolate.

Something to do: Pull a tarot card for each guest before the movie starts, or have everyone write down one thing they want to let go of this season and one thing they want to bring in.

Keep it low-waste: Use real mugs and glasses, and send guests home with a sprig of rosemary or lavender tied with twine instead of a party favor or mini-sized candy wrapped in plastic. 

Vampire Supper: Twilight (October 15) + Interview with the Vampire (October 16)

Set the scene: Dark red and black everything. Thrift a few mismatched candlesticks, put out red or burgundy napkins, and light ghost town or booked & busy for the leather and rose notes. 

What to serve: Lean into deep red foods: a beet and goat cheese salad, a red wine or blood orange spritz, and pomegranate seeds over dark chocolate bark. Skip the garlic bread for the theme or serve it as a joke.

Something to do: Have guests vote Team Edward or Team Lestat at the door, then debate it at the end of the night.

Keep it low-waste: Cloth napkins and real dishes make this one feel fancier than it is, and they're free if you already own them.

Haunted House Double Feature: The Conjuring + The Conjuring 2 (October 23)

Set the scene: Turn off every overhead light and use only candlelight and a lamp or two. Light ghost town before guests arrive so the room already smells moody when they walk in. Pile blankets and pillows on the floor for anyone who wants to hide behind something.

What to serve: Two movies means people will get hungry, so make one easy main dish like a pot of chili or a baked pasta and set out toppings in bowls. Save dessert for the intermission between movies. 

Something to do: Make jump scare bingo cards with squares like "a door opens by itself," "someone goes into the basement alone," and "the music box plays." The first person to get bingo picks the next movie night. A fun twist could be to give everyone a little bit of red paint and have them mark off bingo with their fingerprint! 

Keep it low-waste: Serve the chili in real bowls and print the bingo cards on scrap paper, or have guests mark them with dried beans.

Halloween Night In: Trick 'r Treat (October 31)

Set the scene: Carve or set out pumpkins at the entrance and keep them lit all night (if you've seen the movie, you know why). Light ghoul's night inside so the house smells like a bonfire and caramel.

What to serve: If you're expecting trick-or-treaters, leave a bowl out for them! Inside, make a fun halloween themed charcuterie board -- carving a ghost out of brie is a lot of fun! 

Something to do: Costumes are optional, but make some fun prize categories ahead of time to keep it silly. 

Keep it low-waste: Roast the pumpkin seeds after you carve, and compost the pumpkins after Halloween instead of throwing them away.

 

Throw parties like you used to

These movie nights are a preview of something I've been working that focuses on inspiring people to gather without spending a lot of money on things you'll use once, and that anyone can do from home without feeling like you have to be a whole party planner.  If you host one of these nights, send me a photo of your setup. I'd love to see how you make it your own, and I'll share a few favorites on Instagram.

Watching along on your own? Tag us on Instagram @IsleAndWild with your candle and movie of the night. And if you need something to light while you watch, shop the Fall Collection here.

Happy watching,
Amanda and Rajah