Fright Night Favorites
Happy Halloween to all who celebrate!
It’s hard to imagine a holiday more aligned with storytelling. I love the atmosphere of Halloween, with its crisp air and its burning jack-o’-lanterns and its lively streets filled with shrieking, costume-clad children. Everyone becomes a writer today as they imagine stories for the characters they’ll inhabit.
For me, Halloween is also the perfect excuse to return to some of my favorite stories. I watched Practical Magic for the umpteenth time, reread Edgar Allan Poe’s darkly exquisite “Lenore,” and enjoyed a fantastic vampiric novel, Remaining Aileen, by Autumn Lindsey for a much-needed Halloween week page-turner.
But I’m not done. Fortunately, there’s still time to consume more art and articles that center the spookiest season. If you’re hoping to read something transportive, check out my list of must-reads to set the tone for a frighteningly good holiday.
I appreciated The New York Times’s deep dive into Practical Magic’s continued appeal, while we all eagerly await the sequel in 2026. Are you as excited to reunite with this cast as I am?
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson continues to be one of the most horrifying short stories imaginable, though “The Landlady” by Roahl Dahl offers a similarly jarring sort of terror.
Everyone has a favorite candy, though one of my Halloween standbys happens to be among the most loathed sweet treats out there. This thoughtful piece explains why. I get it to a degree, but candlewax and sadness? Too far.
This one comes a day late, but have you heard of Mischief Night? I grew up outside of Baltimore. In Maryland, the night before Halloween is notorious for teenagers running amok and pulling pranks. It’s either not a thing where I live now, or I’m (mercifully) not in the season of life yet where I’m affected by it. This article explains this nostalgic and mischievous preamble to Halloween.
Why do we savor the feeling of fear this week? Even as we avoid it in other areas of life? Maybe this article has the answer. Then again, the young people would say we don’t need to know why.
Though Halloween is a holiday for everyone, the kiddos carry the evening. If you’re looking for something to read with your children tonight, R.L. Stine of Goosebumps fame has some ideas for you.
What will your Halloween look like? I’ll spend the evening chasing my children down dimly lit streets, doling out candy, and orchestrating Halloween logistics in real time. For my list of essentials, see below. And however you’re celebrating the night, I hope you enjoy the opportunity to tell a new story.
