All Over but the Screaming: Transitioning from Halloween to the Holidays

I can't speak for anyone else, but I know that I, for one, always find it difficult to switch from celebrating Halloween to preparing for Christmas. When my children were younger, it was one of our traditions to go trick-or-treating at the local mall on the last Friday before the 31st. What we encountered--especially in those years when Halloween was just a day or two away--was a strange and surreal juxtapositioning of incompatible images. The mall was primed for Christmas--their high season--and they just wanted to get Halloween out of the way. The department stores were already swathed in red bows and bunting even as young associates dressed as zombies, vampires, and black cats sat on folding chairs handing out candy to the tune of "Monster Mash" and "Beware the Blob." Invariably, we'd end up walking out of the mall with a flyer reminding us that Light Up Night was coming--sometimes the very next Friday.

I'm pretty stubborn, so we don't flip the switch quite so quickly in my house. Cobwebs and skeletons and monsters usually continue to lurk around every corner of our home until at least the next Sunday following Halloween. And if things are very busy at work, it could even linger a day or two beyond that. But moreover, the mood lingers. We rarely manage to fit in all of our favorite Halloween movies and TV shows in the days leading up to the 31st, and my interest in them doesn't evaporate at the stroke of midnight on November 1st. The same thing is true for any books I might be reading (or, more likely, listening to on my long commute) or any podcasts I might be enjoying.

I don't/can't hold out forever, of course. Like that last man in his lonely farmhouse fighting off the zombie hordes clawing through his boarded-up windows, I will eventually succumb to twinkle lights and carols and the anticipation of Christmas. But if you, like me, are still fighting the good fight, here are some suggestions for how you can extend a spooky autumn feeling through the first few days of November.

What We'll Be Watching...

We managed to fit in the original Ghostbusters, Cabin in The Woods, Alien /Aliens, Shaun of The Dead, and the 80's version of The Thing in the days leading up to and through Halloween. We also watched a decent amount of TV--mostly Travel Channel and Destination America reality programming about ghost hunts and cryptids. But there are still several things I hope to watch in the next week (or maybe two, if my interest hangs on that long):

• Stan Against Evil - We stumbled across this offbeat comedy on IFC at the beginning of last week. It stars John T. McGinley (from Scrubs) and Janet Varney as sheriffs fighting off witches and demons in modern small-town New Hampshire. We just finished binging season one and season three started on Halloween night.
• Stranger Things - This show is so good, you really shouldn't have to justify watching it at any time of the year. I'm not sure I'll have opportunity to watch both seasons again, so I may just have to settle for the overtly Halloween-themed second season.
• AMC Documentaries - Yes, AMC has more programming than just The Walking Dead--though I must confess that my family does watch A LOT of TWD (and its after-party show, The Talking Dead.) That said, I've watched selected episodes of both James Cameron's and Eli Roth's respective documentary series about the masters of the sci-fi and horror genres. I'll likely fill in the gaps here over the next few nights.

What We'll Be Listening To...

• Podcasts - I listen to a lot of them on my drive to work. 
• This time of year in particular, I favor Aaron Menche's Lore--though his bi-weekly deep-dives into folklore and legend are really great anytime. (The Highgate Cemetery episode from a couple of years ago is my favorite around Halloween--if you're looking for a place to start.) 
• If I'm in the mood for something lighter, there's always the "Beyond Belief" segment from The Thrilling Adventure Hour--featuring reluctant paranormal investigators Frank and Sadie Doyle (played outrageously by comedians Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster). 
• As for horror fiction, there is no shortage of anthology series--such as the No Sleep podcast--available to recall old radio shows like The Inner Sanctum.
• Books - I haven't read much Stephen King since I was in college, but I did take the time to listen to the audiobook version of From a Buick 8 a couple of years ago--largely because it was set nearby in Western PA--and I found it pretty engaging. I figure it's probably not on most people's radars, so I thought I'd clue you in. And if you're not willing to make the time commitment to listen to a full novel, there are also King's short stories--including those compiled in anthologies like Skeleton Crew and Four Past Midnight. (I find Matthew Broderick's reading of "The End of the Whole Mess" to be simultaneously chilling and touching--as well as, in some ways, very timely.)
• Music - I'm not sure where they've gotten to, but I know I had two different Mannheim Steamroller Halloween albums on CD. (Yes--you read that right. On CD.) I'll likely break them out this week as well. Admittedly, that one's kind of a gimme--as listening to their Halloween offering is clearly one short hop away from the numerous Christmas albums.

What kinds of things do you do to keep a spooky vibe in your daily routine through the short days and long nights of mid-autumn? Are you a hold-out too, or do you dive gleefully into the Christmas season as soon as you douse your porch light on Halloween night? Let me know in the comments section below.