Upgrade Your Halloween movie night traditions with these fun ideas

A fleece throw and a throw pillow lay on a green couch; the throw and pillow feature scenes from the classic Halloween television special,

These days, Halloween is more chock-full of movies than ever before, from cozy and nostalgic to downright spine-chilling—which gives you an excellent excuse to start new movie-watching traditions with family, friends or even all by yourself. Our Halloween movie night ideas are a great way to expand on Halloween traditions you already have or start new ones that you can enjoy year after year.

From one-night-only watch parties to all-day marathons to weekly (or even daily) viewings, we have just what you need—both the ideas and the fun décor and serveware—to make your October even more fun and bewitching.

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What if I want to build a special Halloween movie tradition around one particular movie?  

A collection of products inspired by Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, including a plush Zero that zips along after you pull his string; a ceramic mug that features Jack Skellington's face on one side and Sally's face on the other side; a pair of novelty socks that features Jack Skellington dressed as Santa Claus on one sock and Oogie Bookie on the other sock; a nutcracker figurine in the shape of Jack Skellington, with his ghost dog Zero at his feet; and a figurine shaped like Zero's doghouse that projects a silhouette of Zero onto the wall.

 

Maybe you’ve already got a favorite signature Halloween movie in mind. Now all you need to do is add some themed elements to make your Halloween movie watch party an affair to remember!

Ways to match the food to the movie theme:

  • Pumpkin treats would go splendidly with It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
  • Or make your own witch brooms with skinny pretzel sticks and a bit of shredded string cheese at the bottom for Hocus Pocus.

 

Serve up treats in themed cups and dishes:

 

Bring your Halloween décor game:

 

Add some activities:

  • This jigsaw puzzle is a relaxing and fun activity to do while watching It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
  • Bake sugar cookies ahead of time and decorate them while watching your movie.
  • If you’re watching Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, have a contest to see who can remember all the lyrics to “This Is Halloween”—then reward the winner with these Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie socks.
  • Try out some of these Halloween craft party ideas!

 

Capture the memories:

  • Grab a photo of the entire assembled group, then frame it and give it as a gift to each person. Make sure to keep one for yourself to display at the next Halloween!
  • If you have a Halloween tree, create a personalized ornament with your group photo.

How do I use a Halloween movie marathon to build the excitement for the big day itself?  

A collection of gifts inspired by the classic Peanuts Halloween television special,

 

When it comes to planning a movie marathon, you have lots of fun options to choose from.

Choose one movie for every weekend in October:

  • Send out one invitation for all your proposed movie nights at the same time. (Having your watch party on the same day and time each week makes it easy to remember.)
  • Plan a surprise at every movie showing. This could be as simple as a round of trivia about each movie or a prize for one of your guests.
  • Take candids of people’s reactions to the movies and create a scrapbook afterwards. Include your favorite movie quotes or snippets of conversation among your guests.

 

Make a Halloween movie bucket list!

  • Create a bucket list of all the movies you’re hoping to see this season and display it prominently as a reminder.
  • Celebrate each movie with a different themed treat.
  • Allow each person who’s watching to write down something they loved about the movie or about your time together. Then save it for your scrapbook or frame it and hang it up next Halloween.
  • See how many you can tick off during the month of October!

 

Or go all in and watch a movie every night of the month:

  • Your choices can be random, or you can have theme weeks: horror, cozy, mystery, animated, etc.
  • Keep a journal with notes on what you loved about each movie or favorite movie quotes.
  • Create a cozy movie-watching space with pillows, blankets, pajama pants and warm socks.
  • On the final night of the marathon, do a spooky gift exchange! Tell your guests to search for the spookiest find under $10.

How do I create a Halloween movie display?  

A collection of gifts inspired by Disney Hocus Pocus, including a Keepsake Ornament shaped like a cauldron that features caricatures of the Sanderson Sisters on its side and lights up at the press of a button; a pillow, also shaped like a black witch's cauldron, that reads

 

Whether it’s on your mantel, your dining room table or in your favorite movie-watching space in your home, a Halloween movie display can create an immersive experience that sets the stage for an amazing Halloween movie night.

First, gather the parts and pieces:

 

Next, pick a location in your house and create a scene:

 

Bonus points…create a set for your scene:

  • Make a miniature house with shelves for the ornaments or figurines.
  • Paint a backdrop that puts the characters into a scene.
  • Use alcohol markers and poster board to create a decorative table mat to go underneath the scene.

The Halloween season is a great excuse to cozy up to your favorite movies with your favorite people. Whether you make it a monthlong movie blitz or a one-time event, we hope you enjoy whatever the Halloween season brings your way!