In just a few short hours, Halloween will be over. You will have managed costumes, trying to feed your kids dinner, tantrums, the candy rush, teenagers thinking it’s funny to scare the little kids (a-holes), tantrums, trick or treaters, running out of candy, tantrums, explaining to your child that he or she is going to get an upset stomach, late bedtimes, tantrums, trying to get your kids out of their costumes, giving in and just letting them sleep in the damn thing, and then finally, after allll that, those little devils will be asleep.
And then, the fun part of Halloween can begin. The part where you turn off those porch lights, make yourself a drink, steal some of your kids’ hard-earned candy, and crash onto the couch to watch your favorite scary movie.
First things first: Let’s make a drink.
If you want to get a little extra festive with your night-cap, here are a few easy-to-make Fall/Halloween cocktails to spice up the night.
Caramel Apple Moscow Mule
You will need:
-3-4 fluid ounces *caramel vodka
-4 fluid ounces fresh apple cider, chilled
-juice of 1/2 lime
-24 fluid ounces ginger beer, chilled (I prefer Fever-Tree)
-ground cinnamon
-2-4 cinnamon sticks (for garnish)
-apple sliced (for garnish)
*you can use regular vodka, if you prefer
Black Widow Cocktail
You will need:
For Devilish Blackberry Juice
-2 quarts of fresh blackberries or 2 (16 ounce) packages of frozen berries
-1/2 cup of water
For Spooky Simple Syrup
-1 cup water
-1 cup sugar
For Black Widow Cocktail
-6 oz blackberry juice
-1 oz simple syrup
-2 oz vodka
-ice
-blackberries for garnish (frozen or fresh)
Full Instructions Here
Apple Cider Mimosas
Just mix apple cider with some champagne, and voila! I tend to like more champagne than juice in my mimosas, so just mix it to your liking. You can get really festive and mix cinnamon and sugar, wet the rim of your glass, and dip in the cinnamon sugar mix. Garnish with apples, if you prefer.
Pumpkin Spice White Russian (this recipe makes 3 servings)
You will need:
-1/2 cup vodka
-1/2 cup coffee liqueur
-1-1/2 cups whole milk
-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and extra pumpkin pie spice for topping, if desired
Now, let’s pick a movie.
Even though I’m a wimp when it comes to scary movies, I still like suspense and I like a little thrill. So to get in the Halloween spirit, I’ve put together a small list of movies that even I would watch (maybe).
Streaming Now on Netflix
I’ve organized this list from least scary to scary. The only one I haven’t personally watched is the last one, Would You Rather, but I watched the trailer and I think I could handle it. So maybe that will be on our agenda after all the Halloween madness.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This is such a classic, and you just can’t go wrong. Although this is one that you can watch with the kids, so you may want something a little more adult. A little description for ya:
“Despite having recently presided over a very successful Halloween, Jack Skellington, aka the Pumpkin King, is bored with his job and feels that life in Halloweenland lacks meaning. Then he stumbles upon Christmastown and promptly decides to make the Yuletide his own.”
The Addams Family (1991)
It’s been a while since I’ve seen this one, but I remember loving it.
“The eccentric lifestyle of the Addams family is threatened when the family attorney and a greedy mother/son team conspire to steal the family fortune.”
Donnie Darko (2001)
Now we’re getting into some darker territory. This one is mind-twisting but in a good way.
“Donnie is a troubled high school student: in therapy, prone to sleepwalking and in possession of an imaginary friend, a six-foot rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world is going to end in 28 days 06 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. During that time he will navigate teenage life, narrowly avoid death in the form of a falling jet engine, follow Frank’s maladjusted instructions and try to maintain the space-time continuum.”
The House that October Built (2014):
Shameless name-drop coming your way. We know the director/lead character, Bobby Roe. This is his debut film, and it won at the Sundance Movie Festival. If you are a fan of the “found-footage” genre, then you will love this.
“Five friends are stalked by a group of mysterious and disturbed individuals while on a road trip looking for the ultimate haunted house attraction.”
Would You Rather (2013)
This seems like it may have the same feel as the Saw movies. So if you liked those, you may like this too.
“After the tragic death of her parents, Iris (Brittany Snow) is desperate to make ends meet while caring for her terminally ill younger brother. Shepard Lambrick (Jeffrey Combs), a seemingly philanthropic aristocrat, expresses an interest in helping them. He invites her to an exclusive dinner party that offers the chance at untold riches. When she arrives she finds herself in a group of similarly desperate individuals from the gruff middle aged Conway (John Heard) to the dark loner Amy (Sasha Grey). They soon find themselves trapped in Lambrick’s mansion and forced to play a sadistic game of Would You Rather.”
Streaming Now on Amazon
Some of these movies are free with Amazon Prime, and others you may have to rent. Amazon has a great selection, and these are just a few. If you are really into scary movies, I would check Amazon first.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
This one isn’t scary, but still wacky enough for a good Halloween feel. And how awesome is Johnny Depp in this one?
“A gentle man (Edward), who has scissors for hands, is brought into a new community after living in isolation. Edward finds himself a local celebrity after the town realizes that his talents include creative hedge trimming and an unrivaled ability to cut hair. His so-called friends are proven fair-weather when Edward is accused of a crime.”
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Does this one even need an introduction? It’s SOO good, and brings back some awesome childhood memories. Hold on, I’m turning this one on right now.
“Three outlandishly wild witches return from 17th Century Salem for a night of zany fun and comic chaos. After they’re accidentally conjured up by some unsuspecting pranksters, the tricky 300-year-old trio sets out to cast a spell on the town and reclaim their youth – but first they must outwit three pesky kids who are determined to foil their scheme!
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
I’m a sucker for old movies, and this is definitely a good one. If you know much about actors of this time period, you know that this cast is stacked. There is a remake coming out next month, I believe, but it’s fun to see the original too.
“In this classic ‘whodunit’ thirteen strangers are stranded on a train after a murder has occurred, and everyone is a suspect. One man must race against time to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.”
Scream (1996)
Take a trip back to middle school and watch this flick that takes place in “the sleepy little town of Woodsboro, where there’s a killer in their midst who’s seen a few too many scary movies. Suddenly, nobody is safe, as the psychopath stalks victims, taunts them with trivia questions, then rips them to bloody shreds. It could be anybody…”
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Another great movie that will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s intense and suspenseful, and will keep your heart pumping until the end.
“It had been a year since Dr. Norman Spencer betrayed his beautiful wife Claire. But with Claire oblivious to the truth and the affair over, Norman’s life and marriage seem perfect–so perfect that when Claire tells him of hearing mysterious voices and seeing a young woman’s wraithlike image in their home, he dismisses her mounting terror as delusion. However, as Claire moves closer to the truth, it becomes clear that this apparition will not be dismissed, and has come back for Dr. Norman Spencer… and his beautiful wife.”
Happy Halloween, Mamas!