BASIC Studios

“Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hocus Pocus are both must-watch. I’ll also typically watch any horror movies I’m interested in. This year, it’ll be Obsession. Final Destination and Scream are other good ones. I live in a house full of trans women in our 20s. Last year, we hosted the Ghoulish Gathering—a really fun party with about twenty attendees. I’m travelling for work this Halloween, and my household is gonna attend a similar party at another house full of trans women!” 
– Marlo

• “I do not do this every year because it’s exhausting and emotionally taxing. But as a person of Mexican descent, I do an altar for Día de Muertos that honors those who have passed. We have a pet section, a family section, and a friends section. It is multi-stepped (as if it were a pyramid), and features marigolds, photos of the deceased, offerings of their favorite foods, a symbolic shot of tequila, and some chocolate.” 

– Anonymous 

“My partner and I celebrate Samhain; he’s still very new to it. We have an altar year-round, but we add pictures of our loved ones the week before. Then, on the night of, we each write a list of things we want to let go of for the coming year and we burn them.”

– Lore 

“Each Halloween, my family and I come together to watch campy and nostalgic films, eat a pumpkin-shaped pizza, and gorge ourselves on homemade spooky treats. Chocolate-dipped marshmallow spiders with pretzel legs, in particular, come to mind. Of course, a bag or two of candy makes an appearance. I may or may not be guilty of pilfering all of the butterfingers and almond joys…”  

– Luna 

“Usually, my friends and I go out and have fun somewhere! We have a tradition of cursed Halloween costumes; I’ve been following the rainbow backwards: I started with Purple Guy, then Megamind, the Grinch, and now Bert from Sesame Street. This reminds me, I have to buy a sweater…”

– Sharron 

“I usually rewatch Over the Garden Wall around this time of year. On Halloween, I watch The Nightmare Before Christmas.” 

– Tess 

“One of my favorite things I always used to do is focus on the horror aspect of things over the parties. Some of my best Halloween memories are of me sitting alone late at night in the dark, playing games like Silent Hill 2 or Darkwood. The atmosphere becomes so much more intense and allows for me to feel so much more immersed and on edge; it’s such a fun 

time!” 

– Tanner 

“I typically work every Halloween. I do, however, try to watch my favorite Halloween movies all month long when I can. I’m going to watch Scary Godmother soon.” 

– Ladeca 

“During the month of October, my friends and I try to plan a Halloween supper where we get all of our kids together, dress up, and have a nice meal. I have to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas at least once in the month and Halloween (the original) on Halloween. Naturally, since I am a mom, we take the kids trick-or-treating. This month is my ‘happy’ month. I love all things spooky and strange and Halloween is a time I can enjoy those things.”

– Kaie