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All Halloween articles
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50 articles
Eight topics to explore
The Origins of Halloween
How Halloween grew from the Celtic festival of Samhain, the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, and Irish immigrant customs into today's celebration.
Why Do We Celebrate Halloween on October 31?
Why Halloween falls on October 31: the eve of All Saints' Day, Celtic sunset-to-sunset days, failed campaigns to move it, and what the date means in 2026.
The Story of the Jack-o'-Lantern
The story of the jack-o'-lantern: the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, carved turnip lanterns, and how immigrants turned the American pumpkin into Halloween's icon.
Trick-or-Treating Explained
Trick-or-treating explained: from medieval souling and Scottish guising to the first printed 'trick or treat' in 1927, the 1950s boom and trunk-or-treats.
Ghosts, Witches and Black Cats
The folklore behind Halloween symbols: why ghosts wear sheets, where the witch's pointed hat came from, and why black cats are unlucky : or lucky.
The Ultimate Halloween Home Decorating Guide
A complete Halloween decorating guide: plan a theme, dress the porch and front door, stage the yard, decorate indoors and store it all for next year.
Pumpkin Carving Masterclass
Pumpkin carving masterclass: choose a pumpkin, the right tools, carving from the back, pattern transfer, shading and how to make a jack-o'-lantern last.
DIY Halloween Decorations
Affordable DIY Halloween decorations to make at home: window silhouettes, milk-jug ghosts, cheesecloth ghosts, potion bottles, paper bats and more.
Elegant Halloween Decor
Create elegant Halloween decor with a black, orange and gold palette: color ratios, gilded pumpkins, candlelight, tablescapes, dark florals and the porch.
Halloween Lighting Ideas
Halloween lighting ideas: uplighting, colored floods, shadow projections, flicker effects, smart controls and safe outdoor setups for the house at night.
Best Halloween Costume Ideas
The best Halloween costume ideas for 2026 for kids, adults, couples, families, groups and pets, plus the most popular costumes from the NRF survey.
DIY Halloween Costumes
DIY Halloween costumes from things you already own: 30 last-minute ideas using a sheet, a hoodie, cardboard, black clothes or formal wear.
Halloween Makeup Ideas
Halloween makeup ideas from easy kids' face paint to dramatic horror: cat, vampire, witch, skull, zombie and scars, plus products and skin safety.
How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Party
How to host the ultimate Halloween party: timeline, themes, invitations, decorations, food and drink, games, a spooky playlist and a costume contest.
Halloween Costume Safety
Halloween costume safety: reflective tape for visibility, mask alternatives, safe makeup, flame-resistant fabrics, fit and comfortable trick-or-treating.
The Ultimate Halloween Food Guide
The ultimate Halloween food guide: spooky snacks, appetizers, mains, a boneyard charcuterie board, party drinks and make-ahead tips for a crowd.
Halloween Desserts for Kids
Halloween desserts for kids: monster cupcakes, mummy brownies, spider cookies, ghost meringues, dirt cups and candy creations kids can help make.
Halloween Candy Guide
Halloween candy guide: America's favorite treats, how much to buy, the history of candy corn, allergy-friendly options and smart uses for leftovers.
Family Halloween Night
Plan a family Halloween night: movies by scare level, games for all ages, crafts, a cozy dinner, storytelling and how to fit in trick-or-treating.
Halloween Activities for Kids
Halloween activities for kids: pumpkin painting, treasure hunts, crafts, backyard games, science experiments and classroom ideas for toddlers through tweens.
America's Best Halloween Destinations
America's best Halloween destinations: Salem, Sleepy Hollow, New Orleans, Savannah, St. Augustine, Anoka, NYC's Village parade and theme parks.
Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts
Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts: the real history of the 1692 witch trials, key historic sites, 2026 Haunted Happenings events and a visitor guide.
Halloween Around the World
Halloween around the world: Ireland's Samhain roots, Scottish guising, Mexico's Día de los Muertos, the Philippines' Undas, Japan and All Saints in Europe.
Eco-Friendly Halloween
Eco-friendly Halloween ideas: sustainable costumes and swaps, reusable decorations, composting pumpkins, low-waste candy and treats, and greener parties.
Halloween for Modern Families
Halloween for modern families: trunk-or-treats, community festivals, sensory-friendly events, porch photo spots, teal pumpkins and new traditions.
Salem at Halloween: Complete October Travel Guide
Salem, Massachusetts, at Halloween: a complete October travel guide to when to go, train and ferry options, where to stay, itineraries and crowd tips.
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow, NY at Halloween: Washington Irving's legend, the Old Dutch Church, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the Jack O'Lantern Blaze and visitor tips.
New Orleans at Halloween
New Orleans at Halloween: French Quarter ghost tours, above-ground cemeteries, voodoo history, the Krewe of BOO! parade on Oct 24, 2026, and tips.
Savannah, Georgia at Halloween
Savannah, Georgia, at Halloween: Bonaventure and Colonial Park cemeteries, ghost stories of the squares, haunted houses and hotels, and ghost tours.
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida, at Halloween: ghost tours of America's oldest city, the Castillo de San Marcos, the lighthouse, the Old Jail and cemeteries.
America's Best Pumpkin Patches
America's best pumpkin patches by region, from California and the Pacific Northwest to Texas, the Midwest and the East Coast, and how to choose one.
The Ultimate Corn Maze Guide
The ultimate corn maze guide: how mazes are designed and grown, the first maze in 1993, famous U.S. mazes, night and haunted mazes, and how to escape.
Halloween Farm Adventures
Halloween farm adventures: hayrides, pumpkin picking, apple orchards, petting zoos, corn mazes, cider mills and fall festivals, and how to enjoy them.
How to Plan the Perfect Family Pumpkin-Patch Day
How to plan the perfect family pumpkin-patch day: choosing a farm, when to go, what to bring and wear, a sample schedule, photo tips, budget and toddler hacks.
From Pumpkin Patch to Jack-o'-Lantern
The journey of America's Halloween pumpkin: carving varieties, planting, pollination, harvest, giant pumpkin records and what happens after Halloween.
Disney Halloween Celebrations
Disney Halloween 2026: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the Oogie Boogie Bash, Halloween Time at Disneyland, costume rules and planning tips.
Universal Halloween Horror Nights
Universal Halloween Horror Nights 2026: dates for the 35th edition in Orlando and Hollywood, houses, scare zones, age guidance and planning tips.
America's Best Haunted Houses
America's best haunted houses: how professional haunts work, famous attractions from Netherworld to Eastern State Penitentiary, and thrill-seeker tips.
Halloween at Amusement Parks
Halloween at amusement parks compared: family events from Disney to LEGOLAND versus scare nights like Horror Nights, Knott's Scary Farm and Fright Fest.
Planning a Haunted Attraction Road Trip
Plan a haunted attraction road trip: pick a region, schedule two haunts a night, buy timed tickets, budget and drive safely, with four sample routes.
America's Best Halloween Neighborhoods
America's best Halloween neighborhoods: famous trick-or-treat streets like Manhattan's West 69th Street, historic districts and how to find them.
Trunk-or-Treat Explained
Trunk-or-treat explained: what it is, how the community Halloween tradition began and spread, why families love it, and how to host an event.
Halloween Block Parties
Halloween block parties: how neighborhoods celebrate together, from permits and planning to costume parades, chili cook-offs, games and safety.
The Rise of Elaborate Halloween Houses
The rise of elaborate Halloween houses: 12-foot skeletons, animatronics, projection mapping and synchronized light shows : trends, tech and safety.
Best Practices for a Trick-or-Treat-Friendly Home
Make your home trick-or-treat friendly: path lighting, accessible candy stations, teal pumpkins for allergies, pet safety and running-out etiquette.
New England Halloween Road Trip
A 7-day New England Halloween road trip from Sleepy Hollow through the Berkshires and Vermont foliage to Salem, with pumpkins, cider and ghosts.
California Halloween Road Trip
California Halloween road trip: Apple Hill, Half Moon Bay's pumpkin festival, the Winchester Mystery House, Disneyland, Horror Nights and Knott's.
Halloween in the Pacific Northwest
Halloween in the Pacific Northwest: Seattle and Portland ghost tours, Snohomish and Sauvie Island pumpkin farms, Hood River and misty haunted forests.
Halloween in the American South
Halloween in the American South: ghost cities Charleston, Savannah, St. Augustine and New Orleans, historic cemeteries and legends like the Bell Witch.
Halloween in the Midwest
Halloween in the Midwest: Anoka, the Halloween Capital of the World, Circleville's Pumpkin Show, giant corn mazes, haunted farms and scare nights.
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