Just like everything in 2020, Halloween with our gals is gonna look a bit different this year. No, there won't be any bar crawlin' in perfectly coordinated group costumes, but all is not lost. A spooky ghouls night-in is within reach. With planning and a little DIY magic from Backyard Movie Party we can make those Halloween dreams come true, boo.
Now, I know you might be wondering "What even is Backyard Movie Party?" It's a brand new service taking the stress and guesswork out of fab at home drive-in style events, movie parties, and gaming tournaments. With their basic rental you'll get a screen (either fabric or inflatable depending on your package choice), all the sound equipment needed, movie snacks, and most importantly a digital projector that's compatible with game systems and blu-ray players (or any devices with HDMI cables). If Madden tournaments aren't you're thing, you can always log into all your fav streaming services on the projector- which is where this list comes in. We've saved you the trouble of searching and scanning for spooky Halloween classics and throwbacks, and put all our favorites (that you can stream from the projector) right here. All you have to do is get the ghouls together and pop the popcorn.
(Popcorn cauldron shared from Parties For Pennies)
I'm gonna go ahead and start with Disney+ (because let's face it, we're here for Hocus Pocus, right?)
Halloween on Disney+ :
Hocus Pocus (duh 🦇🌙💖)
Halloween Town (1-4)
The Haunted Mansion (my fav park ride, incidentally)
Twitches (1 & 2)
Nightmare Before Christmas (Tim Burton deserves his own section tbh)
Frankenweenie
Maleficent (1 & 2)
Mom's got a date with a Vampire
Phantom of the Megaplex
The Scream Team
So Weird
Trick or Treat (The 1952 Donald Duck Halloween short. I still have this on Vinyl- so fun!)
Lonesome Ghosts (The 1937 special in which Mickey, Donald, and Goofy run a ghost exterminating agency. What?!)
And of course... The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror collection!
Halloween on Netflix:
AHS (time to rewatch Coven for the 3,000th time!)
Sleepy Hollow (Seriously, Tim Burton owned spooky season when I was little)
The Addams Family *snap snap*
Goosebumps (the 90s tv show 💖, not the movies)
Rathced (more Murphy-verse fodder for your spook fest)
The Haunting of Hill House & Haunting of Bly Manor
The Witches (1990 version)
Paranorman
Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting (tweeny, girl power, spooky fun. Perfect for your tiny ghoul gang.)
Halloween on Hulu:
The Omen (time for some actual horror here)
Us
Child's Play
Bad Hair
A Quiet Place
Texas Chainsaw (2013)
The Cabin in the Woods ( campy, but oh so good)
Scream Queens
What we do in the Shadows (tv show)
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (Nostalgia-ween)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (90s)
The Addams Family (2019)
Interview with the Vampire
Edward Scissorhands (watch with Starz add-on)
House of 1,000 Corpses (which surprisingly passes the Bechdel test)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (finallllllly!)
Halloween on Prime:
The Craft (yasssss 🔮 quintessential October viewing, right here)
Monster House
Casper (everyone had a crush on Devon Sawa, and Christina Ricci, right??)
Coraline
Paranorman
Beetlejuice (Buy or rent on Amazon (or free withPeacock!✨🕸)
The Witches (2020) (rent on Amazon or watch with HBO max)
Now that your viewing options are laid out, let's move onto the other thing every great gal's movie night needs- Spooktacular sips! Keep it simple with one or two batch cocktail options, and since it's Halloween don't forget to add spooky flair to the signature drinks for the haunted evening. But that can be done with something as simple as a plastic spider garnish on a bleu cheese eyeball martini for a holiday twist on a standard. It doesn't have to be complicated. But if you're feeling fancy...
Give this witchy blood orange sangria from Windy City Dinner Fairy for a more mellow-cozy vibe. Be sure to include a cute non-alcoholic option like this fizzy and fun green drink from The Farmwife Drinks and to keep it on theme give it a cute label like zombie punch.
It wouldn't be gals night without a grazing board. She Knows has all the best inspo for festive SCARE-cuterie... char-BOO-terie? Whatever you decide to call it, it'll be a show stopper! (And from one thrifty chick to another, Aldi totally has Halloween and fall flavor themed & shaped cheese right now, to make bringing this all together that much easier! No, I am not sponsored by Aldi, just obsessed, lol).
Now that your brain is probably humming with Halloween ideas, it's time to let the holiday spirit flow. Don a costume, hang some twinkly lights, and grab your ghouls for a spooky-fun night! And if you're feeling stumped, or want even more ideas for making the best of Halloween-at-home in 2020 visit My Party Hero on Pinterest. Happy Haunting! -LB