Welcome to Beware of Creepy Houses: 31 Days of Spooky, where I’ll be celebrating Spooky Season with my thoughts on books, podcasts, films and spooky activities to get you in the mood this Halloween season.
There will also be a free writing prompt every day to get your spooky creativity flowing, which you can use to build a collection of 31 flashes, begin 31 short stories or stitch together into a great big spooky novel. Or maybe some poetry. Whatever floats your spooky spirit!
It’s a cold, dark night.
Maybe one for sleeping upside down.
Gingerbread bats
It’s the time of year when all of the bakeries have cute and creepy gingerbread bats!
This sweet little guy is from Waterfield’s, a lovely north-west based bakery who do the best Halloween and Christmas treats every year, but gingerbread bats are generally available everywhere with cake at this time of year.
Or, if you pick up Halloween Treats by Annie Rigg, you can make your own delicious vanilla bat cake, and a whole other host of delicious cakes, biscuits and unique delicacies like sugared rats! My favourite recipe book for this time of year.
BatFest 2024
And, speaking of bats, as well as being Spooky Month, October is Bat Appreciation Month.
Lots of people think bats are eerie, but I love them. They’re like cats with wings, and I won’t hear any different, no matter how many people tell me they’re more like mice or rats.
BatFest is a free event celebrating our furry winged friends, with various events from 8 to 29 October. From bat care and eating habits to an interactive comparison with beetles, this is a great way to learn about the animal possibly most associated with Halloween, even if they’re not very scary.
Whittard Limited Edition Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
And, speaking of ginger, this is a lovely, luxurious hot chocolate, which made me feel quite Christmassy - Yule is after all the second Spooky Season.
The aroma and flavour of the hot chocolate is very close to lebkuchen, with a sweetness that makes it feel particularly extravagant and appropriate for the festive season.
This is definitely one to snuggle up on the sofa with with your favourite spooky film!
Donald Duck: Trick or Treat (1956)
This vintage Donald Duck cartoon opens with a witch on her broomstick disturbing a colony of bats.
Better not be stingy or your nightmares will come true.
She’s then sees Huey, Dewey, and Louie trick or treating in their Halloween costumes. When they arrive at Uncle Donald’s house, he of course plays a cruel trick on the boys rather than giving them the treat they deserve, and the witch decides to help them take their revenge.
After Donald mistakes her for another trick or treating child, she becomes very angry and gets out the cauldron. Donald is about to have a horrific Halloween.
This is a fun seasonal special which encourages grown ups to treat properly come the knock on the door.
Writing prompt - Think about it
What if every time a vampire turned into a bat, a bat somewhere turned into a vampire?
I’d love to see anything you write over 31 Days of Spooky and hear about anything you are doing to celebrate Spooky Season!
Sending tricks and treats and beautiful bats,
Donna
Beware of Creepy Houses is free to read, but if you would like to support my work, you can buy me a gingerbread hot chocolate