‘Tis the season, witches!
It’s Halloweek - a time for ritual, rebirth, and wreaking havoc. This Halloweek we wanted to give you a list of super important Halloween-themed films that you should watch, if you participate in Halloweek like Summer and I do.
how do y’all do it?
Excellent question, and one I would love nothing more than to answer. Here is a rundown of what our week will look like.
first things first.
This year Halloweek runs from Monday, October 26 - Sunday, November 1.
daily rituals.
Each day we will light a candle on our altar to celebrate the new day of Halloweek.
Does each day have a theme? You bet your ass it does.
themes, what to do + what to watch.
Day 1: an ode to witches - learn about the history
The Crucible (1996) - a historic drama involving the Salem witch trials.
How can we live in our present lives if we don’t understand our roots? We need to love our entire history, and in order to love that story, we need to know it, of course. We be lighting our heart chakra candle today, because #getlove. Self-love, love of neighbour, love of coven. #lovinmycoven or something of the sort.
Day 2: focus on the self (your own origin story)
Halloweentown (1998) - a cheesy disney channel film that we are obsessed with. She discovers her witchy roots and decides to embrace those bad boys. What is your origin story?
Having the courage to do you comes from your solar plexus chakra. We are warriors, and a day focusing on the self, our inner powers and abilities translates to lighting our solar plexus candle.
Day 3: spellcasting
The Craft (1996) - a few witches exploring their abilities and exercising their power, magick-style.
The third eye chakra candle will be lit today to awaken our intuition and awareness. We are opening our spellbook (book of shadows, grimoire, whatever the kids are labelling it these days) and we are doing some stuff today. Holla third eye magick.
Day 4: appreciating nature
The Blair Witch Project (1999) - the iconic documentary project footage left behind by some missing students that takes place in the woods. Ok, so the film is pretty dark, but you can still tell they are surrounded by trees. Give us a break, horror movies don’t typically focus on the nature, k?
Today we light our root chakra candle and take a walk in nature (not at the same time, never leave your candles unattended - it is poor form), because #getgrounded, son. Autumn will be over before we know it and we have to get out there to see the foliage, hear the crunchy leaves under our feet (rest in paradise), and enjoy the crispy but not freezing breeze. I really want to let you know that winter is coming, but you’re going to think i’m making a games of thrones joke when i’m not. Crisis. Averted.
Day 5: facing our demons
1408 (2007) - A movie that is not so much horror, but is definitely eerie and has some interesting psychological thriller components. A man stays in a room in a haunted hotel suite (spoiler: it is room 1408), thinking he can disprove stories of paranormal happenings - only to find himself…struggling, let’s say. He has to face demons, including his own, and it is a wild ride for the poor dude.
As we approach Witches’ New Year (and the Full Moon, luckily enough), we reflect and face our demons today. What do we need to conquer in order to move forward? What do we need to rid ourselves of (new years resolutions, I suppose, or full moon banishment)? We light our throat chakra candle to activate our truthful energy. We need to be honest with ourselves as we reflect on what we want to banish for the new year. Autumn allows our tree friends to shed the shit they don’t need and we’re going to do the same. But how do we do this most effectively? We approach our shedding season with honesty, and sometimes looking in the mirror ain’t pretty, but we’re going to do it anyway. Join us.
Day 6: singing and dancing
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Unlike the title suggests, not a horror film…but quirky. We like quirky. Interesting costumes. We like costumes. This year, Summer and I are Jack + Sally, FYI. I know you didn’t ask, but I answered, so there.
All Hallow’s Eve - Samhain. Tonight, we live. Tonight, we celebrate - we celebrate Witches’ New Year with a Witches’ Ball. We wear gowns, we eat good food, we drink good wine (did I say good? I meant cheap), we sing, we dance, we express ourselves in whichever creative capacity we choose. Tonight, we light our sacral chakra candle to #getinspired. Shit is artsy, celebratory, exciting - just an overall good time, really.
With the full moon happening tonight, it makes this Samhain extra special. We were going to dance our built up energies away anyway, but now we can do it under the moonlight. We will be charging our crystals, making moon water, and doing typical full moon stuff. No idea what I’m talking about? You can reference this old blog post:
Day 7: death
Coco (2017) - The Land of the Dead is explored in this animated film, demonstrating the interconnectedness of our physical and spirit realms. Kid-friendly, wise, and beautifully animated, this film is how we end our Halloweek.
Today we celebrate those who have passed. Yesterday we celebrated the Full Moon (a blue moon, at that) and we rid ourselves of whatever rubbish we were carrying that was weighing us down and no longer serving us. Today is an ode to the things that once served us and do not anymore, the people we have lost and will continue to hold close to our hearts, and to all the wandering souls searching for their next homes. We say goodbye, but not without saying thanks.
We light our crown chakra candle today. With it, we achieve a higher consciousness, one that respects the souls, habits and stuff that were once present in our lives and helped us mold into the souls we are today, even if they are no longer part of our lives. There is something beautiful about a life-altering force, even if it doesn’t stick around forever. Today we say thank you, we respect you, we cherish you, and we say goodbye with a heavy but full heart. Rest in paradise.
more films you probably need in your life.
Some fun movies to add to your list in case you’re living theme-free (that’s wild) and are simply doing a Halloween theme as a whole (ok, so still living with a theme, I don’t know, we only speak in themes here at dioden):
Dark Shadows (2012)
Hocus Pocus (1993)
It (2017)
The Shining (1980)
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)
Ouija: Original of Evil (2016)
The Lodge (2019)
The Skeleton Key (2005) - my personal favourite, but whatever
Hereditary (2018)
Frankenstein (1994)
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Suspiria (2018)
Practical Magic (1998)
Goblets up for a toast to a successful Halloweek, Samhain, full moon and upcoming year for you, friend. May your goblet and heart remain full.
In costume,
~Sage
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