It’s the end of October and we made it another month. Halloween is the last hurrah before the frenzy of Thanksgiving and Christmas start. Halloween has a way of sneaking into our hearts each autumn! It magically transforms neighborhoods with glowing pumpkins, friendly ghosts, and maybe even the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air. It’s more than just a night of candy and costumes. For many, Halloween is a season filled with traditions, creativity, and community spirit. Whether you’re a fan of spooky thrills, fall aesthetics, or simply an excuse to eat fun-sized candy without judgment, there’s a magic to October 31st that’s hard to resist.
Halloween is the perfect time to indulge in a scary movie. “Scary” is a broad term for anything that causes fear, often in a direct, temporary way, such as a jump scare. “Horror,” on the other hand, denotes a deeper, more intense, and prolonged feeling of unsettling dread or disgust, frequently involving themes of the supernatural, extreme violence, or psychological disturbance. Think of scary as a fleeting fright, and horror as a deep-seated, unsettling fear.
That thing that’s prickling the hair on the back of your neck? That ghostly image making you leap off your sofa or run screaming from your local theater? Could it actually be …good for you?
Why do we scare ourselves for fun? According to science findings, people may seek out horror movies for all sorts of reasons, such as triggering chemicals in their brains, to help them plan for worst case scenarios, or to practice coping strategies and control. A controlled scary experience can leave us exhilarated, relaxed, and more resilient in the face of fear.
I don’t like most scary movies and horror is a no for me. Any jump scares and I will cry. A dark basement? No, thank you. I mean yeah zombies are scary, sure, but for some reason cannibals freak me out. Probably because they are consciously making the decision to eat you. At least zombies are mindless.
I like more tame shows. I have always enjoyed the Addams Family, The Muensters, and Dark Shadows. Do you remember Passions, the daily soap opera that had Tabitha the witch and her living doll Timmy?
For those of us not into the scare and the gore, there are Disney movies and Charlie Brown. If a movie is too intense, reading can give you the same feelings. Many people read Harry Potter in October. I do read fantasy and some scary books. I remember reading The Amityville Horror before the first film came out. This book was written in 1978 by Jay Anson based on the claims of paranormal experiences by the Lutz family in a haunted house in Amityville, New York. I was 13 and on a family vacation in the Tennessee woods. I still remember the fright I gave myself, thinking of that pig outside our cabin window. (Shivers just went down my spine at the memory).
In More scary stories to tell in the dark (1984) by Alvin Schwartz, is the story of a woman who finds a bone in a cemetery and is haunted by the skeleton it belongs to. It even has the list of ingredients she put in the soup. “Into the big soup pot went water, carrots, green beans, corn, barley, onions, potatoes, a snitch of beef, some salt and pepper, and–the bone.” Yum.
I’m a firm believer we should experience all of our emotions once in a while. Watch a scary movie to get scared, watch a sappy movie to cry and so on. Sometimes a good cry can help reset your mood, or a good scare can help you feel a little stronger when you realize it’s not a danger.
While Halloween is a beloved holiday for many, it is not without controversy and criticism. Some people argue that the holiday is too commercialized and promotes unhealthy eating habits. Others view Halloween as a holiday that glorifies violence and horror, and choose not to participate. Additionally, some people feel that Halloween is offensive to certain cultural or religious groups.
Despite its controversies and criticisms, Halloween remains an important holiday for many people around the world. It is a time to have fun, connect with others, and celebrate the changing of the seasons. While the holiday has evolved over time, its core themes of death, rebirth, and the supernatural continue to resonate with people of all ages and backgrounds.
There’s just no wrong way to celebrate. From scary to spooky to just cute, you can choose what to participate in and focus on. I love that there’s truly something for everyone.
This week’s recipe is for Halloween and lurking in the depths of a steaming bowl, a ghastly delight awaits the brave souls daring enough to sip this Cemetery Soup.
Friday is Halloween so Betsy and I are handing out candy at the Salem Times Register office. If you are in Salem stop by for a treat! Until next time, Happy haunting!
Slow Cooker Cemetery Soup
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage I use Jimmy Dean (use original if you don’t like spicy)
3-4 large carrots sliced then cut into pumpkin shapes
2 cups small diced gold potatoes
3 celery ribs diced
1 cup diced leeks (1 large leek)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Italian herb seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
10.5 oz. Campbell’s Condensed French Onion Soup
10.5 oz. Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup
1.5 cups water
32 oz. box beef broth
10 mushrooms (cut in half, then skull face cut into it, see directions)
Instructions
NOTE- wait to add the mushrooms until the end of cooking time.
In a large skillet on the stove top set to medium high heat, brown the ground beef and sausage together. Crumble and drain off fat. Add to the slow cooker. For the carrot pumpkins; first make two straight slits for the stem, then cut 2 triangles from the sides of the stem and remove them. Cut them into slices and add to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the mushrooms. Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. When the cooking time is near done. Prepare the mushrooms. Cut them down the middle length wise, making them each into two pieces. Use a straw to poke out the eyes and use a knife to make two slits for a nose. I also make slits on the stem. Add the mushrooms to the slow cooker after the cooking time is done. Let the mushrooms cook for 10 minutes along with the rest of the soup. I add the mushrooms at the end of the cooking time so they will keep their shape.
