Here are ten things to do while we patiently await the return of the Halloween season.

1. Listen to Halloween Music
   From spooky orchestral to monster remixes, the fastest way to invoke some Halloween spirit is by getting your groove on. If you don’t have time to create a Halloween playlist, the good folks at Halloween Radio got you covered with four different live channels to stream online. Lend them your ears here: http://www.halloweenradio.net/

2. Read Halloween Themed Books
   Sometimes it’s just fun to read novels set around Halloween time in the middle of spring. October Dreams Volume I and II is a great collection of short stories, novellas, and personal essays from the world’s best literary minds. Who knows, you might be inspired to write your own Halloween story.

3. Watch Halloween Themed Movies
   Believe it or not, there’s a lot more Halloween themed movies out there than Halloween or Hocus Pocus. Check out some more obscure movie titles, like The Monster Squad or Trick r Treat. Careful, the first one is for kids and latter is most definitely not. You can find more movie suggestions here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_around_Halloween

4. Plan/Shop for a Halloween Costume Early
   Whether you’re buying a full outfit or shopping for accessories, now is a great time to start looking for things that sell out during peak season. You could even find sales online or sharp discounts. Remember to buy items that fit. It is risky business buying costumes two sizes too small, in hopes of losing weight by October.

5. Practice Halloween Recipes
   Practice makes perfect! Sure, you could wait until October to make chocolate-pretzel spider balls or toasted ghost marshmallows, but there’s always a risk involved in trying out a new recipe the night before your big shindig. Pinterest is filled with hilarious Halloween recipe fails. If your waistline and your wallet can afford it, work out the kinks of the kitchen now, and by the time Halloween rolls around, you’ll be the Betty Crocker of Samhain.

6. Make Halloween Crafts
   Since the emergence of Pinterest, DIY Halloween has become wildly popular. It’s easy to find online tutorials for dioramas, door wreaths, etc. Places like Michaels, Joann, and local art stores happily cater to your craft needs all year-around. While stylized Halloween supplies are indeed more abundant during the season, generic supplies in Halloween colors can be found every day. Online shopping off-season could yield some pretty good discounts too.

7. Visit a Real Haunt
   From haunted homes to spooky hotels to abandoned asylums, chances are there’s a few places near you with a ghostly past. Taking guided ghost tours is most entertaining way to learn about history of your town or city and an excellent way to get some exercise. You may even have your own paranormal experience. The spirit world doesn’t exactly wait until Halloween night to make contact.

8. Shop for Vintage Halloween Items
   If you’re lucky enough to hit right the estate or yard sale, it’s like finding buried treasure. eBay, antique shops and swap meets are also good places to find vintage wares. Buyers beware! If you plan on getting into the collecting business, be sure to do a little research on what’s vintage and what’s not. Take time to research market values of rare collectibles and learn how to spot replicas (cool) or outright fakes (not cool).

9. Find a Halloween Conventions, Expos, and Tradeshows
   There are several websites dedicated to passing on information on expos and tradeshows that you can attend outside the Halloween season. Some shows are for home haunters, which has grown into its own multi-million-dollar business; and some that simply celebrate Halloween, horror and such. Conventions and expos often showcase new industry trends, animatronics and products for haunters. Film festivals are another subject entirely, but another awesome way to satisfy those Halloween cravings. Check out the Favorite Links page to find events near you. https://halloween-haiku.com/favorite-links/  

10. Join a Halloween Facebook or Google Plus Group
    Find like-minded souls who share in your love for Halloween by, what else, talking about Halloween! Halloween fans love sharing ideas and tips and movie and book review with each other. Seriously, Halloweenophiles will gobble up anything and everything Halloween, because every day is Halloween!