Five Reasons Why Halloween is the Best Holiday

1. Halloween food

My kingdom for these cakes and marzipan figures from Dean & DeLuca.

2. Halloween music

Halloweenradio.net has three channels — regular Halloween radio, Halloween oldies, and Halloween atmosphere (creepy sounds like “Rats All Over the Body”). Halloween oldies is my favorite because their playlist includes “Do the Rigormortis,” “Zombie Jamboree,” “I’m in the Ground for Good,” and this classic:

3. Halloween products

Decorative Halloween gear can be odd in the middle of summer, so I prefer functional items which can be used year-round — like mini bottles of hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works. I have “Vampire Blood” and “Bat Bite”; they smell nice.

The “go goth!” and “free cuff bracelet!” are dubious, but the names of these OPI nail polishes override that: Unripened, Nevermore, Sanguine, and Obscurity.

A few weeks ago I bought a bat cookie cutter in Delaware for 29 cents. That was an exciting day. I also want these cupcake baking cups.

4. Halloween smartphone apps

Angry Birds has already taken over my life; now there’s Angry Birds Halloween. Doodle Jump has a cute, free Halloween update and Plants vs. Zombies is on sale for 99 cents until the end of October!

5. Halloween TV shows

I enjoy being inundated with special Halloween episodes and horror movie marathons, but it isn’t really Halloween until It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is on TV. One of my favorite scenes: