WAYS TO CELEBRATE SUMMERWEEN | A Stress free Halloween

Summerween occurs in the summertime when the hottest days make us long for crisp autumn weather. We see it as a stress free Halloween.

So, how do you celebrate this “fake holiday” in the best possible way? With “fake holiday” we mean holidays that are not official ones, more fun and made up, such as “National Pancake Day” and “National Coffee day”. The list can be as long as there are cravings for all sorts of things. But, let us begin by learning about Summerween’s origin as we know it.

It began in the fictional town of Gravity Falls, from the Disney cartoon with the same name. The town is located in Oregon, and its townspeople love Halloween so much that they celebrate it twice a year. On June 22, or the second to last Friday of the month. However, you can celebrate it whenever you want during summertime. For us it is just a way to funnel our excitement for fall, that’s all.

Here are our favorite ways to celebrate a stress-free Summerween while enjoying the beautiful summertime and dreaming about fall at the same time.

1. Carve a watermelon into a Jack-O-Melon.

The most important Halloween object that is hard to find in the middle of summer is pumpkins. However, watermelons are a perfect option and work perfectly to create a spooky mood.

Watermelons are great as Jack-O-Lanterns, and the red-colored fruit creates the ultimate glow even spookier than Halloween pumpkins. Another plus is that watermelons are sold almost everywhere during the time of Summerween and cost usually less than pumpkins. (See our post COZY FALL ACTIVITIES for fall ideas.)

P.S. Visit “The Woodland Library” on Etsy to get a set of 12 downloadable Jack O Melon / Jack O Lantern stencils.

2. Enjoy the fireflies in the evening.

Flickering candles and sparkling string lights are well-appreciated Halloween aesthetics. For Summerween a similar light event might occur in your backyard if you are lucky. We are talking about fireflies!

If you live where fireflies exist we highly encourage you to enjoy them as they only appear in the summertime. If you don’t have the opportunity there are other peaceful events that the summer evening offers. Spotting a bat when the sunset slowly makes room for the moon and stars can be as lovely as anything else.

We would love to have you as our Patreon friend:

For as little as a cup of tea you can get exclusive perks and BTS!

3. Tell spooky stories infront of a campfire.

Summertime and campfires go hand in hand. How many spooky stories are not centered around a campfire setting? Nearby noises from the close nature are suddenly more obvious, setting our imagination on a wild journey. If a branch happens to fall our minds might imagine the Sasquatch, zombies, or other sorts of creatures causing it.

Stories around a campfire do not have to be as spooky as they usually tend to be on Halloween. But, it is up to you, remember that Summerween is the stress-free version of Halloween. Plus, with all the rustling noises behind your back, your imagination will be busy anyway.

4. Make s’mores and eat hot dogs.

While telling stories around the campfire, why not enjoy it with beloved summer food such as hotdogs and s’mores. We personally associate those two treats combined as the number 1 summer meal. Also, if the story turns scary there is nothing so comforting as holding a bun.

5. Enjoy the wild flowers in an old cemetary.

Cemeteries during Halloween are usually portraited as very haunted, that might not be the case during Summerween. When flowers and vines are at the peak of growing it is hard to imagine anything haunted. (See our post AMAZING VIOLET COOKIES for some more flower ideas.)

Also, it is very relaxing watching the beautiful songbirds resting on top of gravestones. It is almost as if they represent the person whose name is carved on the stone. We highly recommend you visit an old historic cemetery if you can. If you are concerned about ghosts, remember that they might be away on summer vacation. Transylvania is a popular destination we’ve heard.

6. Early Halloween shopping, supporting small businesses.

Instead of running to Michaels as soon as they fill their shelves with their artificial decor, take the early opportunity to shop smaller. There are tons of talented artists out there that need customers like you during the holidays.

Instead of buying the same decor as everyone else, order something unique and one of a kind. Supporting smaller business are usually a more environmentally friendly option. (See our post 5 GREEN WAYS THAT ARE SIMPLE for more ideas.)

7. Watch a spooky movie set in the summertime.

The perfect way to end the night of Summerween is to watch a spooky movie. So many movies we enjoy during Halloween are actually set in the summertime. It is almost as if Halloween was inspired by Summerween a long time before it was a thing.

If you want to save all the spooky titles for Halloween a suggestion is to enjoy the children-friendly Summerween episode of “Gravity Falls”. You find it at the 12th episode of season 1.

Happy Summerween!