Candle-lit rooms, scary movies, pumpkin-spiced everything—that’s what ... summer is made of? It is now: Thanks to Summerween trending on TikTok and Instagram and racking up hundreds of thousands of views, a new unofficial holiday is being added to many calendars this year as people lean into the thrill of celebrating a holiday outside its traditional season. (There’s a reason we celebrate Christmas in July year after year.)
With the return of the infamous 12-foot-tall Home Depot skeleton and fresh Halloween collections already hitting store shelves, there are plenty of new ways to get into the Halloween spirit for Summerween without overdoing it and burning out on spookiness by the time October 31 arrives. Whether spooky season is your favorite one or you just want to get in on this fun summer trend, read on to learn how you can start celebrating Summerween today.
What is Summerween?
Though it appears in animated Disney series Gravity Falls, Summerween has been catching the attention of Halloween-lovers this year more than ever before thanks to social media. Summerween is just what it sounds like: the union of summer and Halloween. A 2012 episode of Gravity Falls shows the town (the place the series is named for) celebrating Halloween twice because of how much the locals loved the holiday: once on June 22, or the second to last Friday of the month, and again on October 31.
While some choose to honor that June 22 date for Summerween, others choose to celebrate on July 5, calling it the end of summer (as delineated by the passing of the Fourth of July) and the beginning of fall. (Don’t take this to mean that it’s time to pack away the pool floats: We have a few weeks of summer weather left still!) But since there’s no official date for Summerween, any time this summer can be the start of your spooky celebration.
Why Summerween Is Trending
According to videos from Summerween celebrators on TikTok, they’re choosing to observe the occasion for the most obvious reason: They love Halloween and all the things that come with it. These fall-loving revelers usually have to wait for the season to come around, dreading the summertime heat and just biding their time until they can get out the Halloween decorations.
This year, instead of waiting, they’ve decided to make their favorite season come to them, even if the weather isn’t cooperating. Since many stores even start selling their fall and Halloween products in August or earlier, it’s not too difficult to find small ways to celebrate now.
How to Celebrate Summerween
Whether you bake a fall dessert or style your entire house in Halloween decor, you can celebrate Summerween in ways big or small.
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS
Carve a Watermelon
Jack-o’-melons also make an appearance in the Gravity Falls Summerween episode. A jack-o’-melon is essentially a traditional jack-o’-lantern, but made with a watermelon instead of a pumpkin (the insides will be much tastier). Make a day out of your watermelon carving by including a trip to a local farm or farmers’ market to pick out your melons, and make it a competition to see who carves the best face. Set the final products outside (for a brief time! Watermelon will spoil quickly in the heat) for a summer-meets-fall porch display.
Bake Fall Treats
The smell of warm pumpkin, cinnamon, and sugar wafting throughout the entire house is hard to beat—so why wait until October to indulge in your favorite fall baked good? Pumpkin latte coffee cake or apple scones with spiced maple butter taste good all year long.
Light a Fall Candle
Even if summer is filled with the smells of backyard BBQs or fresh cut flowers, candles are a great way to escape to an indoor fall oasis. If you can’t have the real thing, pumpkin waffles or autumn harvest scents are a close second.
Watch a Spooky Movie
While they’re not everyone’s go-to choice, a Halloween or fall-themed movie (it doesn’t have to be scary!) is the perfect reason to snuggle up for a night in—maybe even with your freshly baked fall treat close-by and favorite fall candle lit.
Decorate
If you’re ready to go all-in on Summerween, decorate early with your favorite fall decor. Whether it be just one room, the porch, or the whole house, there’s always ways to make your home just a little more cozy, even if the calendar says it’s summer.