The time has come yet again boils and ghouls. The season of freaks and monsters is upon us once again as Halloween comes around and once again comes my annual Halloween article. Seeing as last Christmas I covered the 25 Days of Christmas, it's fair to give the block that spawned from it a bit of attention as well and give a closer look into the history of the 13 Days of Halloween. 

     Starting in the Halloween season of 1998, 13 Days of Halloween was aimed at older crowds with mostly made for tv films with some known films sprinkled in and it started on the 19th of October. Over time though there has been many changes in direction as much as the original channel that hosted the event, Fox Family, has changed hands and names. When Fox Family became ABC Family in 2002 the event got a name change and a new direction. It still retained the same amount of time to be on, but the name had a slight change to 13 Nights of Halloween with a more kid focused goal while sticking to the mostly made for tv films. 

     However in 2006 there was a shift to more big feature films and with that a wider range of programing as well as the sleeper hit Hocus Pocus. Also in 2004-2011 the block went through a time of more general entertainment than its intentional theme was. But in 2011 that changed when the block returned to its roots while keeping a family friendly tone. The block remained unchanged until a couple years after ABC Family became Freeform. In the 2018 season the block was changed dramatically as not only the name was changed, but the start time as well. Instead of starting on the 19th of October, the block started on the first and the name changed to 31 Nights of Halloween. 

     The block itself has come a long way and is staple for many people as a way to get into the season. Though not as expansive as its predecessor where it has two months to celebrate its holiday. For me it is tradition to watch some of the movies on the block and get into the spirit of Halloween while the Christmas creep comes ever closer. Can't say it deserves two months because like Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas, it can get grating and is good where its at. The growth of it to Thirty one days was bound to happen as time went on and it still fits the theme. Be it creepy, spooky, scary or campy there is a film on this block for you. Stay safe out there this Halloween.