Running a label like FiXT might keep President James Rhodes busy year-round, but when October rolls around, it’s all about family, fun, and spooky traditions. From pumpkin carving to movie nights, James takes Halloween as a chance to slow down, enjoy the season, and make memories with his loved ones. We caught up with him to talk about how he celebrates, what movies make the annual watch list, and the family traditions that keep the spirit of Halloween alive.
James, what’s your favorite Halloween tradition with your family?
We decorate the house with a spread of Halloween items but my favorite tradition is everyone in the family doing pumpkin carving each year. And I highly recommend https://www.zombiepumpkins.com/ for great patterns! We take photos of our creations each year. Here are a few of my favorites over the years:
Do you and your family go all out for costumes, or keep it simple?
When our kids were littler we took them trick or treating each year and made sure they had exciting costumes (Godzilla, Chewbacca, Bee, Parrot, Pirate, Dorothy, Chicken in a Suit, Sia, a Tootsie Roll, and many more!) as well as us trying to dress up and do something fun too – from Negan from The Walking Dead to Mario, Zelda, Tony Stark (Iron Man), a Mummy or even Rowsdower from the amazing MST3K film episode for The Final Sacrifice!
When you were a kid, what was your favorite Halloween costume or memory that you still think about today?
The biggest part of Halloween as a kid was just scoring a ton of candy!
What Halloween movie is a must-watch for your family every year?
Our biggest Halloween must-watch tradition is the Halloween is Grinch Night (1977) animated film from Dr. Seuss which you can watch in full on YouTube here:
Are you more into fun, lighthearted classics (Hocus Pocus, The Great Pumpkin) or spooky/scary films?
We’re a bit more into lighthearted classics as a family but we do enjoy some scarier films too. Some family favorites we watch each year include: Ghostbusters, Hocus Pocus, Poltergeist, as well as getting little into some of The Conjuring movies.
If you could pick one Halloween movie that perfectly sums up your family’s Halloween vibe, what would it be?
Ghostbusters – a good mixture of fun and comedy mixed with scary!
Do you and your family carve pumpkins together? Classic faces or creative designs?
Yep – here’s more photos of some we’ve done:
