Halloween Tote Bags To Put A Spell On Your Books

There are two camps of people: those who have zero tote bags and those who have more than one. No one owns a single tote bag. It’s like books. Once you have one, you’re gonna want more. (This is all super scientific and factual, of course!)

It got me thinking about tote bags and where they originated, which led me down a rabbit hole where I ended up collecting some fun, actual facts for you (according to the sources I linked to)! Tote literally means “to carry by hand,” and the first known use of the word was in 1677. So, tote bags are appropriately named items to lug all your things around in. And by things, I mean books. But you can use it for other stuff, too, if you must.

In the 1940s, LL Bean jumped into the tote bag game when they created a canvas bag to help with all the ice bag lugging that was apparently common in Maine. The long-standing NY bookstore, The Strand, has even smartly been in the tote bag business for decades, having “offered over 100 original tote designs, ranging from political to whimsical.” And now, in the year 2023, Harper’s BAZAAR has declared that High-fashion tote bags are everywhere, and they actually make a great investment.

I personally like my totes to fall into at least one category: fun, funny, clever, unique, or bookish. So off to Etsy I went to find you a great selection of Halloween tote bags to carry your stuff around in with the Halloween spirit in mind — whether you are only spirited in the month of October or all year.

Stay Positive Skeleton Tote Bag ($18): Who says you can’t have a glass-half-full attitude during scary season?

tote bag with graphic black screen print of women from horror including Elvira and Wednesday Addams

Spooky Women Canvas Tote Bag ($15): Why pick a favorite spooky lady when you can have five iconic women to love!

canvas tote bag with a screen print image of a black cat holding a bloody knife with text saying "what?"

Murder Cat Tote Bag ($30): It’s the “what?” that really kills me because if you’ve ever known a cat, you’ve watched it do something terrible while looking you dead in the eye and challenging you or like it’s not doing anything at all wrong.

black canvas tote bag with a pumpkin flower design and letting that says "sort spooky sorts sweet"

Sorta Spooky Sorta Sweets Tote Bag ($13): Giving “why not both” vibes, and I like it!

green tote bag with a graphic print image of a pumpkin in the foreground with a university in the background

Halloweentown University Tote Bag ($19): How do I apply to Hallooweentown University?! And what are the majors?! Ghost friending? Pumpkin Art?

beige tote bag with a graphic print image to look like a tarot card with a skeleton reading a book

Vintage Tarot Card Inspired Skeleton Reading Books Canvas Tote Bag ($15): A trifecta perfect tote for fans of tarot cards, skeletons, and reading!