For longtime Hallmark Channel star and “General Hospital” detective Jonathan Bennett, hosting Food Network’s “Halloween Wars” has become an annual tradition, full of tricks and treats. In 2026, he has welcomed back eight teams of champion pumpkin carvers, cake artists, and sugar masters from past seasons, all competing for the $30,000 prize.
But amid all the fun and games and gooey desserts, diving into all things Halloween each year is bittersweet, as Bennett revisits meaningful memories from his childhood and all the ways his mom made a big deal of the holiday each year, including her epic handmade costumes.
Jonathan Bennett Recalls His Favorite Halloween Costumes
Bennett and his husband of four years, Jaymes Vaughan, don’t get many trick-or-treaters in their neighborhood. But the “Mean Girls” alum has wonderful memories of his own trick-or-treating days, growing up in Ohio.
“Halloween when I was a kid was so much fun,” Bennett told EntertainmentNow. “My mom would get the big candy. Every kid came to our house. My mom loved it, so she would hand them out, and what was great is while the majority of the kids were walking to my house, I could pass them by and get everything else at the other houses, and come back with a huge bag full.”
Growing up with a mom who made the most of Halloween was more than just about the generous candy bars, though. The costumes were a big deal, too (and still are, as evidenced by the photo shoot Bennett clearly hated doing before season 16 of “Halloween Wars”).
“My mom dressed me up as the Tin Man, and she built the costume from, like, a cardboard box and just covered everything in tin foil,” Bennett laughed. “So I was just walking around covered in tin foil with a funnel on my head, and it was my favorite costume we ever did.”
“But I also wanted to be a California Raisin one year,” Bennett continued, recalling the animated characters from 80s TV commercials. “I wanted to rollerblade so we could get the candy faster, and the California Raisins rollerbladed. I also got to wear tights for the first time doing that costume, and I was like, ‘Oh, this feels nice. This feels good! Why do I like this so much?'”
“Turns out later on, I’d figure out the answer to that question,” Bennett laughed. “But I wore tights in a potato sack that was dyed purple with a hole cut out of it, and then we glued the sack to my head, so it was just like a raisin.”
Jonathan Bennett Hopes Sharing Memories With His Mom Helps Others Process Their Own Grief
Bennett lost his mom, Ruthanne, in 2012. But reminiscing about holiday memories and knowing she would have loved seeing all the ways his career has evolved is comforting for the “Mean Girls” alum. He has been open about his grief in hopes it helps others navigating loss.
On Mother’s Day 2026, he shared a beautiful reflection that said, “For anyone struggling today because your mom is in heaven, I just want to remind you that love doesn’t disappear when someone is gone. Mother’s Day can feel heavy when the person you want to call, hug or hear laugh one more time isn’t here physically. But the love they gave us stays woven into who we are forever.”
New episodes of “Halloween Wars” air Sunday nights on Food Network at 9 p.m. Eastern time, with the season 16 finale slated for October 25. You can also catch up by streaming episodes via HBOMax. You can also catch him on “General Hospital” and in Hallmark’s “Save the Date for Christmas” on December 20.
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Jonathan Bennett Had Some Epic Halloween Costumes as a Kid, Thanks to His Late Mom (EXCLUSIVE)