Gift Ideas for Halloween and Horror Fans 2024

Shudder Streaming Movie Subscription ($4.99 monthly) – Shudder online or streaming devices

A Christmas Carol Characters – Pop! Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Glow) ($12) – Funko

Fitz Alice Cooper’s a Haunted Party Night 350 Scary Cards Family Horror Movie Box Game ($24.99) – Macy’s

1000 Piece Halloween Puzzle ($24.99) Woodbests

UNITED” 3 x 5 ft. Large Halloween Flag by Rhode Montijo BACK IN STOCK ($25) – Rhode Montijo

Late for the Sky: Boooo-Opoly Monopoly Board Game ($31.99) – Target

On Set With John Carpenter: The Photographs of Kim Gottlieb-Walker ($39.99) – Barnes and Noble

Dracula Book Phone Case
($35) – Once Upon a Book Club

Phantom of the Opera Scarf
($49) – Storiarts

Smile 2 Limited Edition Steelbook Pre-release set for January 21, 2025 ($44) – Target

Universal Monsters 7″ Scale Action Figure Collectibles ($40-$75) – NECA

Halloween Orange Umbrella ($64.95) Hilary’s Vanity

3D Halloween Castle Wood Puzzle Large 250-300 pieces with Wooden Box ($34-$100) – Woodbests

So, there you go, happy haunting and good luck crossing off your list. I’ll have another gift guide next week! Stay tuned!

Monthly Haiku Corner – December

Happy December! The theme is month is Wicked Wonderland. December is very much an opportunity to experience a second Halloween. There’s ghost stories, wicked elves, mysterious and mystical creatures, jolly ole Santa and the sinister Krampus. Lots of spooky fun coming this month, so check back often! Wishing you all very haunted holidays!

empty magic bag
wicked elves lie and deceive
Where is Santa?

Dickens Sunday: A Christmas Carol Quotes – Part I

It’s Dicken’s Sunday and this holiday season, we’re paying tribute to A Christmas Carol, originally published in parts starting in 1843. Every Sunday in December, I’ll share a spooky or memorable quote from this Christmas classic novella.

Happy December!

The last Ber month is a magical month filled with love, laughter, and good cheer, but it’s also a little spooky. There are ghosts, elves, strange dark creatures, and of course, the longest darkest night of the year. Winter solstice happens on December 21st and there’s still plenty of spooky fun to be had this month.

The theme this month is Wicked Wonderland, and I’ll be sharing brand new haunted haiku on Mondays, gift-giving guides for Halloween and horror fans, excerpts from Charles Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol every Sunday, recipes for a couple of christmassy cocktails, daily Wicked Wonderland art and photo challenge over on Instagram and social media, and closer to the end of month, I’ll hold the Holiday Haiku Challenge, with a chance to win some cool prizes!

We’re kicking off the celebrations with an art and photo challenge over on Instagram. Jump in any time, even if you miss a day or two, let’s see those wicked holiday pics! See picture below for the prompts. Don’t forget to tag me in your posts and use #wickedwonderlandphotochallenge

To join in on the fun, follow me http://www.halloweenhorrorhaiku.com or @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and Threads. I’m also on Blue Sky now at halloweenhaiku.bsky.social

Shop Small Business Saturday 2024

Hello! Today is Shop Small Business Saturday. This new annual tradition of supporting the mom and pop local businesses in your own town follows Black Friday every year. Today, I’m celebrating the last day of November with one of my favorite small businesses.

It’s been a joy to watch Yvette’s business grow from a small online shop into a real brick and mortar store in San Dimas, CA. This busy entrepreneur still makes time to travel around to Halloween and horror conventions and spooky events around the SoCal area. Follow her on Instagram for details on appearances.

This is just a small taste of what’s offered up this Creepmas season. It seems that everything pictured is still in stock, but merch moves quickly at Backstitch Bruja.

But don’t fret if something sells out. If you can be patient, get yourself a Backstitch Bruja giftcard. They usually restock.

Haunting Holidays and Merry Creepmas to all!

Christmas Cocktail: Cranberry Margarita Spritzer

Merry Christmas! I’ve had a nice lazy relaxing day. It’s been stressful last three months and now I’m ready for few days off to reset before a busy 2024. Tonight’s Christmas cocktail, a sweet and slightly fizzy concoction, is really an experiment of what’s left at the bottom of the kitchen cupboard, but I think it tastes pretty good.

Ingredients:

1 cup cranberry wine
1.5 oz Tequila
.05 oz Elderflower liqueur
ice (optional)

Wishing you a safe and happy holidays!

Haiku of the Week

Part IV of the Merry and Fright series. It’s a traditional Christmas vibe with a little dash of spooky sprinkled in.

blood, bones, sweat, and tears
the chaos of the season,
finally over

Merry & Frightful Holiday Horror: Spooky Movies to Watch Christmas Weekend

Happy Friday! Christmas Day is three days away and whether you’re done shopping or just getting started, you need some good movies to take your mind off the stress of the horrordays! You gotta hand it to Santa and Krampus, these two guys are quite decisive about that naughty and nice list. You’re on one or the other, but never both!
So, to celebrate Creepmas, and, in keeping with our Merry & Fright theme of traditional Christmas with spooky vibes, I compiled a list of holiday horror where we can cheer on the good guys and the bad guys who get chopped up into tiny pieces!

Nightmare Before Christmas
Gremlins
Krampus
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Deadly Games
A Christmas Horror Story
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Black Christmas (1974 version)

Haiku of the Week

Part III of the Merry and Fright series. It’s a traditional Christmas vibe with a little dash of spooky sprinkled in.

cleaning blood off knives
A christmas to dismember
Santa’s naughty elves

Spooky Book Lovers Gift Guide

If you’re looking for great books to gift your spooky loved ones this season, keep reading!

Most of these suggested books I own myself or totally plan on buying. I love classic horror by all the greats and I’m also proud to support indie writers and I hope you will too. I’ve marked the ones available in digital format that make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers.

Best Indie Urban Paranormal so real you might go looking for these people and places series:

Consumia’s Spiritual Emporium, Book I of the Omnist Series by Rob Weldon* – $6, $16, $26; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available via Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Best Monster Fantasy Turned into a Video Game and Hit TV Show Series:

Blood of Elves, Book I of the Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski* – $9, $12, $25, $60; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available (Complete Boxset shown in image below) via Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Best Steamy Indie Paranormal Romance:

Hex and the Single Witch by Roxanne Rhoads – $12 paperback via Amazon

Best Indie Fantasy-Horror-SciFi:

Cast a Cold Eye by Derryl Murphy and William Shunn* – $2, $35 Kindle and hardback via Amazon

Best Classic Halloween Story:

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury* $5, $15; Digital, paperback, hardback and other formats available via Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Best Fun-Sized Stories to get you into the Halloween spirit:

We Bleed Orange & Black: 31 Fun Sized Tales for Halloween by Jeff Carter* – $7 paperback via Amazon

Best Comprehensive Halloween History book I can’t wait to own:

The Better Days Books Vintage Halloween Reader by Various authors – $23 paperback via Amazon

Best and Fastest Way to Understanding Halloween Folklore and Traditions:

Creating Your Vintage Hallowe’en: The folklore, traditions, and some crafty makes by Marion Paull – $15 hardback via Amazon

Best Compact Taschen Icons Picturebook:

Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics Edited by Jim Heimann, Forward by Steven Heller – $17 paperback via Thriftbooks

Most Comprehensive, Deluxe Hardback Halloween Picturebook Collection:

Vintage Hallowe’en: Tricks, Treats & Traditions by Robert Pandis – $75 hardback

This sought after vintage Halloween picturebook is typically sold out, but I included it here because sometimes you can find it selling on secondhand markets online.

Best Someday I’m gonna own that Book:

Dracula,1897, 1st edition by Bram Stoker – $200-37,000

If you ever come across an ugly little book that looks like this, keep it!!!

*Makes a great last-minute gift or stocking stuffer!