Happy December!

Happy December! The theme this month is Merry and Fright. One of the many things I love about December is the chance for a second Halloween! Work was a little crazy last month and November got away from me. I knew it was going to be an off month and so I used the time to reset because I love posting about haunted holidays. Who doesn’t love a good dark and scary Creepmas?!

Merry and Fright is for the people who love both Halloween and Christmas. These two holidays are close cousins, completely opposite, yet so similar in nature, they can be celebrated in the same way. Merry and Fright is traditional Christmas, but a little dark, little creepy, little kitschy, and little scary.

Yes, Christmas, like Halloween, tends to be overcommercialized but if we continue to spread love, kindness, understanding, and goodwill, along with education of the traditions and history of the holiday, we’re gonna be okay.

Which reminds me…here, Christmas is not Jesus’ birthday, but it IS the chosen date to represent ALL religious and pagan holidays and traditions. It’s a hodge podge and that means it’s okay to say Merry Christmas, it’s okay to say Happy Holidays, and celebrate all traditions, including putting up the pagan Christmas tree, lighting the Hanukkah menorah, lighting the Kwanzaa Kinara, waiting around for Sinterklaus, ringing a bell for Krampus, and throwing a birthday party for little Jesús. I don’t have time for hate, end of story….nor racism, prejudice, bigotry, nationalism, extremism, or sexism, so please don’t bring it.

The world is full of bad guys, war and strife enough as it is, so I’m trying to create a safe space for everyone who loves Christmas and Halloween. My holiday gift to you will be fun, frivolity, holiday haiku, holiday horror, holiday spirits, games, contests, free prizes, and gift-giving guides for those looking for the dark and spooky items for those special loved ones. So keep tuning in all month long.

Merry Creepmas and Happy Hellidays to all!

Winners of the 5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2023

I will directly contact winners to get mailing details or get prizes out. Please do not post personal information here or on social media.

Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in Halloween Haiku Challenge 2023.

Once again, it was a tough contest to judge! Truly wonderous haiku, some brought the feels and some were seriously scary. I love it!

Happy Holidays to all!

Happy Halloween!

1 Day to Submit Entries in the 5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge

You must be a WordPress or Instagram follower to particpate. Two ways to enter a submission this year 1) post your haiku in comments section below, or 2) Tag me on Instagram and use the following #halloweenhaikuchallenge

First Place wins a witchy prize pack!

Second Place wins Enchanted Bruja Print, a choice of a Disney Pin Set, and some Halloween stickers!

Third Place wins a prize out of the grab bag!

Wicked Art Wednesdays – Diana Levin, Ghoulish Bunny Studios

Happy International Artist Day! Today we celebrate the dark fantasy art of Diana Levin of Ghoulish Bunny Studios!

Diana Levin’s art could be described as both whimsical and menacing. Her imaginative and unique style embrace death and horror, all while capturing the natural beauty of an enchanted forest or a fantastical world.

Diana and her author husband Shawn Givens travel around to different conventions and trade shows all over the USA. They’re two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Stop by and say hello!

Artist: Diana Levin
Company/Studio: Ghoulish Bunny Studios
Website: https://www.ghoulishbunnystudios.com/
Social Media: https://instagram.com/ghoulishbunnystudios or TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ghoulishbunnystudios

Enter the 5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge for a chance to win a witchy prize pack containing a canvas bag and an enamel pin featuring the art of Diana Levin!

All the spooky prizes…

Here’s a look at all the cool spooky prizes you could win this season.

It’s free to participate in contests, but you must follow the Contest Rules and be a follower of this page and/or @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram to qualify.

Look out for my upcoming contests!

Random Grab Bag Prizes:

Random Contest Prizes:

Halloween Haiku Challenge Prizes:

5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge

5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest Halloween Haiku during the month of October for a chance to win a witchy prize pack!

Only 3 haiku are permitted per contestant. Pick your best 3 and post. If I see more than 3 from the same participant, they won’t count. Three is the magic number.

SUBMISSIONS

PRIZES

Grand Prize – 1st Place Winner will receive a Poison the Patriarchy Pack, which includes some witchy stickers, a Poison the Patriarchy card, Witchcraft Spellbook, Rabbits Grim enamel pin and Antlers and Hares tote bag, both created by Diana Levin of Ghoulish Bunny Studios. This prize pack is worth over $60.

Second Place Prize: Halloween Spooky Print created the Enchanted Bruja.

Third Place Prize: Winner chooses a sticker and pin from this year’s prizes pool.

DEADLINE

The contest starts on October 1st and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31st, 2023. Winners will be announced on November 1, 2023, here and on social media.

Please see Contest Rules and Eligibility Page more details.

Halloween Schedule 2023

**PROGRAM UPDATE 10-07-23: Due to a malfunctioning oven, I will not be able whip up recipes for Sinister Saturdays as promised. So instead, I’ll do something little more in my wheelhouse, scary movie reviews. Every Saturday in October will now be dedicated to reviewing a scary paranormal movie.**

Happy Autumn! Don’t be scared, but October is exactly one week away!

Earlier this year, Halloween Horror Haiku celebrated its 5th anniversary. I can’t believe it’s been 5 years already. It hasn’t always been easy, especially these days when work consumes most of my life, but I’m still enjoying writing haiku and sharing in the spirit of Halloween. That’s why instead of easing up, I’m forging ahead with a 31-day plan to celebrate Halloween 2023!

Be sure to check in every day in October for cool, fun, and inspirational Halloween artwork, haiku, poems, stories, and PRIZES!!! That’s right, I’m giving away a ton of cool prizes this year, but you must be a follower of Halloween Horror Haiku, either here on WordPress or Instagram (click the links to join me).

HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE 2023

Monday Macabre

Our theme this month is A Haunted Halloween. What’s Halloween without a visit to a haunted house? New haiku will be posted every Monday and will connect to tell an overarching story.

Trick or Treat Tuesdays

Play spooky games and win spooky prizes, every Tuesday this October.

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase original Halloween art that most represents our theme of “A Haunted Halloween” from the world’s most talented artists.

Thursday Terror

Every Thursday, let’s travel back and revisit the scariest films to come out of the golden age of Hammer Horror.

Friday Fright Nightcaps

What did the ghost say to the bartender? More boos, please!
Grab your cauldron, it’s the return of Friday Fright Nightcaps!

Sinister Saturdays

Join me in my own personal dungeon in hell, y’all might know as the kitchen, as I share some spooook-tacular recipes to die for every Saturday, and post pics and videos of my follies. This could be the scariest day on the schedule, folks (definitely the funniest)!

Spooky Sundays

Spooky Sundays are for reading, relaxing, and recharging our brooms.

5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest Halloween Haiku during the month of October for a chance to win a witchy prize pack!

I’ve got a great grand prize for the top winner this year and lots of cool stickers for runner-ups. More details will be announced!

Don’t forget to follow Halloweenhorrorhaiku on social media: Instagram, Threads, and Pinterest.

Have a faboooooo-lous Halloween season, everyone!

Congratulations to our Halloween Haiku Challenge winners!

Happy 5th Anniversary to Halloween Horror Haiku!

Today marks my 5th anniversary of Halloween Horror Haiku!

I started this home-grown blog to channel some pent up creative energy that needed to get out. Many grand ideas and failed realities later, I’ve learned I’m not so much about keeping up the social aspect of having a public blog and more about just having fun and being creative. Either the shared love of the topics draws you in or it doesn’t. I believe myself to be a complete novice and writing does not come easy for me, poetry in particular. But, with each poem, I gain a better understanding of the art of haiku.

My first posted Halloween haiku in April 2018.

In November of 2021, I rebranded to Halloween Horror Haiku because I wanted to share my love of horror movies and to differentiate my blog from other writers who were causing trouble on social media. Writing Halloween haiku isn’t something to be owned. No one is the only one to write Halloween haiku and no one can claim to be the first to do it, unless you’ve got 100-year old poem hiding somewhere.

Google search Halloween Haiku and my blog comes up 5th. For a couple years I was on page 9 or 10.

Both Halloween and haiku are communal. They are more meaningful when shared, so is horror for that matter, which is why I choose to celebrate my blogiversary with Halloween haiku challenge, where everyone can share in the joy of creating a Halloween haiku. Details for this year’s contest are below.

Halloween Haiku Challenge – Halfway to Halloween

Write a Halloween-themed haiku using the traditional 17-syllable style and rules, then, enter by posting, using one of the two methods below. Only ONE entry per person. Contest ends at 12noon Pacific on Sunday, April 30^th.

Prize: A Ghostly Prize Pack valued over $50.

Please click here for contest rules/disclaimer stuff.

Two Ways to Enter:

1) Via WordPress:

Create a login or sign into WordPress
Follow our webpage: www.halloweenhorrorhaiku.com
Post your own original Halloween haiku in the comment section of this post

2) Via Instagram:

Follow us on Instagram: @halloweenhorrorhaiku
Like the “Happy 5th Anniversary Halloween Horror Haiku” photo.
Add your own original Halloween haiku in the comment section; or
Tag me in your Insta-post and use the following #HalloweenHaikuChallenge

The winning haiku will be chosen based on originality, spookiness, or that which best invokes the spirit of Halloween.

Winner will be announced on Monday, May 1st.

I’ve only always wanted this blog to be a positive safe space for people who enjoy Halloween, horror, and haiku without being harassed, intimidated, or persecuted. Thank you to all my supporters, the readers, the writers, fellow bloggers, fellow members of Samhain Society, and fellow Halloween, horror, or haiku lovers from all corners of the globe who stop by to check out the blog. I appreciate your time and energy. Here’s to another great year of Halloween Horror Haiku!