Happy 6th Anniversary to Halloween Horror Haiku!

This month marks the 6th anniversary of Halloween Horror Haiku. While, I’ve stepped back this year to focus on work and my health, I do still post new haiku once a month and on special occasions.

I want to thank everyone for stopping by to check out my blog. Originally, I was going to do a traditional haiku challenge and run a contest for a few weeks, but time constraints keep me from posting as often as I’d like this month. So, instead, I’m holding a flash haiku challenge for 24 hours, starting at 12pm PST on April 30th until 12pm PST on May 1st.

Since April 30th also marks the official halfway point to Halloween and Walpurgisnacht or Witch’s Night, our themes for the contest will be Halfway to Halloween or Witch’s Night. Your original haiku must feature one of the two themes to qualify. Traditional haiku rules apply. Good luck!

SUBMISSIONS:

Only 3 haiku permitted per contestant. You may post here in the comments section or on Instagram or Threads. Don’t forget to use #halloweenhaikuchallenge in your social media posts AND tag me! @halloweenhorrorhaiku

Please see Contest Rules and Eligibility Page for more details.

PRIZES:

1st Place Winner wins a Halloween prize pack, retail valued at $50 (see contents below). 2nd and 3rd place winners will win a Halloween Disney Pin from 2022 season and their choice from the Halloween Grab Bag. I’m emptying the grab bag, so this is a great chance to nab a Disney Halloween pin collectible for free!

1st Place Winner Halloween Prize Pack: Wilton Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkin Halloween Non-stick Cake Pan (1); choice of a collectible Haunted Mansion Bride pin, Mickey Halloween Pin, or Mickey and Minnie Halloween pin set from 2023 season (1); Disney Halloween magnet from 2022 season (1) and some Spooksieboo springtime spooky stickers.

2nd & 3rd Place Winners: 1 Collectible Disney Halloween Pin and a grab bag item, plus some Spooksieboo springtime spooky stickers.

Thanks again for all your love and support! Only a few more months until the unofficial 2024 Halloween season is upon us! It’s gonna be big. I can feel it!

Monthly Haiku Corner – Halfway til Halloween

Today, April 8th is auspicious! There’s a solar eclipse happening. If you miss it, the next one comes around August 23, 2044. Actually, all of April is special because it marks the halfway point til Halloween and the 6th anniversary of Halloween Horror Haiku. I’ll post more on anniversary celebrations later. For now, finish making your fancy glasses and step outside to watch the universe wink at you, puny human.

the moon blocks the sun
eclipse of sight and feelings
months ’til Halloween

Monthy Haiku – March

I always love March because it gives me a chance to mention my love of my favorite spooky creature, the headless horseman. You mean the guy from that story with Icabod? Yes, that guy! The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washibgton Irving was based off old Irish legend of the Dullahan, a spectre of Irish lore who drives the death coach, collecting souls of the recently departed.

stolen fairy gold
the dullahan’s midnight ride
death coach approaches

Winners of the Holiday Haiku Challenge 2023

1st Place: Amy Lyford

2nd Place: Ad-Libby

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 for participating in the Holiday Haiku Challenge 2023.

Happy New Year!

Holiday Haiku Challenge 2023

Share your most festive or spookiest Holiday Haiku sometime during the next 5 days for a chance to win some prizes!

SUBMISSIONS:

Only 3 haiku permitted per contestant. You may post here in the comments section or on Instagram or Threads. Don’t forget to use #holidayhaikuchallenge in your social media posts AND tag me! @halloweenhorrorhaiku

Contest starts December 26th and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on December 31st.

PRIZES:

Grand Prize: The first two books in the Omnist Series written by Rob Weldon and a pick in the 2023 holiday grab bag.

Second Place: Spooky Christmas Socks and a pick in the 2023 holiday grab bag

Third Place: A pick in the 2023 holiday grab bag filled with lots of Halloween stickers, pins, and other goodies.

DEADLINE: Contest duration: December 26 through 31, 2023. Winners will be announced on January 1st, here and on social media.

Please see Contest Rules and Eligibility Page for more details.

Reminder: Use #holidayhaikuchallenge in your social media posts AND tag me, @halloweenhorrorhaiku. If you don’t tag me, there’s a chance I won’t see your post. Instagram changed their algorithms and I don’t always see new posts.

Don’t forget to follow Halloweenhorrorhaiku at Instagram, Threads, and Pinterest.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

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

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

Haiku of the Week

Part II of the Merry and Fright series.

sinister smile
a hidden killer inside
the snowman

Monthly Haiku Corner – December

Happy December! I can’t believe it’s the last month of 2023. It’s been long ridiculous year. The theme this month is Merry and Fright. It’s a traditional Christmas vibe with a little dash of spooky sprinkled in. I’ll have lots of cool haiku, gift-giving guides, scary holiday movies lists and free gifts to give away so stay tuned. Season’s Screaming!

winter wonderland
creatures stirring for creepmas
all merry and fright

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.