Throwback Thursdays – Treat-or-Treating

Will trick or treating be a Halloween tradition that survives the apocalypse?

Past:

Trick-or-treating can be traced all the way back to the Celtic celebrations of Samhain, on what is now known as October 31st, the night when the dead were believed to come back to the living. Villagers disguised themselves in costumes made of animal skins to drive away evil spirits. Food and drink were left out. Bonfires were lit. Sacrifices made. Basically, the Halloween party life hasn’t changed much, well, maybe we don’t sacrifice as many bodies as we used to, but, we’re still lighting shit on fire and eating and drinking until we pass out. By the middle ages, people dressed in more elaborate costumes went door-to-door asking for treats, even performed for treats. Christianity took hold and their diehard zealots tried their best to push out pagan ceremonies of All Hallows eve, October 31, and All Hallows Day on November 1, with their own for All Saints Day on November 2. Everything only got muddled and combined. Immigrants brought their Halloween traditions, including trick-or-treating, to the USA, but by the 1920s, pranksters almost got Halloween canceled with their viciousness, horrible pranks, and acts of violence, that’s when parents started to organize community-wide events like parades, carnivals, or festivals.

Present:

Whoohoo, trick-or-treating is back, baby! According to Statista.com, Halloween spending is up to $10.6 Billion dollars in 2022, with $3.6 billion dollars being spent on costumes, and deep-pocket pet owners shelling out $710 million dollars to dress up their pooches and kitty-cats. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, they estimate about 42 million trick-or-treaters this year and 128 million dwellings offering treats, and a recent article from US News and World Report says the top three costumes were: the witch, Spiderman, and that funny inflatable dinosaur.

Future:

Mask or no mask, let’s face facts, you need people to trick-or-treat. You need people to pass out candy and you need kids, small people, to collect it. I mean, the USA couldn’t make it through a manageable pandemic without hoarding toilet paper and staying inside to stop the spread of a highly infectious deadly disease, it’s doubtful the majority of the population is going to make it through one of IET‘s 13 hypothesized apocalyptic doomsday scenarios.

The good news is, when the dust clears, I believe there will some form of a society, and probably one in need. Going door-to-door to collect food and handouts could become commonplace again, not mention to leaving “treats” to ward off evil (people) from doing good folks harm and you can be sure, as long as someone remembers October 31st is Devils night, somebody is going to be up to no good. I think trick-or-treating will most definitely survive the apocalypse.

Trick or Treat art by Raluca Iosifescu.

Throwback Thursday – Visiting Haunted Attractions

Will haunted attractions be a Halloween tradition that survives the apocalypse?

Past:

The mention of real haunted houses dates back to First Century A.D., when Roman author and politician, Pliny the Elder, wrote a letter about a man haunting his house in Athens, ever since then, people have been telling stories of ghosts and haunted houses. That’s its own topic for another day. This post is about haunted attractions, live entertainment inspired by haunted places and things.

In 1802, Madame Marie Tussaud opened the first wax exhibit, which took the public by storm, depicting gruesome decapitations of public figures such as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Her permanent museum on Baker Street in London featured what she called the Chamber of Horrors, wax figures of notorious murderers and villains. This is thought to be the very first horror attraction. Sadly, Tussaud’s closed in 2016.

Madama Tussaud Chamber of Horrors Guillotine

Over 100 years after Tussaud’s, the first-ever electrified haunted attraction ever recorded was the Orton and Spooner Ghost House, at the Edwardian Fair in 1915, as part of the steam collection, in what would become known as dark rides, moving vehicles, trains, and boats that took passengers through scenes, like a spooky house or the tunnel of love. It didn’t take long before attractions featuring dark rides popped up in carnivals, world fairs, and exhibitions worldwide.

In 1969, Walt Disney opened The Haunted Mansion featuring groundbreaking technology and audio-animatronic ghosts. This is when commercialized haunted attractions were thought to have become a cultural mainstream. The idea was born in 1951 between Walt Disney and his Imagineers, when early illustrations created by the Legendary Harper Goff, of the proposed park featuring a church, a graveyard, and a “run-down manor perched high on a hill that towered over main street”, but Walt didn’t like the idea of a rundown house in the middle of his brand new park. It’s said that after a visit to the Winchester House in San Jose, CA, with its creepy deadends and stairs leading to nowhere, Walt was inspired to fashion the mansion in a similar way. It originally was going to be a walkthrough too, but Walt and the team decided on making it a dark ride that would carry passengers through their animated “Museum of the Weird” and christened their vehicles “doom buggies.” During the planning years, The Haunted Mansion grew darker and stranger, and took on several iterations, not to mention several years to build. Sadly, Disney died in December of 1966 and never even had the opportunity to experience one of his most popular creations.

Since The Haunted Mansion’s opening in the late 60s, there have been hundreds of commercialized haunted houses or carnival dark rides, too numerous to count. Haunts popped up in abandoned buildings and farmhouses across the USA, People capitalized on both rumored and actual haunted places, offering tours, mazes, hayrides, and festivals in honor of legendary ghosts and American haunts. According to AmericaHaunts.Com, there was even a book written on the subject authored by Jim Gould and Tom Hilligoss, who detailed makeup FX, scene ideas, and marketing strategies. Over 20,000 copies were sold and Gould and Hilligoss became known as the first Haunted House experts. They would go on to create the Haunted House Company, one of the first outfits to sell FX, masks, lighting, costumes, etc.

Present:

After Hollywood’s horror boon during the 1970s and 1980s, horror movies became more mainstream and an entire industry of itself. Bigger theme parks found a way to offset seasonal attendance by offering haunted mazes and attractions. In 1973, Knott’s Berry Farm turned part of its fairgrounds into Knott’s Scary Farm. Today it boasts 160 acres featuring haunted mazes, spooky characters, scary rides, and scare zones. Universal Studios would cash in on the craze during the1990s, using its extensive film history with classic monster films and newer horror franchises as inspiration for haunted mazes and attractions. Soon after, all haunts everywhere featured popular characters from horror books, movies, and television. These days, I’ve heard there are something like over 4000 amateur-made, professional, or commercialized haunts every Halloween.

Future:

No people, no haunted attractions. We’ll all become ghosts. Every place will become haunted. Simple as that.

4th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022

4^th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

We’re just 13 days away from Halloween night and now the real fun starts! Share your most original or scariest Dystopian or Halloween Memories Haiku for a chance to win some spooktacular prizes.

The contest starts on October 18th and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31st. Winners will be announced on November 1st here and on social media.

To join in on the fun, follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter

Three ways to share your haiku:

Post your haiku here in the comment section of this specific blog post. (After review, I will make your haiku visible to the public.)
Post your haiku on Twitter, using the hashtag #HalloweenHaikuChallenge and tag me @Halloweenkristy to ensure that I see your post.
Post your haiku on Instagram, using the hashtag #HalloweenHaikuChallenge and tag me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku to ensure that I see your post.

Judging Criteria:

Originality. You must be the sole author of the haiku you post. No exceptions.
Theme. The theme of your haiku must either be 1) Dystopian Halloween or 2) Halloween Memories.
Scares. The scarier the better! It is Halloween after all.
Format/Style. All haiku, senryu, and zappai are eligible and should fall within the usual standard 17 syllables (i.e., 5-7-5). Sorry, Tanka or any other style of poetry is not acceptable for purposes of this contest. We’re not hating, just a matter of space and time.
Only one entry per participant.

Prizes*:

1^st Place Winner:

Halloween Prize Pack, retail value over $50

Disney Oogie Boogie Bash Pin from 2022
Disney Halloween Die Cut Magnet
The Conjuring Horror Blu-Ray/DVD Combo
Evil Dead Sticker
Halloween buttons/stickers
Halloween card

1st Place Halloween Prize Pack for 2022 – #HalloweenHaikuChallenge

2^nd Place Winners:

Two runner-up poems will be chosen to win a Halloween card and one Halloween magnet.

2nd Place Halloween Prizes for 2022 – #HalloweenHaikuChallenge

3^rd Place Winner:

One third-place winner will be chosen to win a Halloween card and some Halloween stickers.

*Open to US residents only. Prizes subject to change.

Disclaimer:

All works are copyright of their respective owners. By participating in this contest, you agree that Halloween Kristy can use your haiku to further promote this contest and http://www.halloweenhorrorhaiku.com on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.) Unauthorized use, modification, reproduction, or distribution of copyright poems submitted to Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022 without express written permission from the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

For further details on contest rules, please visit: https://halloweenhorrorhaiku.com/contest-rules-eligibility-and-some-disclaimer-stuff/

Halloween Kristy reserves the right to remove and discredit any haiku and/or images posted here or on social media containing plagiarized or copyrighted material, pornography, vulgarity, bigoted, racist, or sexist views.

Throwback Thursday – Jack-o’-lanterns

Will jack-o’-lanterns be a Halloween tradition that survives the apocalypse?

Past: Centuries before the Native Americans introduced pumpkins to puritan societies, the Celts (ancient Irish peoples) were carving gruesome faces into turnips and potatoes and filling them with candles, all in an effort to guide wandering spirits to safety and ward off evil spirits during Samhain.

Ancient Celtic jack-o’-lantern at Carnegie Museum of Natural History

By the early 1800s, the Irish began telling the story of Stingy Jack, a man cursed to roam the earth for eternity after being rejected entry into both Heaven and Hell.

“As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”
https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins

Present: Irish immigrants brought their legend of Stingy Jack with them to the America and replaced turnips with pumpkins, which were big and easier to carve, not mention, the most economical gourds to cultivate, growing almost anywhere with the proper care.

With the commercialization of Halloween, we saw the pumpkin carving grow into a elaborate artistry and jack-o’-lanterns made out of every material substance known to man.

Future: According to an article “Could Humans Grow Food During a Nuclear Winter?” in Discover Magazine from March 2022, any sun-blocking catastrophes, i.e., volcanic eruptions, meteor crashes, or nuclear war would likely reduce sunlight by 40%, causing global permafrost and reducing much need precipitation. A Nuclear disaster would most surely ruin the earth’s soil, at least for a good 5 years or so. Without good sunlight and moderate soil temps, it would probalby be a number of years before survivors could grow fields of pumpkins again, or any food for that matter.

We have already experienced reduced crops in the last few years due to climate change, with soaring temps, severe rain storms in the East, and record-breaking droughts out West. Mini pumpkins, which can grow in controlled environments and small spaces, may be the only variety of pumpkin that survives.

All said, carving jack-o’-lanterns is arguably the oldest and most beloved Halloween tradition. I think as long as there’s a candle or a light, a metal bucket, and one human being left on the planet caring enough about Halloween, the jack-o-lantern will survive.

Throwback Thursdays – Bobbing for Apples

Will apple bobbing be a Halloween tradition that survives the apocalypse?

Past:

Apple bobbing dates back to antiquity and is commonly associated with the Celtic festival Samhain, where apples were a sign of abundance, fertility, and good harvest. The game goes like this, several apples are placed into a tub filled with water, then, children or adults, with hands bound behind their backs, try to catch apples with their teeth. There were several variations of the game, including one called Snap Apple where the apple hangs from a string tied to the ceiling. Eventually, apple bobbing became a fun courting act between young ladies and potential suitors, particularly in regions of the United Kingdom. A young lady would drop her apple, representing the man she most desired, into a barrel and attempt to bite the apple by dunking her head into or near the water. Catching the apple in one try meant the romance was destined to succeed, while more than three tries meant the relationship was doomed. Hard to believe that’s how many a marriage started before the 1900s, but there you have it. Young women even put their apples under their pillows the night before for extra luck.

Present:

Health and safety concerns pretty much keep bobbing for apples a thing in the past. The fear of catching Covid, Influenza, or some other illness from contaminated water is high and parents of small children especially fear drowning, not to mention the high possibility of eye injuries from accidental scratches or infections. This game is more dangerous nowadays than it ever was in the past. Most instances of apple bobbing events happen during private parties or fall festivals and more often than not, involve schoolchildren. No young lads want to mess up their coiffeurs and any ladies looking for a soulmate will find that match.com is a far easier and safer way to attract a good man.

Future:

Whether due to the radioactive contamination from the fallout of a nuclear war or worldwide freshwater shortages due to climate change, it’s hard to imagine the earth will be fertile enough in the future to grow orchards full of apple trees needed for apple bobbing. Soil and water would both be irradiated in the event of a nuclear explosion, so, growing any crops at all will be a challenge. Given the high chance of scarcity of food during the apocalypse, I don’t anticipate apple bobbing to be a Halloween tradition that survives. Still, only one apple is truly needed to play, so, all hope is not completely lost. Let me know your thoughts in the comments or hit me up on social media.

Happy Halloween!

31 Days of Halloween 2022

Happy October! After starting late this Halloween season, I’m now ready to post the schedule of this year’s 31 Days of Halloween Celebration. The theme this October is dystopian Halloween. With the doomsday clock ticking down, it’s probably way past time to think about how humankind plans to survive the apocalypse, in particular, how we’ll preserve our traditions and holidays, like Halloween.

Part of the month, we’ll have some fun with the dystopian Halloween-horror theme, but I have decided to mix in some good old-fashion Halloween traditional themes as well, cuz, I just love talking about those Halloween memories.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season!

31 Days of Halloween Schedule

Monday Macabre
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll explore a dystopian Halloween.

Tuesday Terror
Every Tuesday, I’ll share my favorite scary movies that I believe make great Halloween season viewing.

Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art with an apocalyptic twist. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.

Throwback Thursdays
Preservation of Halloween traditions is important for several reasons. Every Thursday, let’s explore the origins of some Halloween traditions and muse over whether these traditions might survive the apocalypse.

Friday Fright Nightcaps
Ghosts aren’t the only ones who like to get sheet-faced on Halloween. Check back every Friday for Halloween season-inspired cocktails.

Sinister Saturdays
In the past few years, Sinister Saturdays have always been dedicated to food and Halloween recipes. The problem was, besides my being the worst cook in America, people are simply reluctant to let you share their recipes online, even if you give them complete credit and link back to their website. So, in the true spirit of Sinister Saturdays, we’re just going to let the demons loose that day and see what they come up with.

Poe Sundays
This year’s tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, will feature my thoughts on the best Poe adaptations on film.

4^th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest visual Halloween Haiku photos during October for a chance to win some prizes.

More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 18^th.

Join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter

Happy October 2022!

I’m writing today from June Lake, CA. It’s a beautiful, cozy little town tucked inside an old glacier in the Eastern Sierras. Very scenic. You can actually see the stars at night and that took my breath away. Living in Los Angeles, I barely see any stars. It’s really sad. Anyways, up here in June Lake, Autumn is in full swing and you can actually see some trees changing colors. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how beautiful and amazing our planet is, and how amazing we live in an unexplored universe we know nothing about.

Then, I think about Putin and his war machine committing genocide and thrusting the whole planet closer to doomsday. Nuclear annihilation feels closer than it’s ever been. I don’t even remember this kind of complacency in the 80s.

There is no Halloween in our future. No trick or treating. No fun costumes. No parties full of people. No pumpkins, nor the ability to grow them. Last month, I stressed the importance of perserving Halloween traditions, and shared with you how I feel preserving traditions eventually becomes the only way to keep our memories alive.

Whatever traditions survive is what is going to move the survivors forward. I hope you join me this October to make Halloween traditions stand out and make people feel stronger and more connected to each other, people, our friends, family, loved ones, our world, this wonderful planet which grows big plump juicy pumpkins, and the universe, who remembers everything and is the only hope humankind has of surviving. Cast off those old traditions that strangle us, like racism, sexism, bigotry, and believe in science, medicine, research and development, space exploration…When I look at the stars, I see that God everyone’s always talking about, but not in any Bible, not in your TV set, not in the guns, and not in the tanks. Creation triumphs over destruction, so create a life you want to live and make good memories.

This month’s theme is dystopian Halloween. Maybe if we imagine the world struggling to save Halloween, we’ll actually strive better to do it for real.

Wishing you all a safe, joyous, haunted October!

Halloween Memories

Years before global warming started to rear its ugly head, Autumn in Southern California was the nicest time of the year. Maybe it was child’s perspective, but the temps were mild during the day and a bit chilly in the evenings. I remember October being boots and sweaters weather, just like in the midwest, only with the smell of salty air from the Pacific ocean. A lot more of our trees changed colors too, back in a time when there were more trees here to look at. Now, all those trees are gone, replaced by concrete buildings and single-track homes. While I miss the golden orange and red hues of fall leaves, the suburbs did usher in a new age of Halloween decorating, the do-it-yourself home haunt. Some people just aren’t satisfied with pumpkins on the porch, which is still totally okay. I confess, I’m a fan of all.

Closer to the coast, I remember having fun filling a plastic pumpkin full of sand and digging my toes down deep under it. We made sand jack-o’-lanterns out of square pails and carved faces in melons and pineapples. There was a local beach shop showing off a seashell centerpiece mixed with mini pumpkins, orange starfish, and purple sea urchins in the window. Some people do not like a “pastel” Halloween, not me. Since my youth, I’ve always had an appreciation for the casual elegance of coastal Halloween decor.

Back in the day, we used real candles, where the hot wax spilled over the side. Yes, it was a dangerous fire hazard, but there’s just something special about flickering light wavering ever so lightly when the breeze reaches out to touch the wick. Artificial light simply cannot reproduce this magic.

I have lots of Halloween memories of celebrating traditional Halloween activities like going to carnivals, carving pumpkins, and trick or treating in a plastic frock and Ben Cooper mask. I’d spend hours looking over my Grandmother’s DIY Halloween decorations, those witch heads with gnarled noses, plastic hands and plastic boots, along with their white cotton hair and home-sewn dresses. I think I get my creative spirit from her, although, sadly, I don’t possess any of her skill.

Over the years, I’ve forgotten the faces of neighbors, friends, and even family, yet, I still remember the look and feel of those Gurley Halloween candles on the dining room table, and shopping trips to Woolworth’s for candy and costumes.

My Halloween traditions are a mishmash of all the things I love with everything that has come to represent the people, places, and things I’ve lost. I can’t remember names or faces, but I remember the good feelings. In the end, I guess that’s all memories end up being, feelings, which is why I think it’s especially important to preserve Halloween traditions and celebrate as many as we can. It’s the only way for us to hold onto our own memories.

Happy Halloween season, everyone. Make great memories.

Happy September!

Welcome back ‘Ber months!
It’s the official start to the Halloween season. This month’s theme is Halloween Memories.

The holiday season is all about perserving traditions and making memories. Halloween and falltime is the most joyous time of year. There’s less stress and a focus on personal fulfillment, as opposed to Thanksgiving and Christmas where catering to the needs of family and friends takes priority. During Halloweentime, you are doing fun things to elevate your own mood, decorating and putting your own creative spin on things, and finding a spooky costume to entertain your inner child, and ward off evil spirits, of course! That doesn’t mean we are selfish beings or ignore family and friends. Far from it! We include them in our celebrations! We inspire them to tap into their own creavity and find happiness within by making great memories of their own. When it’s all said and done, no one remembers the cool stuff they bought or didn’t buy because they couldn’t afford it. It’s memories of going places, seeing things, meeting good people, and feeling the joy, inspiration, and love that Halloween lovers bring into our lives. Don’t underestimate how much the tiniest act can last a lifetime in our brains and drive us to experience that kind of joy again and again. Be kind and patient with one another. Do your part to protect the earth from climate change. Recycle, reuse, and conserve water and energy.

To all the creatives, the artists, bloggers, decorators, filmmakers, retailers, writers, my fellow members in the Samhain Society, and everyone in-between, I bid you a spooktacular season. You keep those fires burning all year long and finally get to see payoff during this season.

So, make good memories, everyone. Have a great fall and Happy Halloween!

Fave Witch Movies

Good witches, bad witches, love witches, or scary witches, witches come in all variations. Whether you’re a new witch looking for guidance, an old witch looking inspiration, or not a witch at all, just someone looking for some spooky fun, here’s a list of my fave witchy movies and TV shows.