Last Minute Gift Ideas 2024

Happy Creepmas! Looking for last minute virtual gift ideas? No stress! You can pull up your phone and have an amazing gift in less than 5 mins. Check it out!

Masterclass (price varies)

Give the gift of knowledge! I mean, there is no better gift than that. The online classes are easy, interesting, and fun. Your giftee can take classes at their own pace and pick whatever topic they want to study, there are over 200 to choose from! It’s fantastic for new budding writers.

Loot Fright Box from Lootcrate ($34.99 per crate)

Gift a bimonthly horror box filled with officially licensed and exclusive cool collectibles, apparel, and other horror goodies. It’s the gift that keeps on giving

Patreon

A gift for two people! Support independent artists, creators, influencers, musicians, and podcasters by gifting a fan with a Patreon subscription.

You need to set up a free Patreon account in order to gift someone but they have made gifting is easy, click here for more info.

Artists like Diana Levin of Ghoulish Bunny use Patreon to connect with fans.

Calm 1-Year Subscription ($69.99)

Gifting wellness is a beautiful gift and shows how much you care. Everyone deserves to be happy and feeling good about their mental health, but sometimes it’s challenging and people don’t know where to start. A Calm subscription is unimposing way to ease into caring for oneself.

Online Gaming Subscription or Gift Cards (price varies)

Plenty of spooky games are available for horror fans on PC, Playstation, XBox, or Nintendo Switch.

Buying a year long online gaming subscription service is an amazing gift. Gaming subscriptions are costly and more and more game companies are adding online play to their games.

There are hours of online entertainment to enjoy, but it helps to know what system your giftee is on. Just ask, “hey, what gaming system are you on?” Below are the big ones:

Playstation Plus Digital or Gift Cards ($25-$100)

Xbox Game Pass Digital or Gift Cards ($10-$50)

Nintendo Switch Online Digital or Gift Cards ($3.99-$19.99)

Steam for PC

You can purchase digital subscriptions online, or even give physical gift cards that can be found at any grocery store, retailer store or pharmacy store.

Dying Light I & II

Amazon Prime 1-Year Subscription ($139)

Free to watch Prime movies, TV, online books, music, and free shipping for a year! Best gift ever! Now, Amazon has made it a little difficult to gift an actual membership. You have to purchase a gift card instead and then the person uses it to buy themselves the membership. Taken from website: “Amazon no longer offers the ability to directly gift an Amazon Prime membership, but you can use an Amazon gift card to purchase a Prime membership.”

Gift Cards (price varies)

The good ole standby gift. It may seem impersonal but it’s not. People love getting giftcards. If you know their favorite stores or online shops, it helps, but a Visa giftcard that works anywhere, still the cherry on the top of an ice cream sundae.

Happy Holidays!

Witchy Gifts 2024

Happy Friday! This week’s gift guide is for the witches. Whether you’re a baby witch or a seasoned enchantress, witches need tools and toys to practice their craft. These gift suggestions are general and meant for everyone. Obviously, if the giftee has a specific practice in mind, like they want to be a kitchen witch or moon witch for example, you’re gonna want to find the tools, toys, and books geared towards that.

I listed some cool items from shops I like, but this is only a tiny guide to inspire you in finding the perfect gift for your favorite witch, even if it’s yourself. Happy Creepmas!

Polished Amethyst Pendulum ($7.50) Woot & Hammy

Llewellyn’s 2025 Magical Almanac ($14.99) – Llewellyn https://www.llewellyn.com

Llewellyn’s 2025 Witches’ Calendar ($14.99) – Llewellyn https://www.llewellyn.com

Witches Broom – Cinnamon scented with key ($18.00) The Crooked Path

Witches’ Brooms, various sizes and styles

Moons and Butterflies Modern Witch Hat ($20.99) – Hot Topic https://www.hottopic.com

Modern Witch Hat, various colors ($20) – Moons Gift Shop https://moonsgiftshop.com/product/modern-witch-hat/

Standard Rider-Waite Tarot Deck ($21.95) – various shops

Pre-order: Agatha All Along Soundtrack ($25) – Disney Music Emporium https://www.disneymusicemporium.com/product/XVLP292/agatha-all-along

Purple Crystal Ball, 3in. ($49) – 13 Moons

Crystal Ball, Various sizes and prices

Pentacle with Moon Phases Necklace ($40.99) – Woot & Hammy https://wootandhammy.com

400 Page Large Grimoire leather journal, Print Tree of Life Journal, Blank spell book book of shadows Leather Celestial Gifts For Him Her ($48.99) – Amyracraft (Etsy)

Gift Ideas for Halloween and Horror Fans 2024

Happy Creepmas! We’re coming up on the first weekend of December and if you’ve got a Halloween and horror fan on your holiday shopping list, I’ve got some great gift ideas! Now, truth is, Halloween and horror fans are pretty easy to buy for, anything Halloween or Horror related, even the smallest of items, makes us really, really, really happy. But, if you need more ideas and inspiration, then, check out these items:

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

Shudder is horror fan’s best friend. It’s a comfort zone. There are horror movies, thrillers, foreign films, TV shows, documentaries, old classics, new favorites, and curated collections. No yearly commitment, cancel anytime. it’s worth every penny!

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

Honestly, I had to boycott Pop! Funko before I went bankrupt, but these Christmas Carol funkos…

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

Last year I finally had the pleasure of seeing Alice Cooper in concert and holy smokes, it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. Mr. Cooper is master showman and horror maestro, it’s only fitting that he’d make his own horror party game.

1000 Piece Halloween Puzzle ($24.99) Woodbests

Christmas break is long and my patience is short, I consider puzzles to be relaxing, self-care tools that should be covered by flexible spending plans. Ya know, if we all band together and try to make it happen, it might.

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

Back in stock! Hurry! Why are you still here? Click the link and buy! This is a Halloween fan must-have item! And Rhode Montjo is the most amazing artist and an awesome person!

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

As a Halloween fan and mini knock-off Monopoly game collector (I think I own 15 different game sets) I’ve been eyeing this one and I better get allllll the candy when I land on Free Candy or there’s gonna be board flipping!

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

If you’re a fan of the Halloween movie franchise or legendary horror John Carpenter and his movies, you’re gonna want this sprawling 176 page photo book for your coffee table. Packed with behind the scenes photos, anecdotes, commentary and stories from the horror maestro, crew members, and celebrities.

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

Never be afraid to drop your phone again with these cool book phone cases from Once Upon a Book Club. They have other novels and a really kickass subscription box service too. Old phone, new phone, don’t worry, the list to match the correct size phone case is pretty extensive!

Phantom of the Opera Scarf
($49) – Storiarts

I have loved watching Storiarts grow. They make gloves, scarves, t-shirts, totes, and blankets of all types of classic novels. These scarves are like the classiest way of declaring your love for horror classics I can think of.

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

One of creepiest films of 2024 should be in your film library, if only for Naomi Scott’s memorable frenetic performance.It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

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

I’m blown away by attention to detail of these limited edition collectibles featuring the Universal monsters. NECA makes other spooky characters too, but I’m just a sucker for anything featuring the old monster movies and those little interchangeable heads! C’mon! Who doesn’t want Larry Talbot on their shelf!

Halloween Orange Umbrella ($64.95) Hilary’s Vanity

Make umbrellas and parasols great again! Look, it’s even orange! ahahahaha alright, alright, unlike incoming convict-in-chief, these Halloween umbrellas are dainty and elegant. They really can punch up a plain black goth dress and they protect from the sun, so you won’t turn to ashes. They ARE great!

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

Woodbests puzzles are colorful laser etched onto natural wood and beautiful. It’s like you’re putting together a piece of art!

**After reading some reviews, I thought it best to put up a warning to Read Carefully when purchasing Woodbests Puzzles as there’s different size puzzles and prices, gotta buy a box separately, and the kit separately, otherwise it will all come in a plain bag and will be seriously disappointing. Then again, if you’re looking to save money and have another display plan for the puzzle, you might love the fact that you can just buy the pieces and that’s it. The products are really cool, just pay attention. It’s a bit like buying flowers online.**

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

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.

Backstitch Bruja

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!

Gifts for Ghost Hunters

Thinking of embarking on an exciting journey of becoming a paranormal investigator, or perhaps you have a young family member interested in ghosts and paranormal research? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are dozens of options these days for folks just starting out. My lists are designed for quick and easy holiday shopping, but I encourage all to do a little bit of research before making big decisions on pricey equipment.

Top Shops

Ghost Stop – One-stop shopping for ghost hunter fans
https://www.ghoststop.com/gifts/

Ghost Hunter’s Equipment by Ghost Augustine – As seen on Taps, Ghost Adventures, Destination Fear, Ghost Finders, and many more.
https://ghosthuntersequipment.com

Top Gifts List

Motion Light Balls – $5
Think there’s a ghost in the room? Well toss one of these suckers on the floor and wait to see if the ghost interacts with it. Made for one-time use, so get a couple for the stocking.
https://www.ghoststop.com/motion-light-ball/

Antique Brass Compass – $12
Before EMF readers, changes in magnetic fields were judged by this little pocket-size tool. No need to worry about batteries or technical issues, any standard brass compass will point you in the right direction.
https://www.amazon.com/Antiqued-Brass-Poem-Compass-Leather/dp/B009HJOE3O/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=vintage+compass&qid=1671324858&sr=8-2

The Ghost Hunters Handbook by Lori Summers on Etsy – $15
A little pocket guide for hunters on the go.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1061718871/the-ghost-hunters-handbook-a-field-guide

A Teen’s Guide to Ghost Hunting by Amanda Woomer – $15
This book written by paranormal investigator and author Amanda Woomer from Spook Eats was designed to introduce teens to the exciting world of paranormal investigation. Ms. Woomer has written several books about her paranormal adventures, so she knows a thing or two about ghost hunting.
https://spookeats.com/a-teens-guide-to-ghost-hunting/

Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter by Steve T. Parsons – $18 (paperback)
Not a how-to book per se, but anyone interested in getting into paranormal investigations, whether for a career or hobby, should check out paranormal author and veteran ghost hunter Steve T. Parson’s work. The man is a bit of an expert on the subject and has been featured on shows of some of television’s biggest networks, such as BBC, Discovery Network, National Geographic, and ITV to name a few.
https://www.amazon.com/Ghostology-Hunter-Steven-T-Parsons/dp/191012172X

Winning Moves Classic Ouija Board Game – $28
Because no good ghost story starts with a game of Sorry. I recommend beginners start with a little small talk first. If you get any feedback, then, you might want to up your game.
https://winning-moves.com/product/ouija.asp

LED Flashight: ThurNite Archer 2A 3V Cool White – $30
Ghost hunting 101: Everyone knows the first tool of a great paranormal investigator is the almighty flashlight. Ghost hunting takes place at night, in the darkest and spookiest of places. No one wants to break a leg looking for Casper, right? If you want the best and have the money to pay for it, check out the Fenix PD36R, but for those on a budget, the ThruNite Archer is the next best thing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H1NTK82/?tag=gjbgtechgeneralflashlights-20

Digital Voice Recorder 16GB – $50
Ghosts have a lot to talk about, but you’re gonna need a good recorder to catch what they say.
https://ghosthuntersequipment.com/collections/spirit-boxes/products/digital-voice-recorder

K2 EMF Meter – $65
The legendary, original paranormal tool used by the pros! This was game changer in paranormal investigating when Ghost Hunters show hit the airwaves, as the practice was consider by many to be pseudoscience. The use of practical and very real technology brought an aire of legitimacy to the practice.
https://ghosthuntersequipment.com/collections/emf-meters/products/k2-emf-meter-plus

EVP Wrist Recorder 3 – $80
For ghost hunters on the go or anyone who suddenly find themselves all alone in a dark, old, spooky place, or, maybe not so alone…
https://www.ghoststop.com/evp-wrist-recorder-3/

Zip up Hoodie Sweatshirt from Ghost Hunters – $99
Gearing up for long cold nights? Don’t forget to pick up a zip up hoodie sweatshirt to keep warm from one of the best paranormal shows ever created.
https://www.officialghosthunters.com/shop/zip-up-hoodie

Beginner Ghost Hunter Kit – $149
Fancy a new hobby in the ghost hunting field but not quite ready for fancy equipment? Then, check out the beginner ghost hunter kits from Ghost Stop. https://www.ghoststop.com/beginner-ghost-hunting-kit/

BooBuddy Interactive Bear – $400
He’s cute. He’s cuddly. But he is not a toy, he’s a ghost hunter!
https://www.ghoststop.com/boobuddy-interactive-bear/

BooBuddy Jr. EMF Trigger Bear – $80
For those who still want to track changes in energy, but suffer PSTD from the Teddy Ruxpin era.
https://www.ghoststop.com/boobuddy-jr-emf-trigger-bear/

Pro Ghost Hunter Kit – $699
This kit has every tool a ghost hunter needs to tackle a big haunt or go pro!
https://www.ghoststop.com/evp-wrist-recorder-3/

7 Gifts That Don’t Suck for Vampire Fans

Kicking off the 2022 Christmas gift-giving guide season with 7 gifts that don’t suck for vampire fans. Vampire fans are a picky bunch and luckily, there are numerous gift ideas that will quench their bloodlust and won’t break the bank.

Bleeding Skull Candles

Bleeding candles are all the rage. Something Different Vampire Blood Tears out of the UK sells taper candles online or through Amazon, or you can try these bleeding skull candles from Gute, which look even cooler.

Gothic Black or Purple Damask Throw Pillows

These beautiful gothic throw pillows designed by Teri Sherman and sold through Redbubble are easy ways for vampire fans to goth up a regular couch or bed. Sold in black, purple, and red.

Coffin Ring

Nothing says I’ll love you forever like a coffin ring made of Onyx from Blood Milk Jewels. Of course, there are cheaper alternatives out there for people on a budget, or pricer options, for those looking to get even more serious.

Vampire Capes

Capes are in! Okay, well, long capes like this Black and Red Reversible Cape from the Pyramid Collection is still tricky fashion and better suited for costumes, but short black capes and ponchos are definitely a thing. They go with everything from little black dresses to jeans and boots, and they keep little black hearts warm.

Bela Lugosi Collection from Creepy Co.

Bela Lugosi has an entire line of officially licensed and trademarked clothing and merch sold online through Creepy Co., which offers a number of officially licensed horror collections. Thanks to his business savvy and vigilant family, Bela Lugosi is practically synonymous with his most famous role, Dracula, the 1931 film from Universal Pictures, and I’m all for keeping that legend going. From pins to patches, socks to t-shirts, and my personal favorite, the poster pajama set, surely there is something here for vampire fans of all ages and types.

Wine Gifts from Vampire Vineyards

Vampire Vineyard won the domain name game over vampire.com and successfully trademarked a number of vamp names and images to use with their brand. Their single wines come with a cute little Vampire Wine Cape and are actually quite tasty. Vampire offers a broad range of wine, food gifts, and other merch. Everyone knows wine is the true elixir of life, so vampire fans can relax with a bottle and stop worrying over whether their blood types match.

The Vampira Diaries, 1954-1956 Book by Jonny Coffin

Maila Nurmi a.k.a Vampira, the first inspiration for all the mistresses of the dark that followed, had a bit of a rough life and it’s hard to be supportive of her legacy when there’s next to no official merchandise out there. That’s why this limited edition pre-order coffee table book to celebrate her life is so important. Authored by the eccentric Jonny Coffin, creator of the original Coffin Case, this is a chance for fans to learn a little more about the Original Glamor Ghoul and it’s sold directly through her official shop run by her family, which is nice. I hope they can capitalize on Vampira’s popularity and run a successful store. Btw, I hear only 1000 hand-stamped books will exist, so they’re likely to sell out fast.

Haunted Holidays are Here!

Welcome, December!

After giving it some thought, I changed this month’s theme to Haunted Holidays. I realized I was creating two different themed plans in December and I wanted to take a little bit more time to plan out my approach to writing haiku next year, so…Blood and Ice will be next month’s theme.

This December is all about the haunted holidays! Back in the day, people told ghost stories during Christmastime and I would love to bring that tradition back. I encourage everyone to create, write, or find a short ghost tale to tell on Christmas eve, and if you’re having trouble, might I recommend simply retelling the classic timeless tale from Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is the hero we need right now!

December Fun

Here’s a look at some of the shenanigans I have planned this month:

Haunted holidays haiku every Monday
Brand new gift-giving guides for Halloween and horror fans
New recipes for christmassy cocktails
Haunted Holidays Photo Challenge
Christmas gift-giving countdown (Details TBA)

I’m kicking off the celebrations with a daily photo challenge. You may post both traditional or haunted photos or artwork. Jump in any time, even if you skip a day, or 5, but, if you can post all 25 days in December, I’ll enter your name into the cauldron for a drawing to win a haunted holidays prize pack.

No purchase is necessary for any of the upcoming contests, but you must be following my blog and be friends with me on at least one of my social media pages (listed below) for a chance to win! Please see official contest rules for more details.

To join in on the fun, follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter or r/Halloweenhaiku on Reddit.

I wish you a season filled with amusement, inspiration, love, and joy. Please be safe and stay healthy. Remember to take some time for yourself, relax and recharge, so you don’t burn out or lose your damn mind by January.

10 Creepmas Artists to Gift or Support This Holiday

Artists have really been taking a hit these past two years. Many are unable to attend shows and conventions where they can sell their art and connect with fans. It’s more important than ever to help bring these two groups back together. Give the gift of spooky Creepmas art this holiday and support great Halloween and horror artists at the same time. Win-win!

Rhode Montijo

Rhode Montijo is the gift to Halloween lovers that keeps on giving. You can purchase blind boxes, Krampus-Grams, original art prints, sketches, pins, and more.

Diana Levin, Ghoulish Bunny Studios

Diana Levin is the queen of spooky cute and she also draws up these hauntingly beautiful images all year long. Patreons members can get an exclusive art feed, behind-the-scenes, first crack at original art listings, merchandise discounts, and more.

Killer Pumpkins

Celebrate the Hallow days with Visionary artist John Pelico inside his spooky world of killer pumpkins. You can pick up pins and stickers for the stockings, unique original art prints, and one-of-kind luminaries, like the Batty tripod lamp.

Jeff Granito

You don’t need a Disneyland reservation to access fabulous art from master Disney illustrator and Tiki enthusiast Jeff Granito. The man shows off his legendary style all 365 days of the year, but there’s something special about the way Creepmas collides with tiki culture.

Shane Murphy, Theater of Creeps

I heard Santa has a Krampus tattoo from master tattoo artist Shane Murphy somewhere only Mrs. Klaus can see. I don’t know if that’s really true, but if you can’t make it out to Massachusetts, Shane offers amazing art prints, posters, enamel pins, t-shirts, and sweatshirts all year round.

‘Shadow Of Saint Nicholas’ 11×14″ Tattoo Flash Print by Shane Murphy

Gris Grimly

My Creepmas wish is for Santa to bring all Halloween lovers everywhere a copy of Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree, illustrated by Gris Grimly. He also has a lot of great Halloween art and cool holiday cards.

Drew Rausch

From magnets to enamel pins, prints to stickers, comic book illustrator and Halloween enthusiast Drew Rausch has all your stocking stuffer needs covered. Stop by his booth at Seasons Screamings and finish your holiday shopping.

Apofiss

Apofiss is one of my favorite cat artists. I love her gorgeous and whimsical style. I dug her cute black cat Halloween art prints and changed my Google background to her art and even bought last year’s cat calendar, which was absolutely stunning and made with good-quality materials. Pick up your own 2022 calendar and count down the year with these festive felines.

Joe Roberts

From superheroes to supervillians, it’s simply magical the way fantasy illustrator Joe Roberts brings characters to life with stunning realism and beauty. Joe hails from the UK, but we can find his art prints on Society 6, Red Bubble, and Fine Art America.

Spookies Gallery

Full disclaimer, I have no idea what NFTs are, they seem really scary, but some of them are very expensive and people are tripping over themselves to say they own one, unlike the pet rock, which no one admits to owning anymore. I figure if NFTs are your thing or the Halloween lover you’re gifting, this spot seemed like a very nice place to find one.

Halloween/Horror Gift Ideas for 2021

Unlike most Halloween fans, I do not get immediately sad after Halloween because there’s still so much spookiness going on to carry us through Thanksgiving, through the holidays, all the way into next year. What a fabulous time to be a horror fan because there are some incredible apparel, collectibles, products, and amazing box sets of the greatest films in history out there, and, for the next 5 weekends, I’m going to post my gift-giving guides for your favorite Halloween and Horror fans.

The Bela Lugosi Collection at CreepyCo. ($10-70)
https://www.creepycompany.com/collections/bela-lugosi
Lugosi Enterprises is dedicated to preserving the memory and legacy of the man forever associated as Count Dracula. They’ve been quite savvy, selective, and tenacious about their licensing agreements in recent years and that’s more apparent than ever with their deal at Creepy Co. This holiday, you can find some awesome apparel, including button-up shirts, t-shirts, PJs, socks, enamel pins, and much more.

Custom designed Bedding and Bathwares – There will be Cute at Society 6 ($17-$120)
https://society6.com/therewillbecute
Artist and illustrator Caley Hicks brings her world-class spooky cute to Society 6 with these Halloween baths and bedding sets. Normally, I’d include Caley’s works in an upcoming Artist gift-giving guide, but I’m in love with the idea of having a Headless Horseman decorated bathroom.

Magnetic Poetry – Edgar Allan Poet Kit ($12.95)
https://magneticpoetry.com/collections/themed-kits/products/edgar-allan-poet
Is your horror fan a haunting, witty wordsmith with a gothic heart? Well, here’s their chance to shine with this unique and fun way to create original refrigerator poetry, inspired by the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.

Dead Sled Coffee ($18-$20)
https://deadsledcoffee.com/
Why we don’t have coffee bars filled with coffee, horror, and heavy metal music on every corner is beyond me. For the people who don’t care where their coffee comes from, or, at the very least, trust that their favorite musicians and horror icons have lawyers and management that have already scoured Dead Sled’s ethics and ability to produce good-tasting environmentally friendly coffee.

Bloody Good Fake Blood Apron ($21)
https://www.redbubble.com/i/apron/Bloody-Good-Fake-Blood-by-nerdchild/32528424.6ZXWR
Whether you’re a dynamo chef with a macabre sense of humor or cosplaying as Ghoulish Ramsey, this 100% polyester machine washable bloody cooking apron will entertain your next gruesome dinner party.

Godzilla Jenga/Godzilla Monopoly ($22-40)
https://toywiz.com/godzilla/diecast-microman-miscellaneous-toys-figures/
I don’t talk about Godzilla enough. He is the King of the Monsters after all, which is why I got so excited when I found a Godzilla version of Jenga and Monopoly from USAopoly. Why play Jenga when you can play Godzilla Jenga! Finally, a reason to be excited for family board game night. Just don’t let Grandma play as King Ghidorah.

100 Horror Movie Scratch-off Chart ($25)
https://popchart.co/products/100-horror-movies-scratch-off-chart
Whether you’re watching for the first time or revisiting old favorites, this is a cool way to keep track of the which classic horror films you’ve watched.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price Comics (($1.99 and up)
https://www.comixology.com/Elvira-Meets-Vincent-Price-1/digital-comic/943748
Dynamite Entertainment brings the Mistress of the Dark together with the Merchant of Menace to save the world from Apocalyptic doom! In a madcap mix of comedy and horror, the Hollywood star spector and horror hostess with the mostess pair go together like peanut butter and jelly. Digital subscriptions start at $1.99, regular comics are $5, but special limited edition variant covers are for collectors only.

Frankenstein Complete Legacy Collection ($26-47)
https://www.uphe.com/movies/frankenstein-complete-legacy-collection
If for some reason the giant 30 film collection of the Universal Monsters Legacy Collection isn’t your jam, then consider getting The Frankenstein Complete Legacy Collection, which, in my opinion, contains all the best films of the Universal Monsters collection. including Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

Horror Movie Figure Collectibles from NECA ($39-70)
https://necaonline.com/2020/12/12-days-of-downloads-2020-day-9-ultimates-visual-guide/
Start a yearly tradition of giving the gift of a horror movie 7″ scale action figure with accessories, officially licensed, made with high-quality materials, packaged in beautiful boxes. These are not toys, these are collectibles and horror fans should own them all. Well, at least one, your favorite one.

Halloween/Goth Shoes ($45-$120)
https://strangecvlt.com/
I’ve heard it said if you’re gonna join a cult, then, join a shoe cult, and there’s no better place to start than Strange Cvlt shoes. From sandals to flats, Mary Janes to platform boots, this is the only socially acceptable fetish a girl can have without getting burned at the stake.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Collection – Deluxe Edition ($129-159)
https://www.amazon.com/Friday-Collection-Blu-ray-Betsy-Palmer/dp/B07GNV288V
Bring Jason Vorhees home this holiday! Finally a worthy Blu-ray collection of the most successful, long-running slasher series in film history. All 13 movies, some digitally remastered in 4K and featuring a booklet, behind-the-scenes, commentaries, interviews, and special features in the most incredible packaging I’ve ever seen from Scream Factory.

Season’s Screamings Tickets – December 17-19, Pasadena Convention Center ($30-60-95)
https://midsummerscream.org/seasons-screamings/
This one-of-a-kind holiday horror convention promises just as many chills and thrills as its parent-con Midsummer Scream, which was canceled earlier this summer. This is the place to find dark holiday gifts and spooky stocking stuffers. The event includes special ghoulish guests, over 200 exhibitors and vendors, and the Hall of Yuletide Spirits, a “dark showfloor of holiday themed haunts and yard displays, created by Southern Californias most talented haunted house creators.”
Did I mention Pasadena is simply lovely this time of year?

Amazing Pre-order Gifts: Every penny is worth the wait!

☆Dying Light II Stay Human – Feb 4, 2022 ($60-80)
https://dl2.dyinglightgame.com/
Techland’s sequel to the worldwide phenomenon Dying Light could be the dream of every gamer and zombie fan alike. Trailers and early play-throughs show a creative, technical, and visual feast. The first Dying Light game featured hours of gameplay, multiple DLCs, great customer and technical support, and developed a strong community of fervent players (like me) anxiously awaiting this new gaming adventure.

☆Mezco’s Monsters – Tower of Fear Deluxe Boxed Set – March-May 2022 ($95)
https://www.mezcotoyz.com/5-points-mezcos-monsters-tower-of-fear
Delight your inner child with this fabulous-looking multi-level diorama playset featuring 5 highly detailed poseable classic monsters and a host of accessories, all packaged in a collector-friendly box to bring your own favorite horror stories to life! This product is for collectors, not children.

☆Bela Lugosi as Dracula by Infinite Statue & Sideshow – June 2022 ($300-355)
https://www.sideshow.com/collectibles/dracula-bela-lugosi-infinite-statue-909742?var=909743
Sideshow and Infinite Statue teamed up with Kaustic Plastik to give us the Dark Prince himself, Bela Lugosi! This handpainted, incredibly detailed sixth-scale figure features two different sculpted heads, ten poseable hands, fully costumed, accessories, and captures the beauty and essence of the most recognizable horror icon ever created. The Deluxe version features a spooktacular coffin for $355. This is the ultimate tribute to both the character of Count Dracula and the beloved actor who embodied him.
A must-have collectible for vampire fans.

My Favorite Vintage Halloween Ads

**This was the planned post for Throwback Thursday, but real life problems kept me away from computer. Sincerest apologies.**

Let’s visit the amazing yesteryears of Vintage Halloween advertising.

Jell-O has been around for a long time and was big into promoting its brand during the holidays. This is one of my favorites because it includes this awesome Hallowe’en poem.

Another favorite from Colgate because of the Hallowe’en poem. Note the use of the old spelling of Hallowe’en, which dropped the apostrophe over the years.

“No amusement of modern times equals it.” If makers only knew how successful their product would be. Phonographs were instrumental in helping Halloween become one of the biggest holidays in American history,, if for no more reason than their popularity at parties.

These ads reflect the dark orange and black style, which was popular back in the 1930-1940s.

Curtiss Candy Company owned Baby Ruth and Butterfinger among many others, when it was bought out by Standard in 1964, who later merged with Nabisco in 1981. Nabisco then sold off Curtiss brands to Nestlé in the 1990.

Brach’s has been making candy since 1904. They’re most famous for Candy Corn, but once upon a time, Brach’s was the go-to candy store for Halloween goodies. Their ads were simply amazingly drool-worthy, appealing to both adults and kids. Look at all that candy!

Speaking of adults, with Halloween parties all the rage well into the 1950s, beer makers made some nifty ads for Halloween.

During the 1950s, some ads featured lots of graphics and were quite wordy. What some may consider serious advertising fails today, make for some awesome vintage Halloween ads.

7-Minit was owned by 6 O’Clock Foods, Inc. and that’s about the only history we know about either.

More random vintage Halloween candy ads circa 1940s-1960s

It’s always been fashionable to make punch bowls outta pumpkins!

Sunkist Fruit Punch Halloween ads circa 1960s

Back in the day, people could trust drinking and eating right there on the front porch.

Okay, I’ll admit, I only love this ad because of the Headless Horseman. Is this too scary for advertising? Some might think so. People don’t like reminders of violence and disembodied heads is about as gruesome as it gets. Absolutely my favorite! BWAHAHAHAHA….