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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Image by Playstation

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:

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

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.”

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!

Wicked Wonderland Haiku – part IV

The theme is month is Wicked Wonderland.The reindeer rescued Santa from the evil clutches of Krampus, but there’s no time to waste! Christmas Eve is upon us!

white clouds, starry night
swapping Krampus fear for joy
Santa’s busy sleigh

Wicked Wonderland Haiku – part III

The theme is month is Wicked Wonderland. The reindeer have no intention of letting the big man go without a fight! Can they rescue Santa in time for Christmas?

reindeer attack!
battle for the workshop
a Santa rescue

Wicked Wonderland Haiku – part II

The theme is month is Wicked Wonderland. Wicked elves have helped a dark force kidnap Santa? But who and why? What is their plan?

holiday boxes
sinister plans of ruin
snow melts

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!

Spooky Small Business Saturday

Remember to support Small Business Saturday and shop independent or local shops. Below are only a few unique and reputable spooky shops independently owned and operated all-year long which I support and highly recommend for all your Creepmas shopping this year holiday season.

Dark Delicacies: https://www.darkdel.com

Celebrating 29 years, Dark Del provides a home for truly independent booksellers, movie memorabilia collectors, horror fanatics, and other spooky stuff in the greater Los Angeles region. The store is located in Burbank and often holds in-person signings and events. Del is also an awesome author and editor of works, such as Dark Delicacies horror anthology series and the suspense-western, The Survival of Margaret Thomas. If you live in L.A. area, stop by this weekend!

Mystic Museum: https://www.themysticmuseum.com/

Part oddities, part occult, part horror shop, part mystics museum, Mystic Museum is one-of-a-kind place for horror and occult fans. Taking up an astonishing three storefronts, the corner store is Camp Horror, an 80s horror themed shop that carries horror movie apparel, memorabilia and more.

Next door, the oddities shop, find rare, vintage and occult items for your arts and craft. You’ll barely notice that you crossed over to Mystic Museum, a place for goth decor, apparel, books, jewelry and more. Inside that shop is a door, where, for a donation, you can enter the parlor room that houses original artwork and vintage items celebrating curated themes throughout the year. 

And, then, there’s the exhibit down the street…trust me, Mystic Museum is a kooky, dreamy, satisfying day trip.

Halloweentown Store: https://www.halloweentownstore.com/

I adore Halloween Town Store. Open all year long, this costume shop is a few doors down from the original main store, which carries everything from Halloween props and spooky clothing to original art prints and spooky, vintage, pop horror collectibles. Check everyone off your list in one visit.

Gingerbread Bag by Backstitch Bruja 

Creepmas wrapping paper or Krampus Folklore Mug as seen below by Spooky Cat Press 

Halloween Pumpkins Black Xmas Stocking by Working Class Punx: https://www.workingclasspunx.com

Poe Tea Set by Me and AnnabelLee Shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/MeandAnnabelLeeShop

Tiny Bryon von Battie or Tiny Ghostie keychain plushies by Elle’s Ghosties

Haunted House Incense Cone Holder – October 31st https://october31st.co.uk/creepmas-haunted-house-incense-cone-holder/

If you live in Europe, or outside the USA and looking for an amazing Halloween shop, then, try October 31st store, owned and operated all year along by Spooky Wil. 

October 31st is da domb! In addition to carrying some great stuff from artists and creators all over the world, Wil also produces original crafted art and merchandise and ships internationally.

October 31st also often carries out-of-print, discontinued, or rare Halloween or spooky collectibles that can’t be found in the US, sometimes at regular retail price. Yes, shipping costs are little high,  but scalpers and secondary markets on Ebay or Amazon, are gonna charge mark up prices and charge for shipping too. You can reach out and interact with Wil beforehand, he’s super sweet, and he packs items with great care. Shop from Wil. Keep a good guy in business!

Hope your holidays are full of merry and fright! Happy Creepmas!

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!

Scrooge art by Carter Goodwich

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.

Krampus postcard, circa pre-1920

Haiku of the Week

Our theme this month has been winter gothic.

A look ahead at February’s theme, love and death.

a death in autumn
winter keeps lovers apart
hearts reunited

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.