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

Happy New Year, 2024!

Welcome 2024!

I’ve been taking my time and thinking about my goals for this year. No big resolutions to reveal, only a promise to myself to write more spooky stories and find ways to hold myself accountable. I suppose I could walk a little more, eat more salads, and be kinder to all people, including myself, but’s the closest to resolutions that you’ll hear me say.

It was fun to post themed haiku last year, even when I strayed from my original idea of posting connecting haiku into bonafide story. Great idea in the beginning, but I struggled a lot due to work constraints. Nevertheless, I’m quite proud of the fact that I wrote new, original haiku every week for a year.

This year, I’m determined to blog a little less and only post a Monthly Haiku Corner with a spooky haiku each month. I’ll continue to post themed haiku for holidays, special events, or whenever inspiration strikes, and of course, I will still post horror movie lists, for all those looking for recommendations, because these are my first loves and I enjoy blogging about them.

As always, I wish everyone good health, love, joy, happiness, and prosperity throughout 2024.

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 II of the Merry and Fright series.

sinister smile
a hidden killer inside
the snowman

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!

Monthly Haiku Corner – November

Happy November! Halloweentime was a busy, loud, and spooky whirlwind of sight and sound. We waited all year for October, and then, it was gone…the ‘Ber months are always a blur. That’s why I choose to regroup in November. Thanksgiving is two days of madness I don’t mess around with. Nope, I slow down, stay home, eat pie, drink spiced cider, and do some reading.

The theme this month is Fall Reading. All haiku in November will connect to tell the story of a visit to a haunted library, where a little ghost likes to read over people’s shoulders.

November rain falls
gently on gothic windows,
haunted library

Halloween Haiku

There’s just one day til Halloween and I’m breaking the traditional format of the year to post a special Halloween Haiku.

black cat sleeping
on a giant pumpkin
Halloween dreams

There’s still time to submit a haiku poem for the 5th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge. Contest ends tomorrow at midnight. There’s all kinds of spooky prizes available.

Monthly Haiku Corner – October

Welcome October! It’s Monday Macabre and officially Halloween for normal folks. You know, we celebrate 365, so it’s a super special month when WE all celebrate! Halloween is a time of ghosts and spirits, and spooky fun, which is why this month’s theme is A Haunted Halloween. All haiku posted Mondays will connect to tell a larger story.

Part I of A Haunted Halloween series.