Happy December! Welcome to the haunted holidays. Not everyone is surrounded by family and friends this season. Some spend Christmastime alone. Some don’t celebrate at all. Some people celebrate different traditions due to their beliefs and religion. It’s busy, stressful, and it’s important to be kind during this time. It’s important to be kind to yourself. No one expects you to be a big ball of cheer, just don’t be an asshole. Hurt and anger is contagious. Shield yourself with love, patience, and kindness, but set realistic goals.
Our little ghost has no name, but he wanders the hallways of his old home this December, looking for Christmas cheer. The theme this month is haunted holidays.
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.
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.
Last week in November. It finally feels like Fall in Southern California, and yet, we’re rushing through the holiday season. I’ll mourn Autumn’s passing.
Welcome November! If hobbitses can have second breakfast, why can’t we have second Halloween? It’s no secret that I’m no longer a fan of Thanksgiving, but November is fine month to do all the things on your Fall and Halloween bucket list, that you were too busy to do during October. For me, I hold a Lord of the Rings marathon one weekend, and simply enjoy Halloween, which I always seem to miss cuz I’m too busy working.
The theme this month is Halloween Encore.
lit jack o lanterns black cauldrons full of candy Halloween encore
I will directly contact winners to get mailing details. Please do not post personal information here or on social media.
Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022. Choosing a winner was extra difficult this year. There were seriously fa-boo-lous haiku. I’m in awe and truly-inspired by everyone.
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*:
1st 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
2nd 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
3rd 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.
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.
Monday Macabre is all about the scares during October, but this year, we’re tapping into the psychological fear of dystopian Halloween horror.
Imagine living in a dark world where you absolutely cannot go out on Halloween night. A world filled with violence, run by evil dictators and religious autocrats who shut down society and ban Halloween traditions because they’re trying stamp out all pagan beliefs. This new frightening world is a lot closer than you think.
neon pumpkins devils night curfew in effect Halloween lockdown
It’s been 90 years since the fall. Food is scarce and crops are bad. A short life is still life. How long does it take for the soil to return fruitful harvest after a nuclear holocaust? What lengths should a farm go to to protect what’s theirs?
poisoned stalks of corn 90 years after the fall the scarecrow
Monday Macabre is all about the scares during October, but this year, we’re tapping into the psychological fear of dystopian Halloween horror. My haiku is inspired by this ghoulish robot scarecrow.
Halloween Horror Haiku 
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