Happy October 2020

Back in Celtic times, it was believed that evil spirits take advantage of the thinning veil between our two worlds to pass through and terrorize humans, thus began the practice of holding huge bonfires, where the light warded off evil spirits. The Celts also started the tradition of wearing scary masks and costumes, done to trick evil spirits into thinking they were fellow demons, which brings us to Halloween 2020. The way this year is going, I suspect there’ll be whole lotta spirits crossing over to make mischief on Halloween night!

This is why it’s more important than ever to uphold our Halloween traditions by decorating our homes, wearing costumes, and carving pumpkins. Silly superstition, you say? Do you really want to take that chance? We can’t even keep toilet paper stocked and you think we can fight the living dead?! Trust me, if everyone does those three things, we will stave off the zombie apocalypse for another year.

If you’re looking for Covid-safe, fun activities for Halloween season, check out my post Halloween at Home: Fun Alternatives to Going Out and be sure to come back here every day this October for spooky fun and a chance to win some cool prizes.

This Halloween season, remember to reach out to loved ones and friends to wish them a Happy Halloween and be safe. If you do go out to haunts, parties, or trick-or-treating, please, please be safe, wear your masks, and practice good social distancing.

Halloween Kristy

Halloween 2020 Schedule

October is exactly one week away and Halloween Haiku celebrates all 31 days of the month!

This year, it’s all about Halloween at home. Don’t get down about Coronavirus trying to ruin Halloween, get creative!

Be sure to check in every day for cool, fun and inspirational Halloween artwork, poems, stories, and prizes. Prizes? That’s right, in additon to our annual Halloween Haiku Challenge, we’re going to be giving away some treats this October. Stay tuned for details!

31 Days of Halloween Schedule

Monday Macabre

Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we go dark. Grab your crucifix, kids, cuz it’s about to get scary up in here, like super scary, satanic scary, Teletubbies scary.

Trick-or-Treat Tuesdays

Will you be tricked or treated every Tuesday in October? Only you can decide.

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase original Halloween art from the most talented artists from around the world, including works from two widely-known professional artists and two amateur or inspiring artists.

Throwback Thursdays

Every Thursday, let’s travel back to the golden age of 80s cinema horror and explore the totally tubular world of neon spandex and blood-splatter.

Friday Fright Nightcaps

Why do ghost haunt bars? Because they love free boos! Don’t worry if you can’t paint the town dead this October because every Friday night, I’ll share some freaky Halloween cocktails that will set your cauldron on fire!

Sinister Saturdays

Every Saturday, I’ll share some mouth-watering recipes to die for, and just like last year, I’ll be rotating between savory and sweet, all guaranteed to have you screaming for more!

Poe Sundays

This year, I’ll be sharing artwork from talented artists from around the globe, all in tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe.

Halloween Haiku Challenge 2020
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest Halloween Haiku during October for a chance to win a copy of Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life by Roxanne Rhoads of A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. Winner will receive the book via Amazon, standard shipping rates apply. Sorry, US residents only.

Contest starts October 1^st and ends at midnight, the witching hour, on October 31^st
Winners will be announced on November 1^st,here and on social media.

Don’t forget to follow @Halloweenhaiku9 on Instagram and Twitter.

Happy Halloween season, everyone!

The Samhain Society Presents Halloween 2020

Check out this stunning new digital zine from the creative talents of The Samhain Society, designed by Jackie Cheuvront of Eclipse Afterglow Studios and edited by Miranda Enzor of Spooky Little Halloween, featuring a collection of artworks, DIY projects, recipes, short stories, and more!

I am so honored to be part of such a creative collaboration with the most talented group of artists, writers and creators in the Halloween community. Click on link below or the picture.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1shrqnEmTVTzl4MRXSbnUM0eEfx2w7or0/view?fbclid=IwAR3lJskeZ6uI_OA1EviNOHyK3T3LUE1IGE-9rxZgECCr9TR1Xa1KZ0PDtCU

Weekly Haiku Returns

Back in January, I made the decision to post my haiku monthly instead of weekly. I was hoping to trigger more creativity and force my hand at posting more short stories.

Then, Corona-virus happened.

The lockdown stifled my creativity. Anxiety and fear moved in like unexpected house guests and stayed far too long. I haven’t written a lick since the beginning of summer, choosing to hide out instead. My own blog, unrecognizable.

Like clockwork, however, the Halloween season is calling!

In anticipation of the upcomi ng holiday

season, I’ve been working on my own game plan to celebrate Halloween 2020 in a big way! First, I need a little course correction. That means, starting August 3rd, Haiku of the Week will return. I’ll still post Monthly Haiku Corner and those posts will continue to feature some striking imagery, but the weekly haiku will, hopefully, stand alone on their own merits.

Have a wonderful and safe Halloween season!

Bring on Halloween 2020!

Covid be damned!

No, you’re not imagining anything. America is definitely ushering in Halloween earlier than we ever have before. We’re not waiting for the ‘Ber months. The unofficial pre-season starts now!

Between trying to keep our families and ourselves safe from Covid-19, the stresses of working from home, health worries, money woes, and fear and loathing of societal ills, including a looming election to determine the fate of America’s soul, honestly, we need the distraction. happiest pumpkin

Autumn and Halloween merch have already hit the craft stores, retailers have released their catalogs, and candy has hit the shelves. Halloween Haunters, artists, bloggers, content creators, and writers are buzzing with ideas and upcoming projects. The Samhain Society has new members, and I encourage everyone to hit up links to some of the best Halloween bloggers and content creators on the planet. Here at Halloween Haiku, I have cool celebrations planned this October, so keep checking back regularly.

I’ve also been reading responses from Halloween fans on social media forums and have determined that despite the pandemic, there will be so many cool things happening to ensure Halloween 2020 will be the auspicious event we all know it will be.

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Of course, Halloween 2020 won’t be without its controversies. Some of us will be all dressed up, with nowhere to go. There are rumblings that trick-or-treating, parties, parades, haunted attractions, and other mass gatherings will get nixed. I can see why this is alarming, and it’s gonna be tough when autumn leaves peak and temperatures cool. We’re going to be tempted to throw caution to the wind and traipse around in the world, looking for inspiration and celebrations with our fellow Halloween fans. I got three words for you:

Halloween at home.

Carve your pumpkins. Decorate your homes. Pick out your costumes. Bake ghost cookies. Eat candy. Watch scary movies. Drink your spirits.

But please, please, for the sake of American lives, Halloween at home this year. Wear masks. Social distance. Let’s make America safe again.

Yeah, I really just did that. 😉

Honestly, I think Halloween at home is exactly what America needs, a reminder that Halloween lives inside of us. It’s not a place we go or a thing we do. It’s something in our hearts. It’s about honoring and remembering our loved ones and those who have passed on. Traditions mean nothing if there’s no one to share them with. As long as we keep that in mind, and we try the best we can to keep each other safe, we’re all going to have an amazing Halloween season. So, relax. Be smart. Be safe. Stop worrying. Halloween is what we make of it, and as long as you’re celebrating, nothing is canceled.

Have a Happy Halloween season!

Halloween-y Things to Do During a Pandemic Quarantine

Hello, I hope everyone is staying safe, staying healthy and staying home. Even Halloween fans must do their part to help to flatten the curve of Coronavirus, in hopes to minimize deaths and buy our overtaxed health workers a little time to get the crisis under control. Since the situation is so fluid, volatile and a vaccine is over a year away, who knows how this will play out, but citizens have a chance to save the day by staying indoors and doing absolutely nothing. It’s not going to get easier than that.

That said, I bet there’s a whole lot of people out there feeling anxious and stressed by the Covid-19 crisis though, so I came up with a list of things that Halloween fans can do during the quarantine to keep ourselves busy.

Write a Short Story

“Double, double, toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble”

Don’t let anxiety and depression take over your brain! Get those feelings out on paper. Writing under duress sometimes produces the most creativity. Look at Shakespeare, that dude turned out Macbeth, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, and dozens of sonnets during the black plague. Yep, it’s true. The Bard of Avon was surrounded by the horrors of sickness and death every day for most of his life, and yet, he spent his time writing about love. I mean, isn’t that what life’s all about? Death and love?

Witches brew by Ka7 on DeviantArt — Witches Brew by Ka7 on DeviantArt

Binge-watch 14 seasons of Supernatural

“The road so far”

Coronavirus has interrupted the production schedule of the CW’s Supernatural, television’s longest-running paranormal show. Maybe 2020 is upset as we are that this is the series finale. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to the Sam and Dean, and their angelic sidekick Castiel, which is why we should binge-watch all 14 seasons now, to mentally prepare for the end! It’s a 15-year story that demands closure. Does anyone even remember why the Winchester brothers are hunting demons in the first place?

spn

Create a Spooky Terrarium

“Life springs from death”

Creating a spooky terrarium is a lot like putting together a Halloween diorama. You get to work with miniatures to create a haunted scene, but somewhere in your terrarium, globe, or glass container is a real living plant. The upside is going green for Halloween is always a good idea. The other upside is if you forget to care for your living plant and it dies, well, a dead plant will fit right in with your theme. Win-win!

Work on your Halloween Smash book

“Something wicked this way comes”

Halloween junk journals are still all the rage. All you need is a journal or notebook, and some Halloween ephemera, postcards, printables, or stickers. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, just follow your heart. Make ’em big. Make ’em small. Get artsy or just manage your collection of pumpkin stickers. Since we never enough time to do all the things we want to do with our smash books, quarantine life is like a gift from Father Time.

Halloween smashbook

Create a Witchy Halloween Playlist

“But the talk got shackled by the howls and the cackles
From the bowels of the Black bayou”

Creating your own Halloween playlist is one of those suggestions that always end up on lists like these, but I’m challenging everyone to get specific. When you’re done creating a witchy playlist, with only songs about witches, make a zombie one, then, werewolves, vampires, okay, apocalyptic tunes to dance to, you get the picture. With any luck, the rabbit hole you fall into should last the entire pandemic.

∴∴∴

You’ll notice I left off reading scary books and watching spooky movies, not because they’re not great ideas to keep our minds entertained and occupied during these surreal and unsettling times, but because those are things you should be doing every day anyway.

Let’s practice good physical-distancing, so we’re all here when Halloween 2020 rolls around this October!🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

Advice from a Jack-o’-lantern

During these difficult and surreal times, I just wanted to give a shout-out to the Halloween community. We all want to be here this Halloween 2020 because it’s going to be quite the spooktacular celebration and we don’t have time for Coronavirus! So, let’s do our part and help flatten the curve against Covid-19. I realize I can’t be the only one suffering from a little anxiety and stress, so, I thought I’d repost my Advice from a Jack-o’-lantern. I hope it helps a little.

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay home, my friends.

Advice from a Jack o'Lantern 🎃Don’t lose your top 🎃Never let your light go out 🎃Stop worrying about your imperfections 🎃Find your own porch to sit on 🎃Take time to enjoy the view 🎃Greet everyone with a smile — Advice from a Jack-o’-lantern ©Halloweenkristy

Happy 2020! Happy Wolf Moon!

Happy New Year, everyone!

January’s full moon is nicknamed the ‘Wolf Moon.’ It’s believed the howling of wolves could be heard more during the time. Today’s Wolf Moon marks the first full moon of 2020, which coincides with the lunar eclipse.

This is a sign.

Earlier this week, I rebooted the Monthly Haiku Corner. After spreading myself too thin in 2019, and failing to accomplish my goals, I’ve decided not to write weekly haiku. This year, I’m choosing quality over quantity. Although I’m a sucker for monthly holidays and pop culture, I am dedicated to writing darker, more, haunting haiku than before.

I’ve found that writing haiku is a learning process. I’m not the most talented or skilled writer but this is all my heart really wants to do. I love horror and over the years, I’ve started several novels and abandoned them. This year, we answer the call. Only courage can navigate the dangerous waves of fear.

Make no mistake, I am still committed to sharing the love for Halloween, movies, entertainment, and creating cool, spooky original content for this blog. That won’t change. Besides, April marks the second anniversary of Halloween Haiku and I have big plans to celebrate! Plus, I’m already drawing up a game plan for this year’s Halloween. Halloween 2020 falls on a Saturday this year, under a full moon, a blue moon, no less.

Yes, this is truly the year for us selenophiles.

Tips for Handling Post-Halloween Depression

Well, it’s happened. Another Halloween season has come and gone, and it’ll be 11 long months until our favorite holiday comes back around. Post-Halloween Depression is real. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things we want to do during the month of October. While it’s easy to fall into the trappings of woulda, shoulda, coulda, guilt never brought back Halloween any sooner. If you have a serious issues, get help. Young folks, talk to someone. For reals. Maybe you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is the loneliest time of the year and it doesn’t have to be.

If you think you got a handle on it and you’re just looking for ways to squeeze the spookiness outta the holidays. Here’s a few helpful tips:

Find Your Tribe

Life is simply too short not to hang with people who don’t engage your interest, inspire your creativity or support your vision, even if it’s just turning your front yard into a cemetery every October.

Halloween groups on Pinterest, Reddit and Facebook are great places to find likeminded fans. Commiserating with others helps us not feel so alone, and trust me, you are not the only one who cannot bear to watch Freeform’s sugary programming on repeat for the next two months.

Shop ’til You Drop

Don’t put away that credit card just yet because shopping for Halloween items is even better after Halloween. This is the time when stores are blowing out their stocks and have slashed prices from 50-80% off. Spirit stores, Michaels, Joanns and World Market, just to name a few, all have big sales still going on. Never underestimate the power of retail therapy.

Scare up Your Next Halloween

There’s no time to cry when you’re a notebook deep full of ideas for next Halloween, and next year is gonna be a doozy. Halloween 2020 will be on a Saturday, there’ll be a full moon and that’s also the day we set our clocks back. Sounds auspicious already!

Let Autumn Linger

I don’t understand why people insist on rushing into Christmas when we have the beauty and wonder of the harvest to celebrate. Pumpkins, scarecrows, fall leaves, much of what we love about Autumn is what we love about Halloween, and nothing is better than natural spookiness of fall.

You can always decorate with autumn lights and harvest candles. Hang a fall wreath on the front door or somewhere over the mantle. Instead of the Christmas tree, put up an autumn tree during the month of November. Check out this fantastic autumn home decor from All for Fall & Halloween member Megan Sanders:

Photo courtesy of Megan Sanders/ ©Megan Sanders

Give Thanks to Dark and Moody

Maybe you’re one that needs to feed your gothic soul all twelve months outta the year. Well, Wednesday, keep your striped socks on, because it’s quite easy to flip the holidays to satisfy our love for all things dark and brooding, as seen here in this incredibly beautiful dark holiday photography:

©gempicker.com

For more photos like these, check out our Dark and Moody Holidays board on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/halloweenkristy/dark-and-moody-holidays/

Celebrate Bad Santa

Of all the bad Santa origin stories in the world, Germany’s Krampus is the clear winner. The half-goat, half-demon, schnapps loving, children whipping, horned god of the witches is the most recognizable of all holiday bad boys and has been depicted in numerous way, but the consistency has always been his long twisted horns, a long tail, snake-like tongue, razor-sharp claws, and black hooves for feet. Additionally, he often wears a long heavy coat, wrapped in heavy chains, with some type of big bell attached.

Krampus ©Brom

Krampus is bad cop to Santa’s good cop. He carries a bundle of birch branches for whipping naughty children and stuffs the really, really bad ones into a basket or sack that he takes home to torture, drown and eat.

How this devil ended up as Santa’s evil sidekick is a mystery but he’s the only one celebrated internationally, even has his own designated night, Krampusnacht on December 5^th

Embrace the Spooky Side of the Holidays

Krampus is more proof that Halloween and Christmas go together like peanut butter and jelly. Artists, creators, and movie makers have been genre-bending and making the holidays scary for decades.

From twisted Santa histories to spooky holiday tales, there are plenty of the dark or supernatural elements to admire or revere during the holiday season.

So, dry your tears and get to planning, cuz the holiday scares are just beginning. Put some fangs on your snowman or hang some bloody reindeer antler bones on your front door and your relatives just might behave on Thanksgiving day.