As Christmas season 2022 winds down, we look forward to a bright and shining year. Now is the time to start anew. Refresh. Shed skin. Take on new challenges and don’t look back. The past is gone. There’s nothing for us there.
Our little ghost friend had a visitor last night, and now, he’s safely back with his family, where he belongs. See, everything works out in the end, even for the haunted. Our theme this month has been haunted holidays.
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sugarplum dreams bright light in the darkness Ole Saint Nick was here
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.
grand noble fir lit candles on the branches our last Christmas eve
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.
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.
Bleeding skull candles from Gute
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.
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.
I guess the day before Thanksgiving is as good a time as any to officially ended the 2022 Halloween season. I finally removed my Halloween porch decorations last weekend, and while some items stay up year-round, I’ve cleared my spooky corner to make way for some haunted holidays.
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This month’s theme has been Halloween Encore. I wasn’t quite ready to let go of Halloween, especially since my work schedule in October kept me from doing all the things I wanted to do this season. Many of the DIY decorations I wanted to make are either half-finished or completely unstarted and I never baked my Halloween cake. My brand new pumpkin mold pan is still in the box. Not all was bad with the season though, I kicked off October with a weekend trip to June Lake, which was amazing and reminded me to get out an explore wilderness a little more. I was able to attend the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney’s California Adventure for the first time and I checked off half my Halloween bucket list, which I will continue to do, just because it’s a fun list no matter what season it is.
The thing that makes me most happy though, all the new friends I picked up this year and the nice turnout for the 4th annual Halloween Haiku Challenge. I finally sent out all prizes to our winners. This was the toughest year to judge yet. The talented writers that joined our little contest inspire and motivate me. Congratulations to all!
Speaking of December, the holidays are going to be a bloody good time this year. The theme next month will be Blood and Ice: A Vampire’s Christmas Tale. No sneak peeks. You’ll just have to be surprised.
Blood and Ice: A Vampire’s Christmas Tale, new holiday haiku coming in December
In addition to the killer haiku I have planned, ‘Tis the season to give and I’ll be sharing some fanglicious cocktails and recipes, plus new gift-giving guides for Halloween and horror fans. I’m also checking my lists twice to make sure I recommend the scariest holiday horror movies of the season. To top it off, Krampus helped me steal Santa’s magic bag filled with stocking stuffers that I’ll give away this season, but you must be following my blog and be friends with me on at least one of my social media pages for a chance to win!
To join in on the fun, follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter or r/Halloweenhaiku on Reddit
Halloween Horror Haiku 