Happy October 2025!

Happy October! It’s been a busy summer. I admit that keeping up with a blog this year has been challenging. On one hand I love it, I love sharing Halloween haiku and other spooky stuff, but truth is I simply don’t have the time to blog like I used to.

I did make time to visit Disneyland recently for some Fall fun.

I also know times are tough and depressing. It’s not going to get better anytime soon, we need Halloween! We need to celebrate our culture and traditions more than ever and we need to make new memories! Good memories! You never know when that may be the only thing you have. So after careful consideration, I will again be celebrating all 31 days of Halloween this year.

There will be two themes this month, Haunted Halloween and Halloween Happy. Americans are a haunted people, but we all deserve life. Halloween is for everyone. Full stop. The holiday combines both ancient pagan and religious ceremonies. The original purpose was to chase away the demons and bad ghosts that crossed over the spirit realm because of the thin veil between the living and the spirit world.

Don’t let anyone tell you how to do Halloween. Decorate or not. Wear a costume or not. We can be scary and sweet. We can be spooky and cute. Let the teenagers trick or treat. Kids collecting candy are too occupied to do anything else. I truly believe Halloween makes people happy. It’s about community. We need our communities more than ever. It’s the only thing that can save America now.

Be sure to check back every day this October for cool, fun, and inspirational Halloween, horror, and haiku.

HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE 2025

Monday Macabre

Every Monday, I’ll be posting a brand new Halloween Haiku, honoring the theme of Haunted Halloween.

Trick or Treat Tuesdays

Check in on Tuesdays for some online fun. I’ve got treats and I’ve got tricks.

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase the amazing and unique talents of Halloween artists from around the globe.

Timeless Thursdays

Every Thursday, let’s travel back in time and revisit some of the greatest Halloween music ever made on the corporeal plane.

Friday Fright Nightcaps

Bubble bubble, drink away trouble, it’s the return of Friday Fright Nightcaps!

Sinister Saturdays

Decadent desserts from the darkside. I’m not much of a cook, so this could get truly evil.

Spooky Sundays

Spooky Sundays are for reading, relaxing, and recharging our brooms.

Eat, drink and be scary!

7th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge2025

Due to time constraints, this year’s contest will start at midnight on October 30th through Halloween day. Winner chosen on November 1st.

More details to come, but for now, sharpen those pencils or pull up a blank page; I can’t wait to see those Halloween haiku!

Don’t forget to follow Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Pinterest and Blue Sky.

Have a Happy Halloween season, everyone! Be safe out there!🎃

Happy Halloween!

I’m a mixed bag of emotions today. Happy that my favorite day of the year has arrived, this is what we’ve been counting down to, of course, but the last day in October is also a bittersweet day. I feel like I didnt celebrate in the way that I wanted. It’s always a bummer to celebrate Halloween season with a US presidential election looming, but this year was particularly sickening. Mostly, work is just kinda killing me. I didn’t even carve my own pumpkin yet! <gasp>

It’s time to say goodbye to our favorite month, our favorite holiday, our favorite time of the year. While the Fall season is in full swing and finally there’s some cooler temps out in SoCal so it actually feels like Autumn, that too is winding down. Christmas crept into retail stores while we were picking out pumpkins. I’m not even ready for that, so I will once again stretch out Halloween through November, before introducing a brand new haunted vampire theme for the month. I’m leaving my decorations up, I’m watching more classic horror movies, I will carve that pumpkin, and I’ll help my fellow Halloween lovers suffering from withdrawals by providing Halloween content, as we barrel into the wicked wonderland.

Truthfully, this website never stops Halloween. We do celebrate all year long but it’s just extra during October. Thank you for stopping by this season. I’m stoked to read all the haiku for this year’s Halloween Haiku Challenge 2024 and pick a winner tonight. Stay tuned for more bloodcurdling fun this November and a brand new haunted holiday season in December. Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat 2024!

Happy October 2024!

Happy October! I can’t believe we’re celebrating our 6th Halloween season! This year, work has been crazy busy and finding the time to keep up with blogging is a huge challenge, but I’m not quitting yet!

Although, I’m going to scale back a bit, I will still be celebrating all 31 days of Halloween. Our theme this month is Halloween Vintage Classic, bringing together two of my favorite things in the whole world, vintage style Halloween decorations and old black and white spooky movies.

Be sure to check back every day this October for cool, fun, and inspirational Halloween, horror, and haiku.

HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE 2024

Monday Macabre

Every Monday, I’ll be posting a brand new Halloween Haiku, honoring the theme of Halloween Vintage Classic.

Trick or Treat Tuesdays

Play spooky games and win spooky prizes! Every Tuesday, head over to Instagram for some fun and a chance to win some cool Halloween stickers and pins.

Wicked Art Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, I’ll showcase original Halloween art that most represents our theme of “Halloween Vintage Classic” from the world’s most talented artists.

Thursday Time Travels

Every Thursday, let’s travel back in time and revisit some great black and white haunted classic movies.

Friday Fright Nightcaps

It’s the return of Friday Fright Nightcaps and we’re gonna put the boos in booze!

Sinister Saturdays

Saturday nights are alright for fighting. It’s election year in the USA and what better way to get ready for November than by voting for your favorite scary movies!

Spooky Sundays

Spooky Sundays are for reading, relaxing, and recharging our brooms.

6th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Due to time constraints, I’ll be running a shorter challenge this year, starting in the last week in October, with me choosing a winner on Halloween night. More details to come, but for now, sharpen those pencils or pull up a blank page; I can’t wait to see those Halloween haiku!

Don’t forget to follow Halloweenhorrorhaiku on social media: Instagram, Threads, and Pinterest.

Have a Happy Halloween season, everyone!

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!

Friday Fright Nightcaps

Happy Yule! Christmas is hours away and this week has been a whirlwind of work, shopping, chores, cooking, and more. I’m now on vacation until January. Time to relax and unwind.

Now, I know there’s a crazy blizzard happening in the midwest and backeast, but it’s actually really nice in SoCal right now, so I decided on mixing something tropical and Christmassy and came up with the Cranberry Mint Martini.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup Cranberry juice
1/2 cup Vodka
1-1.5 oz. Peppermint Liqueur

This refreshing holiday cocktail is so crisp and clear, you can see right through it.

Happy Caturday – December

Have yourself a meowy little Christmas!

Pawzuph Black Horned Cat Hanging Decorative Ornament from Once Upon a Spell Gifts

ETSY SHOP: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnceUponaspellGifts

31 Days of Halloween 2022

Happy October! After starting late this Halloween season, I’m now ready to post the schedule of this year’s 31 Days of Halloween Celebration. The theme this October is dystopian Halloween. With the doomsday clock ticking down, it’s probably way past time to think about how humankind plans to survive the apocalypse, in particular, how we’ll preserve our traditions and holidays, like Halloween.

Part of the month, we’ll have some fun with the dystopian Halloween-horror theme, but I have decided to mix in some good old-fashion Halloween traditional themes as well, cuz, I just love talking about those Halloween memories.

Have a safe and happy Halloween season!

31 Days of Halloween Schedule

Monday Macabre
Mondays are always dedicated to Haiku, but every Monday in October we’ll explore a dystopian Halloween.

Tuesday Terror
Every Tuesday, I’ll share my favorite scary movies that I believe make great Halloween season viewing.

Wicked Art Wednesdays
Every Wednesday, I’ll share some spooktacular Halloween art with an apocalyptic twist. I might even post some my own original Halloween pencil stencil art.

Throwback Thursdays
Preservation of Halloween traditions is important for several reasons. Every Thursday, let’s explore the origins of some Halloween traditions and muse over whether these traditions might survive the apocalypse.

Friday Fright Nightcaps
Ghosts aren’t the only ones who like to get sheet-faced on Halloween. Check back every Friday for Halloween season-inspired cocktails.

Sinister Saturdays
In the past few years, Sinister Saturdays have always been dedicated to food and Halloween recipes. The problem was, besides my being the worst cook in America, people are simply reluctant to let you share their recipes online, even if you give them complete credit and link back to their website. So, in the true spirit of Sinister Saturdays, we’re just going to let the demons loose that day and see what they come up with.

Poe Sundays
This year’s tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, will feature my thoughts on the best Poe adaptations on film.

4^th Annual Halloween Haiku Challenge 2022
#Halloweenhaikuchallenge

Share your most original or scariest visual Halloween Haiku photos during October for a chance to win some prizes.

More details about the haiku contest will be announced on October 18^th.

Join in the fun, and follow me @Halloweenhorrorhaiku on Instagram and @Halloweenkristy on Twitter

Happy September!

Welcome back ‘Ber months!
It’s the official start to the Halloween season. This month’s theme is Halloween Memories.

The holiday season is all about perserving traditions and making memories. Halloween and falltime is the most joyous time of year. There’s less stress and a focus on personal fulfillment, as opposed to Thanksgiving and Christmas where catering to the needs of family and friends takes priority. During Halloweentime, you are doing fun things to elevate your own mood, decorating and putting your own creative spin on things, and finding a spooky costume to entertain your inner child, and ward off evil spirits, of course! That doesn’t mean we are selfish beings or ignore family and friends. Far from it! We include them in our celebrations! We inspire them to tap into their own creavity and find happiness within by making great memories of their own. When it’s all said and done, no one remembers the cool stuff they bought or didn’t buy because they couldn’t afford it. It’s memories of going places, seeing things, meeting good people, and feeling the joy, inspiration, and love that Halloween lovers bring into our lives. Don’t underestimate how much the tiniest act can last a lifetime in our brains and drive us to experience that kind of joy again and again. Be kind and patient with one another. Do your part to protect the earth from climate change. Recycle, reuse, and conserve water and energy.

To all the creatives, the artists, bloggers, decorators, filmmakers, retailers, writers, my fellow members in the Samhain Society, and everyone in-between, I bid you a spooktacular season. You keep those fires burning all year long and finally get to see payoff during this season.

So, make good memories, everyone. Have a great fall and Happy Halloween!

Monthly Haiku Corner – December

Our theme this month is December ghosts.

bells ringing
spirits are calling from beyond
December ghosts

Spooky Indie/Small Businesses with Great Halloween & Horror Gifts

The Saturday after Black Friday is always Shop Small Business day. No supply chain issues. You help the economy. You help independently-owned and small businesses thrive. You find amazing, fangtastic gifts for your favorite Halloween and horror lover. Helping makes you feel good. Everybody wins!

In Burbank-Los Angeles, SoCal:

Dark Delicacies – If you’re looking for horror books, horror collectibles and memorabilia, and spooky novelty items
https://www.darkdel.com

Camp Horror/Bearded Lady’s Mystic Museum – If you’re looking for horror clothing, horror movie collectibles, strange vintage oddities, and spooky novelty items https://beardedladysmysticmuseum.square.site

Halloweentown Store – If you’re looking for Halloween costumes and masks, horror clothing, Halloween and horror collectibles and memorabilia, and spooky novelty items
http://halloweentownstore.com

Monster-A-GoGo/Kreepsville -If you’re looking for horror or goth clothing and spooky novelty items
https://store.kreepsville666.com

Local Boogeyman – If you’re looking for creepy T-shirts, horror clothing, horror props, and spooky novelty items
https://www.localboogeyman.com

Elsewhere in the US:

Bug Under Glass – If you’re looking for museum-quality insect shadow box art and frames
https://bugunderglass.com
Me and Annabel Lee -If you’re looking for Edgar Allan Poe and Victorian Gothic gifts
http://www.meandannabellee.com
Wicked Clothes – If you’re looking for spooky T-shirts and creepy clothing
https://www.wickedclothes.com
Darkside Displays – If you’re looking for Halloween and horror props, collectibles, and party supplies, and spooky novelty items
https://www.darksidedisplays.com
JPsHorror – If you’re looking for Halloween and horror collectibles and memorabilia, and spooky novelty items
https://jpshorror.com
Spooky Cat Press – If you’re looking for spooky gift wrap, prints, and stickers
https://www.spookycatpress.com/collections/gothic-gift-wrap

Etsy Favorites:

The Bewitching Cauldron – Spooky books and wares
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BewitchingCauldron
Blackheads Pups – Spooky collars for your pups
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackHeartPups
Creepy Candles – Spooky candles for your home
www.etsy.com/shop/creepycandles
DiabolicaBoutique – Spooky bath bombs and soaps
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DiabolicaBoutique

For folks in the U.K.:

October 31st Store – Halloween collectibles, housewares, memorabilia, and spooky novelty items
https://october31st.co.uk
Blackstar Ceramics – Spooky ceramics
https://www.blackstarceramics.co.uk
Dolly Cool – Spooky jewelry and enamel pins
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DollyCool

Small businesses were chosen at random. Many I’ve purchased from in the past and they’re good people. All of them ship almost anywhere (check their website for shipping costs and details).

If you know of a local, independently-owned, small business that provides great gifts for Halloween and horror fans, share their link and location in the comments.