Saturday, August 31, 2013

2 Months to Halloween: Fall and Halloween Bucket List Printable

We've been gone for far too long...but we are back and ready to celebrate the beginning of our favorite time of year!  Maybe it's the waning month of August, maybe it's the Labor Day holiday weekend, or maybe it's because you can now get a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, but we can definitely feel Fall in the air.  To celebrate (and for a little "mea culpa" for being absent this last month), we bring you a free printable Fall and Halloween Bucket List full of what we both think are some of the best things to do this time of year. We've also included a blank version of the printable--in case you'd like to personalize it to your own liking. Fall is officially here on Sunday, September 22nd, so get a move on and start planning now!


(we suggest opening this bad boy up in your favorite image editing 
program and entering your own bucket list items in a white font!)

Share with you us, what is on your Fall and Halloween bucket list this year? When your mind wanders to this time of year, what do you daydream about?

Sunday, July 14, 2013

The Best of Halloween on Etsy

With Halloween creeping closer and closer (how is it already July?!), we are already finding ourselves subconsciously doing a little online Halloween window shopping.  One of the best places to find unique items perfect for October is Etsy, the online mecca marketplace of all home-made crafts.  It's absolutely possible to aimlessly browse Etsy for hours without even realizing it.  In the spirit of supporting local artisans and crafts, we scoured Etsy to find a selection of the best Halloween and slightly morbid handcrafted items. As always, please feel free to share your own favorite Etsy Halloween items.

 
  

Top left: Customizeable Halloween-clay folk art by indigotwin, $45. Top right: Pumpkin Teeth by PUMPKINTEETH, $6.59. Bottom left: Retro Thanksgiving apron by loverdoversclothing, $29.99.  Bottom right: Cat Toy Scaredy Bat with Catnip by misohandmade, $10.

 
 
   
Top left: Green & Yellow Polka Monster Headmount by ShopGhoulieGirls, $50. Top right: Zombie Garden Gnome by dougfx, $59. Bottom left: Halloween Yard Skeletons by MetalArchitect, $70.  Bottom right: Good Witch Cat Costume by ToScarboroughFair, $28.

 

Top left: Autumn Pumpkin Wood Votive Candle Holder by TimberGreenWoods, $29.95. Top right: Primitive Halloween Pillow Cover by TheWatsonShop.  Bottom left: Bat halloween garland by CoutureByAyca, $12.  Bottom right: Solar Halloween Mason Jar Lights by treasureagain, $39.50.

 
 

Top left: Halloween Party Soap Fingers by HowardsHome, $5.  Top right: Primitive Fall Halloween Striped Pumpkin Ornies by Pebblebrooklane, $12.99.   Bottom left: Primitive Halloween Sign by GoldieLooWoodworks, $18.  Bottom right: Vintage Parade Silhouette Halloween Tags by seasonaldelights, $6.

 
 
Top left: Spooky Halloween Ghost Necklace by HookAndMatter, $25.  Top right: Skull Cameo Hairpins by BeanDoll, $12.  Bottom left: Halloween pumpkin stud earrings by Bijunea, $7.90.  Bottom right: Raven Cameo Ring by OnceAgainSam, $9.

 
 

Top left: Personalized Gravestone Cookies by AmericanCookieCraft, $24.99.  Top right: Halloween Multi Pattern Orange and Black Wooden Spoons or Forks by WhenIWasYourAge, $10.  Bottom left: Cauldron Cake Pops by MelindasMarvels, $30.  Bottom right: Spiderweb Cupcake Wrappers by FavorMeDesigns, $7. 

Happy shopping!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

A Tribute to "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"


We grew up a little morbid. Megan had a live-size cardboard cutout of the Addams Family in her room that our Grandfather somehow got from some video store when the first movie remake came out. All Anna Belle wanted for Christmas was a ouija board. Our grandmother once sent us a package with "Don't open until Oct. 31" written on it. What was inside? A creepy doll that we used in our Halloween porch decorations for several years afterwards. So, it makes perfect sense that every Saturday at 9:30pm we turned out the lights, tuned into Nickelodeon, and squealed when the opening scene of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" began. Children of the 90s' everywhere will recall the flashes of an old boat on a shore, the creaking of a door opening to a dusty attic, and that creepy opening music. When we realized that we could watch a bunch of episodes through Amazon Prime, it was like stepping back into our childhood - a childhood filled with neighbors who sleep in coffins, watchers in the woods, and Dr. Vink. We also made the realization that we really watched way too much television as kids.

And apparently so did a lot of other people, because there are tons of articles and blogs out there on the show.  Buzzfeed listed their top 35 creepiest characters and a blog named My Rotting Brain has hilariously reviewed a nice handful of episodes. Buzzfeed also tracked down the Midnight Society members in a "Where are they now?" article which totally blew our minds.

In tribute to one of of our favorite television shows, we both picked our top 2 "Are You Afraid of the Dark" episodes.  Please, if you loved this show as much as we did, comment below and share your favorites with us!

Anna Belle's #1 "Are You Afraid of the Dark" Pick

For me, "Are You Afraid of the Dark" was at its best when it was equal parts creepy and sweet. I'm sure that sounds a little strange, but let me explain. I've always loved being scared by this show. I still get nightmares about "The Tale of the Quicksilver". Every time I've been in a pool since seeing "The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float,” I have been certain that boy's ghost is going to come out of the water. But there's something oddly comforting about the fact that amidst all the scary moments, (almost) every time things turn out okay. The kids stop the evil guy, or the spirit is laid to rest forever, or maybe there's even a tearful reunion of some sort. So, that's why "The Tale of the Lonely Ghost" is one of my favorites. First off, this episode has an element that is globally considered to be terrifying: a creepy little girl ghost. She comes out of mirrors and writes everything backwards, including the words, "HELP ME." So, that's really not cool.


The story starts when two cousins are forced to spend the summer together. Amanda (the nicer, more-likely-to-help-ghosts cousin) is straight-laced, and wears only ill-fitting collared shirts. Beth (the snobbish, more-likely-to-yell-when-you-touch-her-stuffed-animals cousin) has a live-in nanny that she hates and her own group of friends to boss around all summer. She doesn’t want anything to do with her cousin - that is, until she realizes she can make her look stupid by telling her that the only way Amanda can hang out with Beth and her super-cool friends all summer is if she goes through with the initiation of spending a night in the haunted house next door.

Although this isn’t just some random haunted house, it becomes clear that there is some connection between Beth’s nanny and the house. Maybe that’s why Beth treats her nanny so terribly, at one point Beth tells Amanda in a scream-shout that she’ll never let her touch any of her things again if she so much as shakes hands with Nanny. She’s a real charmer, this Beth.


The story is that the house is haunted by a mute girl who died following a horrible prank. The girl’s mother had to leave her there and the girl was supposed to stay with her aunt but some neighborhood bullies scared her into staying in her room - until she died. Once inside the house, Amanda does exactly what I would do if I was trapped in a room with a little girl ghost - scream, keep trying to open the clearly locked door, scream again and when all that fails, cower into a little ball and hide behind my hair. But she calms down enough to realize that the little girl is giving her a locket - with a picture of Nanny on it, because - plot twist! - she is the little girl’s mother.

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This poor woman has apparently been caring for the hideously-behaved Beth because she’s been wracked with guilt over the loss of her daughter. Amanda gets Nanny and brings her back to the house - where after seeing the ghost of her daughter she says, “You’ve been here, all this time!” Which is not true. She’s been dead all this time. But that mother-daughter bond is pretty strong. 

So, in the end, this episode is actually quite touching and it’s filled with a lot of little details that I think really add to the overall depth of the story. Beth’s mother is a real estate agent who has the herculean task of selling the haunted house next door and at the opening of the episode you see the “For Sale” sign slowly falling over the ground. It happens again even after Beth’s mother puts it back up while complaining that “this house just doesn’t want to be sold.” It’s those little things that make the episode interesting even after I’ve seen it a hundred times.

Anna Belle's #2 "Are You Afraid of the Dark" Pick 

“The Tale of the Dollmaker” is about a friendship between two girls - Melissa and Susan. Melissa only sees Susan when she visits her aunt and uncle who live next door to Susan’s family, The Hendersons. One weekend, Melissa comes to stay and is excited to see Susan again, until her aunt explains that the Hendersons recently moved away. Melissa is obviously pretty disappointed, especially because her aunt and uncle clearly have no clue what children enjoy - her aunt wants her to come to bingo, and her uncle literally asks her if she wants to help fix the septic tank.

So Melissa goes searching in Susan’s old house, and finds a secret staircase to an attic. Inside the attic is a beautiful doll house - one of those ridiculously detailed ones, complete with a little bowl of fruit on a little table and little Impressionist paintings on the walls.


Melissa also notices a door in the attic that seems like it should lead to outside. After some questioning, Melissa’s aunt reveals the truth - the Hendersons left because Susan disappeared. They moved away but kept the house, “just in case Susan ever comes back.” That night, Melissa is lured back to the house by flashing lights and a voice calling her name. Now Melissa gets to open that weird door in the attic - but it leads to a hallway. And there’s Susan! But she seems disoriented and her face is painted white - almost like a doll’s face. Dun dun dun! Melissa throws one leg over the edge and is about to step into the hallway when her uncle grabs her and pulls her back into the attic. Melissa screams that they have to go rescue Susan until her uncle takes her to the door and shows her - there’s no more hallway on the other side of the door, just the two-story fall to the ground below. The next morning, her uncle boards up the attic door - they sure as hell aren’t going to lose their niece because she can’t recognize the difference between doors to rooms and doors to fatal drops. And they won’t listen to Melissa’s protests that if they board up the door, Susan will never be able to get out. Aunts and uncles just don’t understand.

Boards don’t keep Melissa out anyway, because she gets into the hallway and quickly realizes that stepping through this door puts her inside the dollhouse. When she finds Susan, it’s obvious that she’s almost completely doll-ified.


What’s worse, after only a few minutes Melissa notices her hands are starting to turn the same porcelain white as Susan’s face. The girls realize the only way to escape is to get to the attic of the dollhouse, and go through the door there. As Melissa pulls Susan towards the door, her porcelain hand falls to the floor. Melissa gives Susan a look like, “Oh, how awkward,” picks up the hand and puts it in Susan’s pocket. You know, for safe-keeping. When Melissa opens up the doll house attic door, it doesn’t lead back into the real house’s attic - it instead shows the two-story drop. But at this point, what do they have to lose? Except for more hands? Thankfully, they land back in the real world and Melissa’s uncle burns the dollhouse, so that no one can get lost in there again. 


It’s interesting because the episode is titled “The Tale of the Dollmaker” which makes you think that there’s going to be some crazy old man in a workshop surrounded by dolls. But as the episode progresses, it becomes clear that the house is the dollmaker, a twist that is something different for "Are You Afraid of the Dark." I always thought this episode was among the strangest, but it wasn’t until re-watching it that I realized it is one of my favorites. It doesn’t take the easy creepy doll route, but creates completely new territory which I always appreciate when it comes to scary stories.

Megan's #1 "Are You Afraid of the Dark" Pick

"The Tale of the Twisted Claw" has always hit home for me because it is set during Halloween. "Are You Afraid of the Dark" did a good job of not overusing the holiday as jumping off point for episodes, which I think makes those Halloween episodes extra special. The story begins on the night before Halloween, referred to by the narrator as "mischief night."  I don't know what crazy city this story is set in, but I don't remember punk kids running around the night before Halloween tee-peeing houses and spraying Barbasol shaving cream in people's faces. Apparently the day before Halloween has also been called "Devil's Night" and led to some pretty horrible arson and vandalism in Detroit in the 70s-90s. Kind of makes the whole shaving cream prank seem pretty tame.

The trouble begins when two little boys, Dougie and Kevin, pull a pre-Halloween prank on the wrong person--a lady named Miss Clove who has the reputation of being a witch. One of the boys, Kevin, bullies Dougie, the more rule-abiding of the two, into playing a prank on Miss Clove so they'll gain some major street cred. "Are You Afraid of the Dark" + character that is a bully = bad things to come. The boys surprise Miss Clove with some shaving cream to the face and as she stumbles around she smashes a large vase in her entryway to pieces. Once she composes herself, Miss Clove watches the boys scamper off and proceeds to laugh maniacally into the night. May I say that the actress that plays Miss Clove is spectacular? She would absolutely be at home turning little boys into mice at an English seaside hotel.


The boys are foolish enough to push their luck and return to Miss Clove's house for Halloween--again, because they'd be able to tell their friends how they laugh in the face of danger.  Miss Clove thanks them for coming by, skips the customary candy reward, and presents them with a twisted claw.  This episode is largely based on the short story by W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw.  In this version, a piece of wood is fashioned into a vulture claw that grants its owners three wishes each.  The two boys soon learn that each time they make a wish, it comes true through very sinister means.


What I love about this episode is that it's got great mischievous spirit--it's about a power that grants dreams and wishes, but at an unexpected price.  Super creepy masked teenagers put an end to their night of trick or treating when Dougie wants to go home, a burly "grim-from-Harry-Potter" dog comes out of nowhere and breaks a boy's leg so Kevin can win a race, Dougie's parents die in a freak car accident, and a long-dead Grandfather rolls up in his car and knocks on the door for a visit.  I remember as a kid being particularly creeped out by the thought that the rotting corpse of a dead relative was just casually stopping by.  Dougie comes to his senses and wrestles his way to the claw to wish that they never went to Miss Clove's house.  The claw disappears, Grandpa is gone, parents are once again kicking, and all is right.  What makes this episode special and extra memorable is the ending that brings the mischievous story full circle.  Just as the boys breathe a sigh of relief, the doorbell rings. Rightfully so they cautiously open the door and find the broken vase whole once more with a simple note included.


Megan's #2 "Are You Afraid of the Dark" Pick

While I truly craved and loved the scarier AYAOTD episodes, there is one that stands out because of its excellent combination of giggles and goosebumps.  "The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner" is story of an aspiring young comic book artist named Ethan who unwittingly unleashes a psychotic villain into the world after microwaving a sopping wet comic.  I remember thinking as a kid that microwaving paper was a bad idea and was alarmed by how many buttons Ethan pressed on the microwave and then just walked away.  This poor kid has parents that really don't care that he exists--they are basically clones of Danny DeVito's and Rhea Perlman's characters in "Matilda."  They look tacky and are glued to the television.  It almost feels like retribution when this villain, the Ghastly Grinner, turns them into blue-goo-spewing, maniacal, laughing lunatics.


The humor in this episode is campy and over the top and it is perfect.  Stereotypical comic book-style cuts are used, there's a character with the ridiculous name of Hooper Picalarro, and the day is saved when Hooper erases the Ghastly Grinner with a crazy big eraser that reads, "For Big Mistakes."  Coincidentally, you can buy this eraser online and now I want one.  The humor is coupled with a surprisingly frightening villain that appears out of no where and has a voice very similar to Christopher Lloyd in the last scene of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."  And obviously, he is always grinning.  His scare factor calls to mind villains like the Joker who will laugh in your face menacingly as they slowly drive you insane.  I mean, look what he did to his victims.

  

"The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner" was definitely a different type of episode for "Are you Afraid of the Dark," but I appreciated its uniqueness and still found myself looking over my shoulder for hours afterward.

---

To cap off our top picks, we thought it would only be fitting to end with a list of signs that you, too, were a huge fan of "Are you Afraid of the Dark" as a kid.


You know you were a little obsessed with "Are you Afraid of the Dark" as a kid when...
  • You groaned when your least favorite Midnight Society member took a seat in that stone chair.
  • When around a campfire, you grabbed a handful of dirt and tossed it into the fire when no one was looking.  You may have whispered under your breath something like, "Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society..."
  • You passed on putting on any crazy, pinhole glasses.  You never knew.
  • New neighbors were always suspect.
  • You know about all the callbacks throughout the seasons, including frequently using clowns in sets and use of the term "zeeb" in reference to the first ever episode. 
  • You never trusted adults who constantly corrected the way you said their names - (Dr. Vink with a Vr, Vr, Vr, or Sardoh, no Mr., accent on the 'doh'.)

Saturday, June 15, 2013

The Year I Realized I Could Trick or Treat No More (Plus A Short History of Trick or Treating)


I believe I had just turned either 12 or 13.  My sister and I have tried to pinpoint the year, but armed with Halloween pictures and vague memories, we could only whittle it down to between two years.  It was the Halloween that I dressed up as a pilgrim.  I don't remember what possessed me to pick this costume choice.  As a kid I loved history, but I don't remember having a particular fascination with our Mayflower forefathers.  My sister dressed up as a pioneer woman, so evidently we were very into historical reenactment that year.   In hindsight, had I known that I would be expelled from the youthful world of Halloween trick-or-treating that year, I would have chosen a way more badass costume.


The annual ritual of "trick or treating" in the United States is essentially a smorgasbord of several different practices rooted in European history.  The Halloween tradition that we know and love today definitely got its start 2,000 years ago thanks to the ancient Gaelic/Celtic festival of  Samhain (celebrated October 31st to November 1st).  Meaning "summer's end," Samhain celebrated the end of summer and the beginning of fall and winter.  During Samhain, it was believed that malevolent "fairies and spirits were said to be active" and so the Gaelic people wore costumes in the hopes to disguise themselves and ward off these harmful spirits.  Through the centuries, Samhain came to include practices of going door-to-door to collect food for "Samhain feasts, fuel for Samhain bonfires and/or Samhain offerings for the spirits and fairies."  Samhain is absolutely the great-grand parent of our modern Halloween practices.

Trick or treating also harkens back to the late medieval practice in Ireland and Britain of "souling."  Once a year, poor townspeople would go to door to door on November 1st, also known as Hallowmas.  They would beg and sing for "soul cakes" in return for prayers for the souls of the cake-giver's departed friends and family on All Souls Day on November 2nd.  Souling has been recorded as far back as the 14th century.  In 1593, Shakespeare was obviously familiar with the practice--in Two Gentlemen of Verona he "observed tartly that one of the 'special marks' of a man in love is 'to speak puling [whining], like a beggar at Hallowmas.'"  The custom continued up until the 20th century in some parts of Britain, but evolved into a child's only pursuit over time.  While souling itself was never practiced in the United States, it is clear that trick-or-treating was born out of this medieval ritual.  In some parts of the United States in the mid 30s to mid 50s, trick-or-treating was actually referred to as begging and the children as "beggars."  Some adults didn't appreciate the ritual one bit and felt instead the tradition was more of a "form of extortion" than innocent fun. 

Another ancestor of trick or treating no doubt is the Scottish practice of "guising."  Children would disguise themselves in costumes, carry lanterns made out of scooped out turnips (where we get our Jack-O-Lantern tradition!), and go door to door collecting cakes, fruit, and coins in exchange for a performance of a joke, song, or some other skill.  Although I couldn't find out exactly when this tradition began, I found sources citing it happening in Scotland at least back to 1895 and it is a practice that continues today. 

"Souling" and "guising" absolutely explain the practice of going door to door and giving sweet goods or treats, but where does the "trick" aspect of all of this come from?  Britain's Guy Fawkes Night, which dates back to the 18th century, is one idea.  Bonfires, rioting, revelry, and the holiday's celebration of pitting "disorder against order," all elicit the more naughty traditions of trick or treating. The mischief may also have come from traditions developed right here in the United States. Old urban Thanksgiving "ragamuffin" traditions that began in places like pre-1900 New York and Boston involved children dressing up in costumes, begging for money and treats, and pulling pranks when there were less than pleased. Shopkeepers would even "buy off these pranksters, trading some sweet snack or bread loaf for security from soaped windows or pilfered shop signs." So, when did the term "trick or treat" actually come into being?  The earliest known use in print of the term "trick or treat" appears in 1927, from Blackie, Alberta:
Hallowe’en provided an opportunity for real strenuous fun. No real damage was done except to the temper of some who had to hunt for wagon wheels, gates, wagons, barrels, etc., much of which decorated the front street. The youthful tormentors were at back door and front demanding edible plunder by the word “trick or treat” to which the inmates gladly responded and sent the robbers away rejoicing. [source]
The first account of the modern trick-or-treating practice in the United States comes from Wellesley, Massachusetts in the 1920s.  The giant influx of immigrants from Scotland, Irish, and Great Britain (think Potato Famine--this widespread starvation brought nearly one Irish million immigrants to the US in 1845 alone), brought the European practices of guising and souling straight to the people of the United States--and as generations passed, these traditions were melded together to form a new one.  The practice did not become commonplace until the 1930s, with the first actual appearance of the term "trick or treat" in the United States in 1934 and then in a larger, national publication in 1939.  The practice spread slowly--sugar rationing during WWII helped to slow its movement--but by the 1950s and 1960s, trick or treating every Halloween was here to stay in the United States.  "Trick or treating became the "focus of Halloween" and was seen as a "wholesome activity for the whole family." And with the prominence of suburbia and subdivision living, it was a practice that became popular and fitting to the American lifestyle.  Trick or treating continues to change with the times.  Rises in apartment living and fears of childrens' safety in the 1990s lead to inside trick or treating practices, like "trunk or treat" style events.  And trick or treating will continue to morph and grow, but there is no doubt it will always echo its European predecessors and embrace a good-natured mischievous spirit and encourage people young and old to suspend disbelief for just one night and let their imaginations run wild.

- - -

My family had moved a few years before to our new house and it was only our second or third experience going door to door begging for candy in this neighborhood.  My sister and I got all ready--it did not take long that year seeing as there was no heavy ghoulish makeup involved--and with bags in hand we set off for our favorite night of the year.  We hit a good amount of the neighborhood and then we stopped at one unassuming house.  I walked to the door behind a gaggle of other kids, asked "Trick or treat?" in a polite manner of the lady doling out the good stuff, and she replied, "Aren't you a little tall to be doing this?"  I smiled shyly, took my candy, and we finished our route.  I don't remember having a big cry fest with my Mom, or even having a conversation deciding it was time to stop, it just kind of ended without any drama or disagreement.  I think adolescent, middle school Megan was too worried what other people would think of her and didn't argue when some old bat inferred that it was time to stop. Granted, I was probably past my prime trick or treating years.  I did a little searching and asked the Internet, "When should kids stop trick or treating?" and the answers varied from, "Once you hit high school" to "Why ever stop?" This blog post cites a $100 fine in Belleville, Illinois to anyone over the age of 12 caught trick or treating.  That's pretty damn harsh.

What kills me is that as a grown-up giver of treats now, I would never say this to a kid.  What other way is there to best break a kid's youthful spirit?  Tell them that, "Hey, the ship has sailed, kid.  You're old.  Move on."  Heck, I pass candy out to adults as long as they bring the Halloween spirit and have put some effort into the night by appropriately dressing up for the occasion.  There are those trick-or-treaters, however, that absolutely should respect the tradition and stop taking advantage of people's kindness.  You know the type.  The teenage and adult punks who show up in black hoodies and jeans with an open backpack worn backwards across their bellies that don't even bother with the trick or treating basics.  They just lift their backpacks in your direction without saying anything, expecting you to shower them with candy just for showing up.  Yeah, bud, you're going to have to work for it a little harder than that.  I hope Halloween fans everywhere can commiserate both with my story and my venting, because there will always be some people out there who try to ruin the experience of trick or treating for others or abuse the tradition.  Fortunately, there are far more kind people who embrace the community and positive spirit of the holiday.

As an adult, and after writing this post, I guess I've come to the completely cheesy realization that Halloween has always been about change.  The changing of seasons, the maturation of crops, and, more morbidly, death, are all themes forever linked with the holiday.  We all, no matter how regrettably, most grow up from little trick or treating goblins into the torch-bearers of the holiday, "the givers of the candy."  When October 31st rolls around now, I almost love the holiday even more.  Now it's my job to help build fond memories of Halloween for little boys and girls (and future Halloween-lovers that will pass down the spirit of the tradition).  I used to delight in dressing up and setting a battleplan of which streets to hit first, now weeks beforehand I plan how to decorate my house and which candy to pass out.  The meaning of Halloween and the tradition of trick or treating evolves as a person ages, and dare I say it, I think the giving is way more fun.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Favorite Spooky Reads

Sometimes when Halloween is still months away, you just need a taste of something spooky. Sure there’s the canon of classic creepy literature - Dracula or Frankenstein or anything by Edgar Allen Poe, but those ones are a little predictable, in my opinion. Here are a few different books that will get you in the spirit just enough until October finally rolls around.


To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

Okay, true, To Kill A Mockingbird barely has a Halloween scene. But this is one of my favorite books. I remember as I was reading it for the first time, I loved everything about it and the fact that all of the story’s threads are woven together during a Halloween night made it feel special, like maybe it was written just for me. It’s worth reading (or rereading) during any time of the year, but there are parts about this book that are great for getting you in the Halloween mood. Everyone’s favorite recluse, Boo Radley, is just creepy enough throughout the story to keep you guessing until the end. And Scout in a ham costume? That is some classic Halloween nostalgia right there. Although it may not be the spookiest book, I think that it’s one of the most important books that just happens to include Halloween. 


Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury 

This book has tons of spooky things in it: a carnival that comes to town on a train that plays the Death March, a carousel that can make you younger by turning backwards, and a whole host of creepy carnie characters. But you wouldn’t expect any less from the amazing Ray Bradbury, who was a giant of the science fiction genre. Most people have read Fahrenheit 451, but Something Wicked This Way Comes is just as good, especially because it includes these lines: “And if it’s around October twentieth and everything smoky-smelling and the sky orange and ash gray at twilight, it seems Halloween will never come in a fall of  broomsticks and a soft flap of bed-sheets around corners. But one strange wild dark long year, Halloween came early.” How can you not want to read more?! I recommend starting to read this one on that first fully Autumn-feeling day, it’s a great way to start your season.


Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie
         
If you’re a mystery fan, then you already know Agatha Christie is the queen of murder mysteries. Christie can twist a plot like no other, as evidenced from the fact that her stories have been made into dozens of plays, t.v. shows and films. Hallowe’en Party is one of Christie’s many books that chronicles the cases of detective Hercule Poirot, but you don’t need to have read anything else in order to enjoy this one. Although this can get a little macabre (it’s about the murder of a young girl who has actually witnessed another murder) it is a great book to read if you want to be just a little scared. I won’t spoil any of the finer plot points, but I will say that this book did make me think twice about bobbing for apples! 

What about you--do you have a favorite book to curl up with to get ready for the season?

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

6 Months To Go: Soundtrack to the Season

I find that one of the first things that I do when I start to feel that "Halloween itch" is to break out my favorite Halloween music.  And mind you, it comes out probably way earlier than is socially acceptable.  Do you have some favorite songs of the Halloween season?  Outlined below are the top 10 songs that I feel, in my humble opinion, are a must.  After the countdown, check out a widget of my complete Spotify Halloween playlist.  You can bet that I'm totally starting to annoy my loved ones and co-workers with this music.  And now you can, too.

10. "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show



If ever there existed a song that can get people to sing loudly and act ridiculous at a moment's notice, it's "Time Warp." Yes, this song can get annoying, but I think that the month of October would just not be right without a play or two (or five) of this song.  Complete with its own dance (detailed instruction found here!), the whole ritualistic, mischievous, and rowdy nature of this song all encapsulate the spirit of Halloween.

9.  "People Are Strange" by The Doors




This is a great song and the title tune from 1987's "The Lost Boys." I did not see this film until my first year of college at University of California, Santa Cruz during welcome week.  Shot mostly in Santa Cruz, "Lost Boys" features a spectacular view of the UCSC campus (at about the 2:00 minute mark on this video). The whole vibe of the movie, and this song, feels like an ode to the campy and unique character of Santa Cruz--a city that embraces Halloween wholeheartedly with a downtown blowout party and all of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" participations you could "jump to the left" to. Whenever I hear this song I am instantly reminded of waning summer and the onset of a damp fall in beautiful, weird Santa Cruz.  And obviously, vampires.

8.  "Haunted House" by Jumpin' Gene Simmons


This song released in 1964 and is one that most people do not know. My sister and I were introduced to it thanks to the fabulous Rhino Records CD, "Halloween Hits."  Anna Belle and I played the hell out of this CD.  Our friends from next door came over and we made dances to each of the songs and practiced for hours. The CD was on non-stop the week leading up to Halloween.  Our parents, though Halloween fans themselves, consequently pulled their hair out.  This may explain why neither Anna Belle or I can find this CD to this day.  It conveniently disappeared.  Thank you, Spotify, for reuniting me with this fantastic song!

7.  "I Put A Spell On You" by She & Him




Released in 2010, this song has quickly become a favorite.  The bluesy, gorgeous sound of Zooey Deschanel's voice and M. Ward's stellar guitar skills make for an excellent cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins's original 1956 song (which is frighteningly awesome).

6. "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas


I'm a child of the '90s, so you can't be too surprised that one Nightmare Before Christmas is showing up here.  While Danny Elfman's score is stunningly perfect in its entirety, I think the song that introduced us all to Halloween Town is by far the best and most memorable.  Any song that sings about a "clown with a tear-away face" is okay in my book.

5.  "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult

 


Blue Öyster Cult's first hit, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" plays in the film soundtracks of two of my favorite horror films, "Halloween" and "Scream." It's a no-brainer why I and many other Halloween-philes love it.

4.  "Spooky" by Atlanta Rhythm Section


I was turned onto this song last year after reading a top 10 list of Halloween songs on someone else's blog.  May I add that it was the perfect song to bake Pumpkin Cupcakes with Crushed Heath Bars and Harvest Pumpkin Cookies to.

3.  "Rock Lobster" by The B-52s


The fun, bizarre, and improvisational feeling of this song has always made it a Halloween favorite of mine.  Maybe that's because those three words describe Halloween perfectly, but who knows.  Spanning seven minutes and including "nonsensical lyrics about a beach party and excited rants about real or imagined marine animals," the B-52s created a song that doesn't obviously scream Halloween, but nonetheless fits.

2. "Thriller" by Michael Jackson




I was born just as it was getting slightly "uncool" and uncomfortable to admit that you loved you some Michael Jackson, but "Thriller" is an indelible contribution to the music library of most Halloween fanatics.  Yes, it's been overdone and you can't go through one season without seeing multiple people doing the "Thriller" dance, but the power of this song cannot be denied.  The music video is absolutely one of the greatest music videos of all time. I have vivid memories of watching that video as a little kid and thinking, "Damn, that is cool."  And I would be regret not to mention the absolutely fantastic narration performed by the one and only, Vincent Price.  Sources cite that Price recorded his portion of the song in only two takes.

1. "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Borris" Pickett

 

There is no way that this song cannot be #1 on every Halloween-lover's playlist.  It's classic.  One of my favorite Halloween memories is sitting in the car singing along to this song on the radio with my sister, Anna Belle, and my Dad as he drove us to our Nana and Oompa's (affection moniker for Grandpa) house for Halloween trick-or-treating.  It always makes me smile.

Am I missing your favorite Halloween song?  Share with us!