Another year, another fan-made music video of a holiday song by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. This year’s selection is “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fishmen,” as filmed and uploaded by one haakor:
That said, you shouldn’t watch it if you want to avoid any spoilers for The Shadow Over Innsmouth…
Merry Christmas!
Nox Arcana
Official Site
Winter’s Majesty, Monolith Graphics 2012
Back when I reviewed Winter’s Eve, I teased the upcoming release of the third (and final) installment of Nox Arcana’s “Winter” series. I’m happy to report that both Jeff Endemann and the Gregorian Shadow Choir have returned for this album. Those fond of the wordless female vocals that have shown up in past Nox Arcana albums will be happy to hear how practically every song on the album uses them.
While most Nox Arcana albums have the spoken word introduction and opening song presented as two separate tracks, Winter’s Majesty bucks tradition by combining both! In “Aquilon’s Wish,” the Gregorian Shadow Choir backs the opening poem of the Winter King’s wish for peace on earth, which gives way beautiful snowflake-like chiming and piano work. It takes a somewhat darker tone later on, but is still beautiful. Interestingly enough, there’s a seemingly alternate version of the introduction performed by John Rossi available online. “Tranquility” definitely lives up to its name, with the medieval ballad-style instrumental segment and the backing strings being great touches. Personally, the music makes me think of snow quickly falling. “White Woodlands” masterfully combines piano work and chiming tones that remind the listener of snow, while “Secret Sanctuary” has an overall ballad feel. Both the wordless female vocals and tambourine add to the feel of the dark beauty of a winter’s night, while the piano ushers in a somewhat darker feel and unisex choir work. The organ and tolling bells of “Summon the Wind” give the track a Dracula-style feel, while “Snow in the Shire” has a wonderful ballad feel thanks to its use of a minstrel guitar and touches of tolling bells and a tambourine. Despite the name, the latter has no connection to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The word “shire” is actually a traditional English term for what would now be referred to as a “county.” “Crystal Kingdom” combines excellent soft piano work with some tolling bells while “Solstice Spirits” gives the listener as sense of falling snow thanks to its chime-like tones and piano work. “Shelter from the Cold” is much more energetic than previous tracks, although it does have a ballad-like feel to it at times. “Angels in the Snow” slows things back down in a good way.
“Scarborough Fair” is a new take on classic song. Despite being commonly associated with Simon & Garfunkel, it’s actually an ancient folk ballad that has numerous alternate versions with different lyrics. For this new version, Vargo has replaced most of the lyrics (including the famous “Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme” refrain) so that the song now tells the tale of a spirit telling the listener to seek out his lover from when he was alive so she can visit his grave. Jeff Endemann gives an amazing vocal performance, with the opening ballad feel and tambourine work adding to overall feel. In addition to its connection to an earlier track by mentioning a shire, the online music video suggests a connection to Winter’s Knight. “Ivory Steeds” offers speedy and varied piano work with touches of bells while “Winter Haven” combines gentle snow chimes soft and piano notes with the strums of a minstrel guitar. In “Forest Lullaby,” gentle notes are joined by “chimes” to create a soothing, music box-like feel. The piano work of “Days of Olde” is noticeably different in tone than that of the past tracks. The unisex choir and snow-like chiming add to it overall feeling of long ago. “Saturnalia” refers to the festival that celebrated the winter solstice in ancient Rome. In fact, Christmas as we know it today has some of its roots in Saturnalia! The track has a definite celebratory feel thanks to its clapping hands and flutes, along with some tambourine and violin work. “The Coming of the King” uses a unisex choir backed by an organ and tolling bells to provide a sense of dark regality. Pounding drums also add to the effect. Although “Winter’s Majesty” uses soft piano work and bells, the piano is the real star here. There’s also lots of great musical variations. “We Three Kings” is an instrumental take on the Christmas classic, realized with soft piano and minstrel guitar (along with touches of bells). “Polaris” uses a different way of conveying falling snow via piano and soft vocals. “Final Peace” has a peaceful but somewhat mournful tone thanks its use of a violin and unisex vocals. Those who wait for the secret track will also hear the sounds of wind and soft piano work.
As with all Nox Arcana releases, the liner notes contain the lyrics and amazing artwork (along with a hidden puzzle). In fact, some of the pages are styled not unlike the illuminated manuscript look used for the liner notes for Winter’s Knight. All in all, Winter’s Majesty offers a return to the dark feel of Winter’s Knight, while still retaining the lighter elements of Winter’s Eve. Although I’m sad to see the series end, I’m glad it got to close out with an album like this.
Special thanks to Monolith Graphics for the review copy!
King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis
Official Site
Luau In December, Friki Tiki Records 2008
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Even if you’ve never heard one of their albums before, chances are that you’re already aware of King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis. Although active for quite some time on the West Coast, King Kukulele officially made his presence known to the rest of the country at the Hukilau in 2002. The following year, his Tiki Palace made quite a splash online and has been hosting the Tiki Tot Tour at Tiki Oasis in recent years. But who are they? The members of King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis consist of:
King Kukulele (Denny Moynahan): Lead vocals and ukelele
Riki Kontiki (Richard Fultineer ): Drum kit, percussion and backup vocals
Malahini Marc (Marc Doten): Double bass, guitarron, glockenspiel and backup vocals
Waikiki Wakefield (Jeremy Wakefield): Lap steel guitar and backup vocals
Bora Bora Bonebrake (DJ Bonebrake): Marimba and vibraphone
Although their self-titled 2004 release was their first CD, 2008′s Luau in December is (as of this writing) their most widely available album. Although the concept may seem kind of odd at first, it actually makes perfect sense. Exotica music takes its listeners on relaxing journeys to faraway places, which is perfect for combating holiday stress and the cold weather blues. In addition to original songs, there are also several exotica versions of Christmas classics. From what I can tell, this album seems to be the first exotica Christmas album of the modern era!
“Luau In December” tells us to trade our eggnog for Mai Tais in this lively, but somehow mellow, tune. King Kukulele’s pleasant voice is well-teamed with the marimba, percussion and steel guitar percussion. A child singing about a greedy young boy’s Christmas expectations in “Brand New Ukulele,” but Kukulele takes over to tell us of the one special gift that changed the lad’s attitude as the extremely catchy backing music picks up. I’m not kidding about it being catchy, either. I can practically guarantee that you’ll catch yourself singing this for days after hearing it. “Santa’s Menehune” deals with a legendary Hawaiian creature that is claimed to have amazing building skills. Naturally, this comes into play when he goes to visit his elven cousin at the North Pole. It’s a cute song thanks to its Chimpmunk-style voices and amusing appearance by “Elf-vis.” The late, great “Duke of Uke” himself, Bill “Tappy” Tapia takes over the singing and ukelele duties for “Tappy Claus.” Backed by a steel guitar, Tappy denies being Santa Claus and recounts his constant bad luck with gifts over the years. It’s a real treat to hear the legend in action and although the song’s reference to over 100 years of bad gifts might seem like a joke, he actually had reached that age at the time the song was recorded! In “Christmas Luau,” the ukelele and steel guitar nicely back this musical tale of a Hawaiian Christmas (which also foreshadows the next track). Those learning about various Hawaiian terms will find this song especially invaluable in their studies. Just don’t listen to it while you’re hungry. Trust me on this.
“The Night Before Christmas” combines sleigh bells and vibraphone work as special guest Laura Thatcher joins King Kukulele in singing this holiday classic while the heavy introduction of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” leads to the marimba getting quite a workout with some great ukelele and steel guitar work. “I Work for Santa Claus” has a surprisingly Latin-esque feel thanks to its use of a guitarrón. In it, an elf sings about his job duties and the incredibly chain of mishaps that occurred the night Blitzen lost one of his hors…er…reindeer shoes. There’s also a very welcome reference to the Krampus. What’s not to love? While many traditional exotica songs combine music and animal noises, “Santa’s Workshop” couples vibes and percussion with the sounds of toys being made. This gives the song about toy building an appropriately soft and magic feel. The Friki Tikis’ take on the Yule standard “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” features incredible drum work here, along with a wonderful instrumental interlude with a steel guitar and marimba. “Reindeer Holiday” is a charming ukelele tune about Santa’s reindeer and their unscheduled Hawaiian vacation, which has a closing vocal harmony segment that is not to be missed. The Tiki rock take on “Hooray for Santa Claus” is simply amazing and is easily one of my most favorite tracks from the album. If you’ve ever cringed whenever the original version of this song played in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, you need to hear this version. Yesterday. “Thirty-Two Feet and Eight Little Tails” is a peppy musical tribute to the eight tiny reindeer pulling ol’ St. Nick’s sleigh, complete with a great vibraphone lead out. “Mele Kalikimaka” is Hawaiian for “Merry Christmas.” It’s also the name of the album’s final track, which is both faithful to the original version while providing enough of its own distinctive touches to make it feel like more than “just a cover.” Like any good holiday special, this track features plenty of guest performers. Joe Moe (who previously appeared on the album as the lead vocals for “Christmas Luau”) provides the harmony vocals while Ali Lexa handles the lead ukelele duties.
Luau In December will be enjoyed by people of all ages (especially fans of SpongeBob SquarePants) and is a highly recommended purchase. It’s also proof positive how something that’s “family friendly” doesn’t necessarily have be sappy or talk down to its listeners. I, for one, am eagerly awaiting what King Kukulele and the Friki Tikis have to bring us in the future. If it’s anything like this album, then we’re all in for a real treat.
Special thanks to Friki Tiki Records for the review copy!
To quote the description given at the new listing:
“Here’s a cadre of songs to help you get through this, the most horrible time of year. With music from The Men Who Won’t Be Blamed For Nothing, The Coffin Crawlers, Bamboula, Fear and others, this show will help you float above the rising yuletides. Monstermatt Patterson got your name in the Secret Santa. Aren’t you happy?”
Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.
You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher . We’re also on Facebook and Twitter.
Those of you who remember my article about the Krampus might recall that people dressing up as the character is a holiday tradition in several European countries. Naturally, those living in countries without that tradition will recognize the inherent coolness of the Krampus and will be tempted to introduce others to the concept. And what better way to do that than to construct your own Krampus costume and bust it out at your next holiday gathering. Come to think of it, you can even reuse it as your next Halloween costume!
You might have noticed that I chose the word “Build” instead of “Make” in this article’s title. That’s because this is more of a general guideline on assembling a costume from preexisting materials rather than a step-by-step tutorial on making a costume from scratch. That’s because I want to make this as easy to do as possible. But if you have any sewing skills (or know someone who does that would be willing to help you out), then heading down to a fabric store to see if they have any costume patterns that go well with fake fur (gorilla, bear, etc.) would most likely be the most cost-effective option. The patterns for basic coveralls or a bodysuit could also work in a pinch, but be sure to pick up the patterns for gloves if you can. Just keep in mind that you have to be mindful of certain things when sewing fake fur. Hot gluing strips of fake fur to some old coveralls can make a quick ‘n dirty costume, but you have to be sure to brush the hair carefully in order to cover the seams. But if you want step-by-step directions on making a furry costume, these links can help you. While it’s also possible to mold your own masks and chest pieces, it’s much easier just to buy them. Even if you make your own gloves, you’re probably still going to need to buy some fake fingernails or claws to make them seem scarier.
As I touched on earlier, you’re going to need a furry costume as your base. Buying a complete costume is your best bet, but can also be quite expensive. Just be sure to make sure whether or not the costume comes with gloves and feet before purchasing. Buying separate furry “shirts” and leg pants can be cheaper, but then you have to be careful to make sure that the fake fur’s coloration on both pieces matches. This would also apply to any fur on the monster gloves, feet, and/or mask you purchase as well. However, you can avoid such problems if you use accessories that are completely hairless but have the same color as each other. If that isn’t possible and you don’t mind a little extra work, you can find resources on repainting your accessories on websites like the Halloweenforum. Alternately, you can visit your local costume or magic store to compare the fur colors and types in person (which is more accurate than trying to do so online).
If you look at pictures of Krampus costumes online, you’ll notice that many of them use regular footwear covered by the costume’s long fur. This is presumably done to make it easier for the performer(s) to run around through the streets. You can do the same with your costume if you want, but you can use more decorative feet if you’re just going to stroll around inside at a Christmas party. In addition to the types of feet that I linked to previously in the article, even hooves or black pointy elf shoes would work for a Krampus costume, as evidence here. Assuming the costume you’re using doesn’t have one, you could also invest in a chest piece if you want to. However, as you can see in these pictures, this accessory is completely optional.
Once you have the body squared away, you’re going to need the most important part: the mask. As finding Krampus masks in America is very difficult, you’re going to want to buy a “Devil” or “demon” mask. However, just any old mask of that type won’t work. Using one of these masks simply wouldn’t look right on a Krampus costume. These masks, on the other hand would be perfect. This one even has a Krampus-like extended tongue! Once you have that picked out, you’re all set! Although, you can also add some chains, cowbells, sacks and/or a big stick to the costume if you want to.
If you make your own Krampus costume, please feel free to send Gravedigger’s Local 16 any pictures or video of you in action!
Seeing as how I celebrated Christmas with a Youtube video featuring a Lovecraftian Christmas carol by the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society last year, I thought it would be fun to do it again this year. This year’s selection is a fan-made music video made by GodfreyTemple,: which was apparently approved by the HPLHS:
For more information about the song, be sure to check out its Wikipedia entry!
Merry Christmas!
In the spirit of last year’s “Christma(dnes)s,” I thought I would share another collection of both weird and wonderful Christmas-related links:
The Abominable N. Oremac got me into the Christmas spirit by sending me a link to an article about a Christmas tree in Japan that’s shaped like Godzilla and sprays smoke from “its” mouth. Similarly, here are some kaiju Christmas cards and Japanese superhero-themed Christmas trees that I dug up.
Are you a horror writer? If so, why not join “Toys For Tots Horror Style?” Not only will you be helping a good cause, but you’ll also have a chance to win a great collection of horror fiction.
GdL16 musical favorites Nox Arcana have a great holiday deal on their website: You can save 10% off the entire Nox Arcana CD Collection! But get those orders in quickly, as the sale ends on Dec 25th.
Those who loved my past articles about spooky drinks are sure to appreciate festive drinks like “Mr. Grinch Juice” and “The Grinch’s Sour Caramel Apple Pie.”
Known for both Spawn and high-quality horror movie action figures, McFarlene Toys has released horror-influenced versions of Christmas icons like Jack Frost, a snowman, elves, reindeer, Santa and two NSFW versions of Mrs. Claus. As if that wasn’t enough, they also released a Christmas-themed Spawn action figure! Personally, I prefer the Bumble from Rankin-Bass’ Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, but to each their own.
Since you all seemed to enjoy the last Christmas flashback, I thought it would be good to do another installment. So, for your reading pleasure, here are some classic Christmas-related articles from years gone by:
Julebukking
Winter’s Eve
Winter’s Knight
Christma(dnes)s
A Horrorday Gift
We Wish You A Mythos Christmas
I’m Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek
Merry Christmassacre (and Happy Horrordays)!
While discussing the Krampus with some family members, my mother mentioned that, during her pregnancy with me, a Swedish aunt of hers had told her of a deer or goatlike creature called the “Julebukk” which helped pull Santa’s sleigh.
From what I’ve been able to tell, the tradition started with the legend of the Norse god of thunder, Thor! Thor was said to ride across the sky in a chariot drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr (roughly translated as “Toothgnasher” and “Toothgrinder”), the sound of which created the sounds of thunder rumbling. According to the “Prose Edda,” Thor was known to kill the goats in order to have food, which he would share with others. After the meal finished, Thor would use his powers to revive them as if nothing happened. This led to a now-defunct Swedish winter tradition of having someone dress up as a goat, pretend to get sacrificed and is later “revived.” But as Christianity spread throughout Europe, all references to Thor were stripped away and the creature was transformed into a Yule Goat or “Julebukk” (roughly translated as “Christmas buck”).
But the Julebukk was no mere goat. Some traditions said it was half human, while in others, it is a nasty beast that frightens children. But over time, this was softened into a friendly, magic goat that brings presents and tells funny poems. Naturally, this was merely a family member or friend dressed in a costume. Although Father Christmas (aka Santa Claus) eventually took over such duties, the goat became his assistant in some cultures. In some places, the Yule goat figure was actually turned into a human Santa Claus figure! That said, the Julebukk’s nasty past wasn’t completely removed from the character, as the newer depiction also has a mischievous streak. Also, straw Yule Goats became popular Christmas ornaments among Scandinavian cultures. In fact, the downstairs mantle of my childhood home had a straw Julebukk decorating it, but I had never knew of its significance until recently.
The Julebukk also led to the tradition of Julebukking (aka “Christmas fooling”), which involves going door to door for treats in disguise between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Originally, carrying a goat’s head was part of the tradition, but that was phased out in favor of just wearing goatish costumes. Julebukking traditions vary, but all share the basic idea of going from house to house in disguise to get treats. Does anyone else think that sounds kind of familiar? As for the various traditions, some hold that Julebukkers disguise their voices and body language and don’t go to the next house until their identity is uncovered while another tradition requires the singing of Christmas songs. Sometimes a person from the visited home will be required to join the Julebukkers on their trip to the next home! It’s not just practiced in Europe, either. According to this, there are still some communities in the US that still continue this ancient tradition. If any of our readers do this, we hope that you’ll post your favorite Julebukking memories and pictures here.
The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society has given the world a ton of cool Lovecraft-themed goodies, from the modern silent movie version of The Call of Cthulhu to the “Dark Adventure Radio Theatre” audio drama series (as covered in my review of The Shadow Over Innsmouth installment). They’ve even released not one, not three, but two Christmas albums! Both A Very Scary Solstice and An Even Scarier Solstice are chock-full of creeped up Christmas classics and the only thing scarier than the subject matter is just how good the singing is! But don’t take my word for it, just check out this fanmade video for “I Saw Mommy Kissing Yog-Sothoth” from A Very Scary Solstice by aabeeceed.
As if that wasn’t enough, the HPLHS also has a page with free sheet music and clips from the albums!
Merry Christmas!
Well, it’s that time of year again. Last-minute shopping and schedule-rearranging, coupled with the weather and other surprises are at their maximum this week and the resulting stress is killer. So, as a warped tribute to the madness so prevalent before the big day, here’s a collection of weird ‘n wild Christmas-related horror goodies that weren’t lengthy enough to get their own separate articles:
The above graphic comes from Elizabeth Anderson’s children’s tale, The_Goblins’ Christmas. It’s an odd little story that hasn’t gotten much attention since its initial publication in 1908 and I’m fixing that by providing you all with a direct link to the illustrated full text. Just be warned that some of the language used isn’t very politically correct and some children might find the eventual fate of the goblins upsetting.
Speaking of stories, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol greatly helped give Christmas its current focus on familial togetherness and generosity, as its celebration had previously been dwindling and focused more on drinking and wild partying (Wikipedia offers a brief-yet-informative look at Christmas before and after its “reformation”). However, it had one other interesting effect on the holiday: It forever linked ghosts and Christmas in England! Not only was Dickens soon forced to pen other ghost stories (both directly Christmas-related and standard spooky stories without a holiday theme), but it became customary to tell ghost stories at Christmastime.
Don’t believe me? heck out the description in this audio drama collection of British ghost stories or the introduction of this excellent review of The Stone Tape (includes spoilers). Like A Christmas Carol, The Stone Tape had a lasting impact…on paranormal studies. Come to think of it, I wonder how much Dickens’ membership in The Ghost Club had to do with A Christmas Carol (or vice-versa).
Oh look, someone decided to give the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies treatment to A Christmas Carol, how…unnecessary. What’s next, a zombie-filled version of Edison’s Conquest of Mars?
On the plus side, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies isn’t nearly as obnoxious and its humorous carols are a great way to spice up a winter zombie walk. Or, if you prefer reading stories to sheet music, The Undead That Saved Christmas anthology should be more appealing. Both links give you free previews of each book, which I highly recommend checking out.
Despite being known primarily for spooky music, Nox Arcana has also released two Christmas albums (with a touch of darkness). They also offer Christmas cards featuring Joseph Vargo’s amazing artwork on their official website!
The Amazon.com preview for Monte Beauchamp’s The Devil in Design: The Krampus Postcards offers a wealth of vintage art depicting our old friend the Krampus.
For those wanting a Merry Fishmas, I recommend this festive plush wreath featuring Cthulhu.
Those of you who read my Man or Astro-Man? article might remember their robot-themed side project, Servotron. But what you might not know is that they did a Christmas-themed vinyl EP called There Is No Santa Claus! featuring cover art by Shag!
Finally, here’s the Google Books preview for I’m Dreaming of a Fright Xmas by Alan-Bertaneisson Jones. It’s a highly informative and surprisingly lengthy (given the subject matter) tome devoted to Christmas-themed horror movies. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Although I’m not a fan of Doctor Who, I must admit to having a fondness for Daleks. Their unusual appearance is both visually pleasing and does an excellent job of hiding the fact there’s a human performer inside. This was an intentional (and brilliant) choice by Dalek creator Terry Nation and designer Ray Cusick, which gives the Daleks a truly unearthly appearance and sets them apart from the the series’ plethora of goofy-looking alien creatures and robots. Is it any wonder that the Daleks have been repeatedly mistaken for robots, both in the context of the show (they’re actually octopus-like mutants in mechanical suits) and in terms of the special effects used to realize them onscreen? Besides, you have to love their frequently badass lines.
It should also be noted that the Daleks’ distinctive plunger arm is due to it being a last minute replacement for a mechanical claw the original costume used. One of the actors allegedly voiced concern that people could get injured by the claw and a spare toilet plunger was all that could be found on such short notice.
I wasn’t the only one captivated by the Daleks, as “Dalekmania” swept across the UK immediately after their debut in the second serial of the first season of Doctor Who in 1963 (and continued through February 1964). Not only would battles with evil aliens become cemented as a regular staple of the program, and tons of licensed merchandise (and two feature films) soon followed. Said merchandise including a 1964 holiday novelty song called “I’m Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek” by the Go-Go’s:
As you’ve probably gathered from the song, the Go-Go’s in question are not the ones who did “We Got the Beat.” These Go-Go’s were a 60′s group consisting of Mike Johnson, Alan Cairns, Abe Harris, Bill Davison, Les McLeian and Sue Smith (who provided the childlike vocals in the above song). Surprisingly, famed British songwriter Les Vandyke penned the song, albeit under the name “Johnny Worth!”
Although most of our Christmas content is posted in December, there have been occasions where such articles had to be posted before December rolled around. As a result, they have sadly become under-appreciated.
So to remedy the situation, please let this entry act as the Ghost of Christmas Past (of the non-cybernetic variety of course) and take you to some selected winter and Christmas-related articles from years past:
Winterbeast
Krampusmas
Happy Horrordays!
Christmassacre in July
Nixon and Hogan Smoke Christmas
’tis the season…FOR HALLOWEEN SHOPPING?
When the Nixon and Hogan Smoke Christmas screener came in the mail, I was psyched. The accompanying promotional material described a plot about two stoners’ Christmas wish for marijuana going horribly wrong when Santa accidentally brings some zombie weed instead. As if Santa turning into a zombie wasn’t bad enough, Nixon and Hogan have to juggle finishing Santa’s delivery route and keeping Sasparilla the Weed Witch from stealing Santa’s magic!
Further online research had told me the production company specialized in gory, over-the-top low budget horror comedies set in Strangeville. “Cool, so it’ll be like a Troma movie” I had thought. Perfect to watch with my brother and our visiting from out of state cousin (who loves Troma films), right?
Wrong.
I thought we were prepared. I thought we could handle it. I was very mistaken…
I originally wasn’t sure what I should call this post. Gravedigger’s Local 16 strives to be all-inclusive and not promote one holiday over another (save for Halloween), but I already used the title “Happy Horrordays” last year and didn’t want to repeat myself. So I decided to do three separate posts devoted to the holidays that get the most focus: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Although I came up with pun names like “Killwanzaa” and “Hanukkill” (or should it be “Chanukill?”), I couldn’t think of anything horror-related that would properly fit either of those holidays to my satisfaction. Maybe some of you out there in readerland could give me a few suggestions?
Then came the issue of coming up with horror pun names (and content) for holidays like HumanLight, (HumanFright? HumaimLight?) Festivus or any of the other holidays observed in December. In fact, it’s became more and more obvious to me why people opt to just stick with “Happy Holidays.”
So I just gave up and slapped together something involving clips from some Christmas-themed slasher movies I found on kennethjohnali’s Youtube channel:
Those of you who don’t get the joke should read this. And since that (reedited) clip from Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 so short, let’s follow it up with more clips from the film:
And seeing as I already linked to some clips from that movie in July, here’s some stuff from the original Silent Night, Deadly Night:
Happy Horrordays!
It’s well known that November 1st is one of the best times to load up on Halloween goodies at bargain prices. But did you know that after-Christmas sales are also a good way to stock up on stuff for Halloween? Or that some decorations can be used on both holidays? The GdL gang has put their heads together and came up with two handy lists of ideas to help explain it all.
1. Have you ever considered buying a large, freestanding Santa Claus figure? Besides their most obvious use, it’s also possible to use them on Halloween by changing the clothing and adding a mask. Just be sure to test how much you can move the limbs and see if the clothes have Velcro straps before purchasing, as you don’t want a figure that’s impossible to change the clothing on. Although in such a scenario, a simple hooded black robe and overhead mask should be able to disguise Santa. To ensure maximum reusability, don’t glue down any new clothing or masks to the figure.
2. Christmas tree lights have so many uses on Halloween. Strands of orange and red lights can aid in fake fire effects, while blinking green lights can work well in a witch’s cauldron. They can also be used to create eyes glowing in the darkness or simply adorn equipment in a mad scientist’s laboratory or an alien spaceship. There are even some certain strands of lights that let you change the behavior of the bulbs with a push of a button, which let you create “chaser” and fading light effects. Be sure to read the packaging prior to buying in order to see if they give off a lot of heat or if lead paint was used on the wiring. And be sure to never leave them unattended for long periods of time (if at all) or have them near any flammable objects.
3. Speaking of lights, December is also a great time to pick up some flicker flame light bulbs. These little beauties are designed to mimic the look of real flames and can be used in certain types of electric candoliers, candelabras, chandeliers, and Christmas tree lights. Certain Halloween haunters and Christmas decorators will undoubtedly want to use such bulbs to create (more) realistic fake candles. Just be sure to check whether or not the bulbs you want are compatible with the item you wish to use them in!
4. Similarly, one can also choose from a variety of fake candles. Just be aware that you can’t change the bulbs on some models.
5. Although intended for use on Christmas, red and green colored light bulbs (standard size) also work well on Halloween.
6. Motorized color wheels are used by some to bathe their Christmas trees in varying shades of color. Home haunters can use a hidden one to create “magical” effects for witch and wizard-related displays. Or, if they use a homemade plexiglass disc with a black bowtie-like section painted on, they can make props placed in dark areas appear and disappear.
7. Those little animated figurines you often see in stores not only make for an interesting Christmas decoration, but they can be useful on Halloween as well. Strong thread or fishing line tied from each moving part to a small or lightweight item, such as a rubber spider, can create the illusion of independent movement (provided the animated figure itself is hidden from view).
8. Twinkle light plugs can make certain kinds of non-blinking light strands “twinkle” when they are plugged into it, which can further aid fake fire effects in Halloween displays.
9. Miniature floodlights (and bulbs), along with extension cords and power strips, work just as well on Halloween as they do on Christmas. Think about it, won’t you?
10. Although they’re not decorations, relaxation devices that play sounds like rain falling and heartbeats are often found in droves during this time of year. They may be intended as gifts, but there’s no rule against someone buying one to use as a sound effects generator for Halloween.
For those of you who don’t care about reusing your purchase come next December:
1. The larger Santa figures that move and says (or sings) Christmas-related stuff could potentially be the star of your next Halloween display if you have some wiring skills. For example, this skilled home haunter managed to turn a dancing Santa Claus into a dancing pirate.
2. Those moving, light-up reindeer can become animatronic wolves with a little time and effort.
3. You know those silver, globe-shaped ornaments often found on Christmas trees? Phantasm spheres waiting to happen.
4. If you’re lucky enough to find one of those little talking Christmas trees, buy it immediately. They’re useful in a wide variety of homemade animatronic effects.
5. Smaller animated figurines can make for all sorts of little monsters, like this nasty clown.
6. The type of gold foil paper that lends itself to well to making homemade Lament Configurations is usually stocked in greeting card stores right about now.
7. Buy a bunch of Santa, elf, snowman, etc. decorations and give them fangs and the like. Now you can have “Santa Claws” and his cohorts wish people a “Scary Christmas” in October and/or December. That said, please keep in mind that people are far less tolerant of spooky/gory displays after October 31st. If you really want to go that route, perhaps doing something based on the more kid-friendly The Nightmare Before Christmas would be a better idea.
8. Come to think of it, setting up a flying crank ghost or grim reaper in a display with a dummy of a scared old man in bed would be a good way to reuse Halloween props in December and not arouse any anger. Who’s going to get worked up over scenes from A Christmas Carol?
Whenever possible, look up information about the product(s) you want to buy online before purchasing in order to avoid getting a faulty or potentially dangerous item.
If you see something you absolutely must have, we recommend buying it ASAP. There’s no telling what will or will not be available come December 26th, save for maybe the most common or generic of items.
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