Katie Pumpkinhead’s Pumpkin Patch

 Sometimes I wonder if it’s possible to have seasonal depression, during every season that isn’t fall. I know it’s there in summer. The constant sun and heat has the completely opposite effect on me than it has on most people. It makes me miserable; its only redeeming quality being the fact that it’s the last stepping stone til fall. It’s a different kind of feeling though, as the winter comes. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the cold weather. I prefer it, any day, over the heat. But still, there is something so saddening, as November tapers off into December, taking with it the last remnants of autumnal comfort. I hated November so much when I was younger. I would draw big X’s through the O’s on my calendars and planner pads. I treated it as if it were unspeakably horrible, and perhaps the first of the month still is. But once I confront the petulant bully that is November 1st, and put it in its place, just a box on the calendar, it’s as if the rest of the month relaxes an...

  Late November reminds us that, no matter how beautiful the fall season is, the truth is, everything around us is dying. Things look so vibrant and alive in October that it’s easy to forget that fact. The world is alight with the colors of a happy, cozy fire. What could be more celebratory than that? Late November, though. That is a different type of fall. The once-colorful leaves, ablaze in shades of orange and red and yellow, are now all brown and withered. Most of them have fallen now, but the ones that haven’t are lonely and brittle, clinging to their trees by the thinnest of thread. It paints a desperate picture, watching those last little leaves cling to life. The color has gone out of them and yet they hang on, as if afraid of being forgotten.  The clock ticks on, from Halloween, to Thanksgiving, and now nearing December. The trees begin to illuminate again, but this time artificially, as the residents of the homes they surround dutifully attach lights to their branche...

 Like many little girls in the 90s, I was in absolute awe of the Olsen twins. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were just over a year older than me, and it was so cool to see kids right around my age that were so famous. Like many, I was first introduced to them as Michelle Tanner on Full House , but it wasn’t long until they started producing and starring in a whole slew of their own original movies and series. One such movie was another Halloween gem from my childhood that seems to be mostly forgotten these days, a spooky adventure called Double Double, Toil And Trouble.  It’s worth noting that Double Double, Toil And Trouble was released in 1993, just a few months after Hocus Pocus. (And it actually accurately portrays the fact that Halloween 1993 fell on a Sunday!) But, because it was a TV movie initially, it was Double Double, Toil And Trouble that I wound up seeing first. And, surprisingly, it didn’t initially become one of my main go-to movies, for the simple fact that it actu...

 If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me post recently about a song I made up as a child.  Though music has never been my strong suit, or even a major interest of mine, like most kids, I went through an “imagining myself as a pop star” phase, and would often make up little songs that would, maybe, one day, end up on my chart-topping debut album.  One such song was something called “The Halloween Flame Is Still Burning”. I have been racking my brain trying to remember all the lyrics since November 1st hit, but alas, I can only remember small bits. The opening line was a solemn declaration: November first, and the day’s gone by… The chorus culminated with: From inside the window of the car I am yearning, ‘cause the Halloween flame on the candle’s still burning! And, of course, the big finale, because what song could ever be complete without it?: …And it burns BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!! (Actual Halloween candle from ObscuraHortus on Etsy/Instagram) There’s a ...

 Today, I feel like discussing a slightly controversial topic within the Halloween community: The recent entry into the Halloween franchise, Halloween Kills. I have been a fan of the Halloween franchise since before I ever saw the movies, if that makes sense. We had a neighbor when I was very small who would play the soundtracks every year on Halloween night, from the time the kids started getting off the school bus until who knows when, after we’d all gone in for the night. It was almost surreal; for that one night, the entire neighborhood could hear the eerie music, if we were outside. I felt lucky in a way, and was, of course, intrigued to see the movies that it originated from.  I wasn’t allowed to until I was much older, obviously, but I would occasionally sneak peeks, as most of them were regularly broadcast on the cable channels in my childhood. The most common one I remember seeing was actually Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers , so much of the imagery that come...

 I decided today to watch and discuss a Halloween-themed movie that seems to have been long forgotten. It turned twenty this year, and I don’t think I’ve heard anyone mention it in almost that many years.  On October 20th, 2001, a movie called When Good Ghouls Go Bad premiered on what was known back then as the Fox Family channel, now FreeForm. I had been anticipating the movie’s premiere since the channel had first started advertising it. I wasn’t quite into horror yet, though I would be very soon, and I was still put-out that I wasn’t able to watch the Halloweentown movies (the second of which also premiered in 2001) since the Disney Channel was still a premium subscription channel at the time. I was so excited to finally be able to welcome a new, lighthearted Halloween movie into my life, as there really weren’t very many at the time besides the obvious Hocus Pocus.  When Good Ghouls Go Bad follows the story of Danny Walker, a young teen who’s just moved back to what i...

 Dear November 1st (and I use the term ‘dear’ as a loose formality), I have disliked you for as long as I can remember.  You come along every year, obliterate everything that holds meaning for me, and act like it’s no big deal. You invalidate my feelings, implying that since you are now present, it’s time to just move on and forget about October and Halloween. Maybe even move onto Christmas, which is a true sacrilege as far as I’m concerned. But still you force your way in, demanding attention, and telling me I’m wrong. There was a girl who used to bully me in school, every day from the time we met in third grade until we graduated. When she came around, any shred of acceptance I felt from my peers immediately faded, because her presence made me an outcast. You remind me of her sometimes. Just as I’m starting to settle into my surroundings, as someone compliments my outfit or decides to have a conversation with me about my genuine interests, you come along and butt in and sudd...