Autumn Children In Springtime//October 211th, 2025

Many years ago, there was no 'Halloween Community', as we now know it.

There were only us, the children drifting like dry, wayward leaves in a cool breeze, never quite knowing where to land.

We were the children whose friends looked at them strangely when we said our favorite holiday wasn't Christmas. We were the children who were called 'creepy' because we preferred ghost stories to fairy tales. If you were one of these children, one of us, you know.

Me, personally? I was the little girl who cried when Halloween ended and never brightened at the mention of Christmas on the horizon. I was the little girl who pitched the idea of turning the Jack o' Lanterns around, hiding their scary faces, so that they could linger through Thanksgiving. I was the little girl who tried to start a leaf collection and then was devastated when they all turned brown.

I was the little girl who just wanted Halloween to stay.

I was also the little girl who grew into perhaps a more awkward version of myself as a teenager. I didn't fit in anywhere, with anyone, or so it seemed, and my only solace was waiting for Halloween. It came, and it went. But I never stopped dreaming of it.

And so I was the girl who sat on her bedroom floor with a free little calendar I'd gotten from Hallmark at New Year's time, constantly counting. Math was my worst subject, but for Halloween, I was diligent.

I was the girl who sat and calculated the halfway point to Halloween at fourteen years old.

'Halfway point between April 30th and May 1st', I wrote on both months of my little calendar, silently wishing April 31st were a thing, as it would make it so much easier.

It doesn't matter now, though. April 30th, May 1st...I see it celebrated on both days, or sometimes the entire week. Last year, even extended to May 2nd as it was a leap year.

I'm just happy to see it celebrated.

Those little wayward leaves, lost within the world that wasn't autumn, have come together to form the most beautiful tree.

And under those branches, Halloween lives eternally.

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Pumpkin Guts: Devil’s Night//October 277th, 2024

I was recently given the opportunity to check out a new, independent Halloween short film called Pumpkin Guts: Devil’s Night. (Picture from IMDb) I first became aware of this film through the Instagram page , and to say I absolutely knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’d love it, would be an understatement. I can always tell when a piece of media is truly going to radiate Halloween, in the way that will transport me through whatever month we’re currently in (in this case, probably the most disgusting July on record) and into Halloween night itself. When I was offered early access to this short film, I could not have been more honored. Even though I’ve built up somewhat of a following within the Halloween community, it still amazes me every day that people finally truly see and feel what I’m trying to create; that my love of Halloween finally means something and brings some joy and comfort to others like myself, and that anyone, especially a filmmaker, would trust me ...

Here’s Where The Story Ends//October 337th, 2020

Everyone has moments in their life when they feel like giving up. That feeling of “This is never going to happen, so why keep trying?” Sometimes it relates to a thing that would be trivial to anyone else, sometimes it’s about something more life-altering. But, we’ve all been there. I have moments of discouragement with this blog. Times I’ve told myself, “No one cares”, or “No one will read this”, etc., but I continue on, for the joy of it. And sometimes, something amazing happens. If you haven’t read my previous post, Have You Seen This Pumpkin? , I would strongly suggest doing so before continuing on with this story. The short version is, I saw a pumpkin in someone’s window when I was twelve years old, and have spent the last twenty-one years trying to find it for myself. When I published that post, I wasn’t expecting much of a response. I was really just hoping to hear someone say, “Yes, my family had this pumpkin when I was a kid!” Or “I once saw this in a neighbor’...

Don't Be The Toothbrush In Someone Else's Pumpkin Pail//October 303rd, 2025

It's that time of year again, boils and ghouls! Spooky season has officially arrived on the scene, and Summer Summers of Summerville is just sick about it. She and her cronies are out here acting like that ghost pillow in their local HomeGoods means the beach is now closed until Memorial Day 2026 and the sun will not be seen again until next June. Did you know Halloween decor in July actually shortens people's summers? What a phenomenon! Obviously, this is not the case. It's still, sadly, meteorologically speaking, very much summer. But those of us who want to look ahead have as much right to do so as thought that don't wish to look ahead have every right to do a strange little thing I'll never understand called "enjoy their summer". It doesn't have to be a battle, and yet, ever year, it is. Sometimes I think summer people dwell on autumn and Halloween more than those of us that actually live for it. If you're so focused on what other people are...

Katie Pumpkinhead’s Pumpkin Patch

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