Walpurgisnacht!

 Beware, beware all! For tonight is Walpurgis Night, a night where witches, ghosts and devils roam the earth. And yes, it is very much like Halloween, but without pumpkins and at the end of April. If you are lucky, you might even get a chill akin to the one you can feel in the best autumn. Be that as it may, Walpurgis Night is one of the important dates in my calendar, the starting point of my countdown to the countdown to Halloween, if you will. So I intend to read horror stories tonight, if I can. I might even start writing a scary story myself, featuring a witch or more. Oh, and if you are wondering about this witch, it's a magnet a friend has on her fridge. I couldn't help but take a picture of it.

Soir macabre

 Photo prise par mon père cette année, lors de sa promenade dans Chicoutimi. J'aime particulièrement le mort-vivant chauve. Un zombie? Je vais finir par me réconcilier avec lemonstre. Ici, on a changé d'heure, le soir tombe plus vite. Et il n'y a rien de plus délicieusement macabre qu'un soir qui tombe sur un cimetière hanté, même si ce n'est pas un vrai cimetière.

Halloween in Vienna

For today's countdown to Halloween post I come back to my very first post of the month, when I shared the picture of a display window in Vienna. Because the display was gorgeous, for one, also because I was so glad to see that Halloween is getting traction on the continent. Austria is a great place to celebrate Halloween, I thought, but I also always thought Austria and Vienna especially are great places for old fashioned horror stories. It has been in the past, of course, I know of at least one anyway. Because of the architecture, the history, the atmosphere (not to mention the music), the city deserves its own critters and iconic supernatural villains. When I was in Vienna, I could not help but imagine what I could do with the setting, imagining malevolent presences and hapless victims. What do you think? And do you know of any horror stories, old or new, set in Vienna?

Fear the Witch

For today's countdown to Halloween post, another witch, because Halloween is truly their season. You might remember last year, I blogged about a scary witch on a lawn. Well, the witch is back, by a bonfire that has not been lit just yet. There's no cauldron yet either, but I suspect she is preparing the fire to cook something, or... someone. Seriously, there are some great Halloween props that could be used as inspiration for horror stories. This is one of them.

Vampires, sorcières, zombies, etc.

Photo prise par mon père il y a quelques jours. Je partage parce que c'est vraiment superbe. Bon, il y a une faute à zombie et je crois que les autres créatures devraient être écrites au pluriel, mais bon. C'est une belle danse macabre (je vais d'ailleurs en partager une bientôt). Alors donc, morale de l'histoire (de la photo?): on fête l'Halloween proprement au Saguenay.

The Season of the Witch

For today's countdown to Halloween post, a meme I saw a few days ago, which I thought looked so good I had to share it. Halloween and the month of October is truly the season of the witch. I also find this autumnal picture both beautiful and eerie. It looks like a perfect setting for a horror story. And witches make for great antagonists in horror stories, although maybe seldom used these days. Because we now find them sympathetic characters? I don't know, but I wouldn't want to cross path with one. I did write a scary story about a witch, if it gets published, I will tell you where you can buy it. Until then, watch this image and give yourself a good chill.

Aquila about Halloween

For today's countdown to Halloween post, something that came to the post for Wolfie. Because my son receives the best mail. He is very fond of Aquila Magazine. For October, they really outdo themselves with their issue. It's of course all about Halloween. It has a few spooky stories (although not so scary, as it is after all for children), a lot of fun and games, a lot of information about both the holiday and spooky folklore. I must confess, sometimes I get envious of his childhood. In any case, if you have children, please buy yourself a copy of this month's issue of Aquila.

September Witches

 I am not the only one thinking about Halloween already: my father took this picture recently, someone is my home town of Chicoutimi has decided to go grand for Halloween and to start early. But September is, after all, Halloween eve. I also read somewhere (in this book, to be more specific) that one of the dates for witches' sabbath is the 23rd of September. So here it is, I think that's what it was. Do you see the witches, raising the dead and greeting the dead? Ghosts and skeletons, there's even a ghostly Jack O'Lantern in the background. I love this display. Anyway, I must remember to do something special every 23rd of September to remember that witches gather on that date.

Beware (and enjoy) Walpurgisnacht!

Tonight is Walpurgis Night, as you may know (especially if you have been following this blog). Walpurgis Night is like Halloween, but set at the tale end of April. It is maybe not as atmospheric (partially because it's not autumnal), but it Walpurgis Night is a reminder that you can be spooky any time of year. In my situation and I suspect more spooky minded people, it is also an important step in the long countdown to Halloween. So I will try to read some scary stories before the end of the evening. Otherwise, please beware if you go out: there's going to be ghosts, goblins, devils, witches and other scary creatures roaming around.

Halloween explained to children

Halloween is here and before it is over, I wanted to share with you two pages from Charlie Brown's Fourth Super Book of Questions and Answers. A friend of mine had it and thought little of the book (or Halloween). I was fascinated by the book and had been wanting it since then. As it is out of print, I am sharing it here today.

Rowan Trees (against the Forces of Darkness)

For today's countdown to Halloween post, I thought I would mention a weapon against supernatural forces that is seldom seen or used nowadays in horror stories. If at all. I am talking of course of the rowan tree. This one on the picture (dating back from 2009) is of the family's rowan tree. I mentioned it before, here and here. Because in mythology and folklore, rowan trees are meant to provide protection against malevolent beings, particularly against witches. So I could easily see rowan trees used to protect homes against witches, devils and ghosts and its branches, leaves and fruits be essential elements of protective magic. Maybe also turn the branches into blunt weapons. To top it off, with its fiery colours in autumn, rowan trees add great seasonal atmosphere for Halloween stories. So they should be featured in horror fiction. I guess I might have to be the one reintroducing them.

The Weird Sisters

I am sharing another picture taken by my father during one of his walks. This time, it is three witches, who of course reminded me of the Weird Sisters in the Scottish Play. By the way, it's a great play to watch come Halloween.

Beware the Witch

My father went on a walk recently and he took a few pictures of some lawns decorated for Halloween. This photo is maybe my favourite. I just love that witch! She is so deliciously scary.

Spooky Jack

 My wife bought me this door sign on the cheap a few days ago. She knows me so well: I love this. We might use it on the door during trick or treat, but until then it is on my desk. I love, love, love this Jack O'Lantern. Everything about him is so perfect: the wicked smile, the bats in the background, the witches (warlock?) hat, the mix of ochre and black. I might use it as a model for one of the pumpkins wewill carv, as I think it is perfectly scary. We are now in the middle of October. Time goes way too fast.

This Is Halloween

 For today's (and this year's first) countdown to Halloween reading suggestion: This Is Halloween, by James A. Moore. "Ten Tales of Terror" as the cover says. Not all of them are explicitly set round Halloween, but many of them are. And many of them feature the sinister Bedlam Woods, where a ghostly witch and her monstrous offsprings dwell. Relatable characters are mercilessly sent to and through hell, and neither critters nor ordinary humans are devoid of moral ambiguity. Moore is great at turning familiar places and traditions into unsettling backdrops. I also loved how original his monsters often are: you have undead made of bones, shadowy female spirit that haunts and attacks its preys like lightning, a blobby shape-shifting fiend who puts on a human skin and walks among them as a... but I don't want to give too much away. This is the perfect seasonal read. Preparing this post, I learned that Moore sadly passed away in March this year. I am sad to discover a new horror writer as of late, but this will not be the last book of him that I will read. This post is a posthumous homage.

M&S Halloween Train

We went to Marks & Spencer before October and I was pleasantly surprised to see their Halloween display already. Even more pleasantly surprised to see this box of chocolates. They outdid themselves this year.

No but seriously, sometimes you buy food just for the container. A Halloween train? How much cooler can you get?

Aquila on Witches

 My son Wolfie subscribed recently to the children's magazine Aquila. It's fun, it's educational, it's witty. An boy oh boy was I excited to see the front cover of their October 2024 issue: a whole issue on witches, witchcraft and wizards. Nothing too scary, but a lot of information about witches through the ages and what it meant at a certain time, as well as old superstitions and folklore. And enough material among it to inspire him (and me), should he want to write a few spooky stories. Anyway, if you have kids, go and buy it now.

Halloween Passenger Car

 I might come off as obsessive, but I simply could not wait until October for this one: I saw on the Twitter account of : LGB hasa new wagon, a Halloween passenger car. I want it. I really, really, badly want it. It might be even better than the other Halloween trains they have made before. It is just so perfectly spooky, with its scarecrows and the witch in the full moon and the evil ghostly tree. Oh if storage space and money were no objections...

Chocolate Jack O'Lantern

 It is summer everywhere, except in the local sweet shop, where it is all seasons at once, every holiday at once, all the time. So yeah, I went there yesterday and lo and behold, I saw chocolate Jack O'Lanterns. They had somilar things for Xmas and for Valentine's Day, but I only buy them in season. For Halloween stuff, it's different. I am in an Halloween mood from January until the big day, with a short break round Easter. So I had to buy these Jack O's, even though they were not cheap. I wonder why they were not reduced, by the way. I guess I'm a sucker. I saw this, and the staff at the sweet shop isn't really greedy: they often let me keep the small change and, in this instance, I got one of the chocolates at a reduced price because the hat had been broken. Anyway, long story short, this is the second sign of Halloween I have seen since round here the beginning of the year.

Early (or late?) Jack O'Lantern

 We went to the local toy shop this weekend, to buy a gift for a friend of Wolfie. I love to go there and I try not to buy anything for myself, or for him, when we are on a mission like it was the case then. But I found this kind of plush toy (not sure of the name). A Jack O'Lantern. With a witch hat. I wonder if it is an early sign of Halloween, or just some old stock from last year. It is probably the latter, but all the same. I will take it as a sign of Halloween to come. Less than six months now.