Happy Horrordays and Holidays From Horror Boom!

“Look, Mommy! I told you Santa would come!”

 

Yes, we’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Horrorday Holiday! Sorry things have been a little sparse as the holiday grows closer,  it snuck up on us this year and we got really busy as it zoomed closer. Also, did Your Old Pal The Cryptkeeper send this guy by to see if you’ve been naughty or nice?

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No? Good! Really good!

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If you don’t know how THIS story ends, you can watch the Tales From The Crypt episode in this post!

Again, happy holidays from…

e, then took it from there. If I can get VHS tapes, machetes, and popcorn boxes to add to the explosion, I will!

Horror Boom’s 2014 Holiday Gift Countdown- Part 5 of 5 – Edgar Allan Poe Sweater!

Yes, this actually exists. Archie McPhee’s (based locally, and another store it is not wise for me to go into with a credit card, they expanded and there’s way too much cool shit) carries a variety of unusual Edgar Allan Poe-themed gifts, such as temporary tattoos and Poe lunch boxes. Check out the temporary tattoos if you have time, most of them are pretty clever and would only mean something to or be recognized by another devoted reader of Poe. Cool way to meet like-minded friends, huh? This one takes the cake, though!

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The Edgar Allan Poe sweater is in stock now (which means if you live within reasonable driving distance of Seattle, you could definitely get one in time to give as a gift), costs $42.50, and is ‘One Size Fits Most’. It’s also unisex, which means ladies with curves could have a problem fitting into it, but we have yet to hear a female complain about it. Here’s the more detailed write-up direct from the Archie McPhee product page for this cool item:

Just say Poe to Halloween sweaters

This is a limited quantity, exclusive item! Some people prefer Halloween to any other holiday and this Edgar Allan Poe Sweater is for them. You could wear it as a Christmas sweater, but it’s designed to be worn on a brisk autumn evening as you contemplate your own mortality while sitting in a graveyard next to an abandoned church. Featuring an honest, but misguided attempt to accurately capture the likeness of Edgar Allan Poe, this sweater is sure to be a conversation piece with you and your friends as you play with a Ouija board and read poetry from your tear-stained journal. This one-size-fits-most sweater is sausage-casing-tight on a 2XL person and awkwardly loose on a medium frame. 100% acrylic. Buy it fast—these won’t last long!!

It may be limited edition, but the sweater is in stock. That’s a pretty awesome self-justification reason to pick one up– hey, they have them now, but once they’re gone, they’re gone! You might be able to find one on eBay after they go out of stock, but you know they’ll crank up the price, even if they’re used. Hey, you might as well grab the tattoos while you’re at it. The price is reasonable, and come on, check out this sample (click on it to go to the Archie McPhee’s purchase/detail page for the item). HOP FROG is on there, for Chrissakes!

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Click image to go to Archie McPhee’s and get a better look! Maybe you will find your lost Lenore…

So, there you have it, give great gifts for horror fans to give and get.  We ran this countdown admittedly a little closer to Christmas than we’d like, but we wanted to find extra cool stuff …and all of it ended up merited featuring in a post of its own, rather than lumping them all up in one novella-length post. In case you missed them, here are links to the other items.

The Babadook Actual Pop-Up Book (limited edition)

Festive Cthulhu Tree Ornament

The Journal/Sketchbook Made of Human Skin that looks like it was cooked up by an early Sam Raimi prop department, plus two other unique journals (there’s a good chance that if you go and find one of the Monster Skin ones gone, yours truly finally caved and purchased it for herself).

USB Waving Tentacle (that may or may not summon the Elder Gods)

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Aaand of course, the good old Poe Sweater. We hoped you’ve found these items entertaining, if a little late to buy (though you could still make it happen by paying extra shipping). We don’t get a cut of anything sold, and we are also not responsible for any wild spending sprees you go on while looking them up on the Archie McPhee site, Etsy.com, or ThinkGeek.com.

If you buy any of the recommended items, we’d love to see your photos of it! Especially anyone wearing the sweater.

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Horror Boom’s 2014 Gift Holiday Countdown – Part 4 of 5 – USB Squirming Tentacle

Okay, this isn’t quite as impressive as the Monster Skin Spell Book, but we put these in random order. Plus, it’s still pretty fun. We’re still regretting not picking one up as a gift when we did some holiday shopping at Thinkgeek.com a couple of weeks ago. Check it out:

Pretty cool, huh? At the very least, it will fascinate your cat, though you may want to keep an eye on kitty to make sure he/she does not pounce and sink his/her teeth and claws into your device. Here’s what the Thinkgeek.com website has to say on the product page:

Wiggly evil

Back in the day, the coolest thing ever was the USB Humping Dog. What did it do? You stuck it in your USB port and it… well, it humped your computer, much like an amorous male dog is wont to do. We’re beyond such juvenile humor (on most days), but we wanted a fun toy to use at the office.

Show your love for Cthulhu (or just octopi or kraken) with the USB Squirming Tentacle. Simply plug it into your USB port and it will fill your computer with unspeakable evils. Just kidding, it doesn’t store any data. (Just evil.) The USB Squirming Tentacle will draw a small amount of power from your computer, enabling it to squirm and wiggle like an Elder God trying to escape your laptop.

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Product Specifications

  • Tentacle wiggles and squirms when plugged into a computer
  • Uses power from your USB port
  • Fills your computer with unspeakable evils (just kidding!)
  • Note: The USB Squirming Tentacle does not store any data, however, it may summon the Elder Gods from the depths. Use at your own risk.

We’ve used thinkgeek.com before, and have had nothing but excellent service. Another nice stocking stuffer would be their “Infections Disease Balls”.  Be careful not to squeeze them too hard, though, or pierce them, or you’ll end up with a handful of neon goo. Hey, get your mind out of the gutter! It’s too crowded down here already. Click here to check them out.

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Horror Boom’s 2014 Holiday Gift Countdown, Part 3 of 5- The Dead Skin Journal (On Etsy)!

There is a reason I don’t go visit Etsy much– Mrs. Horror Boom is a recovered compulsive shopper/spender. I start looking around on there and get the same feeling I do when entering the merchandise room at a horror convention: BUY EVERYTHING, OR BUY NOTHING. It’s too much for my central nervous system –and willpower–to take and I have to leave and give my husband my pocketbook to hold onto if I’m going to go back.

Anyway, I was doing a different search when I stumbled onto OzOtheClown’s store, “OzO’s Circus of Horrors” on Etsy.com. Did you like yesterday’s Cthulhu Ornament post? You should see the fucking Christmas ornaments here!*  Here’s a taste of one of them, the Evil Clown (the tickets are our favorite touch to this work of art):

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That’s for you to take a look at later, though. What caught our eye as a horror fan were the blank books and diaries bound in either ‘human’ or ‘monster’ skin. These look amazing, and needless to say they are handmade with care.

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The craftsmanship–and imagination–is excellent, even for a talented Etsy seller. Check out the detail on the book’s spine!

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This specific item, the Dead Skin Sketch Diary, boasts the following (per the seller):

Overview

  • Handmade item
  • Materials: latex, hard cover journal, doll eye
  • Feedback: 13 reviews
  • Ships worldwide from United States

Also, there’s only one of these. Here’s a little more detail:

Approximately 200 pages 5×8

Sketch book made to look as if it were bound with the flesh of a cadaver. Makes for a perfect book of spells, necronomicon, art journal, lyric book, Halloween decor, or gift for your creepy backwoods friend. Order now! You have nothing to lose, and everything to Gein…

***Disclaimer***
NONE OF MY PRODUCTS CONTAIN ANY REAL HUMAN REMAINS
Nor do I support real acts of violence or murder

How cool is that? It’s also a steal at $30.00, given the high quality.  If you do go to try to obtain this item as a holiday gift and it’s gone, not to worry! The seller has two similar items, and they’re just as cool (the gore is dialed down a notch, but don’t let that stop you). There is the Periwinkle Monster Spell Journal…

This one is actually pretty cute! Think the little guy might still be alive?

This one is actually pretty cute! Think the little guy might still be alive?

…and the Scum Green Monster Journal! Seller: “This Creature has one eye that never sleeps, or even blinks, and a menacing mouth full of sharp teeth to ward off unwanted prying eyes”. We were already complete sold on it, so the descriptions are just the icing on the cake.  The seller also has perfect ratings and rave reviews. This is going on our wish list for the next gift-giving occasion for sure… we just have to hope they haven’t sold out yet.

Worried they won’t show in time for Christmas morning? You can also give (or ask for) one of the Etsy Gift Cards (or buy one for yourself if you are lucky to get a check as a gift). The seller’s shop gladly accepts them.

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Check out the journals, spell-books, and all the cool things this seller has to offer at their shop, OzO’s Circus of Horrors, over at Etsy via this link. All three have only one available, though the seller will do custom work. Not only is this gift ultra-cool, they are one of a kind. “Geez, I wish I didn’t already have a monster skin-bound Spell Journal!” are words you are in 0% danger of your gift recipient saying.

Click on any of the images–taken directly from the item’s pages–to cut to the chase and go visit the shop. Horror Boom does not own the images, the artist does (and if OzO happens to read this and would rather we remove the images, drop us a line in comments or via email (we give contact info at the bottom of the “About” page). And no, we don’t get a cut of the sales, this just had to go on the Holiday list. Can you blame us for featuring it?

 

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*Holy crap, if we had the money I’d clean them out and use them exclusively on our tree, which might cause our guests (relatives all over age 60, not that they’re not cool) to wonder about our mental state.We usually just leave our tree– which we bought because it looks like the one Henry Hill brings home to Karen and their kids in Goodfellas after the big Lufthansa heist bare because it still looks great, but our cats can and will do anything to destroy every ornament, even if it’s not easily breakable, so it would look more disconcerting to them if we went from a large vintage tree with only lights to one festooned with grotesque (if awesome) monsters and what appear to be balls of flesh and eyes.

Horror Boom’s 2014 Holiday Gift Countdown – Part 2 of 5, Cthulhu Tree Ornament/Stocking Stuffer

So, most of you probably know about the Cthulhu plush toys (“Cuddly Cthulhu”), but this is the first time we’ve seen one of these – an actual Christmas tree ornament! It’s pretty nice quality, and we wish we had the dough this year to pick one up for the tree… even better, a dozen.

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Right now,  Amazon (among other places) sells them for a little under $10.50, free shipping, and it even looks like as of this writing you can get it delivered just in time for Christmas. The guy also has a 4/5 average star rating– not bad at all. Cthulhu (the ornament also features, according to the manufacturer:

  • Comes in a cool illustrated box and is packaged for gift-giving.
  • Putting Cthulhu on your tree balances out all your happy ornaments. Attached string makes for easy hanging.

If you’d like a little something extra for a stocking stuffer, you can also get Cthulhu mints, in a nice collectible tin, for less than six bucks, and free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

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Stay tuned for more cool gift ideas, or things to put on your wish list!

A Ghostly look at A Christmas Carol

Okay, so Christmas Day is over …but it’s still the holiday season for a few more days, damnitt!  So check out this awesome, well-crafted piece from Michael at Parlor of Horror as he gives you A Ghostly Look at A Christmas Carol! The moment when Bob Cratchit proving he’s real, not a bad dream, to Scrooge, scared the hell out of me in every version I’ve seen (still does).

 

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A Ghostly look at A Christmas Carol

ghost stories charles dickens christmas carol book

People tend to overlook that A Christmas Carol is not only a Christmas story, but it is also a ghost story. It seems as though Charles Dickens had quite a few ghost stories in his authorship and I have been reading them in his collection of ghost stories. Although there are many film versions of A Christmas Carol which include comedic takes and cartoon parodies, I wanted to focus on some of the more serious releases.

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My favorite old classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ film is the 1951 version with Alistair Sim.  I’ve been watching this every year since I can remember. One thing that makes this version so good is the ominous score by Richard Addinsell. The deep baritone of the oboe matches the dark and grim feel of the film.

Lately I’ve been more engaged by my second favorite…

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Horror Boom Creepy Holiday Countdown 2013: Watch The Scary Short Film “Santa”!

You know, this one doesn’t really need much of an introduction.

Thanks to the tip-off from Arrow Through The Head’s Eric. We have no background into on the short (yet-we weren’t going to wait to find any before posting it). It’s just really cool… creepy as hell, and probably something I shouldn’t have watched after dark and right before bedtime. Eeeek!

 

Horror Boom Creepy Holiday Countdown: The 11 Most Unintentionally Creepy Christmas Ornaments!

 

“So, how can we give our little Santa figurine that extra little bit of flair?” “How about we stick a light inside his head? Like he’s … glowing with Christmas cheer or some shit? Just do it, I’m sure it’ll look fine.”
You were probably too distracted by Santa’s glowing demonic eyes there to notice what he’s sitting on: a tiny little house. And if you don’t think a gigantic Santa whose eye sockets are burning with the fiery embers of hell itself squatting on your roof is terrifying, it’s only because you haven’t seen the video of it in action yet.

-from the “11 Most Unintentionally Creepy Christmas Ornaments” article at Cracked.com

(hit the photo below to cut to the chase, or keep reading for a link at the bottom)

Nope, no serious nightmare material here!

Nope, no serious nightmare material here!

Here we go with another Creepy Holiday Countdown link. What is it, now, 8 days away? AAAAAAAAAIGH! That’s scary enough on its own. Where did that rum eggnog go?

Anyway, don’t miss this one–it’s well worth checking out! The “Snowman” with “Stocking” looks like a prop from a James Wan-directed ghost movie, the “Godzilla Santa” sounds cool until you see the photo–at which point you’ll hope no small children looked up at it and were terrified for life–and “So Apparently Terrified Infant Ornaments Are a Thing”…well, when you see it, you’ll wonder who is the hell thought it would NOT be creepy on a tree. We almost hope that one was intentionally creepy. The writing is hilarious, too-check out both pages! Click below–or on the photo of the ornament, also below, that unintentionally looks like a certain painting to read…

The 11 Most Unintentionally Creepy Christmas Ornaments (At Cracked.com).

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Horror Boom Creepy Holiday Countdown: Creepy Dolls – 10 Dolls you won’t offer to you kids for Christmas

We’re not kids, but we wouldn’t want to see most of these under the tree (and especially not under our beds) any time of the year. Guess what? They were created by Bastet2329, who you can find on Etsy! Click on the unusually hideous doll photo below to go to the piece on ufunk.net and check them all out (not for the easily upset, or for the doll-phobic …some are pretty gruesome).

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Click on this scary fucking thing to see more of this artist’s creepy dolls that would mentally scar a young child for life if they unwrapped a Christmas gift and found them (and there’s a great piece in there, too)!