It's getting closer and closer to that wonderfully spooky time of year again. The grocery stores are filling up with Halloween candy, Tim Horton's is serving hot cider and I've begun day dreaming of what I'll be dressing up as for Halloween.
My family loves this time of year. We have an extensive collection of Hammer Horror movies and usually spend the month of October watching through their stories with delight!
I think at one point or another kids (and some grow-ups too!) become fascinated by mysterious tales about ghosts, vampires and UFOS. In about fifth grade, I went through a phase where the only books I'd borrow were ones filled with urban legends, ghost stories and other strange phenomena. I remember thinking how cool it was to read those books, but to be honest I think that part of the reason I'd read those books was to get a handle on what a true feared.
This page posted below was printed in one of the books I used to borrow from the library. Perhaps if I learned all I could about Vlad and his counterparts, (no matter how admittedly gory the details) I wouldn't be so scared of vampires and things that go bump in the night!
Image from Vlad Tepes.
What was so strange about this reading habit, was that only a few years before it was impossible for me to hear, watch or read anything slightly spooky - or I wouldn't be able to sleep due to night terrors. At one point, I was totally convinced the woman from the M&M commercial that looked like the Indian goddess (if you can find the video to this, let me know I'd love to see it now!) - with all the extra arms; was actually a vampire that lived under my bed. With all those arms and the powers of vampire-ism - no one in my house stood a chance!
At some point though, I must have gathered up the courage to peel myself out from under the covers long enough to peek at what really wasn't living under my bed at all. By taking that first step, I made my way to the place where all I wanted to read was in the genre of "spooky". To this day, though I'd rather read something spooky, than watch it on TV. When things get too scary in a book, you can simply close the book and pull the covers over your head. If you are watching TV, you'll have to get up to turn off the TV - and that means eventually getting off the sofa.
You never know what might be living under there - right?
My family loves this time of year. We have an extensive collection of Hammer Horror movies and usually spend the month of October watching through their stories with delight!
I think at one point or another kids (and some grow-ups too!) become fascinated by mysterious tales about ghosts, vampires and UFOS. In about fifth grade, I went through a phase where the only books I'd borrow were ones filled with urban legends, ghost stories and other strange phenomena. I remember thinking how cool it was to read those books, but to be honest I think that part of the reason I'd read those books was to get a handle on what a true feared.
This page posted below was printed in one of the books I used to borrow from the library. Perhaps if I learned all I could about Vlad and his counterparts, (no matter how admittedly gory the details) I wouldn't be so scared of vampires and things that go bump in the night!
Image from Vlad Tepes.What was so strange about this reading habit, was that only a few years before it was impossible for me to hear, watch or read anything slightly spooky - or I wouldn't be able to sleep due to night terrors. At one point, I was totally convinced the woman from the M&M commercial that looked like the Indian goddess (if you can find the video to this, let me know I'd love to see it now!) - with all the extra arms; was actually a vampire that lived under my bed. With all those arms and the powers of vampire-ism - no one in my house stood a chance!
At some point though, I must have gathered up the courage to peel myself out from under the covers long enough to peek at what really wasn't living under my bed at all. By taking that first step, I made my way to the place where all I wanted to read was in the genre of "spooky". To this day, though I'd rather read something spooky, than watch it on TV. When things get too scary in a book, you can simply close the book and pull the covers over your head. If you are watching TV, you'll have to get up to turn off the TV - and that means eventually getting off the sofa.
You never know what might be living under there - right?
Comments