Another of the Countdown bloggers joins us for an interview.
Let's welcome Spooky Vegan!
For the home audience, tell us a little about yourself and where they might know you from.
My name is Sarah, I’m the ghoul behind The Spooky Vegan, where I blog about my three passions – Halloween, horror, and food! I used to run the now-defunct horror site Fatally Yours. Right now I’m enjoying the best time of year and participating in the annual Countdown to Halloween event, where I’ll be sharing a Halloween-themed post all 31 days of October!
Do you have a particularly memorable Halloween story?
Taking my sister out as a junior in high school is one of my favorite Halloween memories…we had just moved to a new, affluent town, and actually lived in town, so we could walk out the door to go trick or treating without our parents having to drive us into town. I was the new kid, so I didn’t have anything to do for Halloween and ended up taking my little sister out. I dressed as the killer from Scream, so no one could really tell I was a 16 year old girl and deny me candy. I totally fooled everyone that night and got gobs of candy! Since we were on our own, there was just a special feel to the night. Plus, the residents there went all out with their decorations and really got into the spirit! My sister and I were both in awe of all the decorations, and were delighted at the massive candy haul we came back home with! We even got a good number of full-size candy bars! That was the last time I went trick or treating, so it holds a very special place in my heart.
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| "For a serial killer themed party, I dressed as the embodiment of the Black Death." |
What was Halloween like in your neighborhood as a kid?
I grew up in rural central and northern California, so trick or treating was usually restricted to school events or doing “trick or treating” at home (my parents would give my sister and I candy or a Halloween basket). In elementary school I remember we used to have Halloween parades where all the kids would dress up in costume and we would parade in front of the school and parents. In junior high, I did a bit more trick or treating with friends, and in high school I took my little sister out trick or treating.
Any favorite costumes from Halloweens past?
When I was around 6 or 7 my mom sewed me a witch costume and bought me a little broom to go with it. I loved that costume so much! My mom put so much time and love into it too, so it made it all the more special.
How do you celebrate Halloween today?
I usually celebrate a few months beforehand by buying new Halloween décor, sprucing the house up with said Halloween décor (most of it stays up year-round) , watching tons of Halloween-themed horror movies and just horror movies in general, seeking out all the pumpkin-flavored vegan food I can get my hands on, and participating in the annual Countdown to Halloween!
Do you have any yearly rituals?
Every year I go to the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch, where gourds are lovingly grown (a real rarity in SoCal), on their opening weekend. Every year I also make a bucket list of things I want to do during the Halloween season and then on Halloween I go back and check off everything I have done.
I could listen to the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack on repeat forever, but I also love God Module’s spooky industrial music, vintage Halloween tunes, and even Midnight Syndicate’s atmospheric albums that get me in a haunting mood. As for movies, I have a very long list of Halloween and horror movies I watch this time of year, everything from Satan’s Little Helper to the old Disney Halloween cartoons. I have this huge list of Halloween-themed movies I’ve compiled on my blog and I refer to that every year (and keep making additions!). My favorite place to be in October is the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive.
Why do you think Halloween stays with us as we get older?
I think as the years go on, I fall more and more in love with Halloween and autumn in general. For me, I think the reason is that I get to embrace the holiday with childhood abandon and glee. It is a joyful celebration of all the things I love, and generally begins months before Halloween itself! I get so excited when I first see Halloween stuff in stores, I sometimes feel like I’m having a mini panic attack – my heart starts thumping, I can barely breathe, and I kinda just wanna run around and scream “this is Halloween, this is Halloween!”.
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| "I hosted a twisted fairy tale-themed Halloween party called 'Unhappily Ever After' one year and dressed as Little Dead Riding Hood!" |
Inside the Spooksters' Studio
The worst thing to get while trick or treating was those green and white striped peppermint candies you usually find near the cash register at crappy diners or on a receptionist’s desk. I mean, who hands out those icky things at Halloween? YUCK!
My favorite thing to get was those king-size candy bars! Those were the ultimate treat! Also, I really loved the homemade treats, like caramel apples and popcorn balls you would occasionally get. Growing up in or near small towns, we weren’t too concerned about poison or razor blades! And red licorice – there was never enough licorice handed out at Halloween. Nowadays, I favor Sour Patch Kid or Go Max Go candy bars, both of which are vegan!
Where can people keep up with you online?
Thanks for joining us, Sarah!
Before you head off to your next house, swing by Halloween Mixes.
They're posting a themed mix album every day of the month!
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