Winter holidays, and Christmas in particular, aren't always celebrated the same by everyone. Come late December, you might run into someone decked out in their Tim Burton skulls instead of cute elves. It could be your offspring, a sibling or even your spouse (OK, it's me. You caught me. Everything on this list is something I want.) Those people for whom Halloween is a yearlong celebration still enjoy giving and getting presents, so don't be afraid to think outside the box a bit this year.
13 DAYS OF HORROR SOCKS
Sometimes we have to go interact with other people and dress "normal." Socks are a great way to let your inner darkness shine in a way that won't lose you your job. This lucky pack of socks includes 10 ankle-length and three crew-length pairs with characters from Warner Bros.-owned horror films. One day, you can have Freddy Krueger tickling your toes, and another day the face of that creepy doll Annabelle on your feet. One pair shows the iconic poster from The Exorcist, and that makes the set worth it to me. $29.90 from Hot Topic
HALLOWEEN VHS THROW BLANKET
After a long day of dressing like a human, even with our spooky socks on, we horror fans still like to come home and curl up under a warm blanket. We just like it a little more if the blanket matches the movie we are watching. So get us the Halloween VHS throw. The 60-by-50-inch blanket re-creates the VHS box of the 1978 slasher hit but in soft fleece. Other versions include Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and The Evil Dead. Unless your grandma can make you a quilt with Michael Myers on it, this blanket is for you. $35 from Creepy Company
PUPPET MASTER COMPLETE: A FRANCHISE HISTORY
Here's the thing about horror fans: We like a lot of movies that aren't "good." You might even say they are "bad." But we also like to know everything we can about those movies. Author Nat Brehmer goes deep into one of the best/worst horror franchises around in his 252-page book Puppet Master Complete: A Franchise History. For the fan who knows Blade is a puppet with knife hands and not just a day-walking vampire, this book delves into the origins, controversies and special effects that helped bring these 14 films to a variety of audiences. Published by academic press McFarland, the book is both fun and informative. Brehmer manages to make even the made-for-TV entries sound better than they might actually be. $40, order through Auntie's Bookstore • 509-838-0206
NIGHT WORMS SUBSCRIPTION BOX
Monthly subscription boxes are a great way to give someone a gift all year long. Night Worms (a Pacific Northwest company) specializes in the latest horror fiction including bestselling authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Kathe Koja and Grady Hendrix, along with independent authors like Chad Lutzke, Ronald Malfi and Sarah Tantlinger. Horror fans love to read as much as we love movies. Why not get your fan a couple of new books — along with stickers, coffee samples and other surprises — every month? One-off boxes sell out fast, so subscribe for a year. $44/month, nightworms.com
SCREAM TICKETS
You want to get our horror fan something they really want? The reboot of the Scream franchise hits theaters on Jan. 14, 2022. With internet purchasing, you could buy tickets to their local theater for someone on the other side of the country. After all the holiday parties and family time, a couple hours watching fictional characters meet their doom is just what every horror fan needs. Prices vary based on theater and showtimes. ♦
T.J. Tranchell is a horror author and teacher whose book Cry Down Dark was named by the New York Times as the scariest book set in Utah. Learn more at tjtranchell.wordpress.com.
