Tag Archives: Halloween

“Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers

The 1962 graveyard smash has become a perennial fall favorite

Long before the Halloween slasher film franchise began in 1978, pop culture’s slant on the holiday traditionally dedicated to remembering the dead was showcased on the dance floor — to the tune of “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers. The “mash”– short for … Continue reading

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Halloween and the Celtic Festival of Samhain

An ancient tradition tied to modern day Halloween

In modern-day America, most of us think of Halloween as a fun holiday — a time when kids of all ages get to shed their everyday personas and dress up as anything from a witch or a monster to a … Continue reading

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Mike Egan’s Paintings Explore the Whimsical Side of Death

Fine arts grad and former embalmer Mike Egan's paintings playfully balance life and death

Mike Egan is definitely using all his professionally-acquired skills these days. Since graduating from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program in 2000, and then taking a detour through a career as an embalmer and funeral director, he … Continue reading

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Darth Vader Leads a Grandmother’s Funeral

A woman in Luton took her love for Halloween to the grave

Lorna Johnson’s funeral was a scene straight out of a movie. Literally. The 56-year-old’s memorial was attended by witches, Beetlejuice, the Tasmanian Devil and Darth Vader. The latter Star Wars character even led the funeral procession, which included an extravagant … Continue reading

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Town Comes Together to Celebrate Christmas for One Little Boy Facing Death

While most towns only celebrate Halloween in October, a Salt Lake City suburb celebrates three major days in one week, including Christmas, for a four year-old boy dying from leukemia

For most young children, October means picking out pumpkins, going trick-or-treating, collecting candy and wearing costumes. It also signifies the start of a fun holiday season that includes Hanukkah or Christmas—depending on one’s beliefs—in December. What if you were the … Continue reading

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Warding Off Evil Spirits

The many ways we wrangle unwanted spirits

Much of Halloween’s appeal is its dark underworld mystery we love. Once again it’s that time of the year when we find ourselves naturally embracing our paganism going back to when the world was filled with the scary unknown. This … Continue reading

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