North Pole Sign

$50 - $60 (based on 2022 prices)
Makes one sign

At the end of 2022, I was asked to make a set of props for a local theater’s production of Christmas Belles. Being unable to make many props for the Halloween season, I jumped at the opportunity to do something creative. For this prop, I used PVC pipes and a foam board to fashion a North Pole sign to decorate the Santa’s workshop scene of the play.

• One seventeen-inch wooden disk
• One 1 ¼” cap socket
• Three 1 ¼” coupling joints
• Four ½” wood screws
• One 1 ¼” x 6’ PVC pipe
• One roll of 1 ½” painter’s tape
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy red
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in glossy white
• One sheet of white glittery drape (roughly 32” x 40”)
• Twelve to fourteen feet of faux evergreen garland
• One sheet of foam (at least 12” x 17”)
• One 8 oz. can of exterior paint in flat white*
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• Two strings of white battery-powered LED lights
• Twenty light covers in the shape of green leaves
• Four feet of steel wire
• One piece of 8”x 11.5” copy paper with North Pole printed on it
• Four feet of plaid ribbon
• A random assortment of bells and pinecones
• One 1.48 oz. bag of large, white glittery snow

1. Measure and mark the center of the wooden disk and then use a two-inch bit to drill a hole into the wood. Because this will serve as the sign’s base, I drilled all the way through for additional stability; however, depending on your sign’s weight, you can go just halfway through the disk.

2. Use a 1/8 bit to drill four holes into one of the coupling joints. You want to ensure they are evenly spaced and about half an inch from the edge. Following this, coat the portion that will rest inside the hole with glue and gently hammer it into the opening, guaranteeing the joint rests level in the hole.

3. Drill the wood screws into the four holes made in step two. This will help lock the coupler into the hole and stabilize it. Although this may seem excessive, I wanted the prop as secure as possible because it was going to be moved on an off stage during each performance.

4. Measure, mark, and cut the PVC pipe into three two-foot sections and, with the remaining two couplers, join them together, adding them to the base to form the sign’s pole and topping it with the cap socket. This will produce a pole roughly seven feet high (for a shorter or taller pole, you can adjust the measurements of each section).  

5. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the pole one or two even coats of glossy white paint. After allowing the paint to fully dry, use the painter’s tape to form the stripes, starting at the top and carefully wrapping it downward in a corkscrew motion. How thick you want the stripes depends on the size of the tape that you use.  

6. Once the pole is wrapped, apply one or two even coats of glossy red paint to the exposed areas. After letting the paint fully dry, carefully remove the tape. Since this prop was meant to be seen from afar, I didn’t worry too much if the contrast between the red and white stripes was not perfect. You, though, can clean this up with a black line if the prop is going to be seen up close.  

7. Utilize the remaining white spray paint to coat the wooden base. Then, cut a 24” x 24” square of glittery drape, bunch it up around the base, and glue it down. For visual interest, I created folds and mounds to make it look like fake snow, but you can leave it smooth if that adheres to your chosen aesthetic.

8. Beginning at the top of the pole, wrap the evergreen garland around it and utilize small dabs of hot glue to hold it in place. How much greenery you will need is dependent on how dense you want the coverage. I went with something relatively minimal to not overpower the prop, which means I used eight feet of garland. If you plan for a thicker coverage, you will need even more.

9. Cut a sheet of foam into a 12” x 17” rectangle to form the sign. These dimensions, of course, can always be altered to cater the prop to your needs. Because I liked the details it gave without having to shape them myself, I used the lid to a Styrofoam cooler.  

10. Coat the board with at least one layer of white exterior paint to protect it from melting when applying the spray paint. After this, use copy paper and painter’s tape to section off what will become the space for the sign’s lettering and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, use the remaining red spray paint to color the sign’s back and outer edges.

11. Trace the outlines of the battery packs for the LED lights onto the back of the sign and then form two rectangular holes about half an inch deep to accommodate them. After gluing the packs in place, make a hole on either side and use them to feed the lights through.

12. String the lights around the border of the sign, applying small dabs of hot glue to hold them in place. Because the strings I used were rather short, I had to employ two to cover the entire border, but you can streamline this process (and step eleven) by using just one long strand.

13. Cover the cords for the lights with the remaining garland (roughly three to four feet). One of the major reasons I used the cooler lid was because it had a nice trench where I could nestle the garland and lights. This can also be achieved by cutting a half-inch border around the sign using a sharp blade or soldering tool. Also, to soften the lights’ glow and enhance the sign’s visual appeal, I covered each bulb with green leaf-shaped covers.  

14. Cut the wire into two twenty-four-inch sections, make four small holes in the center of the sign, and feed the wires through them to create loops which will be used in step seventeen to attach the sign to the pole.

15. Cut a 9” x 14” rectangle of glittery drape and glue it to the inner section of the sign. Following this, center the North Pole printout on the drape and glue it in place.   

16. Cut the ribbon into two eight-inch sections and two twelve-inch sections and glue them around the copy paper to form a border. After this, adhere clusters of bells and pinecones in the corners of the sign. Lastly, lightly coat the draping on either side the copy paper with glue and sprinkle large glitter on it for additional detail.

17. Once all the decorative elements are attached to the sign, slide the pole through the wire loops and, once the sign is at your desired height, glue it in place, tightening the loops to help secure it. I used hot glue for this process, but you can use superglue for a sturdier hold.

18. Because the sign needed to be easy to move between scenes, I did not want to weigh it down with additional details, like ornaments or fake present; however, if you plan to make it a stationary prop, you can add these elements to elevate the festive theme.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.

"A Chilly Night" (A Poem)

Death is a common theme in the poetry of Christina Rossetti and her poem “A Chilly Night” is no exception. Composed in 1856, the poem entails the narrator’s encounter with the spirit of their deceased mother during the night. Sadly, both are incapable of communicating with each other and the work becomes a commentary on the living’s inability to commune with the dead and vice versa.

I rose at the dead of night,
And went to the lattice alone
To look for my Mother’s ghost
Where the ghostly moonlight shone.

My friends had failed one by one,
Middle-aged, young, and old,
Till the ghosts were warmer to me
Than my friends that had grown cold.

I looked and I saw the ghosts
Dotting plain and mound:
They stood in the blank moonlight,
But no shadow lay on the ground:
They spoke without a voice
And they leaped without a sound.

I called: ‘O my Mother dear,’—
I sobbed: ‘O my Mother kind,
Make a lonely bed for me
And shelter it from the wind.

‘Tell the others not to come
To see me night or day:
But I need not tell my friends
To be sure to keep away.’

My Mother raised her eyes,
They were blank and could not see:
Yet they held me with their stare
While they seemed to look at me.

She opened her mouth and spoke;
I could not hear a word,
While my flesh crept on my bones
And every hair was stirred.

She knew that I could not hear  

The message that she told
Whether I had long to wait
Or soon should sleep in the mould:
I saw her toss her shadowless hair
And wring her hands in the cold.

I strained to catch her words,
And she strained to make me hear;
But never a sound of words
Fell on my straining ear.

From midnight to the cockcrow
I kept my watch in pain  

While the subtle ghosts grew subtler
In the sad night on the wane.

From midnight to the cockcrow
I watched till all were gone,
Some to sleep in the shifting sea
And some under turf and stone:
Living had failed and dead had failed,
And I was indeed alone.[1]

Works Referenced

Rossetti, Christina. “A Chilly Night.” New Poems by Christina Rossetti, Hitherto Unpublished or Uncollected. Ed. William Michael Rossetti. London: MacMillan and Company, 1896. 96-98.
____________________
[1] Rossetti, 96-98.

Wooden Urn

$25 - $30 (based on 2024 prices)
Makes one urn

In 2024, I was asked by a local theater to make a wooden urn for their production of Dashing through the Snow. The prop was meant to be used in a scene where relatives fight over the remains of a deceased loved one. At one point, their fight turns physical and they battle over the box, with its lid popping open and dumping the ashes. At the director’s request, I used a magnetic clasp to make it easier for the box to spring open and filled it with a mixture of wood ash and gray kitty litter to resemble human ashes.

• One 8” x 8” x 3.5” wooden box with a magnetic clasp
• Seven one-inch wooden letter cutouts spelling the word beloved
• Four two-inch wooden cross cutouts
• Two two-inch wooden dove cutouts
• Two two-inch wooden rose cutouts
• Two two-inch wooden leaf cutouts
• One 8 oz. bottle of wood glue*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat brown*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in au natural*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat gray*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat white*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in hot cocoa*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in metallic gold*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in spice brown*
• One plastic bottle
• Three to four sheets of standard-size newspaper
• Four 8 oz. bottles of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One 5 oz. tube of siliconized caulk*
• Two small, plastic bones

1. Using a pencil, mark the center of the box’s lid and then divide it into four sections. This will help ensure everything is centered. Once this is done, arrange the cross, doves, and letters to create your desired design and trace their outline. Although this is optional, it will give you a guide in case things get bumped during step two.

2. Glue the cross, doves, and letter cutouts to the lid, stacking two crosses atop each other for additional height. Because all of these items were made of glue, I used wood glue to adhere them; however, you can use superglue if the box or cutouts are made of different materials.

3. Embellish the sides of the box with the remaining two cross cutouts and the leaf and rose cutouts. As with step two, layer two roses on top of each other for extra depth and employ wood glue for a sturdier hold.

4. Remove the hinges, cover the magnetic clasp with painter’s tape, and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give both the inside and outside of the box and its lid an even coat of brown spray paint. While I only used one coat, you can apply more based on your desired coverage; however, keep in mind that this is the base coat and much of it will be covered by the other paints.

5. Working from dark to light, use several hues of brown to create a wooden patina. I wanted a lighter tone closer to walnut to pair with the gold paint, but you can move from light to dark for a deeper tone like mahogany.

6. After applying a base coat of black, gently dry brush gold onto the decals to make them look like aged metal. How lightly you apply the paint depends on how worn you want the elements to look. Since this prop needed to appear like it had been handled a lot, I went with a relatively worn appearance.

7. Repeat the process in step six with the decorative elements on the side of the box, giving them the same level of distress to maintain consistency.

8. Cut the bottom and top off a plastic bottle, position it in the base of the box, and glue it down. This will form the foundation for the mounds of ash. It is best to use something made of thin plastic, since this will be easier to cut.

9. Make the papier mache paste by mixing ½ cup of glue and ½ cup of water in a bowl. Then, tear the newspaper into strips, soak them in the paste, and use them to build up mounds around the bottle. This will become the human remains at the bottom of the urn, so you want them to appear like piles of ash.

10. Once the newspaper dries, pat caulking onto the mounds for a granular appearance. To accomplish this, apply a small dollop to a paper towel and gently dab it onto the surface. Do not overthink your application because a random pattern produces a more natural look.

11. Allow the caulking to dry for at least twenty-four hours and then, using a stippling brush, build up layers of gray and white paint, working from dark to light, to give the mounds the look of ash. If one color becomes too overpowering, you can always apply more of the other color to dial it back.

12. Cut the two plastic bones into six sections and apply one or two even coats of white paint. As with step eight, purchase bones made of a thin plastic to make them easier to cut. Following this, smudge black and gray paint along their edges to make them look charred.  

13. Glue the bones into the mounds to make it look like they are protruding from the ashes. For visual interest, adhere some at various angles. You can also add other elements, like teeth or pieces of jewelry.

14. Reattached the lid to the box using the hinges, guaranteeing the magnetic clasp still aligns. Although you can embellish the prop with additional details, I kept it rather simple to maintain the director’s vision. 

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.

Post-Halloween Depression: A Mini-Essay

     In a 2018 blog post, novelist Drew Chial grieved the passing of the spooky season, commenting on the sadness many Halloween enthusiasts feel after the joys of decorating and trick-or-treating fade.[1] Dubbed Post-Halloween Depression, the experience is common for a large portion of the haunt community, with many slipping into melancholy once the décor is packed and society transitions into Christmas. Although it has not been widely studied by serious academics, it is extremely similar to the post-holiday depression which follows in January. As Nancy Girard, the former editor of the nursing journal AORN, remarks, depression tends to spike in the month of January as the luster of the holidays declines, people return to the monotony of their daily routines, and the full brunt of winter sets in, causing Seasonal Affective Disorder.[2] In fact, Jordana Mansbacher claims a primary reason depression ensues after the holidays is because this becomes a time for people to face the reality of the stress wrought by the season itself. As the psychotherapist states, Christmas can be emotionally and financially taxing; however, people often push through this stress to enjoy the festivities. Once the celebrations end, though, individuals are left coping with the stress, which can lead to depression.[3] The same, in turn, can be said about Halloween. For those who adore the holiday, it engenders the same level of emotional and financial stress as Christmas, with the reality of that strain not solidifying until November and, as Mansbacher contends, forcing participants to grapple with the factors like truth of their overspending or the disappointment of unfinished projects. 

 

Works Referenced

 

Chial, Drew. “Post Halloween Depression.” Drew Chial Author, 4 November 2018, https://drewchialauthor.com/2018/11/04/post-halloween-depression/.

 

Girard, Nancy. “January Blahs and Gray Days.” AORN Journal 79.1 (2004). 13. 

 

Mansbacher, Jordana. “Holiday Depression Is Real.” Pediatrics for Parents 28.5 (2012): 22.

____________________
[1] Chial.
[2] Girard, 13.
[3] Mansbacher, 22.

Frog Specimen

$15 - $20 (based on 2020 prices)
Makes one specimen

In addition to props like the framed rotting face and the framed torso, which contained human specimens, I also wanted a collection of animal specimens to fill the laboratory for 2020’s haunt. For this version, I utilized an anatomical frog that came as part of a science kit, which also including the diagram I used as the backdrop.

• One 9.5” x 11.5” shadow box
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat brown*
• One piece of 8” x 11.5” copy paper with a frog anatomical chart printed on it
• At least one tablespoon of dark roasted coffee grounds
• One pan large enough to soak the paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
• One anatomical frog skeleton with detachable organs
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in red chestnut*
• Ten decorative straight pins (approximately one inch in length)
• One 0.3 fluid ounce bottle of red food coloring*
• One 4 oz. bottle of clear, all-purpose tacky glue gel*

1. Remove the shadow box’s glass and, on a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, build up layers of black and metallic silver spray paint to give it the look of steel. This process works best if you apply a base coat of black and then add the sliver, working in quick bursts to allow parts of the black to remain visible. You can also touch up portions with additional blasts of black if the silver becomes too heavy.  

2. To give the frame a filthy appearance, water down brown paint and brush it over the surface, creating drips down the sides and permitting the liquid settle into the cracks (you can also use a spray bottle for the application). You may want to experiment with the consistency prior to doing this: the more water you add, the fainter the wash; the less water you add, the darker the wash.

3. Add the coffee to a cup of boiling water. The longer you allow the coffee to brew, the darker the stain. Likewise, greater amounts of coffee will produce a richer stain. Since I wanted irregular spots rather than a unified discoloration, I placed the copy paper on a baking sheet, splashed coffee and grounds onto its surface, allowed the liquid to sit for a few minutes, and then moved it to a space to dry.

4. Glue the copy paper to the backing of the shadow box. For additional distress, you can crumple the paper before doing so to create tears and wrinkles and add further spots with light dabs of olive or vegetable oil.

5. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, paint the skeleton and organs with the wood stain. I started with the red chestnut as a base and then dabbed Jacobean around the edges to darken them. This gave them a meaty appearance which made them look fresh.

6. Position the skeleton and organs on the backing and glue them in place. Following this, glue the straight pins into the organs to make them appear tacked to the backing.  

7. In a plastic container (because the food coloring will stain, use something disposable or that you won’t mind dying), pour in your desired amount of clear glue gel and slowly add red food coloring to the solution until it achieves the sanguine hue you desire. To give the blood further density, add blue food coloring and mix well. Then, smear the organs with the glue. Depending on your chosen aesthetic, this step is entirely optional. You can eliminate the blood for something tamer.

8. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, paint the glass with the wood stain. Apply a thin coat and pat it with paper towels to produce a hazed appearance and brush the edges to create the illusion of grime buildup. Refrain from making the coverage too thick, though, because it can obscure the specimen inside.  

9. Reattach the glass to the frame. If you plan to display the prop outside in windy conditions, consider gluing it in place. You may also want to permanently seal the shadow box to prevent it from accidentally opening during the haunt; however, this will make its contents inaccessible in the future.  

10. The prop can be enhanced further with additional details, like a specimen tag or biohazard label. Likewise, the red food coloring can be substituted for green to create slime rather than blood.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.

Fall Butterfly Wreath

$10 - $15 (based on 2017 prices)

Makes one wreath

The Dia de Los Muertos portion of 2017’s haunted house required dozens of wreaths for an intricate funeral scene. To prevent myself from using the same design for each prop, I did variations on the motif. For this version, I incorporated the butterflies common in the holiday. What I like about this prop is its versatility. The colors of everything from the leaves to the ribbon can be altered for a unique look, from a dull monochromatism like the one I made to a vibrant polychromatism like the butterfly wreath.

• One six-inch grapevine wreath
• Three four-foot garlands of fall leaves (roughly thirty-six leaves per garland)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Three decorative butterflies
• One foot of red ribbon

1. Separate the leaves from their garlands and, using hot glue, adhere them to a large portion of the wreath, leaving a spot open for the ribbon in step three. For visual interest, build up layers and vary the color patterns so leaves with the same hues and shapes are not concentrated in one area.

2. Add further flourishes to the wreath by gluing butterflies to the foliage. You can use an evenly spaced pattern to create balance or a random placement for extra irregularity. While I used insects with brown wings to complement the leaves, the hues can be modified for your specific scheme.

3. To create the bow, fold the ribbon in half to establish the first fold. Then, working outward from both sides, cluster the ribbon into tight loops to form an accordion, leaving the ends on both sides free to dangle down. For the time-pressed haunter, it might be easier to purchase a premade item for this project. Once the bow is formed and the glue holding it together has dried, attach it to the open portion of the wreath. Although I used hot glue, you can utilize superglue for a sturdier hold, especially if you plan to display this item in windy conditions for an extended period.

4. If the wreath did not come with hanging loops, you can fashion one with steel wire. Likewise, the wreath can be enhanced further with additional details, like acorns, pinecones, or small gourds.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.