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Carnival Freak Show: This Year’s Hottest Halloween Party Theme

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories on March 27th, 2014
Tags: American Horror Story, Carnival, Freak Show, Sideshow

Here at Thrillvania we’re ecstatic over the news that American Horror Story Season 4 will revolve around a carnival freak show. A haunted house? An asylum with an evil Nazi doctor? A coven of witches with super powers? They’ve all been done before. But, what could be more deliciously terrifying than a Halloween party filled with sideshow freaks and not-so-human monstrosities?

The best, scariest Halloween party and costume ideas are those which are rooted in reality and even though we’re pretty sure AHS will stretch credulity to the snapping point, carnival freaks were real and they were big attractions in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While none were particularly scary and all were to be admired for their courage and tenacity, these early circus sideshow freaks can be a good starting-point for putting together a truly gruesome Halloween costume.

For example, consider Myrtle Corbin, a successful sideshow performer who had 4 legs. Weng, the Human Unicorn, had a 14-inch horn-like spire growing from the back of his head. Perhaps the most famous of all, Joseph Merrick, so horribly deformed he was nicknamed “The Elephant Man.” And the contemporary sideshow performers, The Spider Sisters, conjoined twins who share four arms and three legs.

On your invitations this year, tell your guests they need to “Go big, or go home!” It’s safe to assume that series creator Ryan Murphy will be unleashing unimaginable human atrocities that will make even the most terrifying chainsaw-wielding clown look like a 4-year-old in a cuddly bunny costume and your Halloween Freak Show party should be equally as terrifying.

A good Halloween party only starts with the costumes. Let’s not forget the endless possibilities for your carnival freak show decor. Put up a dingy, dimly lit circus tent in your backyard. And right down the center aisle be sure to set up a shelf full of traditional, old-time circus oddities – jars filled with eyeballs, brains, and other assorted organs and body parts, all soaking in formaldehyde. Turn on the creepy calliope music and let the party begin!

Let’s Play ‘Ghost in the Graveyard’

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories on March 20th, 2014
Tags: Ghost in the Graveyard, Ghosts

Ahhh, it’s finally Spring. Time to put down that video game controller, go outside and have some fun. What’s that you say? You don’t have anything to do? Playing outside is boring? Gather all your friends and let’s have a rousing game of “Ghost in the Graveyard!”

Hundreds of years ago when you parents were just kids, everybody played outside all the time. There were no video games, all televisions were black and white and there were only 3 channels to choose from. Way back then (in The Dark Ages), kids had to make their own fun and they played games like Tag and Hide ‘n Seek. But the best game of all is Ghost in the Graveyard.

So, gather up all your friends – the more the merrier – and head outdoors!

Set the boundaries for your game. Your playing field can cover your own backyard, a few neighboring yards, or better yet – the graveyard across the street.

Choose a home base that’s big enough for all the players to touch or stand on at the same time. It can be a large spooky tree, your swing-set, the back porch, – or maybe a large tombstone?

Choose the first person to be the Ghost. Use any method you like – Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo, or My Mother Told Me, or Rock, Paper, Scissors.

The Ghost is “It” in this game and everyone else is a Ghost Hunter. The object of the game is for the Ghost Hunters to find the Ghost, warn all the other players, and try to make it back to home base before the Ghost catches them.

Here’s how you play:

All Ghost Hunters stand on home base and count to 50 (or 100 if you’re playing field is larger).

While everyone is counting, the player who’s the Ghost runs and hides.

When the Ghost Hunters are done counting, everyone shouts, “Star light, star bright, I hope I don’t see a ghost tonight!”

Then all the Hunters move out in search of the Ghost.

The first Hunter to find the Ghost shouts, “Ghost in the Graveyard!” to warn all the other Hunters, then everyone rushes for home base.

If the Ghost catches you before you reach home base, then you’re the next Ghost!

(Hint: Smart Ghosts hide well and wait until all the players have moved past him before springing out to try to tag someone.)

Of course, it’s always possible that the Ghost will catch more than one person. When that happens, all the people he catches become the next Ghost and they all hide together to catch the next wave of Ghost Hunters.

Leprechauns: Tiny Green Imps or Evil Tricksters

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories on March 14th, 2014
Tags: Leprechaun

The little guy on your box of Lucky Charms is cute with his rosy cheeks and his big toothy grin. As he describes each tiny marshmallow treat he charms you into believing he must be a friendly little fellow, someone you could really have some fun with. But beware! For beneath that charm and lilting Irish brogue lies the heart of an evil trickster.

Leprechauns are most often portrayed as fun-loving mischief-makers who spend their days cobbling shoes and guarding pots of gold. In their off hours they enjoy a hearty flask of Irish whiskey and a rousing Irish reel. In short, they work hard all day and then play even harder into the wee hours of the morning.

It’s said that if you’re ever able to capture a leprechaun he must then grant you three wishes and, of course, everyone’s first wish is always for that elusive pot of gold. But have you ever heard of anyone collecting? Of course not. In fact, more often than not, the unfortunate human being who manages to trap a leprechaun is driven utterly insane by the evil trickster’s manipulations.

First, it’s extremely difficult to catch a Leprechaun. They’re tiny, fast and slippery as eels. And when you do manage to catch one you must keep your eyes on him at all times. Glance away, even for a second, and he disappears, which is exactly what happened to one poor lass who thought she’d bested a leprechaun.

Clutching her captive in the palm of her hand she forced him to lead her to his pot of gold. Using his magical abilities the leprechaun made a loud buzzing sound in the girl’s ears and shouted at her, “Look out! We’re being followed by a swarm of bees!” When the girl turned to look the leprechaun disappeared and she was left to forever wander the meadow, certain she was mere steps away from the pot of gold.

Some years later a farmer managed to catch a leprechaun and knowing about his magical ability to disappear kept his eye on the prankster all the way until they reached the spot where the pot of gold was buried. There, in the middle of the forest, under this particular bush, the farmer would find the treasure, said the leprechaun. As the forest was filled with thousands of similar bushes the farmer tied a red ribbon around the exact shrub, released the leprechaun, and ran home to fetch his shovel.

Upon returning just minutes later he found that every bush in the forest was tied with a red ribbon. The farmer spent the rest of his life digging, and digging, and digging as he slowly went insane.

So trap them if you must but never try to come between a leprechaun and his pot of gold. They may look cute and soft as marshmallows, but inside their hearts are cold as stone.