jeesh requested I scan in my sketches for Jack-O-Lanterns. I drew these in 2008 from a variety of sources (the Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends Halloween episode, Pumpkinrot, a Reeses Peanut Butter cup commercial) and still use the pages for reference. I hope they provide a little inspiration.

Let's talk candy.

Getting specific treats can be expensive and undesirable - I did that with black & orange swirl lollipops in 2007. My best memories were getting to pick out my own treats from a bowl - that way I got exactly what I wanted. So I'll perpetuate that illusion of choice.

We get about 100 kids at the house, give or take depending on the weather. I like to go a little over in case we run out. I have approximately 150 pieces of Halloween candy - the mixed bag is 105, plus 18 Snickers, plus 35 Twix. More than I need.

My witch costume is pretty much all set. I cut out the arm warmers tonight and I am excited. Tomorrow I'm going to spend a lot of time walking in the woods.

A very familiar video to house haunters and costumers alike:

I usually spend the weeks leading up to Halloween trying to figure out what's de rigueur for the year. And the past two years I've been noticing a trend:

When a TV show goes to make it's Halloween episode it often falls back on certain legends or lore, often becoming parodies of popular horror films: The Haunting, Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein, the Mummy, etc.

A few nights ago I realized very few of these Halloween specials have a basis in American lore, save three.

The first I want to talk about is one of the earliest, if not the most obvious: The Salem Witch Trials. The Trials are more history than story, but the passing of time has dulled the facts into quasi-legend. I bet most Americans will tell you the witches were burned (another European trope) when the Salem Witches were hanged.

The formula most television shows adopt comes from The Crucible by Arthur Miller, published in 1953. It's one of the most infuriating and beguiling plays I've ever read, and still stands alone as my favorite. The cover below is actually from my copy.

Below are screenshots and short discussions from television episodes or movies on the theme of these Witches and their trials.