It's Halloween
Are you looking for inspiration for the spookiest Halloween ever? You came to the right place! From scary to adorably cute, we have everything to turn your home into a haunted mansion.
With our help you can find the perfect theme for this year's Halloween, along with some interesting trivia you can surprise your guests with!
Let's start with the obvious. Have you been wondering all year if Jellycat will add new characters to their Halloween collection? The answer is YES! Spooktacular Jellycats are here to join your trick or treat.
Bartholomew Bear Bat is so excited for Halloween. He has decided to dress up as a bat this year! Bats are associated with many different cultures, not always in the most flattering way. The Mayans had Camazote, a terrifying bat like entity and god of the night, death and human sacrifice.
In the scientific world they often get mentioned in relation to new viruses developing, the nocturnal animals being the ones passing them on to other species. Religiously & spiritually they are a symbol of death and transition. This, together with the existence of an actual vampire bat (it does not suck blood though, it just laps it up like a cat), has created an association with vampires.
From Dracula to Nosferatu, this blood sucking mythical creature has been portrayed in so many forms. The depiction and believe in vampiric creatures goes back centuries.
Thanks to Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', the distinct appearance of the modern vampire has truly entered popular culture. Vivacious Aubergine Vampire and Vampire Ricky Rain Frog have perfected the look!
This fictional character was in fact based on a real historical figure called Vlad III. He was the prince of Wallachia and a warlord in the 15th century, in what today is Romania. His brutal impaling of enemies led to the name 'Vlad the Impaler'. The name Dracula in the novel was derived from Vlad's title 'son of Dracul, 'drac' being the name of the knightly order at the time. The term came from the old Romanian word for dragon.
Two classic spooks! Jack O Lantern comes with a frighteningly cute stitched face and a lot of tradition. Jack o' lanterns carved from pumpkins are a Halloween staple in the United States. Irish, Scottish and other Celtic influenced immigrants brought the root vegetable carving with them. In Europe root vegetables such as turnip or sugar beets were used. In America the pumpkin is a more common vegetable, so people started to use them for the carvings and thus an icon was born.
The tradition of Jack o lanterns is associated with the days of 'All Saints' and 'All Souls' in the Christian calendar, for which carved lanterns were used to ward off harmful spirits. Thankfully Ooky Ghost is one of the sweetest spirit around! Ooky Ghost is the epitome of a sheet ghost, more a 'Casper' type than a frightening spectre.
Mummy Bob looks like a discovery in an Egyptian tomb! In ancient Egypt mummification was an integral part of the rituals for the dead. The mummy as a archetype of the horror genre originated in the 19th century and later joined the pantheon of Gothic monsters.
Who says Halloween only has to be celebrated one night? If you want to extend the frightening time and make it a full spooky season, we have some great decor pieces & accessories, that will fill your home with the supernatural.
When it comes to superstitious believes, one of the most well known is that crossing paths with a black cat will bring on bad luck. Historically we are back in ancient Egypt with this, cats were seen as divine symbols at the time. In Greek mythology they were associated with Hecate, the goddess of magic, witchcraft & the moon. In European folklore they are said to be a familiar, a supernatural creature, that assists a witch. Our Black Cat Oil Burner can be your very own familiar! We love the quirky design, the cut out eyes will give it a spooky glow.
Candles are a great way to create a haunted mansion feel. Who hasn't seen a horror movie where candles start to flicker or mysteriously are blown off. Our Boo To You Mini Candle Holder is acute little spook. He may not be that frightening but he sure brings fun to Halloween night.
Our Vampire Blood Pillar Candle is perfect for lovers of Gothic decor pieces! The wax will 'bleed out', creating a look fit for the home of a vampire. The architecture of the Gothic revival has made many appearances in the horror genre. The films of Alfred Hitchcock come to mind and this candle really fits that theme.
Start your day with a little fright! This Ghost with Pumpkin Mug is perfect to get you into the Halloween spirit! Whether you start the day with a coffee or finish it with a hot chocolate, this wee ghost is happy to join.
The mummy returns! We think this Mummy Mug makes another great addition to a night of the undead' inspired Halloween decor! And to give a nod to the traditional meaning of Halloween, this Skull Sugar Spoon is like a 'memento mori', a symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death.
Speaking of memento mori, Día de los Muertos or the day of the dead is celebrated in Mexico and the Mexican diaspora all over the world on the days of 'All Saints' and 'All Souls'. This remembrance & celebration of the dead is known for its beautiful altars, objects and edible offerings (like skulls made of sugar) with distinct designs.
The Calavera, the skeleton, is one of the most recognisable symbols of the festival. The Skull and Skeleton designs are often used in the form of Calacas masks, embellished with floral designs.
Our Skeleton Bottle Opener brings the visual beauty of the Día de los Muertos to mind. It will be a quirky addition to your Halloween party.
The Skeleton Couple Trinket Dish is another gift idea inspired by these aesthetics. Whether you use it to hold all your magical jewellery pieces or as a decor piece for Halloween, it will add a touch of Gothic romanticism to your home.
Mr Bones and our Roses Candy Skull Decoration encapsulate the look associated with the Día de los Muertos perfectly. They are great for hanging on your door, in your window or arranged on a spooky centrepiece on your dining table.
We finish with another round of classic ghosts! Ghosts are the spirit or soul of dead beings that are able to appear to the living. Until the 19th century, the bodies of the poor weren’t buried in coffins but simply wrapped in fabric. The trope of the white sheeted ghosts originated from that practise. In Britain ghost impersonating gained popularity in the 19th century, with churchyards and alleyways regularly plagued by pranksters in white sheets.
Our Love You Boo Decoration is a truly friendly spirit! We wouldn't mind talking to him at a seance. The little spook is holding a heart, making him the perfect gift for a Halloween lover.
Equally adorable are Boo Ghost and our Same Sheet Ghost Decoration! They are a fun & quirky addition to your haunted home decor and perfect for those who are easily frightened and prefer their spectres with a dose of cuteness.
We hope one of our favourites will help you create an epic Halloween. Whether you theme this year's decor around Vampires, classic ghosts, ancient ghouls or the idea of a familiar, we are sure it will look bewitchingly good.
Browse our full Halloween Collection for all our spooky offerings!
With lots of haunted love, Team Maia xxx