Salem Halloween & Christmas: A Spooky Holiday Blend

YOU CAN’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE. NOBODY THROWS A HALLOWEEN PARTY QUITE LIKE SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS. HALLOWEEN. AND AT LIZ FRAZIER’S WITCH CITY, WICK’S CANDLE SHOP. SPOOKY SEASON EXTENDS TO CHRISTMAS TIME AND BEYOND. WE CALL IT OUR SPOOKY CHRISTMAS COLLECTION. WE HAVE A KRAMPUS CANDLE. WE HAVE ONE CALLED GHOST OF YULE. WE HAVE ONE CALLED CHRISTMAS MORNING, BUT IT’S SPELLED MOU R N I N G. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE CALLED GINGERDEAD HOUSE. WHEN WE VISIT, LIZ IS PREPARING FOR GRAVE TIDINGS, AN ANNUAL EVENT HELD AT SALEM’S OLD TOWN HALL, WHERE REVELERS CAN PURCHASE GOODS FROM LOCAL VENDORS AND ARTISTS, INCLUDING LIZ’S SISTER, AMELIA. I HAVE MOSTLY WALL PLAQUES THAT I HAND DRAW DESIGNS ON. ALL OF THE DESIGNS DRAW INSPIRATION FROM OLD GRAVESTONE IMAGERY IN NEW ENGLAND FOR GRAVE TIDINGS, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF THE YEAR I HAVE ORNAMENT VERSIONS OF MY DESIGNS, SO I DO SPOOKY STATIONERY. SO I HAVE CUTE NOTEBOOKS, NOTEPADS, DIFFERENT STICKERS, KIND OF EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS THAT CAN JUST BRING SOME SPOOKINESS INTO YOUR DAY. WE DO SPECIALTY CHOCOLATES, ANYTHING RANGING FROM A BALSAMIC STRAWBERRY TO A DARK CHOCOLATE KAHLUA. OUR LINES ARE ALSO BASED UPON THE MYSTICISM THAT COMES FROM THE IDEA OF A BOOK OF SPELLS, OR SOMETHING THAT IS BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN GRASP NOW. SO EVERY BITE THAT YOU TAKE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BIT OF MAGIC THAT COMES TO YOU. THE EVENT, WHICH ALSO RAISES MONEY FOR CHARITY, GIVES CREATORS A CHANCE TO SHINE AND TO LEARN. I ENJOY DOING GRAVE TIDINGS JUST BECAUSE THE OWNER, LIZ, SHE REALLY WELCOMES ANYONE WHO IS INTO SMALL BUSINESSES AND WHO WANTS TO KIND OF MAYBE EXPLORE OF WHAT ONE DAY OWNING A SHOP COULD BE LIKE. IT IS SUPER CURATED, SO YOU KNOW THAT YOU’RE GOING TO REALLY COME ACROSS SOME GREAT THINGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS. SO WHAT’S BEHIND THE RECENT TREND OF MIXING HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS? I FEEL THAT PEOPLE REALLY LOVE HALLOWEEN AND THEY DON’T NECESSARILY WANT TO LET IT GO. SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY KEEP THEIR HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS UP AND THEN THEY JUST ADD THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPIN TO IT SO THEY CAN STILL ENJOY THEM. I THINK IT GIVES PEOPLE A REASON TO CONTINUE CELEBRATING THAT HOLIDAY, BECAUSE IT BRINGS YOU NOSTALGIA. IT TAKES YOU BACK TO FEELING LIKE A KID. YOU GET FUN DECORATIONS, YOU GET CANDY, COSTUMES, ALL THE LITTLE CRAFTS THAT YOU CAN DO. SO IF YOU CAN JUST MAKE IT LAST A LITTLE LONGER AND PUT A DIFFERENT SPIN ON IT, WHY NOT? AND WHAT SETS SALEM APART FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON? SALEM HAS AN INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY. AS LOCALS, WE’RE REALLY FORTUNATE TO LIVE HERE AND IT REALLY IS JUST A FUN PLACE TO LIVE ALL YEAR BECAUSE WE HAVE COOL EVENTS THAT HAPPEN YEAR ROUND, NOT JUST IN OCTOBER. AND THERE’S A CHARITABLE ASPECT TO THE GRAVE TIDINGS AS WELL. THIS YEAR’S EVENT RAISED MONEY FOR THE SALEM PANTRY, WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE, AND YOU CAN STILL PURCHASE PIECES AND SUPPOR