The Holiday Season is Going to Get Spooky This Weekend
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ROCKFORD, Ill. - illiNews -- Spooky and Christmas might seem an unusual combination, but spooky stories and Christmas were tied together for years, and still are in some countries. "A Christmas Carol" is actually a ghost story and just one example of the tradition. A number of authors, artists and artisans will be paying tribute to that tradition on December 2nd from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a free-admission event called "Put the Spooky Back Into Christmas" at Veteran's Memorial Hall at 211 N. Main in Rockford, Illinois.

The event will feature several authors including,  Frank Coffman, Ernie Fuhr, Gary Hill, Kathi Kresol and Stephen Osborne who will be on hand to chat and sign books and have a spooky holiday reading as part of a video that will be playin.

Frank Coffman is a published poet and fiction writer with several collections available. Several of his dark holiday poems have been featured in two "Horrifying Holidays" books, Gary Hill runs science fiction and horror imprint Tales of Wonder and Dread which published "Horrifying Holidays: Holiday Spookfest," "Put the Spooky Back Into Christmas: Classic Holiday Horror Tales" and "Horrifying Holidays Two: More Holiday Spookfest."

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Kathi Kresol has been researching Northern Illinois history for years. She has published two solo books and has collaborated with other local authors and shared articles in three books featuring compilations of Rockford authors. She shares the stories she finds researching Spooky stories in her presentations, her column " Voices from the Grave" in the Rock River Times, and her events for Haunted Rockford. Stephen Osborne obviously never lost his love for the macabre, as it turns up often in his writing. In addition to his own books he has one story each in "Horrifying Holidays" and "Horrifying Holidays Two."

There will be a number of vendors on hand. Bast & Baetyl Alchemy will have a large selection of copper jewelry and accessories, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, belts, pins and hair pins. Their aesthetic is already spooky, but they will be making a selection of winter items including pieces featuring Krampus and other holiday superstitions and mythology. Chris Geebus is an artist specializing in comic style inks, realism acrylics, graffiti blaster and a little bit of a Jack of all visual art trades, Holiday themed horror prints and originals will be on deck for "Put The Spooky Back Into Christmas"

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Directly connected to Kathi Kresol, Haunted Rockford's table will have her books for sale  along with Christmas ornaments including needlepoint. MsAndi's Creations will make custom sublimation and DTF items including glassware, t-shirts, key chains blankets and more.

Next Life Creations is focused on creating one-of-kind art from items found in nature. For this event they will have a selection of witch ball/Yule ornaments, wood slice ornaments and decorative lanterns and more. Artists Samantha S. and Britta E. create custom stained glass and fused glass art under the name Seen-Through-Glass, and they will have an array of works available, many of which will fit the Spooky Christmas theme. Samantha Hochmann will be representing Tinker Swiss Cottage and will have Christmas ornaments and Tinker Swiss Cottage T-Shirts.

There will be spooky displays adding to the mood and vibe courtesy of ScaryHouse Studios and drawings for prizes. This event was made possible, in part, by a 2023 Action Micro-Grant from the Rockford Area Arts Council.