I discovered this National Geographic documentary on vampires on YouTube. It’s from late 2006 but probably more relevant and interesting for people nowadays than 3 years ago.
Watch it – the narrative and ideas are very enjoyable. It’s a crash course on vampire folklore as well as weaving an argument pro-and-con vampire existence using history, forensic science, modern medicine and chilling case studies.
The most intriguing part of the episode for me was when they interviewed so-called real life vampire Don Henrie. I’ve seen Don before on television interviews (Tyra Banks show I think from a couple years ago) and he’s apparently the “face” of the real life vampire community in the U.S. That being said, I recall hearing that the vampire community is torn about having a real life celebrity face like Don. Though it’s nice that real vampires finally get some recognition (Don’s openness welcomes others of his kind to step out), other vampires are furious because their very existence is supposed to be shrouded in mystery. Also, anti-Don vampires are upset because now pseudo-real vampire posers are stepping out and claiming the dark gift and they’re obviously not the real real thing. Because technically real real vampires would never do such a thing. And pseudo-real vampires are obviously just impostors channeling the fictional myths fed to the public by media so no one truly knows what vampires are really like … and then the argument gets supremely confusing (and preposterous) and probably best not to think too deeply about it.
Visit Don Henrie’s Myspace page if you’d like – he lives by the motto, “You cannot see the stars without the darkness.” (I believe he only found his darkness a couple years ago because he used to be a computer programmer or something in a 9-5 job… before he suddenly realized that he was a vampire. That’s called “awakening.”)
Some of the stories National Geographic shares concerning real vampires are not as nice as Don’s (since he doesn’t prey on innocent humans). Some are deeply unsettling. But that just means it makes for a good watch and lessons to learn.
I’ve been feeling in the Christmas spirit lately. No big surprise considering it is December and Christmas is now just two weeks away. The world always seems to enter a surreal phase during this time for me: Christmas carols are playing on every radio station, I see commercials for all types of products on TV and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” was just on last night. Everything is just so sweet and sappy.
… I love it.
Anyways, I’ve been looking into Christmas gifts for some friends who are fans of Goth culture. This kind of Christmas shopping is always the most fun because of all the intriguing gift items I come across. This year, I get to add a couple more friends to my dark Gothic gift list since a couple of them who would previously have nothing to do with anything vampire-like are now Twilight converts. So I’m going to humor their new obsession with vampire paraphernalia. They’ll probably hate the gift because it won’t have a picture of Edward or Jacob on it – oh well. (Speaking of… has anyone seen this ridiculous Twilight “Edward” holiday stocking on Amazon? The price tag of this oversized sock with Edward’s blown up face is outrageous.)
On sale for only $99.95... wait, what?
So here I am sharing some lovely vampire-inspired gift ideas that are suitable for any diehard Twilight shipper, Goth vampire wannabe or real vampire. Some are kooky, but they’re definitely all fun gifts for the holidays.
“Sealing wax”
Instead of signing and sealing in blood, you can use a dark crimson wax instead – it lends the same luxurious effect. In the past, lovers’ words were sealed this way to symbolize a passion meant only for the recipient. The prettiest seal I’ve seen is a stamp of a rose in dark glittering burgundy.
“Chalice”
Everyone should have at least two Gothic chalices to use when the mood strikes. They are sure to add elegance and color to any meal. They’re also very useful for intimidating dinner guests.
“Vampire perfume”
Aka. Bouquet du Vampyre… custom-created by a perfumer in New Orleans, it’s been known to be a scent that attracts vampires. The aroma is a blend of oils and ingredients from all over the world, but primarily the rose. Vampires adore the intoxicating fragrance of the rose which has a deep, sophisticated and musky smell. Purchase this brand of vampire perfume here.
“Poison pendant”
Small necklace with a compartment that opens to carry poison of your choice. Needs no further explanation on how useful this is.
“Gothic hourglass”
Black sand, fifteen-minute timer gives the perfect measurement time for ¼ of an hour. And it’s just so beautiful to admire.
Finally, this last gift idea is more suited for those who detest the vampire craze and are just waiting for the fad (and vampires) to die off:
“Vampire hunting kit”
Good ones should come with a couple wooden stakes, a vial of holy water, garlic powder (good for savory dishes as well), silver bullets, a revolver, and a holy cross as starter package. More vampire killing items can be acquired at a later time.
**Note: All of these lovely items (including the vampire hunting kit) can be purchased online at Boutique du Vampyre.
My favorite holiday… ALL HALLOW’S EVE… is upon us once again. I do enjoy October 31st so. It’s when I get to release my inner Vampire Girl out to play. Every Halloween I typically start my day mid-afternoon with a choice flick from my vampire film archives. It really gets me in the right mindset for the rest of the evening. Then two of my best girlfriends (both Wiccans) usually come over for a seance or two. I don’t believe in these rituals so much as they do, but I must admit it’s very calming and brings me a lot of peace. After the ceremonies and a light meal, we wait for it to get dark and then it’s time to frolic into the evening.
Now of course this night is all about dressing to impress and stepping out of your usual comfort zone. I love admiring what characters individuals adopt for the night. Sometimes it’s very telling of the person’s hidden desires. At the same time, I’m not quite sure when Halloween became an excuse for women to dress as scandalously as possible to the point where it becomes painful to look at. It’s possible for ladies to look sexy and classy – and most importantly… seductive for the evening. I’m a firm believer in that. I think Halloween is not to be an evening of naughty mayhem. It’s more an opportunity for people to explore their darker sensibilities in a coy, playful manner. And be comfortable. (Since that sort of thing usually makes people very uncomfortable.)
Usually I think the best dress ensembles for the evening come from variations of things you would be able to wear normally. I really despise costume material. They look so contrived and cartoon-ish. In the rare case where the picture on the bag is correct and the costume does flatter your figure, somehow it always looks somewhat cheap to me. My recommended solution is to go to your local used clothing or vintage store to sift through the racks and see what you can pull together. Lucky for me, Halloween gives me the perfect opportunity to rummage in the back of my closet and bring out all the pieces I used to wear back in my darker days.
Do not look like Elvira this year. For the life of me I don’t understand who would ever find these outfits alluring. PARTICULARLY if you’re looking to adopt a vampire persona. I have yet to see a good vampire look come from a costume bag:
… I cry a little inside when I see outfits like these running about on Halloween.
Word of advice, to achieve the vampire look and persona… it’s all about the face, eyes and attitude. A vampire girl in a burlap sack is still going to look seductive if she believes it and plays it coy. Maybe that’s what’s been missing from the Halloween aura recently. People are more interested in partying hard than immersing themselves in a different doppelganger persona for the evening. Pity.
Anyways, vampire girls everywhere should look to the following dark beauties for inspiration this Halloween… they’re truly breath-taking:
Cheers to a haunting and lovely evening for All Hallow’s Eve!
For female vampires wondering how to pull off a strong look, the following video tutorial is highly recommended:
A friend of mine (non-vampire) sent me the following clip because he said it reminded him of me.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I clicked the link. (Well, other than the fact that it would surely feature blood-sucking creatures that is.) I never expected this:
You just had the pleasure of witnessing Jason Segal’s rendition of “Dracula’s Lament.” I watched this clip having no background information about the film, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” in which it was featured. Understandably then I had no clue what went on to lead up to this spectacular number.
At first I was completely boggled and couldn’t understand what he saying with his pseudo-Transylvanian accent. Maybe I was just in awe of the accent… maybe it was sheer horror… I don’t really know.
During the following verses, I really started feeling Dracula’s plight:
“And if I see Van Helsing, I swear to the Lord I will slay him! A-ha-ha-haa!
Take it from me I swear I will let it be so! A-ha-ha-haa!!
Blood will run down his face when he is decapitated…aah!
His head on my mantle is how I will let this world know:
How much I love you…”
His girl seemed to like it. That’s all that matters.
I believe “Dracula’s Lament“ needs to fall along the lines of this more:
I'm addicted to vampires and blood. This is where I'll share my musings on vampiric film and TV, as well as other thoughts on vampire culture. Read my ramblings - I could think endlessly about vampires and other divine creatures of the night.
“Chalice”
“Poison pendant” 
“Gothic hourglass” 
“Vampire hunting kit” 
