Saturday, August 1, 2009

Monster Holidays (1974, Norman Bridwell)

We're back with another Norman Bridwell pseudo-serious guide for the monster enthusiast (I previously posted on The Witch's Catalog and How To Care For Your Monster). This time he's focusing on how your pet monster can be enjoyed on holidays throughout the year.

Of course we all know monsters fit right in at Halloween, but I bet it never occured to you that your pet mummy can be useful in a game of snap-apple.

Or that a vampire's fangs and gift of flight give him a unique advantage in bobbing for apples?

They also make a useful chaperon for trick-or-treating.

A mummy might use an Egyptian curse to punish cranky homeowners that "ran out" of candy.

But what about holidays other than Halloween? Bridwell has some interesting advise. For example, he suggest vampires might enjoy the "Hanukah" (sic) menorah, as it will remind him of his castle candelabrum.

With his fear of fire, Frankenstein, on the other hand, might prefer spinning the dreidel.

When New Year's Eve rolls around, you might want to keep an eye on your mummy, lest someone mistake his loose bandages for streamers.

Here's a poem you can send to your vampire on Valentine's Day.

He'll show you his vamp-Irish side (don't blame me--I stole the pun from Bridwell!) on St. Patrick's Day by dressing up as a leprechaun.

A werewolf, on the other hand, may end up catching a real leprechaun and cooking him in his own pot!

April Fool's Day provides an opportunity to play pranks on your monster, but they just might prank you back. As payback for greasing his perch, the vampire has rigged the door to dump a bucket of bats on your head!

Pour some jumping beans into your mummy's hollow body to give him a little get-up-and-go. But his retaliation will trip you up.

A vampire wouldn't make a good Easter bunny, because he'd drop his egg basket while hanging from a tree branch.

Some of your monster's mothers, just in time for Mother's Day.

This last one has to be my favorite. Bridwell suggests a mummy would enjoy the chaos that ensues as ladies fight over Labor Day sales items!



2 comments:

Sam G said...

Wow! I've never heard of this book. I gotta get a copy!

Toon said...

I remember this book and I remember being skeeved out by the bit about bobbing for adam's apples.