How New York does Spooky

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Yes, yes, yes, I know, Halloween is over. I've told my husband, who took these photos, all about news values but he says I'm just 'old media'. He is insisting I do this post so here goes.

We were in New York visiting relatives the week before Halloween. My husband took some great photos showing how inventive - or desensitized depending to your point of view - New Yorkers are around horror imagery.

My lovely, lovely, hardworking and super-competent cousin, a typical New Yorker, made these for her kid's bake sale. Why would one think twice about a four year-old biting down on a bloodstained axe? Where's your sense of fun?

My lovely, lovely, hardworking and super-competent cousin, a typical New Yorker, made these for her kid's bake sale. Why would one think twice about a four year-old biting down on a bloodstained axe? Where's your sense of fun?

Here we see a theme emerging - the weaving together of horror and shopping. This skull was as big as a boulder.

Here we see a theme emerging - the weaving together of horror and shopping. This skull was as big as a boulder.

Self-explanatory, but BIG!

Self-explanatory, but BIG!

Back to shopping - this is a department store. You can buy that harness.

Back to shopping - this is a department store. You can buy that harness.

An authentic momento mori in Bloomingdales. Check out the way the skeleton is leering at the mannequin decked in its transient earthly goods.

An authentic momento mori in Bloomingdales. Check out the way the skeleton is leering at the mannequin decked in its transient earthly goods.

Blimey these New Yorkers really have strong stomachs don't they! This isn't supernatural, it's just sadism! I don't know about you, but this made me think of Fred West, which is never pleasant.

Blimey these New Yorkers really have strong stomachs don't they! This isn't supernatural, it's just sadism! I don't know about you, but this made me think of Fred West, which is never pleasant.