I’m sure for most of you, settling down to watch a horror movie for Christmas is the last thing on your mind. With Hallmark pumping out festive flicks every hour, Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” in full-effect, and Elf on almost every channel, you’re pretty much set. And while I’m a sucker for Christmas movies with happy endings and all of life’s problems being solved with the “magic of Christmas”, I love a good Christmas-themed horror movie. Yes – there’s a horror movie for just about every holiday and Christmas is no exception. From slashing Santa’s to evil creatures wreaking havoc on unsuspecting victims, Christmas horror films come in all forms. I’ve picked out my top five favorite Christmas horror films to share with you all. Let’s get started.

1. Black Christmas: As if I could have a list like this and not include the original 1974 Black Christmas? This film is a cult classic, paving the way for films like Halloween and other slasher films that play on the idea of never truly knowing who it is that’s killing everyone around you. It follows a group of sorority sisters that keep getting threatening calls and then one by one they start getting picked off. In a similar When A Stranger Calls fashion, the killer is hiding upstairs in the attic. The deaths in the film are some of my favorite. The most memorable is the first death scene in the film where Claire is suffocated by the killer after he puts a bag over her head. He then props up her body in a rocking chair by the window, which is the image seen on the movie posters. This spawned a remake of the same name in 2006, very similar but definitely more gory.

2. Krampus: This 2015 horror-comedy follows a suburban family trying to get along as they all gather for the holidays. Things take a turn for the worst when a young boy accidentally summons an ancient demon that punished those that lose their Christmas spirit. Once Krampus shows up, all-hell breaks loose and the family has to defend themselves from hellish Christmas toys, evil gingerbread men, and a Jack-in-the-box with serious anger issues. Horror-comedies can sort of be hit-or-miss for me but this film was very entertaining. It was a nice balance of creepy and silly without being absolutely ridiculous.

3. Silent Night, Deadly Night: This 80s slasher film is probably one of the most notable holiday-themed horror film to date. This was released in the heart of the slasher craze of the 80s, and slasher films are some of my personal favorites. Inspired by films like Friday the 13^th and Halloween, the creators wanted to make a new film following another popular holiday but wanted to push the envelope and decided Christmas was the way to go. The film follows a young man that witnessed the death of his parents when he was a kid. After being placed in an abusive Catholic school he suffered from traumatic experiences years later and goes on a killing spree in a Santa suit. Despite the success during it’s opening week, as you can image it attracted a lot of negative backlash from those that felt a Christmas horror film was “pushing it”. Well, horror fans didn’t give a shit and the film remains a cult classic to this day and spawned four sequels.

4. Silent Night, Bloody Night: Before there was “Deadly Night”, there was this 1972 release. This film follows a man that inherits his father’s mansion, which conveniently used to be a mental asylum. Soon after a series of murders start to occur on Christmas Eve and a secret that the town has tried to keep hidden is soon revealed. While it’s not one of the best, it’s still quite entertaining. If you’re a fan of cheesy horror films, you’ll enjoy this.

5. Don’t Open Till Christmas: In this 1984 release, a man goes around murdering anyone wearing a Santa suit. Worst case of the holiday blues ever. This film is your typical slasher film, full of cheesy deaths, with Santa’s being butchered and hacked all over the place and of course – the twist reveal that shows why our killer is the way he is. This film was brought to us by the same minds behind one of my favorite slasher films – Pieces – which is one of the most ridiculous slasher films ever made but it’s still so much fun to watch. I thank Eli Roth every day for introducing me to that film.

There you have it! Now grab yourself some Santa cookies, snuggle up by the fire, and pop one of these films in and you’re good to go.

My boys in BlessTheFall recently wrapped up The Retrograde Tour with Crown The Empire, New Year’s Day, Light Up The Sky, and Too Close To Touch. I had the pleasure of attending their NC show, making this the second time that I’ve seen them live. As for the others, I had not had the chance to see them live prior to my show but holy shit, will I be attending more shows in the future – absolutely.

Light Up The Sky and Too Close To Touch kicked things off right, completely setting the entire tone of the show. Out of all of the acts, these were the two I knew the least about which made their sets even more intriguing. Live shows are a great way to discover new music and this was no exception. Washington natives, Light Up The Sky are a hidden gem and put on a hell of a show. If you’re a fan of bands like My Enemies and I, you’ll love them. They did a few songs from their debut album Nightlife, released under Rise Records. My favorite track so far is “Bring It On”, definitely give it a listen. Too Close To Touch are another severely underrated band. During their set they got really personal, discussing their own personal experiences and really connecting with the crowd. Vocalist, Keaton Pierce has some serious chops, which came in handy when he joined New Year’s Day on stage for “Angel Eyes” later in the show. Their newest album Haven't Been Myself is available now!

Speaking of New Year’s Day, my soul damn near left my body as they took the stage. While this was my first time seeing them live, I’ve been a fan for a while. Their presence on stage was electric, front-woman Ash Costello is an actual angel. Her vocals are even more insane in person and she’s just an all-around badass. The place went crazy as they tore through fan favorites like “Kill or Be Killed”, Malevolence and more. The band also announced that they would be back in NC in March, which you’ll definitely find me at the show, first in line. The highlight was actually getting to meet the band at their merch table after their set. If you ever get the chance to meet them, please do. They’re incredibly kind and genuine, just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.

My boys were up next, kicking things off with my favorite track “You Wear a Crown But You’re No King”. So, as you can imagine I looked a little something like this in the crowd.

BTF always delivers a hell of a performance. They command the stage and they have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands the minute they step in front of you. Beau Bokan’s energy is infectious as he bounces across the stage, climbing into the crowd (and onto sound equipment), so you can’t help but to feed off of it. I got to hold hands with Beau during their set, he’s also a huge fan of spirit fingers. During “Oathbreaker” they had the entire place moving as a massive number of crowd surfers moved through to stage dive. I’ve never seen so many stage divers in my life, shit was crazy. I was also incredibly pleased at “Dead Air” made it on the set list because it’s one of my favorites from To Those Left Behind.

Crown The Empire closed the show as they played through songs from the album that inspired this entire tour. I just recently got into Crown The Empire so I was stoked to see what they had in store for us. It was spectacular – everything from the lights, the production, and the way they controlled the crowd was amazing. Since it was a sold out show, as tradition they had someone crowd surf from the bar to the stage to bring vocalist, Andy Velasquez a drink. A tradition I can get behind. It was truly an unforgettable performance. I met Andy after the show, it was well worth standing in the cold.

Even though The Retrograde Tour has ended you can still grab a copy of the album in stores and online now! The track "Are You Coming With Me" is a BOP.

Here’s a few pictures from the show. 

It’s December now, which means it’s time to look back on the things I loved in the month of November. Now, I didn’t do much shopping because it’s Christmas time so it’s time to treat others and not yo self. But – I still have a few things to share with you so let’s dive in.

Beauty:

Erno Laszlo Cleansing Oil and Bar for Sensitive Skin: I recently did a campaign for Erno Laszlo with Influenster and got to try out this amazing duo. I have oily/combination skin so the thought of applying oil on my face was a bit scary but this product is gold. I got the pink sensitive skin duo which was perfect because my skin is crazy sensitive, the littlest thing can irritate it and cause it to breakout or add redness. This didn’t irritate my skin and it takes off everything – even makeup. I pour a bit on a cotton pad and apply it on my face (while dry), cleansing the skin and around my eyes If I was wearing eye makeup. Most wipes irritate my eyes but this does the trick. Then, you wet the massage bar and use it directly on the skin to further wash your face. I follow up with the Timeless Skin Serum and I’m done. The duo comes in different colors designed to fit your specific needs. If you haven’t tried this yet, you need to. If you’re unsure, get the smaller travel size before purchasing the larger sizes.

L - R: Muse, Candyman

ColourPop Super Shock shadow in Muse: This eyeshadow has been my go-to ever since I bought it. It’s a metallic, copper rose shade and I’m all about red-ish shadows. It’s creamy and blends out nicely, even when topped on other shades. I use my finger to apply it to get better payoff but it shows up great with a brush as well. I’ll definitely be buying more soon.

ColourPop Super Shock Cheek Highlighter in Candyman: This highlighter is life! It’s a warm golden shade and it is guaranteed to turn you into a golden goddess. I apply it with my fingers to the tops of my cheekbones, and then use my duo-fiber stippling brush to blend it out. This shade is perfect for my medium-tone girls, but even if you’re not close to my tone definitely check it out and see for yourself. ColourPop always features their shades swatched on different tones so you can better determine if it’ll work for you. Even if it doesn’t, it also works great as an eyeshadow or even a blush topper.

Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo & Conditioner: Now that I’m a red-head I had to switch up my hair care routine – starting with my shampoo and conditioner. I love Garnier Fructis so I picked up their Color Shield set and I’m in love. It smells fruity but it’s not overpowering. It leaves my hair feeling soft and moisturized and my color stays vibrant.

Entertainment:

NC Comic Con: I attended Comic Con for the second year in a row and it was 10x better than last year. Gerard Way is one of my favorite human beings and he, alongside the whole DC Young Animal team, attended the Con all three days. Young Animal is a monthly imprint, led by Gerard that features different comics full of some of the more interesting of the DC Universe.  It features Doom Patrol, Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye, Shade the Changing Girl, and Mother Panic. They held panels each day, where they discussed the creation and design process behind the Young Animal imprint. Each comic featured in the imprint had their own specific panel, where we got a chance to sit in with the creators and find out more about they bring the characters and their worlds to life.

My personal favorites are Mother Panic and Shade the Changing Girl. Mother Panic is an original character created by Way and brought to life by writers Jody Houser, Jim Kruger, drawn by Tommy Lee Edwards (with backup art by Phil Hester). The story follows Violet Paige – Gotham’s newest masked vigilante. By-day she’s one of the most well-known socialites in Gotham, by-night she’s kicking ass and doing it in style. She’s snarky, blunt, and an all-around badass. Unlike another well-known Gotham hero, Mother Panic doesn’t sulk in the shadows. She dons an all white suit, practically glowing through the darkened streets of Gotham like a white witch - which is what the creators envisioned for her.

Shade the Changing Girl follows an alien named Loma Shade from the planet Meta who’s incredibly bored with her dead-end life. She’s also incredibly fascinated with a “lunatic poet” by the name of Rac Shade and his infamous madness coat. Well, she jacks the madness coat and heads to earth where she inhabits the body of a coma patient named Megan Boyer. Megan is basically Regina George but instead of getting hit by a bus she drowned in a lake. This comic is such a joy to read. It’s hilarious, cool, and bright. Shade’s wardrobe is insane and I’d gladly take the madness coat for a spin. Shade is written by Cecil Castellucci, drawn by Marley Zarcone and overseen by Way.

In the midst of the chaos that was the merch booth area, I stumbled upon a booth for a local shop called “Little Shop of Horrors”. Obviously – I was shook. The owner was so nice and she had an array of handmade items, everything from soaps to jewelry. Her handmade soaps were all inspired by cult classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho, Repo! The Genetic Opera and more. I picked up two necklaces that featured Baby Firefly from The Devil’s Rejects and Michael Myers from Halloween. I’ve worn them almost every day since.

Also I ran into these amazing cosplayers dressed as Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanoff while at Comic Con and they were incredibly nice and took a photo with me. I was silently fangirling.

Pierce The Veil “Dive In”: My boys in PTV recently released their music video for “Dive In” featuring live footage as well as a behind the scenes look at the boys. The video perfectly depicts their personalities on and off stage. How they put their entire soul into their music, and how laid-back and goofy they are off stage. Check it out.

Till next time.

When it comes to music, I’m a huge fan of a very large number of bands and genres. There are many that hold a place in my heart and have influenced me in one way or another. Then there are some that stand out from the rest, the ones that have impacted me and left their mark. These are the bands that have shaped me and have played a part in helping me become the person I am today. Out of all of the music that I’ve fallen in love with, these are the albums that own my heart. Each song hits you, leaving their imprint in its wake. Every time I play them, I’m reminded of how it felt to listen to it for the first time. So, in no particular order, here are my top favorite albums.

My Chemical Romance Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge: I don’t think you know how hard it was for me to only pick one of their albums. Three Cheers was such a prominent force during my adolescence. Until this came into my life, I had never been affected so heavily by a band. I immediately immersed myself in all things My Chem, soaking up every bit of history, interacting with the fan base – everything. Red eyeshadow became an everyday thing.  The MCRmy was the first street team I had ever joined, fueling my love for promoting. One thing MCR does very well is create concepts – elaborate story lines – that each albums follow and each song on Three Cheers is like a new chapter. This album was like a rock opera; it's theatrical, stylish and beautifully written. The amount of inspiration that radiates from this album is insane. The jazz-inspired riffs in "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison?" Iconic. The lyrical brilliance behind "Thank You for the Venom"? Iconic. The imagery in "To The End"? Iconic. When a track from Three Cheers came on, you felt that shit in your soul. 

Personal faves: "I’m Not Okay (I Promise)", "Helena", "Give ‘Em Hell, Kid", and "The Ghost of You" (arguably one of the best music videos ever).

The Used In Love and Death: I’ve mentioned the importance of this album before, so it’s no surprise that it’s being mentioned again. In Love and Death inspired my very first tattoo, so I’ll always be reminded of how this album changed my life. The Used is another band that impacted my life in a big way. They came into my life right when I desperately needed something to believe in. Each song on the album was like my own personal therapy session. Everything I wanted to get out but couldn’t find the right words, they did it for me. The line “If you feel like dying you might wanna sing” from "Let It Bleed" became so much more than a lyric for me. Now, when I think of this album I’m reminded of someone yelling “you saved my life” during Night 2 of their 15 anniversary tour and Bert replying, “You saved mine.” 

Personal faves: "Let It Bleed", "All That I’ve Got", "Sound Effects and Over Dramatics".

FrnkIero and the Cellebration Stomachaches: Frank Iero is by far, one of my favorite musicians of all-time. He’s so incredibly talented and he puts so much of himself into everything he creates. Each time he creates a song, he gives us little pieces of his being. Creating a bond between himself and the listener and in the process, allowing us both to be understood and heard. Stomachaches was his first solo album since the MCR split in 2013 and it’s honestly a masterpiece. Iero is brutally honest, each song revealing bits of his soul and relating back to his own personal experiences with love, loss, mental health and more. The song “Guilt Tripping” is one in particular that speaks to me. The lines: “I went outside hoping the sun would burn my face. I went outside, hoping to feel something” and “I’ve felt this bad for so long I’m scared I’m fine”, perfectly depict my own personal experiences with mental health and that sinking numbness that comes with it. 

Personal faves: “She’s the Prettiest Girl at the Party, and She Can Prove it With a Solid Right Hook”, “Tragician”, “Weighted”.

Panic! At The Disco A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out: This album is what kick started my emo phase and my love for men in eyeliner. I owe all of my eyeliner skills to Ryan Ross. This album is probably one of the most played in my collection. Fever is a picturesque journey that really captured the essence of Panic and created an era that’s still loved by the fandom today. Every time I listen to it, I get more upset that I wasn’t able to see them during “Nothing Rhymes With Circus”. The lyrics on Fever are some of my favorite that Panic has ever released. Ryan Ross is, and always will be, an important asset and his lyrics are a huge reason why Panic took off the way they did. 

  Personal faves: “Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off”, “But It’s Better If You Do”, "Build God, Then We'll Talk".

Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree: Yet another staple from my emo days. Patrick Stump’s voice alone, is a key factor as to why this album is a favorite of mine. An accurate depiction of me singing along to this album is Brendon Urie in the “Drunk History” video. Every song on this album is an anthem, full of all of the teen angst you’ve ever felt dressed up in eyeliner and skinny jeans. Plus, Fall Out Boy is responsible for introducing me to a lot of the bands that I love. Back when Myspace was still a thing (oh, the glory days), I would basically stalk all of the bands from Fueled By Ramen and DecayDance and just immerse myself in their discographies. From Under the Cork Tree produced so many iconic tracks, I would recognize the bass line from "Dance, Dance" faster than my own name. The line "they call kids like us vicious and carved out of stone, but for what we've become, we just feel more alone" from "I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy, and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me" is fire.  

Personal Faves: “Sophomore Slump, or Comeback of the Year”, “Dance, Dance”, “XO”.

Paramore Riot: Paramore was among the bands that I discovered while stalking Myspace. It was also one of the first female-fronted bands that heavily influenced me, musically and style-wise. From the moment I heard “Pressure” I was shook. While the first song I heard was featured on their debut album All We Know is Falling, it was Riot that really stuck with me. It’s my go-to when I need inspiration for performances, in need of a mood-booster, or when I need motivation. Hayley Williams stood out to me because she had such a huge voice and she seemed so fearless, holding her own in such a male-dominated genre. She influenced me to push myself when it came to my singing and to step outside my comfort zone. She also inspired me to go red for the first time. This album was a force to be reckoned with in the mid-2000s. You couldn't leave the house without hearing "Whoa, well I never meant to brag, but I got him where I want him now!" Most days, you could catch me listening to Riot on repeat. The track "That's What You Get" was probably my profile song for months. 

Personal faves: “For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic”, “When it Rains”, “We Are Broken”.

Taking Back Sunday Louder Now: Taking Back Sunday was another one of those definitive bands for me. They were a part of the Holy Trinity in my playlist (alongside MCR and The Used). Louder Now was the soundtrack to my morning, every day in middle school. Being serenaded by Adam Lazzara while you ate breakfast was the perfect start to my day. Most of my favorite lyrics have came from TBS songs, and Louder Now was no exception. “I’m an addict for dramatics, I confuse the two for love” is probably one of my most quoted lyrics from the album. This album also spawned one of the most iconic songs in the emo movement, “MakeDamnSure”. It was everywhere, and it’s still relevant today. If your crush didn’t inspire you to tweet “I just wanna break you down so badly, in the worst way” then it wasn’t real, fam. 

Personal faves: “MakeDamnSure”, “Liar (It Takes One to Know One)”, “Twenty-Twenty Surgery”, and “What’s It Feel Like to be a Ghost?”

Versa Emerge Fixed At Zero: Another female-fronted band that shook me. As soon as I heard one of their tracks, I was immediately sold. There was just something about VersaEmerge that I was attracted to. They were charismatic, electric, and front-woman Sierra Kusterbeck had one of the most interesting voices I had ever heard. I was in the love the moment she opened her mouth. VersaEmerge is definitely not talked about as much as they should be. Their lyrics are full of wonder, creating a new listening experience every time you hit play. Blake Harnage (guitar, programming, and vocals) is also responsible for the hypnotic sound behind PVRIS’ album White Noise, which Kusterbeck did backing vocals for a few of the tracks. Sierra has such a unique voice, their acoustic tracks are among some of my favorite just because you can truly fear how crisp and full her voice is. My favorite line from the entire album is “We coexist, flourished and sunkissed” from “Lost Tree”. Fixed at Zero is full of hidden gems, it’s a shame that VersaEmerge are no more. 

Personal faves: “Mind Reader”, “Father Sky”, “You’ll Never Know”, “Stranger”.

Leathermouth XO: I remember stalking their Myspace page and Skeleton Crew trying to find every demo I could get my hands on. I saved my lunch money to pre-order this album. Leathermouth was the post-hardcore outlet led by Frank Iero (surprise, surprise). Alongside Iero, the band featured former members: Andrew Escobar, Vincent Averelli, and Steve Oyola. After their departure Rob Hughes, Ed Auletta, John McGuire, and James Dewees filled in to keep things going. The band was formed by a few of Iero friends, and while they had some demo tracks, they lacked lyrics. This is where Frank stepped in and made his contributions. Now, before this turns into an essay on their entire back story – let’s dive into why XO was a masterpiece. As mentioned, I’m gung-ho for Iero’s lyrics, and the tracks on XO screamed every anger-filled, self-loathing thought I’ve ever felt. Pulling from his own frustrations with political nonsense, mental illness, and social climate, Iero used this as a way to vent and speak to a generation of misfits that had been kicked down and broken. Dealing with tragedy and mental illness at such a young age, feeling trapped, unwanted and basically being verbally shit on can take a lot out of a person. The tracks on XO spilled every frustration I’ve ever felt. Iero’s never been one to hold back, which is why some of the tracks got him into a little trouble. Just, casual visits from the Secret Service, things like that. #WorthIt. 

Personal faves: “Sunsets Are For Muggings”, “Your Friends Are Full of Shit”, “This Song Is About Being Attacked By Monsters”.

Cobra Starship Viva La Cobra: Let’s end this on a lighter note. Cobra Starship was the savior that 2000s emo kids needed. Cobra was the main reason my wardrobe had any color and the reason I wanted to learn how to play keytar. Bright pink logos and sass-filled lyrics invaded the scene in 2006 with the release of While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets. While that album contains one of my favorite Cobra tracks, Viva La Cobra was the one that owned my heart. Cobra was one of the bands I stalked online (Thanks Pete), and fell in love with. It's also something that Cobra made fun of with their title “Pete Wentz Is the Only Reason We’re Famous” on a later album. Viva La Cobra dropped in 2007, and was produced by FOB’s Patrick Stump. One of my favorite things about this album is that you can hear Stump make an appearance on almost every track. This album is fun and ridiculous in the best way possible. Tracks like “Damn, You Look Good and I’m Drunk (Scandalous)”, “Prostitution is the World’s Oldest Profession (And I, Dear Madame, Am a Professional)”, and “My Moves Are White (White Hot, That Is)” really captured the essence of Cobra - which was essentially “stop giving a fuck and have a good time.” 

Personal faves: “The City Is at War”, “Smile for the Paparazzi”, “The World Has its Shine (I Would Drop it on a Dime)”.

Honorable Mentions:

The Academy Is Almost Here

Mindless Self Indulgence You’ll Rebel to Anything

All Time Low Nothing Personal