[Haunt Review] Castle Blood's Spooky Little Cryptmas

It's no real shocker that we're not big on "traditional" holiday events around here. If given our choice in the matter, we love to bring in a bit of the bizarre and strange into the mix whenever we get the chance. So, when the opportunity for +Carrie H.C., +Alexandra F and myself to visit one of our favorite haunts from this past season for a little holiday fun came about, we just couldn't refuse!

Castle Blood is a strange and wondrous place as it is and they already differ so much from other haunted attractions during the Halloween season. What could they possibly have in store for the holidays? There was only one way to find out!

While their Halloween show is full of snark, sarcasm and more than enough scares for most folks, Spooky Little Cryptmas goes in a completely different direction. Instead of the startles and scares, you find yourself walking directly into a holiday special in the likes of The Addams Family or The Munsters. The residents of Castle Blood have decked the halls and invited us in to celebrate with them, though I'm not quite sure they've fully understood this whole Christmas thing...

• Date Visited: 12/14/13
• Review Team: +Carrie H.C., +Alexandra F and +Kitsune Hazard 
• Rating: Really Damn Good!
• Recommendation: I'd say that you should definitely go, but sadly the event only ran on the 14th and 15th. So, you'll just have to wait til next year. Either way, you should go then!
• Likes: Love the entire cast and their weirdness. They really do love playing with each group that comes in. Again, the sets and costuming are phenomenal.
• Dislikes:The only thing I can think of is maybe a little more projection from some of the cast. Some of them were a bit hard to hear at times, but that's really a minor thing. Also, open for more nights, 4 nights would be perfect for this event!
• Pro-Tip: Have fun with the residents of the castle! I can't stress this enough people...it's more fun if you're playing with them and not just a bump on the log. Also, the $20 ticket that included an event t-shirt and pin? Too good to pass up! 

Disclaimer: For this event we purchased our own tickets, so we were just like the rest of the paying public. Not like free tickets would have swayed us in any way, but just thought you might like to know that. 

Now, onto the rest of it!

There was a decent little line awaiting us once we arrived and it was nice to see that some people braved the weather to check things out. As always, Cedric was entertaining everyone with a few off kilter Christmas carols and chitchat as we waited. Since there wasn't much of a line, we were able to get in rather quickly.

Once inside we were greeted by Morpheus and got the rundown of just what was going on. The Castle Denizens, thrilled with their new indoor home, were in the festive mood...though they may not be getting it just right.

Well, what would you really expect? A bunch of vampires, werewolves, mad scientists, witches and all manner of other creatures aren't really going to "get it". That just brings about the joy in the weirdness of it all, but maybe that's just me.

My kinda Christmas tree!

Making our way into the parlor, we met up with the ever so accommodating, Lady Die. However, this time the room is far more festive and in the holiday spirit, even if a little strangely so for regular folks. Amongst the cobwebs and skulls were ornaments, a wreath that looked ready to hug anyone that came near and of course a tree, decked out to the nines with a very strange tree topper. Those not paying close attention, you might've also missed the little one who creeped about as well. Didn't see her coming at all...

It was here that we learned that three of the denizens who can't be there have prepared letters to Santa in their absence. Our job? Simple, to help in finding those items during the rest of our tour so they'll have a great Christmas along with everyone else. Inexplicably, Alex was chosen to pick from the three stockings. She chose the note from Etheria and upon the reading of it, were told that we had to find a hat, holly and hope.

With our group that last one was going to be more difficult than normal, given the state of them. Seriously, they weren't the brightest (more on that later), but luckily for them they had us along for the ride and at least two of them were amused by not only the cast, but ourselves as well (we have that effect on people). Even at this early stage, things were shaping up to be strange and they just got more amusing and weirder...

Castle Denizens are the best denizens!

Of course, true Castle fashion, before we got too far past the coffin door, we met up with a rather odd looking fellow and a really cool and interesting looking hybrid cat person (her jacket was killer). Here we were given a question, and the one who answered got to be our "leader". We knew the answer, but let a couple of new visitors to castle answer, though that didn't turn out so well (See previous comment our group on this one). Past this point, we found that the castle really was fully decked out to the nines. Santa hats on zombies, Christmas lights in the vines and wrought iron...this was going to be interesting (not like it wasn't already). It was clear they got the idea, but in their own special way.

Not long after, we met up with our tour guide, Bram, once again. I'm not sure if he was happy or scared that we were there, we nearly broke him the last time around and we were now looking forward the opportunity to do so once more. The ever reluctant guide was ever so thrilled about the holiday spirit...and his hat. (Gravely, you do ever so love to torment him, don't you?)

As we made our way deeper into the castle and Crow's Corner, we faced yet another challenge. This time naming 5 things from the 12 Days of Christmas, only to be answered with "Something my cat puked up" by Carrie. (What? I told you we were weird.) Her reward? The "beads of protection", definitely good to have about, this is a castle full of odd and weird creatures after all. However, I'm not so sure that Carrie was the one we wanted to have that.

Madam Krumpini and Gravely!

Our next big stop was for a chat with the lovely Madam Krumpini to see if the spirits, Christmas Spirits that is, could help out with our little gift getting quest for dearest Etheria. Again, one of the group didn't seem to quite grasp things...

In pure campy glory, Krumpini wanted to make a connection with one of us. To do so she thought, out loud, of a reindeer. Now, I'm sure you can guess how this works...sadly one of the ones in our group wasn't so bright. So, in response to Blitzen...they said Rudolph. Everyone in the room had a massive facepalm at that one! 

Thankfully another with us had caught on and we received our clue, which was something about Pandora's Box. Alex was all too happy to go "I know that one!" in response to it as well...which I think took everyone slightly aback. She was extremely thrilled and with that episode over, we were moving onward once again and to the lab of Professor Scrye. Interestingly enough, he was trying to change the seasons over from fall to winter (though I think he succeeded earlier with that given the weather outside!) and as a result of our help in this experiment we were treated to a bit of very silvery holly. Ah ha! The first of our required items on our quest...even if it was a bit off. 

Our next task was found within the crypts themselves. This time, we had to sing for it...once more our group didn't quite get it as many songs were suggested which missed the point of it being "about Santa Claus". Bram of course did suggest Kidnap the Santa Claus from "Nightmare Before Christmas", (and yes we did break out into it with him) but we had to find one that everyone knew. So, Here Comes Santa Claus it was and we were mercifully stopped short as we were gloriously horrible. I proudly accepted and wore our prize (much to Carrie's dismay), a Santa hat! Two items down and one to go, hope. Which was all but lost after that singing episode...

After a quick stop for cookies (thankfully not poisoned this time) in Gravely's office we were off to the conservatory to hopefully find some hope. We were greeted by the lovely violin playing of Garnet (holy crap, so different from the last time we saw you!) and then we were also treated to Christmas Present showing up. With, what else than a present and lucky for us it was that of Pandora's Box. Which some of you already may have figured out since the only thing left in the box after opening is...hope. Unfortunately Garnet gave this to Alex so...we're all probably doomed now. 

Victorious as we were, we weren't quite done yet...our final stop was to make sure we got all of our items and then receive a gift in return for doing such a "good" job (that really is relative with most folks, isn't it?). Lucky for us we had...

The denizens of Castle Blood's Spooky Little Cryptmas

Overall, we had a blast and once again the cast and crew at Castle Blood put on a great event. While a few of them were a bit quiet and hard to hear at times, there wasn't much else to complain about. Even that's just a minor thing.

Sure, our crew would love it if the sarcasm was turned up a few notches and the challenge a bit harder, but this isn't that type of show. This was a wonderful and bizarre trip into the world of the macabre to see just how they celebrate the holidays and we could've easily stayed for hours with them to do it. It's really that good and well put together here folks, but that really shouldn't be much a surprise either...

Sadly, Spooky Little Cryptmas only ran this past weekend, so if you didn't get out to see it you  missed your chance. One can only wish that in the future they expand this one to two weekends, more folks definitely need to see and experience it. Don't fret too much though, the next chance to catch the Castle Blood crew is in February. You can join them for another round of interactive camp and scares with their Valentine's Day show as they "mock the mortals for daring to say things like I will love you forever, when they have no idea what eternity really means, other than bad Calvin Kline perfume!"

Now, only one questions remains...when can we move in?!

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