Creepy Crate is a bi-monthly subscription box for fans of true crime and horror. Every other month Creepy Crate sends a variety of wearables, books, desk accessories, games, and collectibles inspired by serial killers, horror movies, and well, anything creepy!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Creepy Crate
The Subscription Box: Creepy Crate
The Cost: $39.99 every other month + free U.S. shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: CREEPYMSA
The Products: Collectibles, wearables, desk accessories, games, and books inspired by serial killers, horror movies, and anything creepy. Boxes promise an average retail value of $90.
Ships to: The U.S. for free, worldwide for an additional cost
Good to Know: I receive a shipping notification each time a 'Crate leaves for my house!
Creepy Crate "The Holiday of Horror" October/November 2020 Review
Creepy Crate celebrates the most festive time of year the best way they know how - with horror! I am sure this will be an unusual opinion, but I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love gravy, stuffing, candy canes, and the general spirit of goodwill, but if it were up to me, I would definitely vote for Second Halloween instead of Christmas. I have a feeling the good people at the 'Crate might agree! Let's check out these goodies, shall we?
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We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper – Retail value $29.99 (on sale here for $25.99)
This box's tome was a new release - one of my favorite things about Creepy Crate. When we get new books, I think it really adds exclusivity to the crate, which then adds value. I am almost certain by now that you, dear reader, are familiar with my robust (obsessive?) consumption of true crime. This month's book is, guess what? TRUE CRIME. This is an investigation of the death of Jane Britton, whose death at Harvard in 1969 went unsolved for decades. Cooper herself came across the story during her own undergraduate years at Harvard, and I think her work as an editorial staff member for the New Yorker really informs the voice of the whole book. I don't want to give too much away, since the twists and turns are the best part, but if all nonfiction was as good as this, I'd definitely dig into the genre more often!
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Bloody Mary Shot Glasses (set of 2)
While I find "Candyman" to be the much more terrifying version of this tale, I have to say, I have a perfect memory of trying to summon Miss Mary as a kid. These shot glasses took me back to that time immediately! I was at Girl Scout camp for a week, and somehow a few of us girls snuck away from the counselors into the main lodge's bathroom to see if we could bring forth her spirit. It's such a cliche, but I have this perfect memory of two of us girls staring into the mirror, getting to the fourth "Bloody Mary," and running screaming from the bathroom in absolute terror. These shot glasses are so cool and nice quality; I can't wait to put them on display so that I can remember my camp days any time I want!
Along Came a Spider Shawl
For me, there's always an item in a box that truly surprises me with how much I end up liking it, and for this box, it's definitely the spider shawl. As far as spooky motifs go, spiders and webs are among my favorites, and the design here is really nice. Simple black spiders with white webs, but the most striking part of this piece to me is the light peach background! It's unexpected, but a perfect color for fall, and I'm not gonna lie - it's super-soft, and looks pretty amazing on all my video chats for work.
Incubus by Ann Arensburg (eBook format) – Retail value $10.99 (on sale here for Kindle for $10.99)
Just like last month, as soon as my 'Crate arrived, I received an email two days later with the instructions on how to download this! This month, the ebook is an older book, having been published in 2000 (Can you believe that was two decades ago?). The title seemed promising, but I ended up agreeing with other online reviewers and found the book to be oh-so-slow. It took ages to pick up, and if I'm being somewhat frank, the ending didn't quite pay off like I hoped it would. It was a shame, really, because, if there hadn't been another book in the crate to compare it to, this eBook might have fared a bit better in my eyes, but after reading Becky Cooper's book, this ended up paling in comparison.
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Gingerdead Man Cookie Cutter – Retail value $16.20
So, interestingly, even though I really love to cook, I'm not much of a baker - except for holiday cookies! My mom gave me all of the family sugar cookie cutters two years ago and it felt like such a rite of passage. Like, I'm a real adult now! However, I felt like this cookie cutter was just made for me, so maybe we'll pump the brakes on that whole adult bit for a moment. I bought tons of sprinkles to decorate with this year, but these were really nice in a single color. I thought the cutter was easy to use, too! You first cut out the shape, then you use the front like a stamp to get in the details. I didn't have to press very hard to get the bone details. I'm a big fan of baking sugar cookies and shortbread cookies, so this little guy is definitely going to get some exercise over the years.
Mistress of the Dark Sun Catcher
As I've gotten older, Elvira has sort of become my hero. When I was little, I didn't quite understand the satire of her persona, even though I've always been on-board with her personal aesthetics. I saw her at a convention a couple of years ago, and she was just the absolute coolest. She held a Q&A during the con and talked about her past projects as well as her time with The Groundlings improv troupe. Creepy Crate's got the right idea with this dual-use item; it can either be a sun-catcher, proudly hanging in a window, or can be used as an ornament during the holidays!
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Bat Into Hell Home Decor – Retail value $6.99
Too funny - I've actually wanted these before even receiving this box! A dear friend of mine puts hers up every year for her Halloween party. Last year, she just left them up on the wall, and honestly, they look amazing. These are really easy to install, and even though they're made with simple materials, I believe they'll hold up well over time (and multiple holidays!).
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Blazing Jack-O'-Lantern Pin
The last item in this box was a cute enamel pin! They're often a subscription box staple, but I love that this box changed things up by making a little pumpkin in an unexpected color and glow-in-the-dark. I don't actually wear these pins as a rule; I have a nice wall-hanging that displays them all. They're all usually of the goth/horror/Halloween persuasion, so I think this one will fit right in with the crowd!
Verdict: This Creepy Crate of goodies really brought good tidings with their dark offerings this month. I was most pleased with a great true crime book to curl up with, and I loved the soft scarf, and the bats, shot glasses, sun-catcher, and cookie-cutter were so much fun to sprinkle spooky joy all over my house! I'm really glad that this 'Crate didn't lean heavily on traditional holiday items, because it would be hard to use them throughout the year. You can tell that the items were thoughtfully chosen, and the execution of them made for nice-quality items. The arrival of the 'Crate is always a bright spot of darkness (is that a thing?) in my day when it arrives!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll receive the December/January box as your first box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: CREEPYMSA
Value Breakdown: This box costs $39.99 + free shipping, which means that each of the 5 physical items in the box, plus the eBook link in my inbox, has an average cost of $6.67.
Check out all of our Creepy Crate reviews, along with even more horror subscription boxes!
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