Follow for more talkers

Meet the ‘Queen of Halloween’ who celebrates spooky season all year

"I think that celebrating Halloween 365 days a year is proof you can celebrate anything you love at any time."

Avatar photo

Published

on
Screen grab of Michelle Carlbert and her Halloween decorations. (Michelle Carlbert via SWNS)

By Fiona Jackson via SWNS

Meet the self-proclaimed queen of Halloween who celebrates the holiday 365 days a year - and even closes the curtains whenever the sun is out to pretend it is autumn.

Michelle Carlbert, 50, keeps up her pumpkins and black cat décor all year round, and loves nothing more than blasting her spooky tunes on a stormy day.

She loves donning her Jack-O-Lantern T-Shirt, ghostly headband, bright orange Converse trainers and pumpkin-shaped bag when doing the shopping.

"I may not wear Halloween-themed clothes or even have a spooky, gothic house but Halloween is on my mind every day," saidMichelle, from Kansas City, Missouri.

"It really does bring me joy, I get to feel like I'm a kid again, so much nostalgia.

"I look forward to the way the season feels, there's something about it when it's getting darker getting earlier and there's more spooky things around."

Even though she was born in Miami, Florida where there are "no seasons", Michelle has loved Halloween for as long as she can remember and started collecting decorations at 14.

"Seeing those decorations, picking out my costume, having a party at school with a costume parade and then going trick-or-treating – they were my favorite things to do and almost like having another Christmas," she said.

"Soon I found that I was looking forward to Halloween as much as Christmas, if not more. It felt like I used to be the only one.

"Adults weren't considered to be as part of Halloween as kids were, even in the 80s it was still a kid thing not an adult thing."

She's since moved away from the Florida heat to be able to experience a proper chilly autumn during her favorite time of year.

Michelle listens to Halloween music to get her in the mood, like Rob Zombie or the "Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack.

"When I just need a Halloween fix that's usually when I'll bust out a scary movie or a fun Halloween movie, like "Hocus Pocus" or 'Friday the 13th,'" she said.

During the summer - her least favorite time of the year - Michelle will light her pumpkin-shaped candles, blast her music, and close the curtains to pretend it's autumn.

But if it's rainy or stormy, naturally she'll keep them open.

"Doing that will cheer me up during a long, hot summer," she said.

She will also make pumpkin spiced bread, muffins or coffees when her friends are having barbecues.

Michelle has Halloween decorations up in her house all year round, like a Jack Skellington clock she got one year for Christmas.

And when the festive season does come around, she'll display a Halloween-themed Christmas tree covered in ghosts and witches, and an autumnal wreath.

"Usually what happens is I will look at what decorations make me the most happy and I will simply leave them up all year," said the freelance writer and graphic artist.

"This can change every year but some of my favorites are my pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns.

"I have them in every shape and form, from plastic to ceramic, and I love them all."

Thrifty Michelle prefers to search charity and vintage shops for the odd piece, but can't help splurge up to $500 each year on the post-Halloween sales.

Ironically, the holiday that is dedicated to making people scared is what brings single Michelle the most joy, as well as nostalgia for when she was younger.

"I still feel like that little girl who got very excited picking out her Halloween costume at the local drug store with her mom," she said.

"I can remember asking my parents when I was very little if we could go trick-or-treating again the next night after Halloween and I was bitterly disappointed to find out that’s not something that happens.

"Nowadays, I feel that same exact joy and excitement whenever I start to see Halloween decorations in the stores."

She gears up for the big day by looking up decorations and party ideas on Pinterest and when the big day comes round, it can't last long enough.

Her unique lifestyle has seen her gain a massive following of 17,000 Halloween enthusiasts online who love her brand, 'The Queen of Halloween 365'.

"I exult in all things Halloween and that the rest of the world finally awakens to the spookiness that I feel year-round," Michelle said.

"I've been very lucky to live in a couple places where we would get at least 100, or more, trick-or-treaters, so I like having my place decorated for the kids to see."

She'll admire her neighbors' decorations at sunset, visit scare parks and throw parties throughout the entire month of October - and, of course, don her spookiest clothing.

"I did get a couple looks but I also got a couple strangers who said they loved my shirt," she said.

"Do whatever and wear whatever makes you happy."

When she was younger, Michelle's family did think her obsession with the season was strange, but are now accustomed to her lifestyle.

"I think my friends and family assumed I would grow out of it," she said.

"But when I never did, and the holiday itself started taking off and becoming bigger and bigger every year, they were soon coming to me for advice.

"I have a small collection of costumes and I’ve loaned them out multiple times to friends who didn’t have anything to wear to a Halloween party.

"People started calling me 'The Queen of Halloween' and coming to me for ideas on how they should celebrate the holiday."

Her dream is to turn her property into a spooky heaven, with haunted mazes, a hayride, a pumpkin patch and a themed hotel that could be open for the entirety of October.

"I think that celebrating Halloween 365 days a year is proof you can celebrate anything you love at any time," Michelle said.

"Because if it makes you happy, you should do that, it doesn't matter what it is.

"I used to not embrace my Halloween love because I did get judgement and funny looks - I was laughed at and made fun of. It was almost my dirty little secret that I was only allowed to talk about in the month of October or the week before Halloween.

"Talking about it has led to me finding other people who do love it.

Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.

Top Talkers