With Halloween just right around the corner, there’s probably more than a few of you out there who are simply dying to involve yourself in all kinds of devilishly sexy antics. If you’re the sort of person who celebrates Halloween all year round, even better! We don’t judge. But before you start putting those plastic fangs in, consider this: what actually makes Halloween so kinky?
When this annual holiday comes to mind, the usual imagery springs up: vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and all manner of different spooks. Others might think of pumpkins, candy, and colorful costumes. This last example is especially relevant, as people from all walks of life have enjoyed the experience of adopting the identity of a character and acting a role out, whether for imagination’s own sake or to fulfill a naughty desire.
Part of what makes this holiday so thrilling revolves around the exploration of elements society finds taboo—the vampire’s hypnotic stare; the werewolf’s unfettered animality; the haunting image of a specter; the thought of imparting love to a forbidden creation—and a permission to express ourselves in a way we can’t typically pursue. It is a large reason why horror movies have remained a popular fixture of Halloween for as long as cinema has played a part in our culture.
If the thought of an extra freaky Halloween has always fascinated you, then it’s time to dream big! Let yourself become anyone you want and play to your heart’s delight! Make it a real monster mash!
Horny On Halloween? It’s More Common Than You Think
If there’s any evidence of how incredibly popular and widespread Halloween fever can get, it can be found among the many dozens of holiday sales that are hosted by various lingerie manufacturers and distributors.
A study conducted in 2015 on the UK-based retailer company Ann Summers found that 56% of its members admitted to participating in sexual activities while wearing their Halloween outfits, Women's Health reported. Yandy, a leading powerhouse in both regular women’s apparel and specialized Halloween apparel, attributes approximately 20% of their annual business to their raunchy costumes, reaching record-breaking numbers in 2020 with a 35% increase in sales. The company’s Bedroom Costumes lingerie subcategory, which features getups explicitly intended for both public and private use, saw a 31% spike in the months after the pandemic struck.
"Since quarantine began in March, we've seen a huge spike in bedroom costumes," said Pilar Quintana-Williams, Yandy's vice president of merchandising. This peculiar trend became especially noteworthy as many states across the country would move to strongly discourage, or even prohibit, the large Halloween gatherings and parties that most of us were used to attending.
“There are a lot of Halloween costumes that help couples fulfill their role-play desires”, said Quintana-Williams. “With people stuck at home and not much else to do, we expect they might start to dream up their costume ideas earlier in the season to fill a void and let their minds focus on something exciting to look forward to in the fall… Anything that transports customers to a world where they can escape the 2020 dumpster fire of stress will be hot items. People are ready to escape to Halloween.”
A survey conducted by Dr. Justin Lehmiller of Sex & Psychology lends further credence to the idea that Halloween draws out a person’s latent kinkiness; interviews with over 4,000 American adults revealed that 33% of the participants have fantasized about having sex with a mythical creature, and women—especially those, in particular, who identified as anything other than heterosexual—were much more likely to experience these fantasies than men.
As for what types of creatures people get horny over, that also varies by gender. In the same study, among heterosexual women, vampires were the most dominant creature fantasy at 63%, followed by werewolves (9%) and demons (8%) with no other creature type registering above 5%. Between heterosexual men, however, the numbers are far more diverse and varied; although vampires still dominate the list at 26% of interviewed individuals, they were followed closely by demons (17%), mermaids (12%), nymphs (11%), and elves (9%).
Similar data patterns were found among people who identified as anything other than heterosexual. Creature fantasies were especially prominent and common among non-binary individuals, with over half (56%) of non-binary participants reporting such fantasies.
A majority of the people in Dr. Lehmiller’s study went on the record to admit that they’ve never had sexual thoughts about mythical creatures of any sort, but the evidence gathered clearly demonstrates that these kinds of fantasies are not an uncommon experience entirely.
What Makes The Scary So Kinky?
There are a number of hypotheses floating around that attempt to explain, or at least shed some light on, the psychology beneath a person’s attraction to the supernatural. Things of a paranormal quality skew the traditional meaning of reality and blur the boundaries between what is tangible and what is abject fantasy; in most of these instances, this triggers revulsion in a typical observer, especially if it closely resembles a human being, an inherent result of the uncanny valley.
But for some people, the thought of being overpowered by a vampire, demon, or werewolf comes with a sense of uncertainty and fear—these creatures make no distinction between toys and prey—that brings about physiological arousal. If the monster in question is depicted as being especially attractive, these paradoxical feelings increase accordingly. Indeed, romanticizing of traditional horror tropes can be found with great prevalence in many works of literature and cinema, perhaps the most famous example being none other than Count Dracula.
Similarly, mythical creatures are a widely known novelty among humans, and we as a species are especially fascinated by, and interested in being a part of, brand new sexual experiences. This phenomenon is called the Coolidge effect, and may be a contributing factor behind the sheer diversity and variability of human sexual fantasies.
A possible factor that might play a role in the development of such fantasies is that they speak about, or hint at, a deeper interest in another kink. Vampires, for example, will often use their hands to directly expose the victim’s neck before biting down on it. From this, it can be inferred that the idea of sexual interaction with a vampire carries a dominant-submissive power dynamic with sadomasochistic elements. There does appear to be a positive correlation between fantasies about mythical creatures and fantasies about BDSM in general, as well, which means that, sooner or later, you might start having dreams about werewolves in leather!
Ideas To Make Your Halloween Extra Hot
So, now you’re probably wondering: “Just how can I sexify my Halloween?” Apart from ordering yourself the most diabolically scandalous costume imaginable, the sky is really the limit here; explore your imagination and see what kind of scariness gets your blood running hot! But if you’re still having a bit of trouble coming up with something original, here are a few ideas that may help you to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit:
Roleplay as a vampire! Even if bloodplay isn’t your kink, you may enjoy the aspect of exerting your will over a “victim” or “thrall”, as it shares plenty in common with other attributes of BDSM play. It’s also no coincidence that vampires often dress themselves in sensual leather outfits, as well!
Conduct a sexy seance! Grab yourself a Ouija board and invoke the spirits to influence your mischief. Perhaps you may enjoy the voyeuristic aspect of being seen by unseen forms, or wish to be used as a vessel for a spirit’s unfulfilled desires. If ghosts are a lingering imprint of a deceased person’s feelings, then surely they must be capable of expressing sexual attraction, as well?
Reenact your favorite scary movie! Horror cinema has left an indelible influence on our bedroom fantasies, and with so many recognizable classics, it should come as no surprise that people will want to “pornify” their favorite scenes. Perhaps Freddy Krueger’s trying to invade your wet dreams, or Jigsaw has you in a devious sex trap, or you’re (eagerly) anticipating Michael Myers behind your bedroom door with a massive dildo in hand. Maybe you watched a cursed sex tape? These scripts basically write themselves!
Host a heroic orgy! Inspired by more recent examples in pop culture, you and a multitude of other interested people could dress up as your favorite heroes or heroines and engage in a variety of super-kinky activities. Each participant could simulate a “power” through use of specific toys and gadgets or roleplay their abilities in a sexual context. As it is with any sexual experience, always obtain consent first and be clear with your turn-ons and turn-offs.
Of course, these are only a sample of ideas to augment your Halloween experience, and it certainly isn’t an exhaustive list. That said, we would love to hear your own takes on making spooky season sexy, and invite you to share your thoughts with us at elevateyourkinky@gmail.com!
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