So today is the last day of Christine Rains' Childhood Fears Blogfest in honor of the release of her book, Fearless.
[So another day delay to telling you about my brief time away and family stuff... but believe me... I have several blogs on it, so you won't mind the delay]
Christine ASKS about our childhood monster...
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| I'm too old for THIS scary santa story, but it's the right flavor. |
I was still sleeping in a crib and was in the bedroom in our duplex, which we moved out of when I was three... so I was probably in my 2s... it was a DREAM... a NIGHTMARE actually... of Santa popping up from behind my crib... only he was a puppet Santa... suggesting I hadn't actually SEEN Santa at that time... FURTHER suggesting it was BEFORE I was 2 ½, because we have a picture of me at 2 ½ SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER on Santa's lap... but probably my fear of going to see Santa stemmed from this fear of the TALK of going to see Santa which had led to this NIGHTMARE that is still totally vivid to me.... puppet Santa popping up behind my bed...
But my fear of Santa was short lived... probably only that season... and once I realized he BROUGHT TOYS all fear evaporated. It was replaced by what I believe is STILL one of the most common fears... In fact in another iteration, it is one I still have (and not unrelated to my silly Santa fear). The childhood version is FEAR OF THE DARK.
Because see... ANYTHING could be in the dark. Under the bed. In the closet. RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU ONCE THE LIGHTS GO OUT... Wolves, Frankensteins, mummies... CLOWNS!
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| D'oh! And I forgot about my fear of basements! |
My fear of the dark lasted quite a while. I think I was seven or eight when I gave up the night light at last... About the time I fell in love with the 'spooking ourselves at parties' thing and learned to enjoy a little RUSH from my fear.
And I am STILL a little bit dubious of the unknown... but now it isn't unknown STUFF... new foods, new places... FABULOUS. I love a little stimulation from something I've never tried. NOW it is fear of not knowing how things will go. (and I want a career in writing?--yeah, but you saw the thing about the rush from the fear, right?)
Be sure to go see the other entries for Childhood Fears, too!
12 comments:
Fear of the dark is fear of the unknown - of course! And that one never leaves us.
Evil puppet Santa? That would creep me out for a while.
Very creepy!Puppets and clowns have always freaked me out.
When I was a kid, witches hid in my closet and flew by my window, making me sleep with the covers pulled up over my head, which I didn't like. I have no idea why I fixated on witches, but they looked like the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz.
-Vicki
The dark always scared me. Didn't help that our house was also haunted.
I have never been afraid of the dark, unless I hear a strange noise. Then I am really afraid.
I think the Santa fear is common with very small kids. I have seen so many cry when taken to see Santa at a mall. Maybe they had the same dream you did. LOL
Two? You remember something that happened when you were TWO? Gosh, TH, it must've really scared you. Cat says she remembers things that happened when she was very young. I wonder why I don't...
Anyway, yes. Fear of the unknown is a good one. Me? I knew exactly what I feared. Bette Davis. LOL! :D
Great post and blogfest! I was terrified of the dark when I was a kid. My monster was the wood grain of my bedroom door. It made the face of a ghoul at exactly the place where a person's face might be if he were standing at my open door. My door was always open because I was afraid to sleep with my door closed. That's a real catch 22.
Now I walk to the kitchen and the bathroom in the middle of the night without turning any lights on--just to remind myself that we do get over these fears.
I cured myself of that fear when I was young. I remember at age 10 sitting in the dark and waiting for something to happen. I sat and waited and when nothing at all happened I decided there was nothing here to fear.
Tim Brannan
The Other Side
I think the fear of the dark is so common because that's what helped humans survive all these years. You have a fantastic memory to be able to remember something from when you were so young. Thanks for sharing your story with us and for helping promote my novella.
Fear of the dark- totally get that. I avoid the side of my house at night at all costs. Clearly all scary things go away in daylight, except, of course, the fear of the unknown. Very legitimate at any time of life.
Great post!
A2Z Mommy and What’s In Between
I'm still afraid of the dark. First thing I do when I walk in a room is throw on all the lights. It drives The Husband bananas! LOL
Oh, and I happen to think ALL puppets are kind of creepy.
I was afraid of the dark, too. I'm more surprised when kids AREN'T!
My monster: http://thewarriormuse.blogspot.com/2012/08/childhood-monster-blog-fest.html
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