Your Month Your Liminal Creature

Cynthia May

2 min read

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21-01-2025

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October. The air turns crisp, the leaves blaze with fiery hues, and a certain… unease settles in. It's the perfect time of year to explore liminal spaces, those unsettling in-between places that exist on the fringes of our perception. And what better way to capture that feeling than by associating a specific liminal creature with each month?

This isn't about cute, cuddly creatures. We're talking about the things that lurk in the shadows, the figures that flicker at the edge of your vision, the entities that whisper promises of something… other.

October: The Scarecrow

October's liminal creature is the scarecrow. Not the friendly, cartoonish scarecrow of children's books, but the weathered, ragged figure standing sentinel in a deserted field. Its stitched-together clothes, its hollow eyes staring blankly into the twilight—it represents the transition from life to decay, from harvest to winter's barren landscape. It's a silent guardian of the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead, a perfect embodiment of October's unsettling charm.

Think about it: the scarecrow stands on the edge of civilization, a silent witness to the changing seasons. It's a familiar figure, yet its stillness and uncanny presence invoke a sense of unease, a subtle reminder of the fragility of life and the mysteries that lurk just beyond our comprehension.

November: The Slenderman

November’s chilling embrace brings with it the tall, gaunt figure of Slenderman. Emerging from the fog and the deepening shadows, Slenderman embodies the creeping dread of the approaching winter. His lack of a distinct face, his impossibly long limbs, and his unsettling ability to appear and disappear at will make him the perfect liminal figure for this month. He represents the unseen, the unknown lurking in the dark corners of our minds and the vast, empty spaces of the late autumn landscape.

December: The Krampus

As the year draws to a close, December’s liminal creature is Krampus, the horned, demonic entity of Alpine folklore. Unlike the jolly Santa Claus, Krampus punishes naughty children, dragging them away into the darkness. He embodies the darker side of the holiday season, a reminder that not all festive traditions are filled with cheer. He’s a creature of the night, a stark contrast to the bright lights and cheerful decorations of the holiday season, making him a fittingly liminal figure for the end of the year.

Beyond the Month: Embracing the Liminal

This is just a starting point, of course. You can create your own liminal creature for each month, drawing inspiration from folklore, mythology, and your own imagination. The key is to tap into that sense of unease, that feeling of being on the edge, that awareness of the hidden things that lie just beyond the veil of our everyday reality.

So, embrace the liminal. Let the creatures of the in-between spaces creep into your imagination. After all, the most interesting stories often reside in the spaces between the known and the unknown.