Maddie’s Monday Musings #1 - 9th October 2023

Did someone say “Friday 13th”?

This week we are graced with the rare and spooky occasion of 13th October 2023 falling on a Friday. To some (incl. some unhappy campers in Camp Crystal Lake) Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. But to others, such as Taylor Swift who has declared the number 13 as her lucky number, it may bring good luck and fortune due to all the magical and mystical energy filling the autumn air. You never know if Friday 13th might play a Trick or Treat on you! 😈🎃👻

The next Friday 13th in October won't be until 2028, so if you're planning on hanging up some festive Halloween decorations, this week might be the best time to do it!

Ahsoka final episode of Season 1

~No Spoilers~ This season has been SO GOOD! The Star Wars seasons on Disney+ have been utterly exceptional and so captivating. The continuation of interwoven Star Wars storylines and world-building has been exhilarating to watch play out in cinematic live action. 💫

But Ahsoka has gone above and beyond with bringing back the majesty of the Star Wars universe with epic lightsaber battles, character arc redemptions that made us gasp and shed a tear (or two), and a hinting towards the ancient mythical origins of the Force (which we will get to see play out even further in the next trio of highly-anticipated stand-alone Star Wars movies that were announced earlier this year).

Have you rekindled your love for Star Wars yet? Was it The Mandolorian or Ahsoka on Disney+ that hooked you back in?

Pokémon Gogh

For their 50th anniversary celebration (and Vincent's 170th birthday), the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has launched a fun and adorable collaboration with Pokémon to bring Vincent Van Gogh's famous paintings to life in the Poké-verse featuring beloved characters like Pikachu, Eevee, Snorlax, and Sunflora. This unique collaboration has been curated in an effort to reinvigorate interest and inspire younger generations to take part and learn about the world of art - colour me intrigued! 🎨

The collaboration also reveals not-well-known facts about Vincent Van Gogh's life, as he was an avid admirer of Japanese art prints and incorporated elements such as bolder use of colour & flattened depths of field into his whimsical masterpieces.

You can catch the Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum collaboration on display up until 7th January 2024.

Book of (Harry Potter) Spells

With October officially being spooky month where witches and ghoulish creatures come out to play, it's the perfect time to be adding to your Harry Potter book collection to learn everything there is to know about witches and wizards.

On 10th October 2023, The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac by J.K. Rowling will be released! It's filled with magical spells, curious objects, fantastic beasts, Wizarding World lore, iconic locations, and so much more. The book itself is a work of art as 7 illustrators from across the world have come together to beautifully illustrate this magical book.

Christmas is just around the corner too, so if you haven't already got The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac on pre-order, then now is the best time to start subtly hinting to your s/o or family to get this as a Christmas gift 🎄🎁

Christmas Markets

Speaking of Christmas, have you seen my latest blog post on the Most Magical Christmas Markets in the UK 2023? Some of them are ticketed, so make sure to book your tickets soon before they start selling out in the lead up to Christmas!

On Maddie's Mythical Tales, you can discover enchanting places to travel, fantasy news and updates, and tips to bring magic to your everyday life!

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Currently residing in West Sussex, Maddie is a 26 y/o blogger and illustrator with a passion for mythology, legends, fairytales & folklore. You'll regularly find her escaping into fantasy books, films, TV, and games.