Review: Halloween Tarot — Spooky Fun Tarot
First impressions
The Halloween Tarot made me laugh on the very first shuffle. The Fool is a clown in a pumpkin-pattern costume juggling colorful balls under a starry sky, with a grinning moon and a black cat at his feet. The Emperor is Frankenstein on a stone throne with a brain in a jar on the shelf. And the Hanged Man is a scarecrow dangling upside down among crows and autumn leaves.
Sounds like a joke? It works as full-fledged tarot. That’s the genius of Kipling West: she took every Waite card, preserved all the symbolism, but dressed the characters in Halloween costumes. And it turns out monsters and ghosts express archetypes just as well as medieval figures.
About the deck
Artist: Kipling West. Text: Karin Lee. Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, 1996. Available in multiple formats — standard box, book-and-deck set, and tin edition. One of the world’s bestselling seasonal decks.
78 cards with renamed suits:
- Imps instead of Wands — fiery energy
- Ghosts instead of Cups — emotions and intuition
- Bats instead of Swords — mind and conflict
- Pumpkins instead of Pentacles — material world
The Major Arcana is a parade of classic horror movie monsters and Halloween folklore characters. Standard cardstock, vibrant printing, orange borders with titles.
Visual style
Kipling West’s style channels vintage 1920s Halloween postcards filtered through cartoon illustration. Bright, saturated colors: orange, purple, green, yellow. Black cats appear on nearly every card. Pumpkins are everywhere.
The artist’s greatest achievement: she captured the atmosphere of Halloween night without making the cards oppressive. Everything here is creepy — but also fun, like a children’s costume party.
Core themes
Halloween Tarot is Waite in a masquerade costume. All symbolism is preserved, but every image gets a Halloween twist:
- Monsters as archetypes — Frankenstein = authority and control, Bride of Frankenstein = fertility and creation, the Mummy = religious bonds
- Humor as tool — funny images defuse fear of “heavy” cards
- Vintage aesthetics — nostalgia for 1920s Halloween America
- Seasonality — designed for October readings, but works year-round
Favorite cards
The Emperor (IV) — Frankenstein
A green-skinned monster in a purple jacket sits on a stone throne, holding an ankh-scepter and a pumpkin. A jar with a brain and flowers on the shelf behind. A black cat watches. This Emperor was literally assembled from parts — and that’s a perfect metaphor for someone building their authority piece by piece.
Death (XIII)
A dancing skeleton with a scythe among pumpkins, a black cat, a vulture, and a grinning sunflower. This is possibly the most joyful Death in all of tarot. No fear here — just a party. And that’s paradoxically precise: transformation can be a dance.
The Hanged Man (XII) — The Scarecrow
A scarecrow hanging upside down from a tree among crows, autumn leaves, and tongues of flame. Green boots, blue overalls, pumpkin faces below. The scarecrow flips the world — and sees it anew. A perfect visual pun.
The Moon (XVIII) — The Werewolf
A man mid-transformation into a wolf — ripping his shirt, a moon above a castle on a hill, black rabbit, red poppies, a tombstone. Classic horror movie moment in bright cartoon colors. Illusions, instincts, and the hidden wild within — all present, delivered with a smile.
The Devil (XV)
A red she-devil in a blue dress with a pitchfork, two small imp babies on leashes. Black cat, shelves of potions and skulls, flames. This Devil entertains more than it frightens — but the addictions and attachments are no less real for it.
How to work with this deck
- October readings — the perfect deck for Halloween season. From October 1-31, a daily card from the Halloween Tarot
- Humor as therapy — if “heavy” cards in other decks intimidate you, Halloween Tarot helps you befriend them through laughter
- Waite parallel — every card is a direct reference. Compare and notice how the Halloween image reveals the meaning
- Party readings — this deck works beautifully at gatherings and for reading friends
Who is this deck for
If you love Halloween, retro aesthetics, and dark humor — this deck will bring joy with every spread. It doesn’t pretend to deep esotericism, but it reads accurately and joyfully.
If you already have a “serious” deck and want something for mood — Halloween Tarot is ideal as a second deck in rotation. It lightens the atmosphere and makes tarot accessible for those wary of mysticism.
An honest downside: some consider the deck “not serious.” If solemnity and visual depth matter to you, cartoon monsters may not convince. But I’d say: don’t let the wrapper fool you. Under the pumpkins — real tarot.
Deck pairings
- Modern Witch Tarot — the style and seriousness of Modern Witch contrasts nicely with Halloween’s humor for different moods
- Light Seer’s Tarot — a warm, gentle deck for days when you want depth instead of fun
- Dark Wood Tarot — if Halloween is the light side of the spooky season, Dark Wood is its dark side
Try the Halloween Tarot in our Telegram bot — Elvi Tarot 🎃
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Halloween Tarot good for beginners?
Great for beginners familiar with the Rider-Waite system. All symbolism is preserved, just dressed in Halloween costumes. And the humor takes the edge off 'scary' cards.
How many cards are in the Halloween Tarot?
78 cards — 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor. Suits are renamed: Wands → Imps, Cups → Ghosts, Swords → Bats, Pentacles → Pumpkins.
What are the main themes of this deck?
Classic Rider-Waite in a Halloween wrapper: classic horror movie monsters, vintage 1920s postcards, witches, ghosts, and pumpkins. Death dances, the Devil amuses, and Frankenstein is your Emperor.
Who created this deck?
Artist Kipling West, text by Karin Lee. Published by U.S. Games Systems in 1996. One of the world's most popular seasonal tarot decks.
