Apparently there’s a big holiday coming up, next weekend, which would, in part, explain the sudden influx of pastel candy into my neighborhood Rite Aid, over the past month or so. Among the armies of soon to be discounted bags are those little brightly colored marshmallow birds, and their relatively new bunny counterparts. The older among you will no doubt remember a time when the little sugar covered animals were representatives of a single holiday—since then, Just Born has effectively plastered the calendar with alternative Peeps—tree Peeps for Christmas, pumpkin Peeps for Halloween, and heart-shaped Peeps for Valentine’s Day.

For most of us, however, the fuzzy marshmallow creatures will be inexorably linked to Easter—a holiday that apparently deals with betrayal at the hands of a rabbit and the death and subsequent resurrection of a baby chicken. It’s for that reason that The Chicago Tribune holds their annual Peeps diorama contest [an idea stolen from three of four other papers, including The Washington Post], in which the winner is awarding a big fat check for $101.

When my friend Rachael and I entered, we were pretty sure that, while that $101 dollars was looking pretty good split two ways, we didn’t really have much of a chance of winning, thanks in part to the escalatingly absurd conceit for our project and the liberal use of fake blood that covered the walls. The other revolves the word “ennui,” which has pretty much never won a contest for anyone, ever. That said, we were hoping that no one would mind too much if our dioramas found a home on the Cross Hatch early the Monday morning before Easter.

The fairly high concept piece involves the aftermaths of having a black metal band play your prom. Honestly, it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but once the first Viking ax beg glinting from the nearby strobe light, you’ll no doubt wish that you had just hired that DJ who fades “My Humps” into the “Electric Slide.” The second is a bit simpler, and should be immediately recognizable to any Edward Gorey fans in the crowd.

I hope you like either or both, and when you’re in your kitchen later this week, huffing vinegar from recently dyed eggs, please take a moment to remember all of the poor children who will perished at the hands of Viking axes and ennui, this holiday season.

More Peepage here.

–BH