Privacy Policy

Last updated: 07/01/2026

Gateway Haunts & Holly ("we," "our," or "the site") respects your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. We aim to keep this in plain English.

By using this site, you agree to the terms of this policy.

Who We Are

Gateway Haunts & Holly is a content website covering Halloween and Christmas traditions, events, recipes, and local life in the St. Louis metro area. The site is owned and operated by Raeann Hoelker.

For privacy-related questions, contact us at rae@gatewayhauntsandholly.com.

What We Collect

Information You Give Us Directly

  • Email signups. If you subscribe to our newsletter, sign up for the Boo Boxes waitlist, or use our contact form, we collect your email address and any other information you submit (such as your name and message).
  • Contact form submissions. When you fill out our contact form, we collect the information you provide so we can respond.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our site, we automatically collect certain information through cookies and similar technologies, including:

  • Analytics data. We use Vercel Analytics, a privacy-friendly analytics service provided by Vercel, to understand how visitors use our site. Vercel Analytics collects aggregate, anonymized data such as page views, referring source, device type, and general geographic region. It does not use cookies, does not collect personally identifiable information, and does not track individual visitors across sessions or sites.
  • Server logs. Standard web server information like IP address, browser type, and timestamps. This is used for security and to keep the site running.

Information from Third Parties

If you click an affiliate link or make a purchase through our site, the third-party service (such as Amazon Associates) may share information with us about that interaction.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Send newsletters and product updates to subscribers (only if you've opted in)
  • Respond to your messages
  • Understand how the site is used and improve content
  • Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
  • Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information.

Cookies

This site uses very limited cookies. Specifically:

  • Essential cookies: may be used to remember basic preferences (such as accepted cookie notices, if applicable). Required for the site to function normally.
  • Affiliate tracking cookies: set by affiliate networks (such as Amazon) when you click an affiliate link, allowing them to credit us for any resulting purchases

We do not use cookies for analytics. Our analytics provider (Vercel Analytics) is cookieless. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some functionality may not work as intended.

Affiliate Links

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links — when you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We disclose affiliate relationships on individual posts, and our Disclosure page provides more detail.

Advertising (Future)

We do not currently display third-party advertising. In the future, we may use ad networks (such as Mediavine or Google AdSense) to serve advertisements. If we do, those networks may use cookies and similar technologies to deliver relevant ads. This policy will be updated before any advertising launches, and the ad networks themselves will have their own privacy policies you can review.

Third-Party Services We Use

This site is supported by several third-party services that may have access to your information for the limited purposes described:

  • Vercel — hosts our website
  • Sanity — content management system that stores our published articles
  • Vercel Analytics — measures site usage (cookieless, aggregate data only)
  • Resend — manages our newsletter subscriber list
  • Formspree — processes contact form submissions
  • Amazon Associates and other affiliate networks — tracks affiliate link clicks

Each of these services has its own privacy practices. We encourage you to review them.

Your Choices

You can:

  • Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link at the bottom of every email
  • Disable cookies in your browser settings
  • Request access to or deletion of your personal information by contacting us at rae@gatewayhauntsandholly.com

Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as needed for the purposes described above, or as required by law. If you unsubscribe from our newsletter, we remove your email from active mailing lists, though we may retain a record that you unsubscribed to honor your preference.

Children's Privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

Your Rights Under State Laws

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights regarding your personal information. For example:

  • California residents have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect and the right to request deletion.
  • EU/UK residents have rights under GDPR, including the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at rae@gatewayhauntsandholly.com.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Significant changes will be flagged on the site or via email if you're a subscriber.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email us at rae@gatewayhauntsandholly.com.