Candle Cove is a seminal creepypasta created by Kris Straub in 2009, formatted as a nostalgia-driven forum discussion about a fictional, low-budget puppet show from the 1970s. The story is famous for its unsettling imagery, featuring characters like the Skin-Taker—a skeleton who wears the skins of children—and the 'Laughing Stock' pirate ship. The ultimate twist, where a protagonist's mother reveals that he spent hours staring at television static instead of a real show, has become a staple of internet horror lore. Memes featuring Candle Cove often play on the themes of distorted childhood memories, the uncanny nature of old media, and the shared experience of being terrified by obscure television programs.