Halloween Novelty

I must say Spirit Halloween seemed a bit less spirited this year in dressing up the store. They usually go all out to create a creepy vibe to enhance your shopping experience, but the store I visited was lackluster. Still, an incredible amount of collectible coolness to adorn your man or girl or whatever you are (thanks Zacherley!) cave, boudoir, or hell, even the whole house. Here are some highlights, but they have a lot more to offer, if you dare. And, just for the record, I would have walked off with the Martian and Annabelle doll but my wife was with me. It gets tougher and tougher hiding stuff as you get older, you know. Nuff said on that. But I did manage to grab the Frankenstein and Black Cat masks. They are awesome.

This first highlight is one of me trying on this all-night sleeper for roominess. I do plan on taking it all with me.

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Spirit Halloween 2023Read More »

Michaels has become my bellwether for Halloween. They have so much variety in their offerings, you can't go wrong. There's the gothic decor, blow molds, creepy spooky smalls, skeletons galore, Lemax Spooky Town, oh my! And they bring it all out in August! Just when us diehards are giving our last gasp from the heat and sandy beach terrors of the summer, it all comes in the nick of time. Here are some highlights.

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Michaels Halloween 2023 SightedRead More »

Lowes' Halloween offerings for 2023 are going head to head with Home Depot's big is better theme. The smalls, which include some nifty animated and light up novelties, aren't shabby either. The life-size Haunted Mansion care-taker is a keeper (or screamer). The Jack o'Lanterns never looked so evil (you'd look like that too if people kept digging your guts out). And that scarecrow brings a little bit of the autumn harvest, but with bite, for those more traditionally inclined.

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Lowes 2023 Halloween Sighted!Read More »

It wouldn't be Halloween without visiting a Spirit Halloween store to get into the mood (and lighten your wallet). Here are some highlights to savor. I picked up a Billie Butcherson side stepper, just too cute not to. Had I storage space, I'd be picking up the mad monkey and more, too. Franchises to get the spirited treatment include Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus (enjoyed Hocus Pocus 2 by the way), Trick 'r Treat (dig that wonderful retro drunk by the lantern vibe), the usual monstrous classics, and rotten tots and assorted crazies galore. I usually avoid the spiders, though, they really creep me out. The devilish door knocker is a fantastic design with those light up eyes and paint job.

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Halloween 2022 Sighted
at Spirit HalloweenRead More »

All I can say is, if I had the room, that 12 foot evil clown would be coming home with me. It's awesome and makes a wonderful partner for your 12 foot skeleton from Home Depot. With both you'll have a giant Halloween, guaranteed. Aside from the usual plethora of costumes and accessories, here are some cool items to put a dash into your décor. The Yoga skeleton is rad.

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Halloween 2022 Spotted at Party CityRead More »

Home Depot has yet to disappoint with their larger offerings to adorn your lawn or liven up a Halloween party. You may need a bigger shed, though, to store all the wild stuff they dream up each year. I didn't see anything on the smalls side that was collectible for me, in particular, but that seems to be true for most of the places I'm visiting this year. 

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Halloween 2022 Spotted at Home DepotRead More »

They are almost done stocking the shelves with Halloween coolness, but I grabbed these shots of some of the offerings at my local Target. This year they are putting stuff out sooner than last year. Usually the return to school shelves are still packed, but maybe Target got some sense into their collective business noggins realizing that Lowe's already has their Christmas decorations out. So the selling cycle is getting earlier and shorter for sure. I can remember a time when I went to stores the day after Halloween to try and snag some bargains. Now, if you wait until October starts, you're a goner.  And damn you, Lowe's, what the hell? The candy isn't cold yet and you put out the ho ho ho, tidings of cheer merchandise? Don't snow on my parade, man!

I did pick up the skeleton bike rider, and will be going back for more (depending on how well I can sneak anything into the house before my wife catches me). Target always stocks fun items: some animated, some Day of the Dead, lots of skeletons, and a very neat crystal plasma skull this time around (okay, clear plastic, but the effect is still great) should be enticing to everyone (or maybe it's just me, already enticed and all).

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Halloween 2023 Spotted at TargetRead More »

Halloween 2021 is looking a little pale. Yes, it is only early September, but that is the point. Shelves, normally stuffed with decorative tricks and treats, have been slow to fill. Candy, of course, always the true king of Halloween, is popping up, but even it seems reluctant to do so.

My recent trip to Walgreens showed a lot less candy and much less spirited shelves for Halloweeny fun. Much of the action has been online as people buy up the cool ghoulie items from Target and Michael's, carefully avoiding any pandemic woes; and with distribution of merchandise at a crawl (where did all the truck drivers go?), I do not expect much in the way of wow and pizzaz for Halloween in the stores. But time will tell.

I did see the usually large and groovy gruesome at Home Depot, although Lowe's seemed anemic with their showing, so far, in comparison. Michaels had a pallbearer's worth of items, but certainly nothing compared to last year at this time. And there was no signature Lemax Spooky Town display set up, though I vainly looked for it. I had to purchase the Web of Terror ferris wheel from their online website. Certainly not the ghost of Michael's past when it comes to Halloween that I have come to expect.

Perhaps this year will be the Halloween that almost wasn't or perhaps I am being too worrisome. With limited supply and high demand, I still expect little creatures to crawl through the streets come Halloween day, but how many will dare to scare remains to be seen. The suspense is killing me. Here is some of this year's Halloween cheer to scream the year for you.

Home Depot always kills with the large lawn decorations and creepy smaller children of the night to deaden any party. Of note is the gondola with Charon. I'd take a ride in that myself; just not one way.

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The Halloween That Almost Wasn’tRead More »

Target is getting smarter and putting up their Halloween merchandise earlier this year. They always have a wide selection of bones, costumes, and colorful Day of the Dead items. Some fun animations and decorations this time around, though I miss the excitement and glee I had the time they did the Universal Monsters items when that movie dud, The Mummy (2017), came out. However, the 5.5 inch animated Halloween TV and the 6 inch animated Halloween Pumpkin are to scream for. Dare I use the word "cute!" And I got one of them for a steal. Picture this: I come upon this cute Halloween animated TV scene; only one left and no sticker on it; the register person asks if I know the price–I don't,it was the last one on the shelf; she asks the floor manager (I'm presuming that's who the person was anyway); the floor manager turns it on, looks all over it for a clue, then says 5 bucks!; yup, a steal. Later that night I realized I could have (as well as that floor manager) just gone to the Target website, searched on Halloween, and found the item; I did! I saved 10 bucks! And I saw there was an animated pumpkin scene too; I ordered it online and picked it up this morning. Now that's a real Halloween treat , I'd say.

Here are some other highlights to drool over.

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Target Halloween 2020Read More »