Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, without question. With Americans expected to spend a whopping $8 billion this year on Halloween, I see I’m not alone. It definitely has changed since I was a kid. For one thing, when I was kid, Halloween was a one-day holiday. We may have had a carnival at the school, but that was basically it. That, and the Trick-or-Treating, of course. No one decorated their house. Orange lights didn’t exist. Certainly no zombie babies.
My five siblings and I figured out our costumes the day of Halloween, rummaging through our mother’s closet. She had to have known. We were gypsies, witches, ghosts, and hobos. My brothers often dressed in drag or as bloodied mummies. We were totally fine with it. I loved being a gypsy, so wild and free, wearing scarfs, hoop earrings, and lots of lipstick. If kids bought costumes back then, we didn’t know about it. None of my friends bought costumes either, as far as I know.
Well, the deal today is to buy costumes for kids, at least for this year. Next year, I may change my tune. From year to year, the costumes look strikingly familiar. In the case of my sons, a colorful bodysuit, a mask, and a pair of gloves, with perhaps a sword, or a robot arm. The colors may change, but I would say that this is the standard $20 costume, whether it be a Megatron, Ninja, or an Alien. After four years of being a Ninja in varying colors, my oldest son has now fallen to the dark side. With a motto of “World Peace and Destruction,” he gravitates to the Horror category, as Crypt Master or a Phantom with eyes that light-up.
My neighbors like to dress up their houses, too. There are innumerable ways to get the job done. There’s over-the-top scary with fog and scary music, or the subtle approach with a simple pumpkin flag or a harmless ghost.
At the local Spirit Halloween store
At the Halloween store a whole assortment of friendly faces await you. That’s if you can get your child into the store. This place scares my little one to pieces. See the speck in the distance? Let me tell you, he can run fast when he wants to.
You can see why he might be scared.
What about bringing home the gal from the Exorcist? She can raise and lower herself, and spin her head. An extra added bonus, her eyes light up. However, I didn’t see her suspend above the bed or eject any vile, green contents.
Don’t forget your local zombie chapter.
Or, your friendly ghost.
Decorations are coveted items in the neighborhood. This is my friend’s sign. She wants her ghost back. Give it back to her. It was her favorite ghost. She’ll even take it back after Halloween.
These are Bumble’s decorations. They need a little work.
Help! Help! At least fix my tombstone. For crying out loud! That’s the least you could do.
I know. That’s one scary Teddy Bear. 
And, introducing my very own Board Ghost. Is he a ghost? Is he a board?
Who am I? How did I get here?
I don’t know. You kind of came with the house. Hey, are you haunting my house? Is it you? How did you get up there anyway?
I’m talking to a ghost. I mean a board. I mean, uh, a board ghost. It’s time to move along now.
But nothing compares to the MEAT SHOP!!! I saved the best for last.
It’s as good as a movie set, yes? It appeared in our neighborhood a few years back. We couldn’t find it last year. Was it relocated? Transferred? I have my suspicions.
In any case, my little one did not stand for this at all. He never actually saw it, but when he found out we walking on the street where the Meat Shop once existed, he went flying.
Last year, even though the Meat Shop was gone, we only made it to five houses for Trick-or-Treating.
I hope we make it to a few more this year. We shall see.
In my 20’s I’d throw parties and dress up. Then, nothing. Now with the kid, it’s fun again. Although smacks of more effort, I’d agree. Please post a post mortem on trick or treating outcome. And does your candy stick around until Easter like ours?
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Thanks, Shalagh.That’s a great suggestion. I’ll post a Halloween follow up. I don’t know how it’s going to go at all. My kids go through their candy pretty fast. It should last longer, but it doesn’t. Of course, my youngest doesn’t get too much with only five houses!
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Trick to the candy’s slow disappearance is to store it in the cookie jar above eye level. And I’m feeling like your little one is capable of ten houses this year.
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My husband eats their candy, too. Ha! It never lasts that long. My kids know all the hiding places. You think ten? Maybe maybe…
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Somehow I knew the Dad was involved. I will place a bet on ten or more.
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Dad can be worse than the kids. This could be the breakthrough year! I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.
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Loved this post. You are really funny, Bumble and I really dig that board ghost. Who took your friend’s ghost? Maybe it was a real ghost and if they do that kind of thing, I wouldn’t want to piss them off, so your friend’s sign was very PC and I think will work well with ghosts as well. It sounds as if you have fun with your kids but I’m a kid when it comes to scary movies. I keep saying I’m going to watch the Exorcist again but it terrifies me.
I went to those haunted houses when I was young and people jumping out and shoving your hands in bowls of “eyeballs,” music playing, people screaming. I thought once when I went through one, this would be the perfect place for a psycho killer because no one would notice. So I quite going after that.
I’m rambling but I really like this — it make me laugh and the pics were oh-so-scary. ;).
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Thanks, Brigitte! That board ghost did come with the house, you know, and since our house is haunted, I think it could be him…or it? My ghost plays with the light switches, but I don’t think he’s mean. I love a scary movie and admit when I watched the Exorcist for the first time, I slept with my sister with the light on! I haven’t been to a haunted house in some time, but now that my older son is nine, I’m hoping to return to one. That would be freaky about the psycho killer in a haunted house. Hey, it sounds like a good movie idea. Or, has it been done? Thanks for your great comments!
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I love the “return my ghost” poster. It sort of depends on the neighborhood, but I’ve seen some people decorate more for Halloween than Christmas. One house – less than a block from the elementary school – used to hang a dummy from a tree every year. How festive and not at all inappropriate for the area!
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Thanks! I agree people really do it up for Halloween. Just today I saw one house in the neighborhood making preparations…because they go all out. They even have people hopping out of bushes! Funny about the dummy by the school…it’s probably giving kids nightmares! But, it is festive.
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I love the board ghost.
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Thanks! He did come with the house. I suppose I should let me stay 🙂
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Aside from the occasional Milky Way candy bar, I personally have little use for Halloween. It was a chore when my kids were little. Your son is right. The only good thing about being scared is that it passes.
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I love being scared for some reason. I love the haunted houses and the scary movies. I guess my little one feels differently, which is fine. Stuff is a lot scarier these days. Well, I hope you get to eat a Milky Way at least. Thanks, Stephen!
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I’m with your little one – not into scary stuff at all. I don’t remember store bought costumes either but I loved to rock the gypsy costume too!
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Wasn’t being a gypsy awesome? It rocked! Nothing was better than that. I never got tired of being a gypsy. I love being scared, but admit I haven’t really been scared for some time.
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Totally awesome! My favorite part of being a gypsy was wrapping a soft ball in tin foil so it could be my crystal ball.
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I love scary stuff, but I can’t blame your little one for avoiding the Meat Shop. Creepy. 🙂
My son is going as The Joker from Batman this year. Let’s hope my make-up skills are good…
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The Meat Shop was actually pretty scary for the kids, except for my oldest who thought it rocked! I think stuff is a lot scarier these days. Personally, I’m ready to take in a scary movie. The Joker could really put your make-up skills to the test. I’m sure you’ll do great!
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And if I mess up on the red lips, I guess it’s okay, seeing as how they’re smeared into big slits on his cheeks. 🙂
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Right! A messy Joker will look fabulous!
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Do i see Justin Bieber in that Meat Shop?!
I love scary haunted house decorations but there was always that one house when I was younger that TERRIFIED ME. My parents would make me go in it because they thought it was hilarious. I am going to go burn my childhood pictures now.
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I’m sorry, Becca. Did I make you relive a painful childhood memory?! Maybe you should return to a haunted house to, you know, get past this. Don’t burn your pictures!!
Maybe they kidnapped Justin. Anything is possible!
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You are right. I shouldn’t jump the gun. Maybe I will start out slow in conquering my fear, by like browsing Google images of haunted houses. Baby steps.
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Good idea 🙂 You’ll be on your way in no time.
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People who steal Halloween decorations are probably the kind of jerks who tell kids that there’s no such thing as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. I hope she gets her ghost back. A lot of those costumes and decorations and the meat shop probably would have scared the hell out of me as a kid but I still would have loved it.
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I know. Isn’t that disgusting that someone took her ghost? The nerve! I think things are so much scarier than they used to be. There are some houses my child won’t go near. But, I love the scary stuff, too! I love being scared while eating popcorn.
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That Linda Blair decoration is actually really scary! I love Halloween and having a kid this year only makes it more exciting.
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Oh, have fun! It’s so fun when you have a little one. I know Miss C. will love it!
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I need to use a sign like that for my yard!
I swear I cant have anything in my neighborhood without people taking crap
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Oh, that’s too bad. I’m sorry to hear that. What people will do for a decoration. I hope no one takes your stuff.
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I love halloween too. Hope your friend gets her ghost back!
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Thanks! So far, no sign of it. It would be nice if it made a reappearance.
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There’s nothing like a “ghost board”. 🙂
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You’re a so very right, Adam! I know he’ll do us proud up there in the tree. 🙂
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OMG! I LOVE your ghost board. I want one…but don’t worry. I won’t be prowling your neighbourhood late at night.
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Thanks. Oh, good. Thanks for not scaring me. Yeah, I think the ghost board has a lot of character!
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You’re a woman after my own heart! I love love love Halloween. My apartment is so festooned right now — I’ve got tombstones, skulls, webs, everything. I even bought black bedding and bloody shower curtains. I feel like I’m the only one sometimes 😦 It was a real pleasure for me to read this!
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Thank you! Right on with all your decorating. It sounds spooky and festive. I say you’re never too old for Halloween. It makes me feel like a kid again. Wow, and bloody shower curtains! You do it up right! Sweet. I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
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My apartment is looking pretty scary at the moment, too… but in more of a, ‘I should probably clean this place some… year.’ kind of way. In fact, I thought I saw a ghost a few days ago… but it turned out to be more ‘life-sized dust-bunny’ than ‘paranormal’.
🙂
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Oh, ha ha. I have that kind of scary, too! Maybe you could incorporate your dust bunnies into a spider web or two! Throw in a few skulls and voila! 🙂
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You have been nominated for the Liebster Award. To learn about the rules for this award, please go to http://changeforbetterme.wordpress.com/. Congrats!
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Thanks for the nomination, Jackie! That’s very sweet of you to think of me. – Amy
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You’re welcome!
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