I love Halloween alot. I decorate the lawn for it starting the 30th.

[Ilsa]

I have some items that I have collected for a $1 or so on Nov. 1 every year.

But I have seen so much expensive junk being pushed for Halloween that it is mindboggling. We're talking spooky items for parties and the lawn that cost over $100, even towards $300 dollars. Big scene set-ups, vocal and animated characters, all kinds of stuff. Who is willing to spend this kind of money for one night a year during a time like this?

Target, Spirit Halloween stores, Bed Bath and Beyond, and I bet the hardware stores like Lowes are marketing this stuff also. I'm sure there are plenty out there trying to sell this stuff to take our minds off the difficulties in our nation right now.

Frankly, a couple of pics of Bush and Cheney ought to be enough to scare the hell out of anyone.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. A pic of Palin should do the trick.

:evilgrin:

[ogneopasno]

2. Wiccans and other Pagans certainly resent the commercialization of this holiday.

Seriously, taking over the Winter Solstice just wasn't enough?

[Dr Fate]

7. Halloween in the USA is more about Universal Monsters & Hollywood pop culture than Wiccans.

That has always been the focus- as far as any massive, organized celebration in this country.

For me, I prefer the commericalized version!

To each his own...My favorite is the Wolfman!

[LibertyLover]

9. I have no problem seperating Halloween from Samhain

Halloween is the fun holiday that my 6 year old loves because she can dress up like a princess and go out and get candy and I can happily follow her enjoying the decorations and the occassional piece of candy. Samhain is the solemn holy day on which I honor my beloved dead, human, canine and ratus. I love to decorate for Halloween, hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters and watch my daughter have fun. And I love to join good friends in circle and visit with the spirits.

[Marrah_G]

14. I do not resent it. It's a fun time for the kids.

I give out candy and then head out to celebrate Samhain "November 1st" at around midnight.

[chat_noir]

3. RIP GOP

Dollar Tree has RIP tombstones. Buy some stick on letters to add GOP

Have also made tombstone signs. Cut cardboard in the shape of a tombstone, paint it gray, and add your lettering.

How about a John McCain mask on a scarecrow?



Sure that others here have ideas on how to "politicize" Halloween.

[Ilsa]

11. That's half the fun, right there! Making your own decorations! nt

[Warpy]

4. I have an old cardboard and crepe paper bat

I hang on the porch light every year. That thing is probably 30 years old and I've had to touch up the black with a Sharpie when it's faded, but it's my old friend. The crepe paper is ripping and the body's lost its once rotund shape, but who cares, right?

I thought about getting a new bat this year. I found one made of rabbit fur with nylon wings dusted with red glitter. I looked at the price: twelve bucks!! No way, Jose.

I am at the point in my life when sitting out on the portal (NM porch) with a bowl of candy in my lap will be adequately scary. I guess I'll just have to do that.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. ty for that, Warpy....

:rofl: :rofl:

[Ilsa]

28. Hell, with the weight I've put on,

I should dress up as Santa for Halloween.

[soleft]

5. In 2000 I put a list of scary things on my door as decorations

One of them was "President Bush"

[Dr Fate]

6. Make your own decorations with the kids, like they do at school.

Spend about $30 bucks or less on some card board, crafts & paint?

[sakabatou]

8. I think I'll go as...

Sōsuke Aizen this year.

[Coventina]

10. It's been my opinion for awhile that Halloween benefits from a "sweet spot" in the calendar

For several months prior, there are no real romantic holidays - really since Easter.

People are ready for a holiday laden with symbolism and fun. Of course, it also fits in with the seasonal change - images of death while the leaves are falling and the harvest is beginning. This is also the time of year when (traditionally) all the stock were slaughtered that couldn't be fed over the winter. So it really is a "time of death."

So people are sort of programmed to celebrate the Grim Reaper, and also to celebrate the bounty of the harvest as well. The result is that people are in a party mood, and ready for imagination and fun.

[Ilsa]

13. And it's getting cool enough to put on a costume. I went as a cavewoman

last year to the kids' harvest fest at the school. "Harvest Festival." Huh, who do they think they are fooling? It's a Halloween party.

[Coventina]

16. Gotta placate the Fundies who are too stupid to realize that

Halloween is a Christian holiday.

[MessiahRp]

12. You'd be surprised

As someone who works at a Halloween retailer I can say honestly, this will be a very good season based on how it has begun.

Rp

[Ilsa]

15. Really? I mean, that's what I was wondering about. What part of the

country are you in? Can you figure anything out about the people who are buying the high-dollar stuff?

[MessiahRp]

18. I live in Wisconsin.

I think Halloween is a more urbanized middle to lower class appreciated holiday though I don't think you can pigeonhole it to just that group of people.

Christmas has a broader appreciation because upper class people can use an elegant Christmas set up for parties (the gift aspect cannot be overlooked as well) or the politicizing of the holiday makes it something that many will go all out for if not for love of the holiday than at least for show to keep up a social attitude about yourself.

We sell a lot of the bigger props and they seem to go out across the country and with complete disregard of their economic situation (i.e. everyone is buying). Sales have been ramping up pretty nicely and everything looks to be a better season than last year. (Don't overlook the fact that Halloween is on a Friday this year which opens the holiday up to way more parties)


Rp

[Ilsa]

29. Tha't amazing. We haven't lost a job or anything financial other than

dealing with inflation like everyone else. I wouldn't spend the money on that, but I guess that's a priority thing for me.

It'll be fun having halloween on Friday night. I'll probably have kids here so late that we'll have to give away boiled eggs and beer.

[aikoaiko]

17. Post pics

[honkydonkey]

20. My mom dressed as George W. a couple of years ago

She threw pretzels at the little kids walking by. It scared them shitless.

[msanthrope]

21. Last year hubby went as the Grim Reaper in a Bush mask---

kids and parents were terrified.....

[BuyingThyme]

22. $29

http://www.anytimecostumes.com/ecommerce/control/product/~product_id=003568257

[yellowdogintexas]

23. my daughter's mostly handmade prize winning balcony from 2006

The skull frieze was flat cardboard from an old box, painted with black and white tempera paint to get the 3D effect.

she won a free month's rent with this

a great deal of it ended up on my house in 2007

[shaniqua6392]

24. That is awesome!!

I love it.

[yellowdogintexas]

31. Thanks; I will tell her...and yes it did pay off well.

she needed that month's rent by then.

[Ilsa]

27. Wow! That was a project that paid off! She did a great job! nt

[texanwitch]

25. We are still decorated for Hurricane Ike.

I am going to dig out some of the Halloween stuff, next week.

I have some great stuff.

I am so glad October is here, fuck September.

[Ilsa]

26. I hear ya. Finally, some nicer temps are coming our way.

We've had worse years of weather in September. This one actually felt like Autumn coming to us, even though it is still warming to the low 90s in the afternoon.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

30. They're calling it "Falloween."

It starts earlier and earlier every year.

Sociologists are explaining it as a symptom of the loss of agricultural roots. There are no fall festivals, harvest festivals, barn dances, or any of the things there used to be, but there's still desire for autumn celebrations. So Halloween gets more and more emphasis.