Halloween Decorations..

Other than some mums and ornamental pumpkins, we don’t decorate.

At 4:00 on Halloween it’s go time, getting ready for the 750-800 kids that come by. I’ve cut my decorating time down by 75% with the addition of the LED lights. A few carved pumpkins, a string of orange lights and the LEDs, and away we go!

I've been decorating all summer,  letting the Cobwebs collect dust & Bugs.

Got some LED krap too,  have to plug that in.

So that's where Zippy stayed. I always wondered where Brian k lives. 

You actually spend the time wondering where I live? Fucking creepy, dude! The desire to fight, wrestle, whatever, is bad enough. Maybe you need a hobby?

Nothing says Halloween like a 12' inflatable...

...dragon?

Saw the wings from the rear and thought, "Why is that bat green?"

The latest holiday overkill at the McMansion across the creek.

Yes. 

Crochet?

Hi Brians

No decorations, but I give out regular size snickers or Reese's cups.  I don't mess around.

I give out stickers or crayons/colored pencils. Is that messing around? Kids seem to like it, but there are fewer kids around here these days.
 

Depends what kind of stickers...scratch and sniff or SYF would be acceptable.

We have a motion activated Frankenstein head that sings 'who can it be now' near the front door. Five light up skulls that go in the garden. This year i'm spider man ! last year nothing was put out in the front yard, this year i'm seriously going all out. Today i'm going through our Halloween hoard.

I’d have to take out a loan to give out full sized candy bars.

I like the sticker idea. Anyone know where I can get 1,000 “FUCK YOU PAY ME” stickers?

Anyone know where I can get 1,000 “FUCK YOU PAY ME” stickers?>>>

yes

>>>>>This year i'm spider man !

Have you consulted St Mark about that?

We used to egg houses that gave out stickers, tooth brushes and raisins. 

Popcorn balls went straight in the trash.  BK, the orange and black wrapped candies are right up your alley.  5lb bag for $10.

Fuck that, Doldrums. I get the good shit, just not full size. It costs about $125-150 as it is. I will admit, though, that I always get a bag of Smarties and Dum Dums, just for the toddlers who can’t walk. I know that their lame ass parents will give them a few pieces a night for a few nights, eat some themselves and chuck the rest. The good shit is going to the kids who will eat 5 lbs that night, puke their guts out, call in sick from school the next day and eat the rest.

Raisins are better than stickers. Grabbed the big bag at costco of the good stuff. Found the big spider web and a bunch of spiders, plan to light it up. Spiders and Frankenstein !!!!!!!!

Have you consulted St Mark about that?>>>

It may end up being the Hulk.

the rent's too dammed high here to be spending $150 on snickers.

150 seems excessive, how many kids are you expecting?

We prepare for 850 kids.

850 is incredible. On our best year maybe 200 here.

The trend I have noticed over the past 20 years is that certain neighborhoods do it up and gain a reputation as the place to hit up.  Kids by the van load will travel from all over town to these neighborhoods.   When I lived in the suburbs, my neighborhood was one of these places and we did up the house right, with a fog machine, strobe light, and all sorts of other creepy lighting. 

I also hit Walgreens in the days following Halloween to get the best deals on lights and decorations, with prices slashed by up to 90% off.   Just store the stuff and it will be Halloween again next year just like clock work.   One year, I found bags of rubber bugs and spiders for 90% off.  Bought up a shit load and gave them out the next couple years with candy as bonus prizes.

it's ebbed and flowed here but big downward trend. kids aren't doing it as much.

some years we get zero.

We’re a trick-or-treat “destination,” and it seems to be getting bigger every year. Last year was close to 850 kids, and it was 37 degrees and raining. Families are coming from 30-40 miles away. They close off the street on both ends, and people can walk a loop in about an hour and hit around 40 houses.

The smart kids go to the more rural areas, where less kids go. We each give a piece or two of mini candy and they do okay, but the payoff in the more rural areas is much higher, where people give full size bars. They have to work harder for it though.