Some traditions are firmly set in
stone, something to follow with little if any thought to how it began
or what it means. Others sort of form out of nothing with little
emotional background to them. That sort of thing has been steadily
forming over the past several years as I tend find myself with a
higher than normal amount of cash and a craving for new seasonal
goodies. I swear I've made no choice or effort to make this happen
yet here we are at I believe the third or fourth year in a row where
I go out in September and come home with a rather remarkable
unplanned haul. Honestly I didn't spend too much either. That said
let's check out how the lingering remnants of a tax return magically
became a pile of decorations.
The majority of this occurred during a
rushed trip to Lansing. The main intent of the night was to usher in
the nephew's birthday with a trip to Five Guys Burgers. After filling
our bellies with beefy goodness there was roughly a scant two hours
before everything closed. Thankfully we were fairly close to the
Frandor shopping center which allowed us cover a substantial amount
of stores with one stop.
Kirkland's is by no means a favorite
store but they do have a track-record for nice holiday items and I
was eager to check out their lighted pictures. I love this thing.
It's the sort of image that evokes feelings of Devil's Night or
Halloween night itself when the jack-o-lanterns are burning out, the
moon is bright, and the streets quiet as people return to their homes
in need of relaxation and cheap frozen pizza. It's that perfect
peaceful moment that makes this season so great. There were other
nice pictures available but this was the one for me and if you're
interested I such things I'd suggest seeking them out as they were
already 25% off plus in store coupons.
Party City was decent enough to have
some cheap hanging ghouls. These are decent, inexpensive filler to
hang from the trees as that extra bit of visual clutter that puts
your display over the top without breaking the bank.
Michaels is pretty much a requirement
for every Halloween and while this year wasn't their best offering it
still had a few excellent items. The bats are nice yet another great
tree hanger that some kid will inevitable collide with face first.
Good thing they're soft and rubbery. Next there's the light up
skeleton statue that I'd seen on the Kirkland website only to not
find in stores. I ain't complaining mind you, just found that a tad
odd. Lastly we have a ghost projector. Not unlike inflatables, these
are far too often a crutch for lazy decorating but I've found when
properly paired with a nice set-up they make an excellent final
touch. Plus every graveyard needs ghosts.
Then there's Target, absolutely one of
the kings of Halloween and they did not disappoint. I was overwhelmed
by this years offerings, self-control prevailed however and I walked
out only with the most important items. Recent years have marked an
effort to escape the suckfest that is Styrofoam tombstones so I
picked up this lovely grave marker complete with giant spider. Next
up was a simple five dollar strobe light that serves double duty as a
cheap horror soundtrack with screams and the like. Last but not least
is an over sized snake skeleton. Skeletal animals have been a fad
I've mostly dodged but this guy spoke to me. He just demands to spend
the 31st hanging out of a tree branch, tormenting the wee
children below. As payment he had to endure being awkwardly draped
over one shoulder so that his face repeatedly smacked against my ass
as I sauntered through the aisles.
Of course all this rank consumerism
left me with a bountiful thirst and more than a few ways to quench
it. World Market has a nice spread of spooky sodas including some
drinks from Orca Beverage. Dr Jekyl's Pepper Elixir was a pretty
solid choice though the pepper aspect was overdone. Spider Venom on
the other hand was outstanding. Someone please show the way to the
spider nest responsible for such goodness so I can jump straight in
and let the little buggers fill me with tasty diabetes. Captain
Morgan Jack-o-Blast was an item I've largely ignored in the past
though I've found that it pairs wonderfully with brandy. Murphy's
Stout has nothing to do with Halloween, it's simply delicious.
As if all this wasn't enough I visited
the local Wal-Mart plaza only to end up with more additions like
plastic tombstones and dollar store ghouls. The biggest thrill here
is more Pumpkin Masters books. We have a library of these things
reaching back into the mid-nineties with so many patterns that I
really should create a digital database of them all. The company is
largely responsible for my love of and skill at carving. Nowadays I
tend to aim for at least one of two unique creations but it simply
wouldn't be Halloween without a few PM patterns.
And with all that I'm pretty much
ready for the month of October. No doubt I'll put together some
crafts and maybe grab an extra strand of lights but for the first
time in......I'd say ever, all the important stuff is out of the way.
I'll be able to trick the house out and ride out the season in
comfort and style. Best of all I'm able to replace some older stuff,
sending it out to thrift stores where some kid can begin to grow his
own stash of goodies on the cheap. And on that note I'm out for
today. How about you guys? Any nice new decorations to scare kiddies
with? Or are you just enjoying the usual onslaught of pumpkin spice
everything? Hit up the comments and we'll be back soon.
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