How do you extend the Halloween season?

Discussion of general Halloween topics
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NeverMore
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How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by NeverMore » Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:04 am

Unlike that other holiday in December, which I shall not name,
it seems like Hallowe'en comes and goes soooo quick. No fair!

So my question is... do you try to extend the season by
starting early (obviously, everyone on this board right now
does), or do you leave your decorations up till Thanksgiving?
How do you keep that spooky feeling?

Nice thing about where I live is that there are a lot of
international influences. I'm sure it's the same in other large
cities. We celebrate a lot of Mexican holidays more vigorously
than most Mexican do. :twisted:

For the last 5 or 6 years I've spent November 2nd down in Old
Town San Diego where you'll see a lot of Day of the Dead
observances. I'll frequent the Mexican restaurants and bars in
the area, then go see if I can find some decorations... as
seen here. Unfortunately, the last few years they haven't
been decorating the graveyard in Old Town. Probably because
of the economy. :(

Last year, on the evening of November 5, I turned the lights
off and sat down with a six-pack and some popcorn and
watched the movie 'V for Vengeance'. It was a sufficiently
spooky experience. I know Guy Fawkes Day has nothing to do
with Samhain and All-Saints Day, but it's close enough for me.
I'm thinking of going around to the English pubs in town and
asking everyone if they want to do a bonfire down at Fiesta
Island this year. I'd ask my friends but they already think I'm
weird enough for being so into Hallowe'en.

Maybe we could burn an effigy of the Great Pumpkin at the
bonfire? ;-)


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sgljungholm
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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by sgljungholm » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:25 am

To me it all starts at the end of August. Really it is planning and buying this or that all year. I figure that after august you can decorate for autumn. Harvest theme pumpkins etc. Every few days, a bit of spider web shows up. By the time October rolls around you are half way to decorating.

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by adrian » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:41 am

i start planning halloween at the beggining of august bc it takes a lot of time for me to build thhe things i've planned on! september is when the decorations come out.. so really about a month and a half my decor is up and running :) that way by time october does get here, who ever wants to see what i've done has all month to enjoy it
Last night 'twas witching Hallowe'en
Dearest; an apple russet- brown
I pared, and thrice above my crown
Whirled the long skin; they watched in keen;
I flung it far; they laughed and cried me shame
Dearest, there lay the letter of your name!

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by Andybev01 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:28 pm

watching DVDs helps, especially if the weather turns cool or rainy.

I like to keep an eye out (ouch!) for Halloween stuff at yard sales, etc.

I keep the best of the best seasonal magazines on the bookshelf, so I can look at them when I feel the Halloween bug during the year.

Halloween is never far from my mind, so that helps too.
All you that doth my grave pass by,
As you are now so once was I,
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare for death & follow me.

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NeverMore
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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by NeverMore » Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:45 pm

I don't get many ToTers since I live in a commercial area. No profit margin for them to waste time in my area since there are only houses on one side of the street. I still buy a ton of candy anyways, just in case [munch, munch]. I leave the candy in bowls around the house for when my friends come over. As long as there is candy left I leave my interior decorations up. This sometimes lasts well into November. Sometimes not so long, depending on how peckish I'm feeling [munch, munch].

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by MyersFan1 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:55 pm

I begin seriously planning how I'm going to decorate in the beginning of August. Once I get a good idea of what I want to do for that year, I begin ordering Halloween decor online and what not. When labor day rolls around, all my Halloween decor is up inside my house, but the outside decorations don't come out until a few weeks laster. I usually keep my autumn decor (like pumpkins, colored leaves, etc.) out through Thanksgiving.

I leave my jack-o lanterns out for about a week after Halloween until they start looking funky. It always kills me to watch their insides turn black and their creepy grins droop as the days past into November.
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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by NeverMore » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:25 pm

MyersFan1 wrote:I leave my jack-o lanterns out for about a week after Halloween until they start looking funky. It always kills me to watch their insides turn black and their creepy grins droop as the days past into November.
I read somewhere to spray Lysol on the pumpkin once a day to keep the mold from forming. I wonder what would happen if you coated the jackos with shellac? Keep the oxygen from getting to them. Mummified jack-o-lanterns!

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by MyersFan1 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:28 pm

NeverMore wrote:
MyersFan1 wrote:I leave my jack-o lanterns out for about a week after Halloween until they start looking funky. It always kills me to watch their insides turn black and their creepy grins droop as the days past into November.
I read somewhere to spray Lysol on the pumpkin once a day to keep the mold from forming. I wonder what would happen if you coated the jackos with shellac? Keep the oxygen from getting to them. Mummified jack-o-lanterns!
Oh really! I might have to try that lysol trick this year just see how long they could stay normal without molding. :lol: Mummifed jack-o lanterns is definitely a cool idea too.
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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by xtina666 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:36 pm

I totally start decorating my apartment in early September! My friends think I'm nuts! I have only one friend who is as Halloween crazy as I am. She helps me decorate. I usually take it down 1st week of November. I love having them up during Thanksgiving (ours is in October here). My two fave holidays in the same month :)

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by NeverMore » Wed Aug 26, 2009 6:43 pm

xtina666 wrote:I totally start decorating my apartment in early September! My friends think I'm nuts! I have only one friend who is as Halloween crazy as I am. She helps me decorate. I usually take it down 1st week of November. I love having them up during Thanksgiving (ours is in October here). My two fave holidays in the same month :)
Canada... huh? Do you guys celebrate Guy Fawkes Day/Bonfire Night too?

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by Andybev01 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:44 pm

MyersFan1 wrote:
NeverMore wrote:
MyersFan1 wrote:I leave my jack-o lanterns out for about a week after Halloween until they start looking funky. It always kills me to watch their insides turn black and their creepy grins droop as the days past into November.
I read somewhere to spray Lysol on the pumpkin once a day to keep the mold from forming. I wonder what would happen if you coated the jackos with shellac? Keep the oxygen from getting to them. Mummified jack-o-lanterns!
Oh really! I might have to try that lysol trick this year just see how long they could stay normal without molding. :lol: Mummifed jack-o lanterns is definitely a cool idea too.
Oof!...the thought of a warm candle next to Lysol makes my eyes water :shock:

I keep small autumn decor around throughout the year. Nothing specific to Halloween, but it helps with the withdrawal.

I picked these up on the way to work this morning.
Attachments
Leaf and Pumpkin Tealight Holders 8-26-09.JPG
Leaf and Pumpkin Tealight Holders 8-26-09.JPG (140.58 KiB) Viewed 17795 times
Autumn Tealight Lamp.JPG
Autumn Tealight Lamp.JPG (163.53 KiB) Viewed 17795 times
Pumpkin Tea Light 8-26-09.JPG
Pumpkin Tea Light 8-26-09.JPG (235.41 KiB) Viewed 17795 times
All you that doth my grave pass by,
As you are now so once was I,
As I am now so you must be,
Prepare for death & follow me.

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by Samhain » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:46 pm

I start what I call the pre-season in late July by looking to see which stores get their Halloween stuff out first. Actually, that's one of the most exciting parts, for me. After that I slowly build up to it until Mid-September when things get into full swing.
When it comes to the decorations, I take them down in the morning on Nov, 1 (or the afternoon, depending on how much I had to drink the night before).
I know some people leave their stuff out longer, but looking at it makes me melancholy about the holiday being over. That doesn't mean my fun completely ends after Oct, 31. Raiding the stores for their discounted Halloween items is my specialty.
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN...

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by MyersFan1 » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:53 pm

Nice stuff Andybev! I especially like the lamp, I would like one of those myself. That type of stuff is great because it's is the kind of things that you can leave up all the way through Fall.
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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by adrian » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:57 pm

i'm digging the lamp :)
Last night 'twas witching Hallowe'en
Dearest; an apple russet- brown
I pared, and thrice above my crown
Whirled the long skin; they watched in keen;
I flung it far; they laughed and cried me shame
Dearest, there lay the letter of your name!

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Re: How do you extend the Halloween season?

Post by Pumpkin_Man » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:09 pm



I allways kick off the Halloween season by getting my decorations up between the 27th and 30th of September. I clean the house up a bit first, though. I keep the decorations up and celebrate the Halloween spirit from October 1st all the way through November 2nd. I consider All Saints Day and All Souls Day to be all a part of a three day celebration which begins on October 31st, whichis All Hallows Eve. But I extend the season before the 31st. After I take the decorations down on November 3rd, it's time to stard the Chrsitmas cleaning.
I hate to see Halloween go, but my grand nieces and grand nephew love my tree trimming party.

I'm also hosting Thanksgiving this year.

Mike

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