Halloween Shopping has Begun

[Hellrazor]

Hey, lets keep this thread alive with "spottings" of Halloween "stuff" on the shelves in stores.

Im so excited, I was in Michaels today and they were setting up the shelving for their Halloween assortment. All of their Lemax and Halloween decor was ready to be put out. The manager said it comes in tomrrow. So I gotta get back there by the end of the week, I just have to!!!

Michaels also have all their fall display stuff out now too!!!

My mom picked me up some really cute stretchy Halloween figures yesterday from Sobeys too...

Its on its way out,,,, the countdown is officially beginning.

[Dr Morbius]

I am really HOPING that this is a new retail trend, following in the footsteps of early-out Christmas items. I even hear Spirit Halloween stores, usually only open during the month of October, is now opening in AUGUST! Will the rest of the stores like Big lots, and walmart and Walgreens start early too? I hope so!

[SpookyDude]

One of my favorite places to shop is the Fright Factory at the Value Villages around Vancouver. My neighborhood store knows me as Mr.Halloween hehehe - I bought some very cool weapons there last year - Two Handed Long Sword, , a Wizard's Staff, and a couple of daggers!


http://vancouverhalloween.com/pics2005/retaildisplays/vvStaff.jpg Wizard Staff

http://vancouverhalloween.com/pics2005/retaildisplays/vvWH.jpg Dwarven War Hammer

[TearyThunder]

While I was at the Dollar Tree the other day the manager said they are gearing up for Halloween (Yay) and Christmas (Ugh) in the next couple/few weeks.

[Hellrazor]

Yesssssss

[MrsMyers666]

I work for a catalog company and we had our Halloween catalog online up on June 15. I ordered a clock from my work and have been able to see a lot of the products to record audio for the web. I was working on the stuff in May and was getting all geared up for Halloween shopping. I'll have to check out Michaels this weekend.

A couple weeks ago I looked for Spirit stores opening in the area and it listed a bunch coming soon...now I can't search for them :(

Hee hee, Spirit is listed on monster.com
http://jobsearch.monster.com/jobsearch.asp?co=xspirithalx

[TearyThunder]

Name of company??? if you don't mind Mrs. M. I do a good bit of online shopping and would love to know I have more outlets.

So far I have ordered from Lilian Vernon, Collections etc, ABC distributing, and Lakeside.

[MrsMyers666]

Name of company??? if you don't mind Mrs. M. I do a good bit of online shopping and would love to know I have more outlets.

So far I have ordered from Lilian Vernon, Collections etc, ABC distributing, and Lakeside.

Interesting you named abc Distributing and Lakeside, my company runs those. We also have LTD Commodities, but abc and Lakeside sell the same things. I work on the websites for LTD and abc. LTD is more B2B, but like I said you'll find the same things on abc and Lakeside.

[TearyThunder]

Darn I was hoping to add a new one to my list. I did notice ABC and Lakeside had some of the same things. I figured they were sister companies or had the same suppliers. Thanks for the info!

[trishaanne]

A friend of mine is the manager of the new Walgreens they opened around the corner from my house. He told me that Halloween stuff will be out around the beginning of August!!!!

[Hellrazor]

That is so exciting, especially about the Spirit Stores. I did not know about them, gotta add them to my US shopping list, I see there will be one in Buffalo, not too far from me. Yippee!

[Zombie-F]

Well, I'm heading out to Staples in a little while to get some PC speakers for the skeleton security guard I'm building, so I'll also stop by Michael's and have a look to see if they have anything out yet. Usually, the craft and party stores in my area tend to lag behind the rest of the country by a good 2 - 4 weeks. Wish me luck!

[ScareFX]

I need to go out and start looking around. :)

[Frighteners Entertainment]

I like to look too, though I've been really disappointed with the Halloween USA store.
They really don't do much with making the place look very "Halloweenie" anymore :(

[Hauntiholik]

I'll also stop by Michael's and have a look to see if they have anything out yet.
Putting the fall stock out varies by Michaels location but Jack Reaper said that the halloween stuff should be out on display today in the store his wife works at. I was at Michaels over the weekend and they just had the fall plants, crows and owls out.

[Hauntiholik]

Hobby Lobby didn't have halloween stuff out yet either. They had some Thanksgiving things though? I don't understand why they skip halloween.

[Hellrazor]

I went to the Michaels in another city yesterday. I dont have one in my city but am surrounded by 3 within 1/2 hour of eachother, Its great! anyway, everything set up but no product on the shelves yet. Mind you , I snuck a peek at their set up binder and didnt see anything to get excited about - except for LEMAX stuff, but thats a given for me. I hope the product line is better than what was in the binder....

[Hauntiholik]

Hellrazor - it probably won't be. They've gone cutesy with their product line.

I already have my 2006 lemax stuff so I won't be getting anymore of it. The only thing I need more of is the black plastic creepy garland that they carry. I haven't fount it anywhere else and it looks great hanging from my cemetary archway entrance.

[Hellrazor]

You already have the whole 2006 line???? that must have been crazy expensive!

[Hauntiholik]

You already have the whole 2006 line???? that must have been crazy expensive!
Gosh no! I got the Gothic Ruins and the Grimm Hotel. I only get a building or two a year because I'm running out of space.

I also got some crypt figures for my cemetary.

[Zombie-F]

The only thing I really care about at Michael's is the Lemax stuff... and sadly none of it was out yet. My local Michael's also just re-did the interior of their store, so everything is all moved around now. Took me forever to find the glue gun I wanted.

The only stuff they had out was their Autumn floral stuff. No interest in that stuff for me.

[Hauntiholik]

I pre-order my spookytown stuff. I've found that when I buy the buildings from Michaels they are usually broken GRRRRRRRR. I spend more time returning or exchanging them. Since I started pre-ordering my buildings 3 years ago, they've arrived in perfect condition and a month before they hit the stores. I've also been able to find accessories online that I've never seen carried at Michaels.

[Da Weiner]

I was in AC Moore craft store last Thursday and they started putting out the fall colored flowers out. Does anyone know when the new items Frightcatalog.com come out. My mouth is starting to water.

[Spooklights]

Wow, you guys are lucky; the Michaels and AC Moore down my way don't even have the fall foliage out yet. I've been visiting ebay, though; you can buy Halloween things 24 hours a day.....7 days a week.......gosh! It's a wonder I have room for anything else!

[Da Weiner]

I was lurking on buycostumes.com yesterday they are displaying their 2006 line already and will be in stock August 1st. Yessssssssss!

[Frighteners Entertainment]

What costumes are you looking at?

[Da Weiner]

I was actually looking at some of the new props they have. buycostumes.com have a lot of things from costumes, accessories, props, party supplies. I am going to use my spiderella costume this year but always have my eyes peeled for anything new or that might just grab me.

[MrsMyers666]

You're all getting me excited to visit Michael's this weekend. I really hope they have something out for Halloween. Although even if they have fall stuff out it'll put a smile on my face.

Also think I'll start getting spookytown stuff. Haunt has been peaking my interest into checking it out for a while now.

[Zombie-F]

Spooky Town stuff is cool because it's a happy medium between scary and cutesy, as well as a happy medium between the price of Dept 56 and the Jo Ann Fabric haunted villages.

[darryl]

I'm just panicked that I have to pick up the pace to get ready for halloween!!

[Wyatt Furr]

The Michael's here in Henderson has the start of Halloween out.Some Village pieces and an assortment of wooden/metal signage.Already was in drooling over stuff.

[MrsMyers666]

Spooky Town stuff is cool because it's a happy medium between scary and cutesy, as well as a happy medium between the price of Dept 56 and the Jo Ann Fabric haunted villages.

I have no where to put it now, but may have to get some anyways. Anyone suggest specific pieces? The creepier the better.

[Hauntiholik]

I have no where to put it now, but may have to get some anyways. Anyone suggest specific pieces? The creepier the better.

MM - here's some of my favorite pieces that are still available. I have others but they aren't available unless you find them on ebay,

Gothic Ruin (2006 building). It lights up - no sound.
Rest In Pieces Mausoleum - light, sound and movement
Madam Ashburys House of Wax - light, sound and movement
Dr. Tingle's Laboratory - lights and sound

This is also a favorite of mine but it's discontinued (found on ebay though)
Castle on Spooky Hill (2005 retired)

http://cgi.ebay.com/LEMAX-Halloween-Spooky-Castle-on-Spooky-Hill-House_W0QQitemZ160004940718QQihZ006QQcategoryZ910Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Zombie-F]

Had to take my mom to the hospital today for an X-Ray and decided to stop in again on my way home. Michael's has almost all of their Spooky Town houses out! Figures that the one I really want (the new mineshaft) wasn't on the shelves yet. They did have one on display. Pretty cool. :D

[HibLaGrande]

Oh boy! I havent seen any spooky town stuff out yet, havent been looking. but I will now. :D

[Hauntiholik]

YEA! I stopped by Michaels yesterday. They had some great little bottles (new this year) with signs on them like 'Lizard legs', 'Spider Juice', 'Toe of Frog', 'Skin of Toad', 'Wool of Bat' and 'Fillet of Snake'. I also picked up a cardboard book that had a witches voice when the book was opened.
All of this fits in well with my witch area on my porch.

Just thought I'd pass that along is anyone was also doing a witch and wanted bottles.

[WNYHaunts]

I went to Michaels this after noon and all Lemax Spooky Town items were out and the display was up. I purchased the "Attraction Funhouse."

[Spooklights]

The Michaels down our way has their Lemax display up, but nothing out for sale yet. They have a Phantom of the Opera playing the organ that I HAVE to have, and the Gothic Ruin looks really creepy.

[ghostie]

Hauntiholik, does the Castle on Spooky Hill shine lightning on the wall behind it? Or on a plastic reflection piece? I can't quite tell on the sites I've seen it on...I would love one of those! And Gothic Ruins looks like my fav for 06. I guess I'll be heading off to Michaels tomorrow!

[Hauntiholik]

I don't think any light shines from the back of the Castle on Spooky Hill - Ghostie.

[WNYHaunts]

YEA! I stopped by Michaels yesterday. They had some great little bottles (new this year) with signs on them like 'Lizard legs', 'Spider Juice', 'Toe of Frog', 'Skin of Toad', 'Wool of Bat' and 'Fillet of Snake'. I also picked up a cardboard book that had a witches voice when the book was opened.

I have an orane potion bottle with a bat on it that reads "Wool of Bat" I purcahsed last fall from Michaels.

[Hauntiholik]

I also have that orange bottle from last year. The bottles this year look better and they aren't so cutesy. Frosted bottles with paper labels and they used a nice font.

[ghostie]

Wool of Bat sounds fun. I'll have to keep an eye out for those this year.

Okay, Haunt, I must have misunderstood the site I saw. Still looks like an awesome piece though. I've only got a few pieces, but just bought some of those purple LED spots for the set a month ago online. Can hardly wait to set it up this year...

[Jack Reaper]

I do this on Halloweenforum all the time....
What you all need is a store like this one near you www.reinkebros.com

A year round Halloween store.
These guys are friends of mine, so I keep dropping their name and site all the time!

[Frighteners Entertainment]

You forgot one to drop JR? LOL

[Jack Reaper]

Better than dropping my pants...right?

[Eyes_in_the_dark]

YEA! I stopped by Michaels yesterday. They had some great little bottles (new this year) with signs on them like 'Lizard legs', 'Spider Juice', 'Toe of Frog', 'Skin of Toad', 'Wool of Bat' and 'Fillet of Snake'. I also picked up a cardboard book that had a witches voice when the book was opened.
All of this fits in well with my witch area on my porch.

Just thought I'd pass that along is anyone was also doing a witch and wanted bottles.


I pick-up one of each of the bottles yesterday, they will look nice in my bathroom during my Halloween party. :D

[Hellrazor]

Dollarrama just started putting out their Halloween stuff today. I picked up some little glow in the dark skellys and a cool sign that says Halloween.

Im gettting more and more excited every day!~

[Johnny Thunder]

Hooray! I hit Micheals on Sunday and they had tons of Halloween stuff out and I was so happy. Today I stopped at my local dollar store and they had out the first of the Halloween stuff! I bought a rubber spider and a witch hand puppet....they had all kinds of spiders, ghosts, door signs, candle holders, paper plates and cups! I was in my glory.

[turtle2778]

LMAO~ We are some sick freaks....I LOVE IT!!!

[Hauntiholik]

Target has some packages of little GID snakes, bugs and bats in the party section (where the party favors are). They also have rubber snake finger puppets.

[TearyThunder]

Dollar Tree has autum leaf garland, mini pumpkins, haloween CD's and some halloween stuffed animals out.

[slightlymad]

he he he yeah he sick freaks YES YES

[Hellrazor]

Tomorrow I get some Retro pay!! Wooo HOoo Im going SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beepem]

muahahahahaha!!!!
YES

good stuff!

[spideranne]

If you have Garden Ridges in your area they have a bunch of the Halloween stuff out, including Lemax Spooky Town. All their Lemax stuff is 20% off July 19-25th.

[Johnny Thunder]

I think all the local stores are tired of me asking "so, when does your Halloween stuff come out?".....in a few places the workers were like "uhm its summer"....and I replied "I know - we're running out of time!"

I'm glad they didn't call security........

[IshWitch]

Our Big Lots had fall leaf garland and small pumpkins out yesterday along with some assorted other "safe" fall type items. Things teachers might put in their classrooms, actually stuff I'd rather have out at Thanksgiving.

But nonetheless! It has begun!
Bwahahahaha!

[Bone Dancer]

thanks for the heads up, I can go and set up my tent next to the front door at wal mart now. I just tell people I am a camping display and direct them inside.
Geee I think I should get paid for this dont ya think.

[BloodyRose]

There's a store here called Party City, and they have a pretty good selection of seasonal items, halloween ect, We usually hit that up for those extras Morbius might need. i got all the stuff for our daughter's holloween party there last year. they also had a great selection of yard decor spooky stuff and just neat things all together. way better than Big Lots or micheals.

Infact we were in Micheals today and they didn't have much of a selection although there was an indoor decoration Morbius wanted.

I'm hoping Party City has spring form cake pans, i have one that is little ghosts to make ghost cakes to decorate, i really want Bats and stuff like that too. Cooking is my thing.

It might be worth it to see if you have a store like that near you.

[lady_bee]

I got most of my Halloween stuff at Party City last year, but only went for the sales. Even in October they have lots on sale but you need to be careful...A lot of the discounts won't ring up at the register and I had to argue my case even with flyer in hand. This happened at 2 different stores in my area. It's a neat place, just watch yourself if you are thrifty like I am.

[ruafraid]

Party City here has 1/2 of their halloween stuff out as far as costumes makeup and the other stuff they are putting out in 2 more weeks. AC Moore which is a hobby/art store has quite a bit of halloween stuff out. I was able to get 11" crows with wings for $ 6.00 each.

[BroomChick]

Party City put a bunch of last year's costumes on sale and is clearing the shelves for this year's loot. They already have some pirate stuff out along with TONS of wigs.

I just picked up some stuff from Michael's last week. They have ribbon, candy dishes (the cauldron kind and the weird things with feet), signs and stuff. Nothing really spooky...a little too cutsey for me but my daughter bought a couple of things for her "bedroom haunt"...she's 7!

[TearyThunder]

Lillian Vernon (http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalog/category.jsp?parentCatId=7) has finally have their Halloween sale site set up!

[turtle2778]

OMG>....Thanks Teary...I just got some great stuff from them. I had never heard of that place before...I love you...:D

[TearyThunder]

You're welcome Turtle. I just found another that has some pretty good stuff too.

LINK (http://www.plumparty.com/page/100200/CTGY/HalloweenDecorations)

[Hauntiholik]

TT - I wish you had posted that sooner :( I've been cut off from spending...crud!

[gmacted]

TT - I wish you had posted that sooner :( I've been cut off from spending...crud!


So much to buy, so few days left, so little money.

[Hauntiholik]

So much to buy, so few days left, so little money.
Just have to make it through payday.....I need to tags for my truck :(

[TearyThunder]

Sorry HH. Hopefully you can work a way around the spending cut off.

Gmacted, I'm with you. I have been spending and building and waiting for things to come in. I am going nuts! With me setting a goal of being done by Sept 23rd I am in trouble lol. I still have a good bit left to do.

[otherworldly]

They have some amazing things alright! Thanks for posting it. I'm limiting myself to buying prop materials so far, but there's some tempting stuff there!

[Hauntiholik]

I think I'll use the gargoyles for pillar tops. I'll be placing an order soon!

[Hauntiholik]

Hehehe is soon right about now? I think so. Shhhhh! Don't tell.

[TearyThunder]

Ooooooo I'm telling! HH you are too bad! lol

[Fright Yard]

Big lots is putting out fall foliage and cute looking scarecrows. I saw them this week on the shelves, Im sure once the back to school stuff is gone (the south starts school around August 22 or so) they will start to put it out.

[slightlymad]

boy oh boy are we all introuble or what

[turtle2778]

TT- thanks for posting about Lillian V. I had never heard of her and just got the perfect witch for my haunt...THANKS

[IshWitch]

Big lots is putting out fall foliage and cute looking scarecrows. I saw them this week on the shelves, Im sure once the back to school stuff is gone (the south starts school around August 22 or so) they will start to put it out.
Our schools start the second week of August. A week or so ago I saw fall stuff in our BL and fabrics in WM and then this past Thursday I saw Halloween items like ribbons with bats, etc., in the crafts dept. at WM, but no Halloween decorations as such, yet.

[TearyThunder]

Walmart is gearing up online.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=halloween&search_constraint=0&ic=20_0&ref=+125862.321729

[Hauntiholik]

Ooooooo I'm telling! HH you are too bad! lol
Go ahead! I dare you LOL! The bills have all been paid :p and tomorrow is new month!

I need to get over to BigLots and have a look around. Thanks for the heads up!

[SpectreTTM]

Boy are they really getting their money's worth out of this guys head.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4933771

I have seen him in at least 2 other incarnations.

I have the head on the platter
and I have seen him as the butler without hair.

I'm sure there is more

[slimy]

I bought the butler last year. I also had the head on the platter. I just unscrewed the platter that came with the butler and screwed on the 'head platter'. He was serving his own head! I thought it was funny.

[slightlymad]

Nothing wronge with a familiar face

[grapegrl]

I love the 6' animated mummy Wal-Mart is offering...I want my mummy! (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4933774)

I will have to get him to go inside my life-size replica mummy case. :p

Wewt!!

[SpectreTTM]

I love the 6' animated mummy Wal-Mart is offering...I want my mummy! (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4933774)

I will have to get him to go inside my life-size replica mummy case. :p

Wewt!!


Didn't see that. My guess is that the Butler is under there as well ;)

[The Crow 1994]

Didn't see that. My guess is that the Butler is under there as well ;)

Oh yeah....he is...lol.

[Da Weiner]

I had to go out last night to Michaels and Jo Ann Fabrics for my sister-in-laws b-day this weekend. They are just startng to get Halloween things out but it was sparse. I did get a few signs and halloween potion bottles. They would look good in the kitchen.

[trishaanne]

One of the local craft stores by me, The Rag Shop, has started putting out their Halloween things. Right now it's mostly the Halloween village, some floating reapers and pumpkins but they did have a set of two skeletons that talk to one another across the room. It was $30.00 but they have a 40% off coupon in the paper every Sunday. It may just be worth it...add a little bit to the haunt without having to make it myself!

[MrsMyers666]

Still nothing by me. I've been checking Michael's every weekend and every time I go in there I can't find someone to ask when the stuff will be out or it's someone working for the summer and not sure.

I'm sad, I want Halloween stuff out :(

[slightlymad]

went to party city last night and bought some costume parts but the selection wa worse than than thin

[Mr Unpleasant]

I stoppped in Micheals and there were three center racks full of Halloween stuff and one whole aisle. I bought a crawling brain($10) with a mouth like Audrey2 and a couple of foam chains(5$). They had some nice lamp posts and a full sized she-mummy plus a lot of the usual suspects.

[Johnny Thunder]

Today at Party City I got an Animated Grim Reaper who stands 6 feet marked down to $6, and the Skull Fogger for $5.....pretty sweet deals.

[BloodyRose]

Today at Party City I got an Animated Grim Reaper who stands 6 feet marked down to $6, and the Skull Fogger for $5.....pretty sweet deals.

GREAT! now i have to hide the car keys

[Dreadnight]

Michael's here has the Halloween village stuff, fall foliage, and some real basic Halloween stuff (yard signs, wreaths). You can see all the open shelf space where the hard core stuff is gonna go soon. :) JoAnn fabs is way behind, just a few items out. Gonna try to hit Party City tomorrow.

[gmacted]

I went to iParty over the weekend and they had a lot of Halloween stuff out already, but not everything was out since they still had some summer party stuff out. It won't be long now.

[heresjohnny]

I finally went by Michaels, and sure enough they had some Halloween stuff out. That was pure pleasure taking 15 minutes out of Monday to browse the skulls and pumpkins and bats. I must have stood there and watched the SpookyTown display for 5 minutes, defnitely brought a smile to my face.

[Johnny Thunder]

My Big Lots is gearing up for the Halloween stuff - they have a few shelves of discount summer stuff, and to those shelves they have taped the layout for the Halloween items - manager said everything should be up and out sometime this week. I noticed they have some of the same items as last year (smaller sized hanging reapers, tombstones, skulls, etc) but some new items like a bigger sized sort of vampire guy and woman (both look to be a few feet high)

[Black Cat]

Just came from Michaels. Armed with my 40% off coupon. Three center racks full and one aisle all filled with Halloween. I really went to check out the animated Gyspy head in the crystal ball, from first glance it looks really cool. I stood at the display for about 10 minutes activating it to hear what she says and what her facial movements are. The problem I had was I couldn't hear the Gyspies voice as the store was so noisy with kids over by the lemax setup which was running. Also a bunch of kids clowning around with all the motion activated items and setting them off. Anyway the Gyspies eyes move side to side, the mouth kinda moves and the head turns slightly. As for what she was saying I have no idea. Guess I'll have to take Vlad back with me in hopes the store is a little quieter.

On a good note I did stop at Party City after leaving Michael's and bought myself a few Skull Fog machines on clearance for $5.00 ea. Nothing in the Halloween section has prices and none of the employees could tell me without running the item up to the register.

[Vlad]

Thanks to JohnnyThunder, we're now the proud owners of 8, let me repeat that, 8, ocho, eight, skull foggers, lol. I've been watching these sit on the shelf for the past year, and would never have known if it wasn't for him. Even the register lady was, "Wow, that's cheap".

[Johnny Thunder]

Cool man - good luck with them. :jol:

[Beepem]

big lots is breaking out the stuff? NIICE

[Dreadnight]

Well, tried Party City but all they had was leftover costumes from last year on sale. Lots of cleared space for the new stuff tho.

[wormyt]

Yesterday i had ran my kids to the mall an hour and a half away from home but me not being a mall shopper took off to Michaels. They had Halloween out...well a few isles anyway. Cool village stuff..well i dont collect that and sure dont even want to get started as its all so cool Id go broke for sure. They had some cool signs out and witches potion bottles which I myself got. My heart was pounding hard as i was getting so excited to be within the halloween isles. Not to many folks shop these isles this early in August so i had the isles all to myself to take my time looking LOL. I did try Big Lots last week here in missouri but nothing yet, but i will certainly keep looking. i always have the manager hold me a whole box of the bluckies for me. So i always get several bluckies every year from there. All i know is Im getting excited now to see things showing up in some stores.

[Johnny Thunder]

Just talked to my Big Lots manager - they put some stuff out today, and the next truckload arrives on Thursday. She said it will all be out by this weekend! :devil:

[SpectreTTM]

Just came from Michaels. Armed with my 40% off coupon.

Please pardon my ignorance but what are these 40% coupons some people have mentioned?

[The Crow 1994]

Please pardon my ignorance but what are these 40% coupons some people have mentioned?

They are found in the local Sunday ads here in Omaha. It's 40% off a regularly priced item.

[Black Cat]

Please pardon my ignorance but what are these 40% coupons some people have mentioned?

Spectre, Every week stores put flyers in the Sunday newspaper. Michael's and Rag Shop have been doing 40% or 50% off coupons almost weekly. The coupon can be used on any one regular priced item. I have my neighbors trained to save me those percent off coupons.

[ShadyHallows]

Went to Michaels today and they had a very nice selection out nothing on sale though. I went to walmart also and all they had were some fake un carved pumpkins back in the fabric section for 3.59! I picked one up for my scarecrow.

[RAXL]

Anybody know when Spirit halloween stores are gonna be open?
The website just says "August".:jol:

[jdubbya]

Most Spirit stores open around the first of September. Once locations are established, they can literally set up an entire store in a week. The website has a store locator, but it won't have too many lisitngs until mid-late August. I remember our local Spirit opened last year just after Labor Day.

[RAXL]

Aha.
Thank you.:)

[ruafraid]

Anybody know when Spirit halloween stores are gonna be open?
The website just says "August".:jol:

During a recent e-mail thread with the Haunter that runs the local Spirit Store and asked him when he was opening. His response was Sept 1 2006. Just to late to buy anything by then :( LOL He got a laugh out of that one as well.

[drbrandon73]

Just saw the animated haunted villages (like christmas villages) in Michaels, dang kids want $400 worth of them (maybe when they go on clearance).

[Beepem]

what about christmas tree shops? anything there?

[Hellrazor]

Keep your eyes open for the 40 -50 percent off coupons Dr. brandon.

[Da Weiner]

Yep, gotta have the coupons! Man, half the stuff I buy I wouldn't be able to afford without them.

[Fright Yard]

OK NEWS FLASH, PArty City here in Gastonia has put all of their Halloween stuff out!

[Da Weiner]

I just received my Oriental Trading Halloween catalog last night. Going to thumb through it this weekend.

[turtle2778]

okay heres the thing with waiting for lemax to go on clearance. It generally doesnt because its ususally gone by that time. ALso what is left is usually broken. I would advise you check the paper for the ads and get the coupons. BIG HELP. Be happy you arent getting into Dept 56. I have a couple thousand dollars in my village. Feel free to check out my village for ideas. Pictures by turtle2778 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid63.photobucket.com/albums/h134/turtle2778/HeadPopperProp.flv@@AMEPARAM@@static@@AMEPARAM@@63 @@AMEPARAM@@h134/turtle2778/HeadPopperProp

[Beepem]

i got another halloween 2006 mag last night from otc... same thing as last month with a few new stuff....nothing good. al they did was change the order of the pages...

[MrsMyers666]

okay heres the thing with waiting for lemax to go on clearance. It generally doesnt because its ususally gone by that time. ALso what is left is usually broken. I would advise you check the paper for the ads and get the coupons. BIG HELP. Be happy you arent getting into Dept 56. I have a couple thousand dollars in my village. Feel free to check out my village for ideas. http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h134/turtle2778/
That looks awesome!!

FYI Halloween Express will list locations on their site August 14.

[Johnny Thunder]

OK so I just got back from Big Lots (whose manager told me they got 2 truckloads of Halloween stuff this week and everything would be out yesterday). They have two areas of happy scarecrows and pumpkins and leaves and 'fall' decorations. In terms of Halloween, it's one section of candy, and the other lanes that have the instructional layout card for the store staff to use as a guide are still full of half off summer junk. BAH!

[wormyt]

Well I just called our Biglots here in Missouri and its like 30 miles away. Lady said hopefully on tomorrows truck it will be Halloween packed. LOL so by next weekend should be good to go. LOL Oh well guess I will go out and repaint my crypt lol

[Black Cat]

Just got home from Big Lots.......Report is they have tons of stuff in and more coming withing in the next two weeks.
Here's a list of what I can remember seeing. Blucky skeleton $10.00, 2 different regular sized (foam ????) skulls $6.00., Halloween lights of assorted variety, a 3 sided skull faced large candy dish $15.00, Tombstones in every size, Small hanging bride, groom and a few other characters with gauzy stuff hanging down $3.00, Really cool looking furry black cats with the hunched backs and growling mouth with teeth $11.00, Spider/bat thingy with a 40 inch wing span $7.00, Spider thrifty except legs not as poseable as ACC ones $10.00, Furry Rats in various poses $6.00, Rubber bats that hang upside down, Ceramic skulls with sm. skulls on top, Bottles from last year with the skull scenes, Large pirate type skulls with the google eyes, and tons of candles, door mats, napkins, tableclothes and placemats.
I did notice that the Bluckies appear to be different than those from last year. This years appear to be a tannish color and a harder type of plastic. Prices went up on most things a few cents from last year.

As I was checking out my purchases the poor girl at the register screamed bloody murder and ran away, I got the hint right away she was afraid to look or touch my purchase. She ran to the employee door and came out with another gal. They walked cautiously to the register where the second register girl tried to tell the first one it's all fake. Needless to say I ended up having to bag my own stuff and hold in the laugh. The 1st register gal kept saying I can't believe that this stuff is out already and going on and on how she is afraid of halloween stuff and how I'm the first person to come up to the register with halloween merchandise.

[MrsMyers666]

Black Cat thanks for all the info. I'm going to call Big Lots tomorrow to see if stuff is out, maybe I'll bring my camera and take pics of things.

Oh yeah, the register girl, what a freak LOL

[Pumpkin_Queen]

Ok,

This is probably the wrong thread for this...but I'm a crazy novelty pen collector. And Halloween is one of my favorite pen types to collect (Last year I got a pen that had purple, orange and black ink in it...from Ganz. But they don't have any more!) Anyone know where I could get a slew of these pens?

[mrklaw]

I've already started supplementing my blucky with PVC. Going a lot slower than I expected since it's my first time.

[Vlad]

Pumpkin Queen, okay, so we're hijacking this thread just a little, lol. I also love Halloween pens, although Black Cat (you know her, the one that went to Big Lots today WITHOUT me) doesn't share my desire to own one of each. My favorite is here on my desk, it lights up as you write, has a bubble wand in it, and has an ink stamper on the top with a figural ghost/cat/tombstone figural finial.

[trishaanne]

Hey Vlad...that sounds like the pen I had! Now that I can no longer find it, maybe a trip up north to see yours, or mine cause I think you stole it :p would be a good idea.

[MrsMyers666]

Ok,

This is probably the wrong thread for this...but I'm a crazy novelty pen collector. And Halloween is one of my favorite pen types to collect (Last year I got a pen that had purple, orange and black ink in it...from Ganz. But they don't have any more!) Anyone know where I could get a slew of these pens?

Any way you could post a pic of the pen you have?

I have a Halloween pen on my desk at work, rarely use it. It's a skeleton that's bottom half is wrapped like a mummy, great detail.

I collect Halloween candles, gonna buy some at Big Lots, like how a steered it back to the shopping LOL

[Johnny Thunder]

I'm going back to my Big Lots tomorrow and they better have the vampire guy, the skull/spider, little mummies and skull in a cage out!! OR ELSE!

[Black Cat]

Just made a second trip to Big Lots tonight. They still have boxes of stuff to put out but Vlad and I managed to open one for them tonight and even displayed the items on the shelf. We found the Gargoyles for $5.00 each in three different poses.
Mr. Big Jangles is I think $10.00. They also have a mini indoor cemetery with 3 skulls, hands, fence and tombstones for $15.
This time around the register person didn't get spooked like this mornings run and even commented on Ohhh so spooky as I was checking out.

Johnny they also had the skull in the cage for $11.00

Dollar Tree has a really pathetic show of Halloween stuff but we did manage to pick up a few classic Horror DVD's that we didn't have for $1.00.

[Black Cat]

Five and Below store has the oscilating flood light for outdoor use made by lite FX for $5.00

[Johnny Thunder]

Hooray! My store was fully stocked. I grabbed the vampire groom, the skull spider thing which is really creepy, a blucky, some creepy cloth and the skull in a cage - my neighbors just walked by as I was unloading and smiled.....

[MrsMyers666]

I'm way too excited about 3 Spirit stores being within 5 miles of my home! I can't wait for them to open, maybe I'll drive by them this weekend to see what's going on. Gotta head to Big Lots too, supposedly the stuff will be out tomorrow.

[slightlymad]

We went to big lots over the weekend and found alot out but no gargoyles well have to go back.

[Vlad]

I've read on another forum that the Chicago Party City has "lots" of $5 skull foggers.

[TearyThunder]

I got my Bride and Groom from Biglots tonight!!! Yay!!! I also finally got my whistles after their 3rd and final trip out here.

[MrsMyers666]

I've read on another forum that the Chicago Party City has "lots" of $5 skull foggers.
Interesting, nothing even out at the Party Cities by me....maybe I should venture out further this weekend.

[edwood saucer]

You've got to love the $1.00 Horror Classics from the dollar tree... I can't wait till ours has their halloween stock out.

[Vlad]

As well as the $1 horror flicks that Target puts out also.

[otherworldly]

Winners had Home Decor Halloween items out when I visited yesterday. There were some cool items; like a 3ft tall ceramic mummy statue and a witch and a frankenstein nutcracker...towels with bats...

[TearyThunder]

Pool noodles are .50 at walmart......they finally went on clearance!

[slightlymad]

I might actually set foot in there for that oh wait no Ill send the kids. YEA THATS THE TICKET

[lady_bee]

Pool noodles are .50 at walmart......they finally went on clearance!

Em, so what exactly do we do with pool noodles (aside from some late night fun around the house with the significant other, or maybe that's just me) ?

[TearyThunder]

LOL LadyBee you can use them to fill out your monsters or to make a giant spider among other things.

[mrklaw]

I checked out Party City this weekend and they didn't have anything good. Just dumb kid costumes. No foggers on clearance.

[Wyatt Furr]

My Walgreeens just put their stuff out.I found a jointed skellie, 2 for 5 dollars.
He's 16in long with fairly good detail.Check it out.

[nicole]

Joann fabrics has a bit of their halloween stuff out. I guess for those of you that dont have one of these stores it is just like Michaels but every week in the ad, they give a %off coupon. we will be getting a halloween usa store nearby. they rent out the old circuit city building and fill it with all kinds of stuff.

[grapegrl]

Target has some pretty cool items this year... Target's Festival of Fright 2006 (http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/ref=gp_se_search-results-box/601-6330359-8368962?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=15676801)

[Black Cat]

Hit up a few of the dollar stores today. For the most part just little trinket stuff. I did stumble upon a latex skelly mask in army hat dated 1998, skull party cases 8 in a package,( a little bigger than the skull whistles, and the cases come apart so you could use the front half of the skull for embellishing tombstones, picture frames or what not), tiny wax skulls for making candles, Latex hand glove with a large latex spider attached to top part of hand. When you put your hand inside and start to move the spiders legs move, dated also 1998. Well not bad for $1.00 for each item.

Stopped off at Cost Cutters- they seem to be just starting to put stuff out. Had an aisle worth of cutesy stuff, some stuff looked like it was left overs from last year and had clearance tags, But I did find 3 new pairs of Halloween socks that I didn't have. Socks $1.99. Vlad picked up a skull which is about the same size as a Blucky for $4.99.
They also had last years Halloween Hawaiin mens shirts for $5.00, Boxers, assorted new halloween socks for 2006 but a little pricey at $4.50 a pair.

[ghostie]

Sounds great Black Cat! Hubby wears hawaiian shirts to work (nice ones with dress pants and nice shoes). Were the shirts nice looking? Might be pushing Casual friday a little! ha ha.

[Black Cat]

Actually Ghostie our son loves his Hawaiin shirts and I bought both of his halloween shirts at Cost Cutters last year. They have a dark purple shirt with spiders and webs on it thats cool. The quality is good and you can't beat $5.
.

[ghostie]

That's great! We normally buy ours/his when vacationing in Key West at a discount store for around 5 to 15 each. (big spenders!) Will certainly have to check out the ones at Cost Cutters...Thanks for the info...Tell your son he's cool and it's neat that he's in "The Club" as hubby calls it. Not everyone can wear hawaiian shirts and pull it off with class!

[Da Weiner]

I went to the Michaels store in my area is they are still putting out Halloween stuff. They did set up their new Lemax collection and I bought the "Mausoleum". I just started collecting and this is my first buy. I never did a minature set up so I am already having fun in creating the backdrop and trees myself.

[DeathTouch]

I noticed that Menards (like Home Depot) is starting to put up their Halloween stuff. They have the animated blow-up with the witches in there I want.

[edwood saucer]

You know what Da Wiener - I saw those miniatures for the first time out at Garden Ridge - I just about fell out. Those things are amazing fun. Can't afford them right now - but could definitely see collecting them in the future. Where does Halloween rank in merchandising? If it's not #1 - it's probably #2.

Great stuff.

[Da Weiner]

You know what Da Wiener - I saw those miniatures for the first time out at Garden Ridge - I just about fell out. Those things are amazing fun. Can't afford them right now - but could definitely see collecting them in the future. Where does Halloween rank in merchandising? If it's not #1 - it's probably #2.

Great stuff.

I know what you mean. The store had them all set up and the animated ones were great. It was fun to watch everthing working at the same time. They can be a little pricey, but if you are just starting out like me, I just going to buy them when they're on sale and just keep adding on each year. Some of the things like the trees you can just go and cut a a piece of branch (small piece) and use styrofoam for balance and hot glue some spanish moss. Same thing with the platform they have displayed. You can make out out of the same as the trees. That's the part I like about it.

[writer93]

Well around Friday Spencers at the mall here will begin putting out there Halloween masks and costumes and novelties. Won't be too long!

[MrsMyers666]

Went to a Target today and the Back to School area was all cleared out....guess what gets put there....!!!!

[TearyThunder]

Walmart is starting in the south. I saw some stuff today when I went. I bought a light up crashed witch to put under one of my cars hehehe.

[ghostie]

That's sick. Brilliant, but sick! ha ha

[Dr Morbius]

I was gonna strap one of those chrashed witches to my hips in the front, so it looks like she's....oh ..nevermind. This is a family forum!

[jdubbya]

I was gonna strap one of those chrashed witches to my hips in the front, so it looks like she's....oh ..nevermind. This is a family forum!

:D
Good one!

[writer93]

I'de say around next week Spencer's will begin putting out some Halloween items. Not sure.

[The Crow 1994]

One of the Spencer's here in Omaha told us that they will be setting up their display for September 10th.

[writer93]

That's cool, I hope they start here that soon!

[The Crow 1994]

I'm surprised they haven't started sooner....the Halloween Express store has opened before any of the Spirit stores here.

[writer93]

Yeah, I wish they would start around August sometime.

[IshWitch]

Our Walmart hasn't set up anything yet! KMart and BigLots are way ahead of them here.

[otherworldly]

Walmart as of today - still nothing. The seasonal section is even mostly cleared of the garden stuff, but the shelves remain empty. Dreary really. Spencers told me to come back around the 15th. Shessh. What are these people waiting for? I asked if she knew what stuff was coming in from Gemmy (I simply must have that crow candy dish!) - and she asked what Gemmy was! :eek:

[allreagray]

The Spirit Halloween store has now officially opened here by me in illinois, and wouldn't you know I just got paid today.

[Vlad]

ugh, our Walmart has had empty shelves over a week now. They did have the Edwardian butler out, very tempting, but we decided to make one instead.

[heresjohnny]

I am so happy right now. The manager at Michaels had told me he would hold a spirit ball for me, but when I checked this morning, 50% coupon in hand, no one knew about it. Fortunately I got a call a little later from a manager saying she had it, and I just picked it up. They even gave me a 50% off coupon, so $25 for the 14" gypsy lady spirit ball.:D :D

[Johnny Thunder]

My Walmart was just putting everything out today as I was roaming around the aisles. They have everything down towards the outdoor/gardening center - I grabbed a few of the Fright Tape "Caution Enter if you Dare" faux police tape (20 feet, a buck each), some fake blood and a few smaller things. The Dollar Tree has some stuff but just mostly crappy plush JOLs and witches that are pretty fugly.

[MasterGracey]

Home Depot is starting to put out halloween FINALLY!

[malibooman]

The only thing my Wal-mart had out besides little stuff was an animated rat in a can. It was'nt too bad. Did score at Michael's today with the 50% off. I picked up the animated mummy, the animated tombstone, and the animated coffin.

[Da Weiner]

Home Depot is starting to put out halloween FINALLY!

I will have to check out the Home Depot around my area. I would never have thought that they had Halloween stuff. I only went there for my prop making items.

[Lilly]

our walmart started yesterday with stocking the halloween items iwas there yesterday and today..needed paint can't seem to stay wawy from the halloween stuff though so this is what i bought.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/spiritball.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/skullsfor1.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/poseableskel1.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/gobletswebbingdoorthing3.jpg

[Lilly]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/garlandandceramicskulls.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/floatingreaper.jpg

[Hellrazor]

I went to Walmart on my lunch hour. The papers are up (of where to put stuff) and it looks like a good haul. About 3 - 4 isles. Thats good for Canada. I will definatly get a spirit ball if they are in. I will check back in a few days.

[The Crow 1994]

I will have to check out the Home Depot around my area. I would never have thought that they had Halloween stuff. I only went there for my prop making items.

If you go to www.gemmy.com you can find out which items Home Depot will be carrying. Just click on an item and most of them will have information on where it will be available at.

[writer93]

I went to Walmart today, and they have some cool Halloween items up. They have alot of there masks already, and they are starting to stock up on the makeup and wigs and stuff. As far as candy, they have most of it out already. I'm glad there starting early!

[Da Weiner]

If you go to www.gemmy.com you can find out which items Home Depot will be carrying. Just click on an item and most of them will have information on where it will be available at.

Thanx Crow for this info. I think I'm going to be spending more time at the Home Depot!

[IshWitch]

I snagged 2 bluckies, some orange and purple lights, a wall hanging and a pirate ground breaker so far at BigLots. Our Kmart has pretty much all of it's stuff out. I haven't been to our WalMart since last Thursday, and they had nothing, hopefully they will have set up over the weekend, might run out there tonight to see! I'm dying to check out what everyone else is reporting!

BTW, not to sound dumb, but what is a spirit ball?

[writer93]

I dont know what a spirit ball is either.
I want to buy that 6 ft tall Butler for Halloween, and put some candy in the platter and let the kids get it from there. They have it at the WalMart here, and it is on www.gemmy.com, as The Crow 1994 posted.

[Johnny Thunder]

I dont know what a spirit ball is either.
I want to buy that 6 ft tall Butler for Halloween, and put some candy in the platter and let the kids get it from there. They have it at the WalMart here, and it is on www.gemmy.com, as The Crow 1994 posted.


There's a picture of one in Lilly's post.

[debbityboo]

Attention Boils and Ghouls....they have finally put up the cheap 12inch plastic bluckies for $1.00 each at the Family Dollar...I'm waiting for the 24 inch ones next....ohhhh it's gonna be good and scary... ;)

[Johnny Thunder]

I'll have to check mine out for those - thanks.

[nicole]

at the walmart by my house, they dont have anything up yet. I walked through the garden section and there were boxes and boxes of stuff to put out. the family dollar by me has the 24" little plastic skellies. that is about the neatest thing they have there.

[slimy]

The "spirit ball" is this year's hot halloween item. It looks like a fortune teller's crystal ball and has an animated character inside 'floating' and giving advice. They make these with several different characters. I've seen them so far as cheap as $40 and as expensive as $90.

I bought the butler last year. Same as this year, just different clothes. He looks cool, eyes move, head turns, chest moves as he breathes, but I was dissapointed in the fact that when he talks, his mouth does not move. If this mouth moving thing is important to you, pass on the butler. He does however look pretty cool in the pics.

[Da Weiner]

I checked them out at Michaels. Their pretty big - not the same size and a regular crystal ball.

[magen16]

Our Dollar General has "spirit balls" for $25. They were unpacking everything today and looks like there are a few "heads" to pick from.

[grapegrl]

Went to the Wal-Mart across the street from work today. I'd say they had about 2/3 of their Hallowe'en stock out. Overall, not a terribly impressive selection. I did pick up some faux rusty chain (nice durable plastic instead of the usual brittle foam stuff) and a skull and crossbones tombstone - around $4.97 for each item. They had the Gemmy Edwardian animated butlers for just under $100 and the spirit balls (some weird guy with awful cologne was in the way, so I didn't get the price. Costumes and accessories were pretty cheesy. Lots of different light stakes and lights. I am really hoping that they will have the lightning machine they had last year. I'm still kicking myself for not picking one up when I had the chance.

Anyway, I'm hoping that the Wal-Mart where I usually shop (short distance from where I live) has their stuff out this weekend. They usually have different items from the store I visited today.

[Zombie-F]

I agree with you about that chain. I picked up some myself just the other day. They had it at Big Lots last year, but I only bought one length back them... kicking myself over that one. :p

I also bought one of those fake owls at Wal Mart too as the one I used to use in the cemetery was kind of disintegrating from being out in the weather for the past 4 years.

Went to the Wal-Mart across the street from work today. I'd say they had about 2/3 of their Hallowe'en stock out. Overall, not a terribly impressive selection. I did pick up some faux rusty chain (nice durable plastic instead of the usual brittle foam stuff) and a skull and crossbones tombstone - around $4.97 for each item. They had the Gemmy Edwardian animated butlers for just under $100 and the spirit balls (some weird guy with awful cologne was in the way, so I didn't get the price. Costumes and accessories were pretty cheesy. Lots of different light stakes and lights. I am really hoping that they will have the lightning machine they had last year. I'm still kicking myself for not picking one up when I had the chance.

Anyway, I'm hoping that the Wal-Mart where I usually shop (short distance from where I live) has their stuff out this weekend. They usually have different items from the store I visited today.

[Hellrazor]

I got 3 more foggers from Liquidation World for 15.00 and 8 more bottles of fog juice for 2.50 each! Yippee!

[SpectreTTM]

the spirit balls (some weird guy with awful cologne was in the way, so I didn't get the price. .


The Spirit Balls are $34.98 at Walmart. I picked up the Swami one the other day. I got the 1st one in that store.
I went to the staging area in the garden dept saw a box labeled Crystal Ball. I asked one of the sales clerks open
the box for me. He was more than happy to accommodate me.

I bought a Monster one at the Christmas Loft for $39.99 the week before.

I'm thinking Frankenstein theme for that one.

[writer93]

Well everything here's putting more and more out. WalMart already has about everything, masks and all the decor and candy. We usually have to start buying candy early so we are sure to have enough by the time Halloween comes. Belive it or not, the candy sold here at Walmart dissappears pretty quick!!

[Vlad]

Our Target has a good portion of their stuff out. I'm not very impressed, They have a 400 watt fogger for $20, quarts of juice for $5. Lots of cutesy outdoor stuff and light sets. They do have some nice small resin gargoyles for $1.99. The masks I saw were just awful quality.They do have the $24.99 skull misters, the spirit balls for $39.99, and some really heavy resin?? headstones for $9.99, or larger sized for $19.99. They have a thunder and lightning effect machine that appears to just be a strobe, but I'm not sure. I don't think I'll be buying anything there until clearance time.

[Johnny Thunder]

I went to my Dollar Tree today and got the Mummy, Dracula, Bride of Frankenstein and the Hammer Curse of the Werewolf posters...they're great deals for a buck. I also got a bottle of blood and the mini strobe at Walmart. I love it!

[Black Cat]

Vlad and I have been back to Dollar Tree twice within the past week. The one store closests to home still has not gotten all the boxes unpacked. The store is a mess and they are working on setting up the christmas stuff while the Halloween stuff is still in the stock room. We are on the hunt for the Dracula poster. We have all the others.

[Johnny Thunder]

Vlad and I have been back to Dollar Tree twice within the past week. The one store closests to home still has not gotten all the boxes unpacked. The store is a mess and they are working on setting up the christmas stuff while the Halloween stuff is still in the stock room. We are on the hunt for the Dracula poster. We have all the others.

If you can't find one, I could grab you one and try to mail to you? But I'm not sure how well it would make out.

[IshWitch]

Roll it up and ship it in a tube specifically for that. They are available at the post office and any shipping store.

:D

[Black Cat]

JT, hopefully this weekend we'll try the Dollar Tree stores again in search for the Dracula poster. The problem now is to find suitable frames to mount them in so we can enjoy them.

[Johnny Thunder]

JT, hopefully this weekend we'll try the Dollar Tree stores again in search for the Dracula poster. The problem now is to find suitable frames to mount them in so we can enjoy them.

Good luck on your search! :devil:

[Black Cat]

I'm happy to report we found the Dracula poster today. We also picked up a a double set of all the posters they had available.

[Johnny Thunder]

Cool - yeah I like them a lot.

[scareme]

Stopped by the spirt halloween store today. They were stocking shelves and said they hoped to be open by Monday.

[Vlad]

I'm re-adding this to the General Halloween section because it got moved and buried into the Atmosphere section. It is after all an announcement of a current time sensitive sale, and not a discussion of the juice itself. I wish it could be here in a highlighted section of it's own, but oh well, you won't find this stuff this cheap retail anywhere else, go get some!!!!!

Fog juice for sale at Party City for $9.99 a gallon.

[Wyatt Furr]

Vlad,
I saw your post last night ,so I went to Party City today...
Woo-Hoo...Great price
Thanks for the heads-up

[Vlad]

Good deal Wyatt. We bought enough to carry us through next year as well. The sale ends next weekend, so I guess the only way to keep everyone informed here in the Halloween section where it belongs, is to keep bumping this up.

Fog juice for sale at Party City for $9.99 a gallon.

[Vlad]

This Halloween shopping season has one really brite spot in it. something has become available which used to be as rare as hen's teeth. Left hands! Party City,Walmart, and Michaels have the amputated arms with vinyl(?) hand attached. They come in both left and right. And to make it even better, they're life size, and life-like. I can't remember ever seeing left hands available before.

[ScareFX]

This Halloween shopping season has one really brite spot in it. something has become available which used to be as rare as hen's teeth. Left hands! Party City,Walmart, and Michaels have the amputated arms with vinyl(?) hand attached. They come in both left and right. And to make it even better, they're life size, and life-like. I can't remember ever seeing left hands available before.

I noticed those left hands too Vlad! I've never seen them either.

[Johnny Thunder]

That's funny; along with the sale fog juice I grabbed one of these arms. I didn't even notice the left handedness of the thing.

[IshWitch]

I need to check that out.

I have been grumbling about that for a few years now. ACC and all the Halloween stores have carried nothing but RIGHT hands and feet, and everything!

Kinda hard to make a ground breaker like that. :p
:)

[IshWitch]

Okay, I know, I promised to stop!

But today spent $28 at the Salvation Army and got
7 glass jars/bottles (for witch/voodoo queen spell ingredients)
1 brandy snifter (just because!)
2 tin mugs (the kind with the clear bottoms)
1 sheer flouncy shirt (for a blucky wench, now she needs a skirt ;))
1 ceramic ghost and
1 ceramic pumpkin with removable ceramic witches hat (these are the handmade kind, $3 each)
1 plastic lighted pumpkin
and
a wooden pitcher with 7 wooden stem glasses (like small chalices) WITH their wooden tray! (I couldn't resist it!)

And at the Key Center Thrift Store I got
3 glass containers (same as above! ;))
1 white queen size bed ruffle (if okay, will use, if in not so good condition, will hack for the haunt, it was only $.50!)
2 flat colored sheets (may cut up for pirate bandanas)
2 fitted color sheets (may cut up for pirate bandanas)
1 witch hat (for my friend's daughter's costume)
5 Halloween costumes (for my props, however, one looked like it is supposed to be a Jesus costume, but at $3 couldn't pass it up! )
1 wig (blond and curly, for my above pirate wench! :))
3 hair pieces (falls with attached combs)
and
2 men's suit coats (I picked out the 2 oldest and nappiest! ;) )
all for UNDER $21! ! ! They are having a half off sale for anything over $1! ! !

I know I said I must be stopped, so now, please, I MUST be stopped!
:)

[Da Weiner]

You go girl!!!!!! Shop til ya drop!!!!!!

[IshWitch]

WOOT!

Alrighty then!

She said I could!

[Vlad]

Walmart: Just a quick mention here on how thouroughly dissapointed I was in Walmart this year. Nothing much in the way of new and inventive, slow to put it out, very little stock once they did.

Big Lots: Another huge dissapointment. Some new items, some nice headstones, and the spider thrifties, but thin on stock levels.

Walgreens: Quickly turning into my Obi Wan (last hope) of reasonably priced items, and new ideas. Cheap changing portraits, cheap skulls, 12' hanging ghouls for $19.99, mini skellies and shrunken heads 2 for $5.

Spirit: I finally got to go to one this year. I wasn't impressed at all. High prices which I expected, but very little in the way of prop building blocks (items we could use to make our own props). I was expecting to find new and plentiful skulls, bones and the like, but they have next to nothing along these lines.

Party city: Some good stuff. I.E. the three headed dog, bags of ping pong ball eyes, LEFT hands (yippeee), but as disorganized as ever. And definitely higher prices this year.

Halloween Adventure Super Store: My first time to one of these also. Some of the best scares I've gotten so far this year have been in seeing the prices at these specialty stores, lol. Lot's of costumes, but not much in the way of prop building material either. Only a few varieties of skulls, $30 bluckies. I do think they carried the best assortment of plastic chains, shackles, hooks going.

Target: A very ho hum offering this year. A strobe machine that is being passed of as a thunder and lightning machine, more of their cutesy wire framed animations. Never even went back a second time.

Kmart: A very respectable costume offering this year. A static Mummy that I thought was the best made I've seen, and their usual assortment of average outside decorations. Kmart is the place to watch when their costumes go on 90% clerance though.

Michael's Crafts: Not too bad in the way of some new animations, including the spirit balls, and the animated heads on staffs. Real trash as far as decorating items though.

Rag Shop: A few nice things, but Black Cat was dead set against my selling the house so I could afford any of them.

[Da Weiner]

I went to Joann Fabrics to pick up black fabric, a Trick or Treat doormat, and some Spooky Hollow figurines that were 25% off.

[writer93]

Jo Ann Fabrics is a pretty good store I think. Mom and I always go there around Halloween and pick up a few things. K Mart usually has a pretty nice selection, this year their costume's are pretty cool. For some reason this year Walmart kind of sucks, they don't seem to have as much as they usually do.

[Johnny Thunder]

I finally picked up those cool decks of playing cards from Dollar Tree - I got Dracula and Curse of the Werewolf.

[Vlad]

One of the Party City's near me is running some nice half off sales on a lot of the Gemmy products, as well as most of their larger latex foam filled creations such as the large vulture, three headed dog, large snake and spider. They also just got in some nice life-size hard foam skulls, for $5.99. They also had on sale, the battery operated prop turning motors, for hanging props not exceeding five pounds. two for $7.

[The Crow 1994]

Dang...wish we had a Party City here in Omaha. Those are some great deals.

[jdubbya]

Our Party City is running sales on some small stuff, foggers, juice, costumes, but not on any big props.
Spencers is at 25% off for decor. Spoke to our Spirit Manager yesterday and she was told their half off sale will be 11/1. Sometimes it's on Halloween itself but not this year. THey still have a big variety of stuff so the day after sale could prove lucrative.

[The Crow 1994]

jdubbya,

Have fun at your post-Halloween sale at Spirit! We cashed in BIG TIME last year at that sale. Unfortunately, they didn't put up a Spirit store here in Omaha this year.

[jdubbya]

jdubbya,

Have fun at your post-Halloween sale at Spirit! We cashed in BIG TIME last year at that sale. Unfortunately, they didn't put up a Spirit store here in Omaha this year.

Yeah. I've got some cashed tucked away and will be there when the doors open. The toughest part is getting a bunch of nerw stuff and then packing it away for a year the same day.:(

[Vlad]

Halloween Adventure Super Store has already started discounting some items. 50% off of the small stuff table, rubber snakes, scorpions, and rubber hands. I see that our local Big Lots, Walmart, and Michaels stores are already mostly empty as far as Halloween items. There's not going to be much in the way of after sales I'm afraid.

[incubus0]

Michaels (http://www.michaels.com/) has 25% - 50% off most their Halloween stuff. Some pretty good things too. I picked up a motorized flying bat with red LED eyes and flapping wings for $3.

[writer93]

We are going to buy Halloween candy tomorrow eveniing, we usually wait until a day or two before.

[Vlad]

Last night we bought two of the new ground type foggers at Halloween Adventure. One was the store unit, still full of juice, and the other was new in a damaged box. They were listed in clearance at $39.99 each, but all electronics there are also on 50% off, so we got them for $19.99 each. Soon I'll have one of every type fogger there is, lol.
I'm very tempted by the mister light units they have on clearance for $15.
Black Cat has been picking up the Gortraits there for $15 or less also as they put them out.
Another section to check in the stores is the damaged/clearance sections. We found some fantastic bargains such as wigs there.

Think next year people, keep shopping as you have time. Off season through online Halloween companies is a great way to go broke. You can't beat having the material "in Stock" in your own home when you're building.

[spideranne]

I'm so dissapointed. Halloween is apperantly over in the Dallas area. I went to Garden Ridge, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann's over the course of the last few days. I was lucky if there was one shelf of Halloween stuff left. Christmas has moved in big time. Garden Ridge was even playing Christmas carols on the speakers. That was last Tue. Blahhh.

[Da Weiner]

Yesterday when I got home from work the Halloween Oriental Trading mag was awaiting me.

[CerysCrow]

Yesterday when I got home from work the Halloween Oriental Trading mag was awaiting me.

We got ours a few days ago!

[Lilly]

got mine yesterday too.
anyone needing a swami crystal ball no other kinds though
Swami Crystal Ball
Item No: 81717
Price: $34.97 on sale
http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/website/store/product_detail.asp?UID=2007061917385294&item%5Fno=81717&keyword=JHALSALE&cat%5Fkeyword=JHAL&search%5Fpage%5Fno=2&WT.svl=81717

[Lilly]

walgreens also has the new swirl light bulbs in blacklight 9.99 and green red yellow and orange 2 for 10

[Bauton]

Not to diminish everyone's excitement, but since this thread was started last year at about this time, maybe we should start a new thread for this year's stuff?