The Halloween thread

[gealach]

My neighbor built this last year with pvc pipe, lights etc, candy goes in at the top, kids held the bag at the mouth of the skeleton head and the candy slid out

oh. my. gawd!!!!!! I love this!!!!!!!

 

[FauxLiz]

oh. my. gawd!!!!!! I love this!!!!!!!

The kids loved it as well and it helped to make what could have been a less than festive halloween for the kids something different and fun. By far the most popular house in the neighborhood.

 

[gealach]

I think I've figured out how to macgyver my way to a candy chute/slide using 8 & 12 inch x4 foot quikrete tubes: cut an 8 inch x4 foot tube in half lengthwise, and use duct tape (lots) to make an 8 foot long open slide (so candies don't get stuck). Then use the 12x4's to make legs and feet going down the front steps, with cutouts to fit the slide, all at the best candy sliding angle. Cover all with black/orange/purple tape, and some lights. Then use poster paper and cardboard to make something cute to tell the little germ factories to stay off the steps (6+ feet from me) and put their candy buckets at the end of the slide. Voilá!!!!

Now to work on the soundtrack.

 

[Friday]

I am SUPER BUMMED!!!

My roooooses are not going to be here in time for me to wear my Dia De Los Muertos makeup to work as my costume!!! Waaaaaah. It was the first time I was going to get to dress up in YEARS.

….fortunately?….

I happen to own a cowboy hat.

And I sacrificed a pink batik sarong for bandanas at the beginning of Covid (to hold the n95 filter to my face without wild gaps rendering the thing stupid). And I’m relatively certain I’ve got red tissue paper around here somewhere, but I know I have duct tape. ((As I rather doubt my work would be thrilled with my bringing actual weapons on campus, some “TNT” strapped to my thigh should work.))

So the day is NOT LOST!!!

La Catrina is just going to have to wait for the actual Dia De Los Muertos, on Monday.

 

[somerandomguy]

My son found a costume on Amazon and so now he is going out trick or treating as a humongous Taco Bell sauce packet.

 

[gealach]

Halloween was just okay this year. I was happy with the decorations, even though I couldn't get the giant venus fly trap... that one will be for next Halloween (I'm sure it can be delivered some time in the next 11 months ). The orange pumpkins were meh, they rotted really fast so weren't worth carving, but looked good in the cemetery all gross and deformed. The white pumpkins were awesome though, really easy to clean out and carve and stayed fresh for weeks, so I'll use those again next year. We had a grand total of... 17 trick or treaters. I guess that's better than the 2 from last year (who then stole the whole bucket of candy). It's not 200 though, so I'm hoping things are actually back to normal next year... I'm used to having a lineup at my door. My landlord said today it looked like Halloween threw up on the lawn, but there were some spaces for more decorations... really I don't think you can over decorate for the occasion. Maybe I should start a decorating challenge for our cul-de-sac next year?????

I think I'm going to take a week of vacation next Halloween, so I can really get into it

Bff's baby nephews are 6 months old now, and so cute. They were Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum for their 1st Halloween, and just soooooo adorable.

only 363 days until Halloween

 

[gealach]

countdown to halloween

31 days, 21 hours, 2 minutes....


I am doing singing pumpkins this year (I hope they work!)

 

[DharmaGirl]

I would like to see singing pumpkins, lol. I grew 5 large pumpkins this year. I'm not going to carve them I don't think. I'm celebrating Samhain this year. A pagan holiday that honors the dead. I will get the fall decorations out and do some rituals. I love fall!

 

[notsurewheretoturn]

As I'm a practicing pagan, I always celebrate Samhain. It marks the pagan new year and the turning of the wheel, and its when we traditionally say goodbye to all those who have died in the previous 12 months, while we celebrate their life.

On Samhain as we leave an offering (usually food related) on the doorstep to let any passing friendly spirits know they are welcome to enter, but put carved pumpkins out to keep out the bad ones. You can definitely see where Samhain and Halloween sort of merge.

I tend to discourage trick or treaters as it not only disturbs my Samhain ritual, I find it difficult to keep having to go to the door.

 

[somerandomguy]

My daughter is going as a witch this year, she's not sure if she wants to color herself green or not. Thoughts?

My son dressed as a giant Taco Bell sauce packet last year but this may be the year he's finally too old for trick or treating.

 

[gealach]

she's not sure if she wants to color herself green or not. Thoughts?

I think she should do whatever makes her happy on the day.

this may be the year he's finally too old for trick or treating.

Will he take his sister out trick r treating? Or maybe he'd like to give out candy?

 

[gealach]

The singing pumpkins are amazing!!!!

I don't have pumpkins yet, so I projected onto some blinds in my livingroom, and it worked so well. I went outside and could see the reverse projection perfectly (I'm sure my cranky old neighbours were wondering why there were pumpkins singing monster mash in my window ).

This was a bit expensive up-front, but it's going to be so worth it!!!!

I couldn't attach the video, but here's a pic from the livingroom.