Oct 27, 2012

Countdown to Halloween Day 27 - League Post: Tradition


The assignment from the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is brief and to the point this week
  
This is Halloween! This is Halloween! What are your Halloween traditions?

Halloween around the Dex household usually starts ramping up at the end of September. Even though Halloween may be on the shelves since August (which I dislike) it's right around my birthday when I start getting in the October mood. Getting a Halloween themed cake, and sometimes gifts, doesn't hurt.

The first weekend of October is when the decorating starts. Outside, we have a variety of Peanuts/Snoopy flags and signs in the yard. And one very large black cat, who is always a hit in the neighborhood, especially with the kids.


Then it's on to the inside. A few years ago I found these great vintage-style masks at WalGreen's for a buck each. Unlike the vintage ones, these are made of foam instead of rigid plastic. I haven't seen them carry these since I found them which is a shame. I was hoping they'd do different designs every year. These get hung on the doorway from the living room to the kitchen. I taped strips of black fabric behind the eye holes to make them a little creepier.



One of my other favorite decorations is this Jim Shore vampire statue.
He stands about a foot tall and has some nice scenic detail inside his cape.


I had a lot of fun experimenting when taking photos of him.



And then there's this little guy, who is about 6" tall.


One of the things I look forward to the most in October is the Feast of Flesh. It's a really crazy night of live music, horror burlesque, zombie costume contest and a classic horror movie. Words just can't do it justice!

And of course, I love going to Salem in October when tourist mode is set to max. On the weekends there is a street bazaar and as it gets closer to Halloween, more people are walking around in costume, day or night. There's plenty to do all month long! Here's a few pics from my travels so far, you can see more on Flickr along with my pics from 2011.
I plan on visiting tonight so I'll probably have even more pics in the next few days!




The person on the left is preaching the Good Word while the witch is mocking him.
Gotta love Salem!

Of course throughout the month, I'm also shopping for cool new Halloween stuff and watching as many horror movies as I can.

And then it's Halloween! We will usually stay at home until about 6:30 for Trick or Treaters. My stepdad dresses as Freddy and terrorizes the neighborhood during this time. Then we head into Salem and walk around for a few hours. A good portion of the downtown area is closed to vehicle traffic because there are so many people in town. My stepdad usually stays on Liberty St, which is a high foot traffic area and people take pics with him all night. I prefer to walk around and spook people. My biggest problem with my costume is that I can't take photos of other people in costume. There are a lot of great ones!


So that about sums up my October. What are other Leaguers up to?
That Figures recommends some good movies
Talk Star Wars to Me has a funny step by step for DIY costuming
Branded in the 80s has some great stuff going on

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that have their porch lights on by clicking below. 
They're waiting for you! 

countdown to halloween 2012 logo

6 comments:

  1. I saw the Witch one this week at Wal-Greens but none of those others.

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  2. Ooh! This is a lot of Halloween fun packed into a post! I like that inflatable cat in your yard. The cat's head turns from side to side, right? I think I saw that one in a yard once. Maybe that yard was yours, when you shared a photo previously. :)

    Jim Shore Halloween stuff is so cool! I'm looking at the Jim Shore crow that sits by my computer now. I've never seen a Jim Shore vampire before. I like the castle scene on his cape. The parts I like best about Jim Shore's figures are the hidden details and designs. That second photo of him is very cool! It looks like he's emerging from the shadows to take a bite. ;)

    I keep hearing about all these amazing things happening in Salem. I hope to visit Salem and take part in the events some day!

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    1. It's quote possible I mentioned the cat before, I've had him for a couple years.

      The one Jim Shore piece I am kicking myself for not getting when it was released is his Headless Horseman: http://thmb.inkfrog.com/thumbn/salvation_army01/IMG_0128.JPG=450

      And while it's not the same as being there, you can go to hauntedhappenings.org to see everything that goes on in Salem this month. There is so much, no one can do it all!

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  3. We have those masks in Mexico as well! Really think Ben Cooper has been channeled.

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  4. Love those masks. I definitely want to visit Salem one of these Octobers.

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    Replies
    1. There's an open invite to any Leaguers/Hordites for my sherpa services should you visit Salem any time of year. =)

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