# Other holiday decorating? Halloween inspired or not?



## Halloweena (Oct 9, 2014)

Thought it might be fun to see what others do for other holiday decorating. Do you decorate to the same extent as halloween? Is your decor specific to that holiday or do you incorporate halloween?


----------



## DarkhavenManor (Sep 27, 2014)

We put out a bunch of white lights on the bushes for Christmas. I suggested to my mom that we put out our skeleton "Benson" with a little Santa hat on him on the front steps this year


----------



## thenightmarefamily (Nov 20, 2014)

I will decorate for Christmas, i do some cool light displays out side and make the house real festive inside, but no ware as extreme as Halloween. The kids prefer Halloween over Christmas anyway, but my wife still loves christmas and thats why i decorate for it mostly.


----------



## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

No crossover here. Just a few wreaths and bows outdoors- plus a set of green stringer lights set up on a pole to look like a Christmas tree at night. Indoors, it's a Christmas tree- a truly gorgeous Hallmark card worthy kinda tree- and some decorations on the mantle. The tree always has a theme. This year, it's nutcrackers... three of which are a skeleton, vampire and a witch.


----------



## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

not much, for that other day that shall remain nameless ... lol!

not many do halloween around me so i focus/go overboard(?) on that

amk


----------



## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

Nbc decorating is my theme for christmas


----------



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

Nope... not at my house...

Here was my basement with Christmas lights and props that got together...
http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/osenator-albums-my-haunted-basement-.html


----------



## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

Osenator.......Bravo Dude!! Maybe thats what I need to do to my basement before putting up the Xmas decorations. I mean Xmas was always my big thing but then I started hangin' around this crowd & that all changed. I mean its kind of hard to buy Xmas decorations all year unless you go to one of those fancy, expensive Xmas shops. Who wants to drop money in places like that. I mean any yard sale, flea market, heck even the dump has something I could use for Halloween. I mean to me....Halloween is just plum easier!

I try to get it all up (the Xmas stuff), but its taking longer & longer to get this Halloween stuff packed & put up.


----------



## LairMistress (Jul 31, 2009)

I decorate less for Christmas than I do Halloween, especially outside. Last year I was given some cool Halloween themed home-made ornaments that will go on the tree again, but I don't do a lot of crossover. I'd like to do NB4C things, but if I do, I'll be buying a new little tree for that. I saw a nice black fiber optic tree at Walmart for $15 the other day (32 inch).

I bought some inflatables at Dollar General's sale yesterday (which ends today, for those who haven't gone yet!). They're half off right now, and they had both Snoopy and Rudolph. I couldn't pass up either one. I also picked up a generic gingerbread man inflatable, because I do a candy theme outside. 

I'd like to make Snoopy's doghouse and decorate it the way he does in the special, but I haven't gotten around to it, yet. It doesn't really go with the candy theme, but then again neither does Rudolph, so I think I killed what little theme I had.

There is a sister list run by the same people as this group, for Christmas. It's called Christmas Fan Club, and it's here: http://christmasfanclub.com/forum.php


----------



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

I still have this in my tree right now... we might keep them there (L)


----------



## Paint It Black (Sep 15, 2011)

We keep them totally separate, and we overdo it for each one, LOL. Osenator, your set-up is a good way to get more use out of your props, that is for sure! Very fun.


----------



## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

Here's an old Christmas pic. I definitely do more for Halloween, however I am no slouch at Christmas either and usually do more than anyone else in the hood. Not wanting to deal with cold and ice limits what I do when it comes to Christmas. It's also why I don't cross holidays. If I lived down south, then I would be incorporating a lot of Halloween props into my Christmas Display.


----------



## kmeyer1313 (Jan 25, 2012)

We keep the decorating mostly inside (just like I do for Halloween), except for colored lights & plug-in menorahs in the windows & a couple of wreaths on the doors...

Considering I have more Halloween bins than Christmas/Hanukkah bins, I would say we do more decorating for Halloween for sure, but we have a lot of Christmas/Hanukkah cards decorating our home during the holiday season, as well as the decorations we put out. Our silver tinsel main tree doesn't have a theme, but I got a little white pre-lit Christmas tree on clearance last year, & we were thinking of doing a theme with it - haven't decided what yet. We still want to keep the Christmas and Hanukkah ornaments mixed on our main Christmas tree, though....


----------



## Rohr Manor (Feb 26, 2010)

I go way overboard

Xmas light video





and In the recent years I have been doing a mix of both Xmas and Halloween with Nightmare Before Xmas setup


----------



## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

Rohr Manor said:


> I go way overboard
> 
> Xmas light video
> 
> and In the recent years I have been doing a mix of both Xmas and Halloween with Nightmare Before Xmas setup



You missed a spot!!!

Way to throw down the gauntlet...If I lived in a warm weather climate I would accept that challenge.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Ho. #$%^&*@. Ho. (last year, not sure we'll get around to it this...)


----------



## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

The first Christmas I had my haunted house I sewed up a large Santa hat and a large pair of brightly colored Bermuda shorts, both of these items went on my large Pterodactyl skeleton I have hanging on the outside of the house,(the long Santa's hat slid over the long almost pointed end of his skull) then I strung Christmas lights over his boney "Wings".
I actually had another reason for the Bermuda shorts being on him. I made the skeleton as accurate as humanly possible. Pterodactyls have a pelvis bone that protrudes straight out, in front-center , so the Bermuda shorts sort of hid this on him, since some would think it might have been "Something Else"!
One other December I painted two 4 by 8 sheets of plywood red, screwed them together at the corner of my lot, right on the parking lot and painted on this :"Cash Machine-Instructions- 1) Throw cash over the top. 2) Drive away. Thank You!
That Spring after the snow had melted I found maybe $9,64 cents laying there where my "Cash Machine" had stood. Thank you!


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

what a fun thread. 
saki, that's very pretty decorating.
osenator, that is a riot.
I am always grabbing xmas stuff and turning it into Halloween deco. but when I decorate for xmas, it's just strictly xmas. but I don't decorate as heavily for xmas as Halloween.
scatterbrains, your xmas décor is lovely. the santa sleigh is awesome.
rohr, nice incorporation of the 2 holidays.
onorthodox, amazing how a few lights can make anything festive. looks good.
gym, I am doing me a cash machine this year. lol. that is to funny.


----------



## StanFam3 (Oct 5, 2009)

Going through some intense family stuff this week.... Broken hearted at the moment. Trying to stay positive.

I'm not feeling the Yule Tide at all. I'd really like to skip it completely.


----------



## JustWhisper (Nov 16, 2008)

Mine are totally separate as I feel they should be. I don't mind what you guys do. Not slamming you. But I would be disappointed if anyone in my neighborhood did a Halloween display for Christmas. That is why we just had Halloween. And it is not a religious thing. I just want to see colorful winter wonderland at Christmas. I love the pretty lights. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I do a bigger Halloween display than Christmas only because I do a full walk through maze in the back yard. My front yard was getting more Christmas because I put so much effort into the back at Halloween. I usually do a huge Christmas display.


----------



## im the goddess (Mar 10, 2012)

I tried to get my kid to put up lights yesterday when it was 65, but he refused. I'm making him do it today. There have been years I have really gone all out for Christmas in the house, but the last few years I have run out of time. I plan to do more this year inside.


----------



## Greenwick (Apr 25, 2013)

I usually have a small potted tree that I try to keep alive all year, but which ends up dying. A couple of lights with origami balloon covers made of copy paper (cheap, and it has a light purplish glow). Then ornaments strung up on the lights & holiday cards on a string. I want to decorate more for Yule than Christmas, though.

One year we did a science tree, with tiny science books & DNA strands instead of icicles. The tree angel was modeled after one from the Book of Revelations - a ball with 6 feathers on the back & completely covered with Google eyes. Looks like a sci if monster.

I do like to put Santa hats on my Halloween decor, but won"'to be getting around to that this year.


----------



## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

I almost forgot my Thanksgiving display I did one year.
I first asked permission if I could put up some very simple decorations on the old shell of a 1836 stone house at the edge of town?
In front of the house in the yard I put my plywood cut out of a Pilgrim (life-sized) I designed him half-turned around looking behind himself.
Looking out from the second story window was the Turkey.. holding a Blunder buss rifle.
I had permission to do this, after Thanksgiving the Pilgrim and the Turkey vanished to never be seen (or heard from) again?

One October I asked if I could display some things in three apartment windows.( Narrow building) So looking from Left to Right, the first window had a shark tail seeming to be swimming through the apartment. The middle window showed the shark's head, lined up with his own tail, of course.
The window to the far right showed a pair of human legs wearing swim fins hanging down from the top of the window.


----------



## im the goddess (Mar 10, 2012)

Nice Gym!!!


----------



## Dyne (Sep 25, 2013)

Not as extreme. Usually I only put light strings outdoors and sometimes don't even bother with a tree indoors, much less any other indoor decorations.

Indoors is entirely Halloween flavored. My "christmas" tree is up .. .decorated with orange and purple lights, skulls, skeleton and other hands, an "angel of death" topper, and small jack-o-lantern ornaments. Small skeletons admire the tree, while a larger one with a santa hat is coming out of the fireplace. I have a string of lights over the kitchen sink (that also illuminate the stairs to the front door) that were typical blue christmas lights for most of the last year. I just swapped those for an LED skull string. 

The only exception to keeping the halloween stuff indoors is that I have a wreath on the door painted black, with a small skeleton in the center.


----------



## mariem (Oct 7, 2012)

JustWhisper said:


> Mine are totally separate as I feel they should be. I don't mind what you guys do. Not slamming you. But I would be disappointed if anyone in my neighborhood did a Halloween display for Christmas. That is why we just had Halloween. And it is not a religious thing. I just want to see colorful winter wonderland at Christmas. I love the pretty lights. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  I do a bigger Halloween display than Christmas only because I do a full walk through maze in the back yard. My front yard was getting more Christmas because I put so much effort into the back at Halloween. I usually do a huge Christmas display.


I feel the same way about the cross over stuff. I think about Halloween all year but as much as I love it, if I displayed Halloween stuff all the time I would get so sick of it and it wouldn't feel special anymore. I like the "anticipation" of decorating and I would lose that with crossovers.

I don't do outside decorating other than wreaths and lights on the front stairs to light the steps. I decorate inside rather than outside because it is too darn cold to be fussing with decorations. If I lived in a warmer climate I would do more outside.

I like Chrismassy stuff with a traditional feel but I don't really like Santa's suits. I prefer the old Father Christmas kinda thing. I don't know why but I just don't like the guady red Santa suit. Several years ago one of my cousins gave me a Hallmark Santa that stands about 14" tall that I put on my matel. His suit is a rusty colored kinda worn out looking thing and I much prefer it to the red suits. I have been collecting Hallmark Christmas ornaments and other stuff for over 20 years and used to do a tree in every room. Now I do a main tree in the living room and a "foodie/gingerbread" tree in the kitchen and I usually put up a Christmas village display on my deck (only available closed space). I am going to try to put it up this year since I built a new styro base for it this summer. I gave away too many of the houses a few years ago and so now I am trying to get some more buildings to put on the base.

Marie


----------



## HalloweenieChallenge (Oct 8, 2014)

First of all - I'm pretty mad at the big man upstairs if you know what I mean. Santa in July? August? One store near me decided to give up all of their Halloween retail space and start selling Christmas stuff in September! Ridiculous! I am already all Christmased out.

Anyway...


It started slowly for me...


One year I made some paper snowflakes to hang on the tree - but if you looked closely you could see that they actually had spiders and web designs cut into them...

My aunt found them on the tree and remarked: "What an odd snowflake! They look kind of like... spiders?"


Then I started saving a Halloween pumpkin and carving with a Jack face it for a small ode to Nightmare Before Christmas...


My birthday is in November... so naturally this evolved into celebrating Birthdayween instead of my Birthday in between...


And now I have one of those giant sized light up pumpkins from Target - we put that under the tree amongst the presents. It looks so adorable!  And it makes me so happy. I'm afraid if I do more than this it will really upset my relatives. But I can get away with this because they think I got the pumpkin as a Christmas present. 


Some historical sight in my area had this really cool thing where they had a "Spooky Victorian Christmas" - it was sort of a mashup you know? It sounded really amazing and would LOVE to see more spooky Christmas stuff come in vogue. I know people have concerns about combining the 2 - but spooky and Christmas have always kind of been combined. For example- The Nutcracker - definitely some dark undertones there - also the ghosts of Christmas from A Christmas Carol. And of course, the Nightmare Before Christmas.


----------



## JustWhisper (Nov 16, 2008)

Gym Whourlfeld said:


> I almost forgot my Thanksgiving display I did one year.
> I first asked permission if I could put up some very simple decorations on the old shell of a 1836 stone house at the edge of town?
> In front of the house in the yard I put my plywood cut out of a Pilgrim (life-sized) I designed him half-turned around looking behind himself.
> Looking out from the second story window was the Turkey.. holding a Blunder buss rifle.
> ...


Sounds great Gym. I bet it looked really cool.


----------



## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

As much as I joke about The Other Holiday, I'm a big believer in "any excuse for a party" and enjoy the modest displays I've put up for Christmas and the Solstice. I have some ideas for fairly involved displays down the road. Some day there will be Krampus, and NBC, and Dickens, but for now, I stick to a few blow molds in the yard and, at long last, the return of the holiday tree indoors now that we have a house that will again accommodate it. We're going with a peacock theme indoors because given the house's blue, teal, and deep green color scheme; the theme of renewal; and my obsession with peacocks, how could we not?

My winter displays tend toward the irreverent, and this year I'm bringing back my personal favorite: Miami Santa. I "park" a comical reindeer next to a "Reindeer Parking" sign. Santa's sleigh is drawn by eight pink flamingos, with an additional skelemingo in the lead (complete with red ornament held in his beak). Lime green string lights serve as the reins. This year, now that I have a house with a decent electrical system, there may be lights with covers of flamingos and palm trees along the house front. One of the great features of the new place is that the fittings for string lights were preinstalled and very sturdy so I can finally go to town on that aspect. 

Even at the old house on its very quiet street, this display always represented a traffic hazard as motorists slammed on the brakes because they couldn't quite believe their eyes. I can't wait to spring it on the new neighbors who, while perfectly nice people, are not the most creative sorts


----------



## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

It can be quite the power-trip to feel in control as you watch motorists drive around the block to see something that you have made or set up.
Maybe someone who might have experienced being in trouble for distracting traffic could tell us all about how they might have fared with the legal system ?
I made a huge skeleton, made him opening an upstairs shutters, leaned him out with his arms spread almost like wings as he held on to the shutters.
I was living on Clay St., the major road through this small town and I did see some people driving passed a second time, unfortunately for them some were turning left at the Lutheran Church to loop the block and were then going the wrong way on a One-Way Street! (We only have two one-way streets and that is one now! )
I also saw some crazy driving because of my large boney upstairs guy, which did make me hope nothing bad was going to happen.


----------



## Skeletoncrew (Oct 10, 2013)

No Christmas here is very different from Halloween, with no Halloween decorations included. 

Inside : 
Front room tree:








Kitchen:







Stairs:








Outside:


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

skeleton, your decorating is lovely. and as is your house. I see you like a touch of red. very festive.


----------



## Skeletoncrew (Oct 10, 2013)

hallorenescene said:


> skeleton, your decorating is lovely. and as is your house. I see you like a touch of red. very festive.


Thank you Hallorenescene, yes .. Red is one of my favorite colors., every room in the house has a touch in it.


----------



## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

Perfect, Skeleton! I love your tree. Great job all 'round!!


----------



## Windborn (Oct 10, 2011)

Flamingos. Flamingos and pink lights and pink ornaments on the leaf-less tree in the yard. Obnoxious but we love it!
This year we are adding a skeleton in a Santa suit "chasing" the flamingos.


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

I love everyone's decorations! 
Me? I do love my Halloween the most, but I love other holidays, as well. I decorate for nearly every holiday, and I keep them separate. Having my Halloween decor up for too long would make me tired of it...and take away from the magic and specialness of it around the Halloween season. The same goes for the other holidays. 
For my outdoor Christmas decor, I mostly decorate with greenery, warm white LED lights and red bows. Simple, natural and pretty...it looks lovely against the white snow. (When the snow doesn't bury it, that is, lol.) I also have a few wooden painted cutout yard decorations that get tucked in here and there that my Grandpa made for me years ago. Inside, it looks like Christmas threw up, lol. Every, single room is decorated. I have many kinds of Christmas decor all tossed together, including more wooden things my Grandpa made, but I tend to gravitate more towards natural decor...as I'm not just decorating for Christmas, but also for the Winter Solstice and Yuletide season. 
If you look very closely, though, you will find a few "crossover" things, lol. I have a few of the Hallmark ornaments of Jack in his Christmas attire sitting on my shelves. I also have two holiday Skelanimal plushies (Pen the penguin and Holly the reindeer) that sit on my end table.  
Oh, my family has an odd sense of humor, too...at my mom's house, she once forgot to put away a small, plastic glow in the dark ghost decoration from Halloween. Instead of climbing up into the attic to put it away, she made a santa hat for it and tucked it under the tree with the Christmas presents. If someone new comes to visit, we take them to see the ghost under the tree to see if they get it. Do you guys get it? He's "The Ghost of Christmas Presents". Get it? He is sitting in a pile of presents?? Ghost of Christmas present (past and future)...Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol?? Lol, yeah, we are strange, but we find it amusing, lol.


----------



## dbruner (Aug 23, 2012)

I go back and forth on decorating for Christmas, some years I decorate a tree inside (all cat and dog ornaments) and I have some outdoor lights. I've had my Halloween stuff put all the way away for less than a week! I think this year will be a wreath on the front door and an inflatable snowman outside.


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Skeletoncrew, I love your red and white living room! I love the style, the woodwork, the fireplace...and the red accented holiday decor looks so lovely in there!!


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

This thread has me one part impressed and amused for those who go all out for Christmas as much as Halloween, and one part mutual respect and understanding for those who either go Halloween only or incorporate Halloween into the Christmas festivities. Either way, the results rock. 

Ironically, I have minimal, teeny-tiny Halloween outdoor displays and go all out inside my home, while with Christmas, it's the complete opposite. Lights in the yard, things in the window, etc, but inside it's minimal with only the Christmas tree up and a few odds and ends about. I suspect it's because Halloween is so close to my heart that I want it inside where I am, and value the decorations too much to expose them to high winds, rain, possible theft, etc.. Christmas I care for less, so I'm not afraid to throw some of it outside but would rather not see it all over my living space. The tree is enough of a fuss as an indoor decoration for the size and work it takes to set it up. 

What I want to see is someone who goes all out for one of the less major holidays. It would be awesome to see someone decorate to the nines for Easter or some such. Christmas and Halloween seem to rule the market for major holiday decorating.


----------



## Skeletoncrew (Oct 10, 2013)

Thanks so much for the kind comments everyone.  I like Christmas well enough, but I all out love Halloween!

I'll tell you the truth, I decorate for Christmas to spend the time with my girls who help me do it.  They enjoy it more than I, but I enjoy the time spent. Once they are grown, I will not decorate near as much. Now Halloween I decorate for because I love to and as long as I live someplace that can be decorated, I'll go all out for Halloween.


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Tyrant said:


> What I want to see is someone who goes all out for one of the less major holidays. It would be awesome to see someone decorate to the nines for Easter or some such. Christmas and Halloween seem to rule the market for major holiday decorating.


I decorate for Halloween, Harvest/Fall, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and 4th of July, lol. Easter is another holiday I decorate quite a bit for. I actually have a lot of Easter/Spring decorations. I decorate inside and outside for all of the holidays.


----------



## Boone6666 (Aug 22, 2014)

I would like to decorate for more holiday's but I do so much for Halloween and Christmas that I just run out of spunk 
I will have 41200 lights on my fence and window this year and I don't know how many on my roof not to many though hearsey bar shutters 
light up candy can pools I did on the comers of my house that will blink to music on my gemmy light box a nativity I picked up at goodwill years ago
for 1.99 a peace and all that was missing was one wise man and Jesus, and the manger I built, and ply would cut out of the peanuts cartiers singing 
around there done up tree witch I put lights in too , hopefully I can post a pic or if I can get someont to do a video I can post 
soo not much really ohh and a couple of wreaths


----------



## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

Windborn said:


> Flamingos. Flamingos and pink lights and pink ornaments on the leaf-less tree in the yard. Obnoxious but we love it!
> This year we are adding a skeleton in a Santa suit "chasing" the flamingos.


Windborn, I want to hug you. Go team flamingo!



Tyrant said:


> What I want to see is someone who goes all out for one of the less major holidays. It would be awesome to see someone decorate to the nines for Easter or some such. Christmas and Halloween seem to rule the market for major holiday decorating.


Now that I'm in the new house, allll the Easter blow molds I've been accumulating for years can finally come out to play. My yard is going to be covered in cheesy pastel critters as far as the eye can see. I can hardly wait


----------



## Windborn (Oct 10, 2011)

This is the Jack we will have chasing the flamingo flock!


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

blue frog, you are so lucky to have so many easter blow molds. I have a duck and a rabbit.
windborn, I hope you post pictures. it sounds as cool.
witchy kitty, that sounds as cute as the dickens.


----------



## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Halloween is still my favorite holiday, but I do also decorate extensively for Christmas, too. I use my Gemmy Light Show Box with the music pumped into it from a CD Boombox. And I use a small FM transmitter to send the music to car radios for the passersby.

Here's a video of last year's display:



Here's a video walkthrough of the yard showing the lights and props (no music):

http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Christmas 2013/053_zpsb3e8ddb5.mp4

I don't do any Halloween crossover, except for putting out my Ebenezer Scrooge tombstone (pic from this Halloween):


----------



## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

hallorenescene said:


> blue frog, you are so lucky to have so many easter blow molds. I have a duck and a rabbit.


You lucky duck! I have an insane number of eggs but no ducks and I think only one chick. Rabbits and eggs though - those I have in abundance! I've been the very fortunate recipient of the generosity of a decker who doesn't decorate for Easter, and passes along all the blow molds he finds for that holiday.


----------



## Stringy_Jack (Oct 28, 2011)

This is the fist year I'm trying a small Halloween cross over. Just my reaper, a Scrooge tombstone and I'm building a Scrooge figure that I hope to finish this weekend and I hope will come out OK. This is what I have so far...


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

dave, very pretty light show. and that is cool you do the ebonezer tombstone at Christmas. I love that show.
blue frog, I correct myself. I don't have a duck, it's a chicken in an egg. it's so cute. I have lots of big fat eggs though. 
stringy jack, that is cool. I wonder how that would go over here. a girl put out a sign that had a big red circle on it and a big L inside the circle. it was for noel. I thought it was cute. she said she took it down after a few days of lots of people knocking at her door complaining it was just wrong. I think they would see the reaper and get upset. it really is a cute idea. I love how nice yours looks. a really wonderful job,


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

WitchyKitty and BlueFrog, I hope you both will consider posting pictures of your Easter decorating! Somehow. I haven't poked around enough on here to know whether a thread goes up for that or not yet, but if so......

Stringy_Jack, I love the Scrooge tombstone and reaper! It would be a welcome sight on my block amongst the overabundance of snowmen inflatables and giant Santas everywhere.


----------



## ooojen (Sep 4, 2014)

I'm another one who keeps the holidays completely separate, though I have no issue with anybody else's cross-over decorating. Part of what keeps each holiday exciting for me is that they each have a limited run. I wouldn't enjoy being surrounded by Halloween decor in December any more than I enjoy Christmas decor in October (though I do have a document open most of the time for keeping track of random Halloween ideas, and there's always _at least_ one little Halloween prop or decor item in the progress).
I do quite a bit of Christmas decorating-- definitely more than the average person-- but nowhere near the scope of what I do for Halloween. With Halloween, the potential themes are much more broad and varied. The feel is just different. I like to maintain a little ...well, "subtlety" isn't quite the word when you're using lights and shiny glass balls...but I like my Christmas decorating a little more restrained and elegant while still warm and homey.

Editing in--
I forgot to mention, I _*love*_ the Scrooge marker and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come! Jacob Marley's Ghost would be good in there, too! 
I could see myself doing a display with all the Spirits that visited Scrooge, maybe even Tiny Tim ...but they'd be half covered up with snow before Christmas.


----------



## Stringy_Jack (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks Hallorenesecene, I've had no complaints yet. 
Tyrant, thanks I'm going to age the stone next year no time this year. 
Thank you oojen and I've also thought of doing all three ghosts of Christmas...we'll see how next year goes.


----------



## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks, Hallorenescene!


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Tyrant, I don't think I have ever taken pics of my Easter decor...I'll have to try to remember next year...I have to replace all of my my wooden cutout decorations, though, because mine finally got too weather worn the year before...so, at the moment, my outdoor Easter decor is a little thin. Oh, I forgot to say, I also have Easter Skelanimals, too, lol. So I guess I have a touch of creepy/Halloween even in my Easter decor! I have a Valentine's Day one, too, lol. I have quite an addiction to Skelanimals.

Stringy Jack, I truly love "A Christmas Carol"!! Having a display with all three ghosts would be so awesome!


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

stringy, there are so many different movies and ghost ideas. I would love to see what you come up with. that is one of my favorite movies.


----------



## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

We have a ton of Xmas decorations....... that was always the main holiday for my decorating but then I moved in here & Halloween became the fore runner. Even tho I have a lot of both Xmas & Halloween stuff, the Halloween stuff is bigger & takes up more room. In storage, we set our Halloween stuff up by rooms, the gypsy, the spell & potion room, etc. So when we store stuff, its stored by rooms, lots of big things. 

The Xmas stuff, even with there being a lot is more compact & we don't have as much big items like we do for Halloween.
Last year I tried to get Jerry to leave out the large skeleton that plays the organ, thought he would look cute with a Santa hat on. Jerry does not like Halloween stuff mixed with Xmas, so when I got up the next morning, Skeleton was in storage.


----------



## LairMistress (Jul 31, 2009)

I used to do outdoor Easter decorations. I have a couple of wire animated rabbits, like the reindeer, but smaller. One lifts a carrot to its mouth (female), and the male wears a top hat that it tips.

I used to string plastic translucent "jewel cut" eggs from our trees. I never did make anything, though.

I'd like to put up more outside this year. I did find a cute little blow mold rabbit last year.

I'd also like to put out my witch with a tea kettle and a "Glad Pask" sign on Maundy Thursday, but I don't think that anyone would get it. . Swedish lore states that witches gather for tea on the Thursday prior to Easter, before meeting up for a grand gathering. It's a lot like Germany's Walpurgis Night (May eve).


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

WitchyKitty said:


> Tyrant, I don't think I have ever taken pics of my Easter decor...I'll have to try to remember next year...I have to replace all of my my wooden cutout decorations, though, because mine finally got too weather worn the year before...so, at the moment, my outdoor Easter decor is a little thin. Oh, I forgot to say, I also have Easter Skelanimals, too, lol. So I guess I have a touch of creepy/Halloween even in my Easter decor! I have a Valentine's Day one, too, lol. I have quite an addiction to Skelanimals.


Easter Skelanimals? 

.......I would really like to see pictures now. If/when you can. I have a general addiction to skeletons and would love to see.


----------



## mikeerdas (Jan 30, 2010)

Love seeing what others are doing for Christmas and other holidays.

Hadn't done much Christmas decorating, since, like many others, my focus is on Halloween; especially since I go all out for it vs. my neighbors. But I'm slowly trying to build-out for Christmas to extend my Decorating Season and chance to get creative.

Currently I've been running a simple 6 Channel Gemmy Light and Sound show that has 10 built-in songs. Got the unit for $50 on Clearance, probably thanks to a tip from Spookie. Or Dave In the Grave. 






Been wanting to deploy my American DJ Snow Machine to blast fake snow during the intermissions of the Gemmy songs. Because fake snow machines consume snow juice at a much faster rate that fog machines; the advantage of the snow machine is that it's Instant On--no heating element. Wind is my enemy here. Not sure how much effort I'll continue to put into it to get a snow effect right.

Here's a summer test video of my snow machine:






And here is a proof of concept for converting the absence of sound into Power On (for my snow machine). The problem I've run into is that the Power On input isn't a grounded receptacle; where my snow machine has a ground plug. I could use a "cheater" plug, but don't want to burn my house down. I've got a thread out there about other possible options / help with this that I may revisit. I've tried out probably half a dozen grounded dusk-to-dawn sensors and each has a delay longer than the song intermissions before providing power. Weird. Like they all use the same circuit. Vs. the ungrounded dusk-to-dawn sensor I'm using which responds instantly to light or its absence; which also helps me accomplish a brown out effect on the cheap, using it, a shoe box, and a flicker bulb.

Anyway, here's the test video using a flood light as a proxy for the snow machine:






There are other things I could consider turning on during the few second intermission between each song. Possibly have a "Merry Christmas!" shadow light appear on the garage door, using flood lights and a sign with the letters stenciled out. And / or may switch to lighting the facade of the house with blue laser dots rather than attempt a traditional snow effect:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/140361-blue-laser-dots-light-christmas-use-similar-cheap-green-laser-dots-unit.html

Currently I have flickering LED candles in all the windows on the front of the house--the $12 for 6 pack sold by Big Lots. May use a projection effect from Jon Hyers' Wizards and Magic Volume One and put some floating candles in the single window above the front stairs. Hoping to at least do a test run to see how it looks and feels.

It would also be cool to have Frosty the Snowman projection effect where Frosty Comes to Life. I don't go all out for Christmas. But believe Less can be More--just having something different than everyone else can make it special without lots of effort.


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Tyrant said:


> Easter Skelanimals?
> 
> .......I would really like to see pictures now. If/when you can. I have a general addiction to skeletons and would love to see.


Okay, lol, here are some pictures of my different holiday edition Skelanimals plushies. If you haven't heard of Skelanimals, here is a link to their page: http://skelanimals.com/

Here are my Easter ones (Quackee, Jack and Kit):








Here are my Halloween ones (Dax, Oliver, Diego and Kit):








Here is my Valentine's Day one (ChungKee):








And my Christmas ones (Holly and Pen):








I also have several normal ones (...the red and black skull print Kit the Kat in the center is a bit rare, Kit is my fave!!!) :








I have a bit of an addiction to these guys, lol. I have other things of them besides plushies, too, like cups, keychains, ect.


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

lair mistress, I bet your animated wire rabbits are cute. I have an animated wire frog and flamingo.
mikeerdas, those are very pretty lights. love the sinc they have.
witchykitty, the skeleanimals are not my thing, but they are cute.


----------



## mikeerdas (Jan 30, 2010)

hallorenescene said:


> lair mistress, I bet your animated wire rabbits are cute. I have an animated wire frog and flamingo.
> mikeerdas, those are very pretty lights. love the sinc they have.
> witchykitty, the skeleanimals are not my thing, but they are cute.


Thanks Hallorenescene. Yeah, that lighting unit always impresses me. It's not LOR, but I may be easily impressed.  It was such a low cost, easy way to "beat" my neighbors in the Christmas Space. Not that it's a contest of course. But even something as simple as that makes our house stand out. Now if I get that snow machine running or my Floating Candles Projection installed...


----------



## Mayzshon (Jul 3, 2013)

Did this last year:


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

I've toyed with the idea of building a scrooge tombstone and ghost, but just don't have the time this year. 

The 2014 crew:



















Inside, however, is a lot more traditional. 










doing the tree tonight.


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

mayzshon, that is a riot. lol.
unorth, I love your skelly. and very nice on your traditional décor. shivers on the second photo.


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

WitchyKitty said:


> Okay, lol, here are some pictures of my different holiday edition Skelanimals plushies. If you haven't heard of Skelanimals, here is a link to their page: http://skelanimals.com/


Wow, those are amazing! Thanks for taking a picture! I'm absolutely getting a few of these guys and wracking my brain as to how I never heard of them until now. Do you ever display them all together or just take the appropriate ones out for each holiday? Quackee and Oliver might be my faves, although the Christmas ones rule. Just the nicest combo of cute and a little creepy. It looks like the normal ones could also possibly come out for a few holidays depending.

Edit: Couldn't get the pics to load up under quotes for some reason so I edited them out. Which sucks because these should be shown multiple times all across the forum.


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Tyrant said:


> Wow, those are amazing! Thanks for taking a picture! I'm absolutely getting a few of these guys and wracking my brain as to how I never heard of them until now. Do you ever display them all together or just take the appropriate ones out for each holiday? Quackee and Oliver might be my faves, although the Christmas ones rule. Just the nicest combo of cute and a little creepy. It looks like the normal ones could also possibly come out for a few holidays depending.
> 
> Edit: Couldn't get the pics to load up under quotes for some reason so I edited them out. Which sucks because these should be shown multiple times all across the forum.


Did you click on the link I attached so you can see all about them? Each one has a little story as to how they died, too, lol. I just love these guys. Kit the Cat is my absolute fave, and then Oliver the owl, but I love so many of the others, too. 

The holiday ones were an all year promotional run from Target...they made some for each holiday and sold them at that time for a year straight. They won't be available in stores now, but you can get them on Ebay and some other online stores, still. The non-holiday ones can be bought on the Skelanimals website (the link I posted) and I have seen them at other stores, including Hot Topic, Target and such. F.Y.E. and other entertainment stores have gotten Marvel/DC comic character dressed ones, too. (I wanted the one dressed as Harley Quinn so badly, but could find her!). Amazon and Ebay sell the normal ones, as well, and so do some other online retailers. You just have to search or keep your eyes open for them, they pop up all over.

My normal, non holiday ones are displayed on a shelf year round, as you see in the long picture. My holiday ones only come out for their specific holiday. You see, I really needed to stop buying stuffed animals (I LOVE stuffed animals, lol), but I really can't help buying Skelanimals, so...I told myself I could by the holiday ones because they are "decorations" and only come out once a year, lol. Yeah, that's my reasoning to keep buying them, lol...that's what I tell myself and my husband, anyway!


----------



## searcher (Oct 1, 2010)

Right away I thought about how your ghosts could fit into the "A Christmas Carol" theme. They are really impressive. Sci-fi and Halloween can be mixed in a lot of ways. Looking on Ebay sometimes, it looks like in really old times the two holidays were mixed


----------



## searcher (Oct 1, 2010)

osenator said:


> View attachment 231856
> 
> View attachment 231857
> 
> I still have this in my tree right now... we might keep them there (L)


. Your ghosts are great! So real looking! If you wanted to add any Christmas you could use the one with a chain as "Marley's Ghost," and the dark one "The Ghost Of Christmas Future."


----------



## searcher (Oct 1, 2010)

Halloweena said:


> Thought it might be fun to see what others do for other holiday decorating. Do you decorate to the same extent as halloween? Is your decor specific to that holiday or do you incorporate halloween?


. I was thinking, Halloween and Christmas both have stories with ghosts in them. "A Christmas Carol," and "Nightmare Before Christmas" are a few. A person could pick one people would know, and do that as a theme.


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

WitchyKitty said:


> Did you click on the link I attached so you can see all about them? Each one has a little story as to how they died, too, lol. I just love these guys. Kit the Cat is my absolute fave, and then Oliver the owl, but I love so many of the others, too.
> 
> The holiday ones were an all year promotional run from Target...they made some for each holiday and sold them at that time for a year straight. They won't be available in stores now, but you can get them on Ebay and some other online stores, still. The non-holiday ones can be bought on the Skelanimals website (the link I posted) and I have seen them at other stores, including Hot Topic, Target and such. F.Y.E. and other entertainment stores have gotten Marvel/DC comic character dressed ones, too. (I wanted the one dressed as Harley Quinn so badly, but could find her!). Amazon and Ebay sell the normal ones, as well, and so do some other online retailers. You just have to search or keep your eyes open for them, they pop up all over.
> 
> My normal, non holiday ones are displayed on a shelf year round, as you see in the long picture. My holiday ones only come out for their specific holiday. You see, I really needed to stop buying stuffed animals (I LOVE stuffed animals, lol), but I really can't help buying Skelanimals, so...I told myself I could by the holiday ones because they are "decorations" and only come out once a year, lol. Yeah, that's my reasoning to keep buying them, lol...that's what I tell myself and my husband, anyway!



Hey, your reasoning sounds logical to me! These things are wicked. I followed your link, completely lost my mind, and ordered a Day of the Dead Kit, Elle, and the Batman vinyl. This is my "starter" pack. I'm in so much trouble now. 

I guess I'm blind or something that I've not noticed these guys at our Hot Topic at least. I'm unfortunately getting too old to understand what half the stuff they're selling is these days (which takes some doing as I've been a customer since they started up), but I should have zeroed in on these first day. I'm so trolling their site now. I have a pile of unused gift cards begging to be spent. My husband is going to think I've gone insane. 

You've inspired me to stock myself with the holiday ones too. I do try to work Halloween a little into every holiday anyway. I also rather think my son would enjoy having a Kit (he loves cats) to play with. Mom shouldn't have all the fun!


----------



## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

Tyrant said:


> Hey, your reasoning sounds logical to me! These things are wicked. I followed your link, completely lost my mind, and ordered a Day of the Dead Kit, Elle, and the Batman vinyl. This is my "starter" pack. I'm in so much trouble now.
> 
> I guess I'm blind or something that I've not noticed these guys at our Hot Topic at least. I'm unfortunately getting too old to understand what half the stuff they're selling is these days (which takes some doing as I've been a customer since they started up), but I should have zeroed in on these first day. I'm so trolling their site now. I have a pile of unused gift cards begging to be spent. My husband is going to think I've gone insane.
> 
> You've inspired me to stock myself with the holiday ones too. I do try to work Halloween a little into every holiday anyway. I also rather think my son would enjoy having a Kit (he loves cats) to play with. Mom shouldn't have all the fun!


Awesome. Glad to have converted someone else to my addiction, lol. 
These guys have been around for years now. It's easy to miss them, though, because they aren't sold everywhere or promoted on tv...and the places that do sell them, only have small amounts that you have to search to find in the store, lol. When Target had their year long promotion, they seemed to pick up in popularity, but I knew of them before then, though I can't remember how I came upon them. I love finding the little cartoon videos they make, too. The site has them on the bottom of the characters page, and you can find them on Youtube. So adorable. Dead animals need love, too! 

Enjoy your Skelanimals!


----------



## Windborn (Oct 10, 2011)

As promised, here is our Jack with the flamingo flock! The tree is decorated in all pink ornaments and lights as well!


----------



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

Merry Christmas from Mockingbird Drive Haunt!


----------



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

And we still have this guy in the tree... (L) It was -28 degree the other night...


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

windborn, cool jack and I love all the flamingos.
osenater, very cool decorating.


----------



## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Does this count?







And right now, he is hovering over a display of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" figures..funny juxtaposition, actually...

Osenator - that's one way to keep the kids from peeking at the presents!


----------



## osenator (Nov 3, 2009)

My basement...


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

chris w, I love that prop. nice it has a little xmas spirit.
osenator, lmao. yours are great. the wolf looks good all decked out. as do the other props


----------



## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

ChrisW said:


> Does this count?
> View attachment 232521
> 
> And right now, he is hovering a display of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" figures..funny juxtaposition, actually...


 Heck yes it counts. Our full sized skeleton hangs out all year round in our breakfast nook, and he's currently sporting a Santa hat as well. I love that you've got him hovering over Charlie Brown! That's hilarious!


----------



## oaklawn Crematory (Jun 25, 2010)

I still have the bruises from when I tried to have a Santa Skeleton last year.....


----------



## bshmerlie (Dec 13, 2014)

I do a Christmas light show with my Light O Rama where everything is synchronized to music. That same Light O Rama controller does my lightning effects, mood lighting around my tombstones and purple lights on the house during Halloween. This next year I want to make a Thriller graveyard scene with Michel Jackson and some zombies dancing to the music. My RGB lights can change from Halloween colors to X-mas colors without any additional expense. I enjoy setting up for X-mas but my true passion is for Halloween.


----------



## scareme (Jan 18, 2009)

Joy to the world!












And look who thinks she was the product of a virgin birth.


----------



## mikeerdas (Jan 30, 2010)

That's great. Love it! 



scareme said:


> And look who thinks she was the product of a virgin birth.


----------



## oaklawn Crematory (Jun 25, 2010)

LOL Scareme ! Definitely a cathouse........



Cute kitty.


----------



## IMU (Apr 8, 2014)

Didn't have any Halloween stuff out when I put all the lights up. Several people commented that there wasn't any pirate stuff out in the yard, so I did this:










He is either stealing the lights or redecorating ... not sure which.


----------



## hallorenescene (Dec 28, 2007)

oaklawn, why do you have bruises?
scareme, those monsters in hats are a riot. and I love your cats house. I have a vision of you in a sharks costume donning a santa hat sitting around admiring your Christmas décor. lol. you are aren't you?
imu, I think he's in the spirits and decorating.


----------



## scareme (Jan 18, 2009)

I agree with hallorenescene, he's helping you decorate. Pirates have Christmas spirit too. 

Sharkado with a Santa hat? I like that idea!


----------



## ooojen (Sep 4, 2014)

"...in the spirits..." I like that-- perfect for a pirate!


----------



## LadyMage (Aug 15, 2014)

I decorate for Christmas with almost as much fervor as I decorate for Halloween. My displays for both are still pretty small, but they grow and change every year. Currently I'm looking into getting into RGB pixel lights to enhance both displays and take some of the work out of setting up for one holiday, tearing down and then setting up again for the next.


----------

