# Halloween merchandise watch 2008 - UK



## Mongo (Aug 5, 2008)

If any-one from the UK has seen any Halloween products out, please list here 'cause i'm having trouble finding anything. England definitely isn't as quick to getting their holiday stuff on the shelves as America, but if you have found a store that's done so in UK, or even if you know any online stores. 
Fire away.


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

Hey Mongo,

Halloween Props For Stage, Display and Parties

They have 10 pages of halloween, should be enough to wet the appetite.


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

and, I know they are US based but they do ship.

10% OFF Halloween Props & Halloween Animatronics Over $500 - Buy at HauntedProps.com - Guaranteed Lowest Prices

and

Halloween Asylum - Totally Demented Halloween Props, Masks and Costumes

I used that later last year and they were excellent


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## Mongo (Aug 5, 2008)

Woah, they've got loads of great stuff. Cheers SS.


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

I think it'll still be about a month before any signs of Halloween make their way into stores. I think shops like "T.K Maxx", and "The Range" will be the first to get them in.
Sadly, the market just isn't big enough for early stocking.  If only we could "fix" that


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm so excited! I popped into tkmaxx in Clydebank today & they were just starting to put their stuff out! I was was the first purchaser this year! they only had a few items - but more coming in - I bought a wooden witch & hanging pumpkin (i didn't need - but just cos it was the first place i had seen selling anything!)


I did take a picture of them hanging up when i got home - just having problems uploading from my camera at the moment. . . . 



halloween is on it's way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

THEY have stuff in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been checking all week and nothing, zip, nadda, zero, bugger all, you go in today and get stuff, unfair.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

i was just in the right place at the right time  - as i say - only one shelf at the moment - but shouldn't be too long - I'll be back next week!


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

i'll be there tomorrow, where was the stuff


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

Excellent....TK Maxx was the first in our area last year to start stocking items! I will be off there this weekend. Thanks for that!

BW


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

yep tk are always the first, shame the rest wait until october


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm pretty sure Asda had there's out in September last year. Also Dunnes had some good stuff last year SS - there's one in Clydebank. the TKmaxx stuff was near the back beside the lanterns. when they get more though the usually fill the shelves to the left beside the customer services.


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

I drove the staff at our Asda mad last year..... I kept ringing them and asking if their Halloween stuff had been put out yet. There are so few people as mad about it as I am around here. The day it arrived I was like a child in a sweet shop not knowing which bits to buy!

BW


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

TK Maxx is adding stuff on a daily basis, if you have one nearby I think you should check it out


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

YES!!!........At Last T K Maxx came up trumps today! I bought my first Halloween Goodies there today! People were tutting and complaining about having "Halloween Stuff out this early!" I was stood there grinning like a cheshire cat. I got a Halloween Tree a flashing Witches head and two boxes of beautiful decorations to hang on my new tree! 

I am SOOOOOO happy!



BW


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

little by little TKmaxx are getting their stuff out - I bought this gargoyle today (I'm not sure it's actually part of their halloween items - but I've wanted one for ages) I want it permanently above front door - hubby said I can have it there for october - then it can go above the back door  he's around 18" x 14" 








I also got a cute little witch (I collect those & they ARE out all year round in my lounge ) and a box of small halloween tree decorations. 

not got any of the pottery out yet - but I'll be back next week to see what else they have


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

Yep, seen that today!


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

Good on you, British witch, gets you excited, doesn't it!!


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

It certainly does Scotish Scarer...we have to wait so long in this country for our goodies. I get green with envy when I hear about all those lovely items out for sale already in the US

BW


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

Witchiepoo, that Gargoyle is FANTASTIC! I love Gargoyles...I have 3 in the garden that I have bought at various times during the year. They stay out all year long. I am in the process of making a 2ft tall one out of plastic bottles, cardboard and papier mache...if it works I will post piccies for you to see!

BW


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

Britishwitch said:


> Witchiepoo, that Gargoyle is FANTASTIC! I love Gargoyles...I have 3 in the garden that I have bought at various times during the year. They stay out all year long. I am in the process of making a 2ft tall one out of plastic bottles, cardboard and papier mache...if it works I will post piccies for you to see!
> 
> BW


oh! looking forward to seeing that! - and of course the instructions


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## OMGDan (Sep 28, 2006)

Usually always is the american owned companies that push out first, TK maxx and asda respectively.

Didn't get time to pop into the city this weekend so no idea whether manchester's tk maxx has their's out, but i know my local asda doesn't yet. first week of september i'm guessing


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

poundland in dumbarton has some of their stuff out now - but there was still space there for more so i'll pop back in at the weekend. 
no sign of asda's yet - I'm sure it was up at the beginning of september last year though - hopefully at the weekend too then.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

My mum called me last week and told me that the Portsmouth TK Maxx store had their Halloween stuff out, so I promptly booked my train ticket back to Portsmouth that weekend and took a trip there. 

OH.. MY..WORD - she was not wrong. She said she had already watched stuff come and go in the few days it had been there, she bought me a couple of things in advance because they sold out so quickly. Anyway, I spent WAY too much (thanks to a complete lack of self-control and a brand new paycheque) but here we are, some photos of my goodies:









My big items









My small items









My serving things (I didn't get too many this year as I've got quite a lot already and am running out of space lol!)









Bad photo of me (!) with my new Halloween things!

I got:
Giant plushie witch frog,
Large gargoyle pillar candle holder
Skull (very Tim Burton-esque) statue
Black cat plushie
Witch doll
Set of Halloween hand towels
Silver Jack O Lantern
2 JOL curtain ties
2 small beanie pumpkins
Hanging JOL with ribbons
"Trick" and "Treats" jars
Large metallic purple platter
Large ceramic pumpkin plate
Pumpkin skeleton china bowl

I am so pleased!! (As you can probably tell by my silly grin!) Haven't checked out the TK Maxx in Brighton yet, but my mum is coming down to Brighton on Saturday so I think I might take her there and treat her to something if they have their Halloween stuff out. I'm not expecting the Portsmouth Asda to get their bits in until the end of September/beginning of October, which is fine as it times coincidentally with my next paycheque.. In the meantime, I'll be shopping for bits and pieces online


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

Oh yes, also wanted to add that when I was at the train station, I popped into the little M&S there and they had Halloween chocolates out!!!


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## OMGDan (Sep 28, 2006)

Your lucky.

Got some really nice things there. Went into the city (manchester) on saturday to go to TK maxx as people here were saying they had their stuff out.

Absolute disgrace. Not even 1 isle.

All they had was a messy bedside table sized standalone unit with the witch from your first pic, the pumpkin from the second pic, and 2 snowglobes.

It didn't even look like they'd had a sellout, just looked like a pathetic display.

I'm sure it'll improve over time but really, if your not going to do it right, don't do it at all.

I'm looking forward to asda, always a good display here.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

that's a great lot you got there MB!


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## Scottish Scarer (Jan 5, 2008)

Just back from Asda and they have cleared their shelves for their halloween stuff, should be tomorrow hopefully.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

dumbarton asda were putting stuff out today! they had boxes ready to go - I hung about as long as i could - but i was getting a lot of strange looks - so i left - but I'll be back tomorrow!!!!!!!


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

And it's ON! Asda have all their stuff out - looks as good as last year - but!! there were these life size creepy animated butlers for £60!! of course I got one - we've called him Arthur


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## OMGDan (Sep 28, 2006)

Haha. That's funny, just came to say the same thing.

Got a call they had their stuff out so i went down, saw them and just had to get it. (The butler)

Was the first person to buy one. Not surprising, was giving some good scares in the isle and by the front of the store though.

Aside the butler, got some nice new additions this year, not so nice prices though. Some stuff from last year has almost doubled.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

ha! i just saw your thread & replied to that! 

I did notice some of their stuff was more expensive than last year - but to be honest as soon as I got my hands on Arthur I couldn't care about anything alse  I have a few ideas that are going to cost me next to nothing this year - plus i plan to move my stuff around & make it look different. plus I made potion bottles & jars last year & have made more this year - they cost next to nothing & i plan to have a witches kitchen full of them this year! I'm so chuffed i was in on time to buy him!!!!!


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

witchiepoo said:


> And it's ON! Asda have all their stuff out - looks as good as last year - but!! there were these life size creepy animated butlers for £60!! of course I got one - we've called him Arthur


I went into my local Asda on Tuesday and this guy was the first thing I spotted. Actually he was the fist thing on the aisle! Very attention grabbing. If I had the money, I would get him! He rocks! 
Have any of you seen that sphere with a witch inside? It cost 15, and I think it's pretty cool. Not sure if I can get it or not yet though.

PS. is he thirsty? haha, nice to see you're keeping him by the bottled water 


I also checked out T.K Maxx, and very disappointingly they only have a very small amount of stock out. They do have some very cool Halloween 'snowglobes', and a great pumpkin punch bowl. 
And 'The Range' was bad for stock so far....but they literally must have just started putting them out. All they had out was some 4 ft tall skeletons, with no price tags, and no details on the shelves surrounding, so they need to hurry up and get the rest out!


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

I would just like to add to this that Thornton's now have their Halloween range of chocolate goodies in!!!  Although the section is a little smaller than last year, I'm hoping it will grow, and they still have the gift boxes I use as part of my prizes, so I'm happy!  They have the same chocolate lollies and bars as last year and they are on a multibuy offer again so it's all good!

I would show pics but I bought some as part of my Secret Reaper present and I don't want to spoil the surprise lol


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

I've just come back from a few places, and am outraged at the lack of goods! Most stores have NOTHING. I still have to go into the main town centre yet though. I've just been to the two smaller surrounding towns.

_Poundland_ had the most stuff in! And that was only one side of one aisle.Oh, whilst in there, I was the only person looking at them......other people came forward a few steps, and turned away when they saw it was halloween stock! Can you believe that!! 

I actually picked up some really cool paper plates and napkins. Here:








(I've actually just noticed the text on the grave is backwards......but I still think they're great.)

They also had a nice net table cloth with skeletons on it, but I didn't get it. might do next time I go over though.

I was really looking forward to checking out what they had in the 'cash and carry', as they had some nice stuff last year, but they don't have anything out yet.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

Oooh those plates are fab!! Has anyone been to their local Matalan yet and checked out their new stuff? My local one doesn't have an M-Party section or whatever it's called, so I'm a bit sad about that  I hear they have halloween food picks, which I desperately want/need, and also some skeleton hand servers etc.. sounds awesome!!


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## froodle (Sep 17, 2008)

ASDA at the Crown Point centre in Leeds just got a load of really cool paper plates, napkins etc that are black with a white silhoette of a spider on them - other than that, it's just a lot of the same stuff they had last year. Poundland up by the Merrion Centre has all the Halloween gummy sweets out along with some plastic-looking costumes etc.

TK Maxx in the city centre is shockingly poor, but the one at Crown Point had some really nice dishware - plates and mugs with these cute little cartoon characters dressed as a bat, witch, ghost or pumpkin, but with human feet sticking out underneath.

Is anyone else really disappointed with Wilkinsons? They completely killed in 2006 but last year it was rubbish and they've not got anything this year.


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## missmolyneux (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm off out to the late night shopping this evening to plan for my Halloween party, will update you guys if I find any amazing buys! 
When Asda Sutton first got their Halloween stuff in a few weeks ago they were stocking skull foggers for 15 quid, apparently you just use normal tap water in them... not sure how good they are, as when I went back to get one a couple of days later they had all gone!
Asda are great for spider web though, I think one pack is about 39p?


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## DeesFancyDress (Mar 10, 2008)

Give our shop a look we stock Halloween products all year round.
You just never know when you might need a severed hand.


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## DeesFancyDress (Mar 10, 2008)

freudstein said:


> I've just come back from a few places, and am outraged at the lack of goods! Most stores have NOTHING. I still have to go into the main town centre yet though. I've just been to the two smaller surrounding towns.
> 
> _Poundland_ had the most stuff in! And that was only one side of one aisle.Oh, whilst in there, I was the only person looking at them......other people came forward a few steps, and turned away when they saw it was halloween stock! Can you believe that!!
> 
> ...


Hi freudstein,
I've noticed on a lot of Halloween products that the text has been backwards.
Is everyone in the halloween industry half blind on is there a more sinister meaning to all this I just don't know about. I guess if there is a hidden sinister meaning those inn the know will not be telling us anyway.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

missmolyneux said:


> I'm off out to the late night shopping this evening to plan for my Halloween party, will update you guys if I find any amazing buys!
> When Asda Sutton first got their Halloween stuff in a few weeks ago they were stocking skull foggers for 15 quid, apparently you just use normal tap water in them... not sure how good they are, as when I went back to get one a couple of days later they had all gone!
> Asda are great for spider web though, I think one pack is about 39p?


Those skull fog machines are great!! I got one last year and my party guests loved it! I only had to top it up halfway through the night - and it just takes normal tap water so no messing about with fog juice 

They brought out a cauldron version this year but I don't have the funds at the moment and I've got a feeling they'll be sold out by the time payday rolls round. 

A lot of people are snatching these things up and putting them on ebay because they are going for upwards of £30/40 on there!!


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

DeesFancyDress said:


> Hi freudstein,
> I've noticed on a lot of Halloween products that the text has been backwards.
> Is everyone in the halloween industry half blind on is there a more sinister meaning to all this I just don't know about. I guess if there is a hidden sinister meaning those inn the know will not be telling us anyway.


I think it's just a consequence of cheap printing


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## OMGDan (Sep 28, 2006)

Magickbean said:


> Those skull fog machines are great!! I got one last year and my party guests loved it! I only had to top it up halfway through the night - and it just takes normal tap water so no messing about with fog juice
> 
> They brought out a cauldron version this year but I don't have the funds at the moment and I've got a feeling they'll be sold out by the time payday rolls round.
> 
> A lot of people are snatching these things up and putting them on ebay because they are going for upwards of £30/40 on there!!


Yeah i got most of the big stuff they were selling the first day they had their stock out. Including the cauldron, my friend got the skull version and they're both great for the price, no messing around like with the fog machine like you said.

And ditto about ebay, the butler guy that's 60, i've seen sell for 130 and 35 shipping, the cauldron and skulls that are 15 going for 37, the 2 POUND tombstones going for over 8 quid, the shipping was triple the price of the actual item. And the most ridiculous were the bag of bones, 6 pound, going for over 22 on ebay.

Seriously, if people would just leave their house once in a while instead of trying to 'grab a bargain' they'd see they're actually being fleeced, really really bad.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

OMGDan said:


> Yeah i got most of the big stuff they were selling the first day they had their stock out. Including the cauldron, my friend got the skull version and they're both great for the price, no messing around like with the fog machine like you said.
> 
> And ditto about ebay, the butler guy that's 60, i've seen sell for 130 and 35 shipping, the cauldron and skulls that are 15 going for 37, the 2 POUND tombstones going for over 8 quid, the shipping was triple the price of the actual item. And the most ridiculous were the bag of bones, 6 pound, going for over 22 on ebay.
> 
> Seriously, if people would just leave their house once in a while instead of trying to 'grab a bargain' they'd see they're actually being fleeced, really really bad.


It's so true!!! It makes me feel sort of sick really, that people are being ripped off so badly. I think one of the worst things I saw was the hanging skeleton in a cage that I got for £8 from Asda last year going for £60 on eBay!!! I couldn't believe it... I mean, yeah his eyes light up and he screams a bit when you press the button.. but he's not even that good lol


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## missmolyneux (Sep 25, 2008)

Believe it or not, Woolworths actually have a few good pieces! I was in there yesterday and I saw golden skeleton trophies that say 'best costume', and blood transfusion type bags of 'candy blood'. I'm just pondering if I could replace the candy blood with red WKD somehow...


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

My local one don't really have anything. I've seen those 'awards' in *Matalan* (now they have some great stuff in the party section!), but I think there are better ones to buy online honestly. 

I am curious about those candy blood bags. I'm going to see if I can find them on their website......

Also, went back to *T.K Maxx* to look again yesterday. They still don't have much. But I think all they're putting out is now out.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

i went back to tkmaxx yesterday - they have had great gargoyles this year for ourtside - i got this for £14.99 it's very sturdy & much better that those cheap foam ones. they had large ones for £29.99 too - like the gargoyle on it's own just sitting.


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## Phoenix (Sep 23, 2006)

FYI guys there is now a UK haunt orientated website that deals specifically with home and professional attractions, log in and register you haunt, there is even an award up for top UK home haunt

Haunted Attractions UK - Home


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

Just in case anyone is interested.....I went to our Tescos today and they had STACKS of Halloween cake things put out. There Halloween section has been particulary bad this year but these appeared today as I know they weren't there yesterday. Halloween mini rolls.....£1, Fabulous Bakin Boys Halloween Cupcakes (Orange/Black Icing) £1.25/6 BOGOF. Special Edition Jaffa cakes, some cupcakes with Halloween motifs on and some rice crispy cakes. I would say that the Fabulous Bakin Boys cupcakes were the best offer but it is just someting extra to put out on your food tables that isn't too expensive and looks the part!

BW


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## halloween_sucks_in_the_uk (Sep 28, 2008)

*Doing it DIY*

I've started making my own props. I've been up to my elbows in paper mache you can make some good creations with I made a pumpkin my paper mache techniques not fab but in the dark it'll be the head of a scarecrow I'm making so it'll do fine in the dark with a light stuck in it's gob. 










I bought a plastic scythe for my son as he wanted to be a Grim Reaper so I just spray painted the blade in grey primer and then sprayed on a fine mist of black paint over the grey then I hot glued a skull I had from another halloween prop stuck some diamante green eyes on the skull and some orange ones on the hanging skull and then put some old black fabric which I ripped off one of my sons old costumes and made a cape for the skull like a mini reaper on the scythe










I'm just making a witches head at the moment. It's still a work in progress. the joy of old newspaper, pva glue and bog roll (erm unused of course) 










I have a cheap skeleton he's a bit worse for wear now as his bits kept falling off so I gave him a little makeover with some UV webbing and those little plastic spiders that come with it oh and my trusty glue gun. I'm going to buy a better skeleton next year when I can afford it as I've already bought a new fog machine and various other stuff much to my Husbands dismay. He keeps tutting and saying "bloody woman" 










This year my 12 year olds wearing a ghillie suit (one of those hunting suits things) so he can hide in the bushes and scare teenage girls (should I be worried about him hmm stalking girls!) God girls can't half scream (thankfully I have 3 sons) but it's all in good fun and as nobody around here bothers to put out decorations other than the odd pumpkin I like to make an effort for the kids (well for me mainly, as I'm 34 and I still haven't grown up) I''ve always loved horror movies and scary stuff so for me Halloweens better than Christmas. At Christmas I just usually shove a half dead tree up and some lights thrown on my bushes outside.

If only Halloween lasted more than one night (sighs) 

Have a great Halloween all


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## Britishwitch (Jan 5, 2008)

Halloween Sucks......they're great! Like you I have been neck deep in papier mache for weeks now! When my pumpkins are finished I will post piccies!

I very much belive in....."if you can't buy it....make it!" It is very sad though that all this work is for just one day! I have decided that as the children are off school the week before Halloween, I am going to start putting my decs up all through that week so I get a little more enjoyment from them!

BW


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## evv123 (Oct 6, 2008)

*UK Halloween retailers*

There are plenty of UK-based online halloween retailers. try Fancy Dress Costumes and Halloween Costumes from Angels Fancy Dress - the leading fancy dress shop in the UK for costumes and Halloween Costumes, Masks, Wigs and Information. for party games, recipes, costume ideas etc.


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