Vintage Halloween Decorations!
17Fall is here! Halloween is coming!
Halloween is probably my favorite holiday. I also have a serious love of vintage decorations (pre-1960) that I remember from my youth (like the ghost/pumpkin light above).
Or, Gurley Halloween candles that you could buy for pennies at the 5 and dime store. They can be very pricey now.
Another memory is the paper mache and cardboard decorations.
I am not a huge fan of reproduction decorations unless they are well done, or the monies make sense.
For instance from the Vermont Country Store you can order these Gurley-like candle trio for $14.95.
I am even watching a couple of vintage things on ebay, but I won’t tell you what they are because some of you bastards would probably buy them and post pictures just to Rustle My Jimmies! You Bastards!
So show us some of your favorite Halloween decorations - vintage or not.
Or, share some of the fond memories you have!
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Here is another Gurley candle I remember as a kid.
Oh! I just got an amazing candle! But I’m too lazy to take and post a picture tonight! I will tomorrow.
Halloween candles are one of my favorite things in the WORLD. I lost a few when our basement flooded (it’s very sad), but some actually survived and a handful were upstairs. I mean, the survivors don’t look good, but are still serviceable. It’s not like anyone burns them.
I’ve been honestly afraid to total up what I still have because then I’ll have to face what I lost.
But I got an amazing, stupid candle at GoodWill on Saturday! Yay!
@mossygreen Pic! Pic! Pic!
@mfladd I have to create a plausibly dust- and clutter-free space first, but I will make it happen.
@mossygreen Sorry about the basement. My mom lost a lot of hers from being stored on a leaky basement. It makes me sad.
@mossygreen I LOVE CANDLES! Not vintage but I like it.
@sammydog01 I like that candle. My description said, vintage or not. I want to see everything!
@mossygreen pic?
@mfladd The best part? These are the candles I put in there.
@mfladd Uch, FINE.
It’s beautiful!
Here’s what it might look something like if someone were crazy enough to light the candle in back:
@mossygreen OMG. I am soooo jelly. That candle IS beautiful. GREAT FIND!
I will give you what you paid for it at the thrift shop
@mfladd Seriously! I’ve never seen one like it before. I had to have it even though it’s dirty, cracked and slightly melted in back (because someone was crazy enough to light the candle).
I mean, thank you, I graciously accept your compliment of my fine candle.
Edited to add: Tempting as your offer is, I must decline. Also, I had a $5 reward coupon, so it was essentially free, and thus PRICELESS.
@mossygreen I know (offer). That is a keeper. I went to three thrift shops today because of your post. You know what I found… “0”
@mfladd Yup, it’s staying upstairs.
You found a bunch of other stupid, great stuff though, right?
@mossygreen No. I couldn’t even find a crappy pot to dye some fabric in. Our thrift shops suck. Ok, I did find a few great clothes for my son: A nice GAP fleece sweat jacket, a deadpool T-shirt, and a crewcut polo shirt with skull and crossbones logo. I had to google it - it J Crew’s kids line - nice!
Total cost of clothes = $6.00
I want to go to one of @narfcake’s thrift shops.
@mfladd It’s still hit-and-miss, and my posted finds aren’t the majority. Yes, the greater population of SoCal yields more stuff, but there are more customers too.
@narfcake Bullshit, you live in a magical land. You know it. We know it.
@mossygreen Is there any type of sticker or mark to identify the maker on that candle?
@mfladd No, but: I was pretty sure I’ve seen bunches of Christmas candles with the same basic design, and (after a first abortive attempt where I forgot to include “vintage” among my search words) I figured out the right combination of search words and it was part of the Gurley line. I also discovered that she is missing her head, which totally explains everything otherwise inexplicable about the design (such as her appearing to have no head)! I can’t decide if I think that someone deliberately removed it, or if it it broke and the owner was like, “what the hell, I’ll keep the head.” Still worth it!
@mossygreen Really? a Gurley. No matter my searches I just could not even come up with an image of that candle - which is unusual. I usually find what I look for. I completely missed the head thing, thinking that above the hands was an orange nose and she was more slouched. I totally see it now.
Head or not, that candle is da bomb!
@mfladd Me too! this should be an image I pulled off of Pinterest:
Edited to add: Oooh, it IS! Sometimes I have trouble with very basic things.
@mossygreen Replying to myself to add that the background sheet of that photo is a Strawberry Shortcake design, which is making me think that possibly a different me from another dimension took it.
@mossygreen A magical land where the skies are (hazy) blue, the grass is
greenbrown, the trafficflowsslows, and housing isinexpensive.T-shirt weather year round, though!
Decidedly not vintage, but this is my friend’s Halloween light show from a few years back. I’m not going to call him out on here but he is a mehtizen so he may see this. I can’t wait to see what he’s done this year.
@djslack Wow! That is a fantastic show! People must come from all over to see his work.
@djslack Holy crap, I’ve watched this video before! I really admire people with the technical skills to do stuff like this. Also this specifically.
@djslack Damn, that’s impressive!
@mossygreen I was thinking I might have posted it here before but I don’t think I have. Small world, I guess.
He puts a ton of time into programming the light sequences. That effort comes through in a very badass light show.
@djslack I always think those shows are cool but I’d never want to do it with my house… imagine sitting in your house with the lights blaring in for the umpteenth time… it’d be maddening!
@djslack Great show! Thanks for sharing! Nothing meh about that!
@jbartus I was thinking the same thing but It looks like he has the music playing over an FM modulator, so there wouldn’t be any sound unless the car parked out front had the music blaring. Pretty clever, actually
@djslack That got way too scary, I noped right the fuck out when the song said “There will be no internet”.
What I saw looked cool.
@djslack why is that voice so familiar from the first song? Anyone have an idea what that was sampled from?
Wow. Whomever lives there must be a really cool person.
@RiotDemon
deadmau5 feat. Rob Swire - Ghosts N Stuff
I found what it is from, and I’ve never seen it… Still familiar, how odd.
The Brain from Planet Arous; “After I’m gone, your Earth will be free to live out its miserable span of existence, as one of my satellites, and that’s how it’s going to be…”.
@mfladd I meant the voice sample, not the song.
@RiotDemon I am not sorry, since it is your fault
@djslack No, I totally think I watched it last year on youtube! It was a whole falling-down-the-rabbit-hole thing that started with animatronics, then light displays, then Disneyland walk-throughs, and then it started all over again.
@capguncowboy I saw that, it’s the lights that would drive me bonkers though.
@jbartus curtains, yo. Problem solved.
We had this one too. Love it.
@mfladd something about that is so creepy!
@djslack Why do you think “I” love it!
@mfladd I never cared for the paper mache things myself. Too weird looking. No pumpkin has ever been shaped like that!
@jbartus who cares, it’s awesome
@djslack It’s the square teeth. Cats don’t have square teeth! Run!
@mfladd oh man, I love this. Ok all of these. I had to leave my creepy stupid fake stuffed cat behind because it freaks out my guy. But I’m going to find a new one. This is the best holiday and I will be working on acquiring enough creepy shit to fill this new house of mine!
@KittySprinkles Guy vs Creepy Stupid Fake Cat? I would have kept the cat!
Have you found anything yet? Are you looking?
I buy silly noise making decorations for work each year and then give them away at years end. this year i have a beating heart that is motion activated.
One I did keep for several years was this scrawny cat that sang. Someone pulled it’s head off.
It was sorta like this one but the eyes were not colored and it sounded better both the singing and the music. I actually bought it at Ralphs, must have been 15 years or so ago.
@Cerridwyn Hahaha. My kids would get endless entertainment out of that
@Cerridwyn Nice! I have a refrigerator ghost. the kids hate it.
@sammydog01 lol, so you actually put it inside the fridge? How silly.
@RiotDemon Yes! And every time you open the fridge it tells a stupid joke or sings that song. I love it.
Play with Alexa for Halloween. Say, "Alexa - play bubbling cauldron sound"
I have a collection of large witch dolls who perch all over the house and hang from the ceiling. I’m very late unpacking them this year; hope they forgive me.
@OldCatLady Pics! Pics! Pics!
@OldCatLady You edited with pic after I posted. Ha!
That is a great collection of witches!
I wonder if my mom still has Sammy Spook…
Couldn’t get away with naming it that in the last several decades.
@themutilator Luke the Spook by Sheb Wooley makes me a little nervous, although I tell myself he must have been some kind of teenage poltergeist/space alien with that speeded-up chatter.
@mossygreen This is how I picture the singer of the sped up parts of that song. I need help.
@mfladd
I’d be glad to setup a consultation for you.
@mfladd That gif works really well with the beat. Therefore, you must be right. No help needed.
@mossygreen Ha! I knew I was alright. Thanks!
I just bought this guy. His eyes light up red. He scares me.
@sammydog01 Nice evil garden gnome!
I can’t wait to see all the great stuff people get on markdown after Halloween
Bought this guy on clearance last year; he’s been waiting patiently in the garage for his time to come out. (He’s temporarily replacing the gargoyle that usually lives in this spot.)
@mfladd I showed him to my son. He rolled his eyes and said “Why do you buy stuff like that?”.
Alexa - Halloween Skills
With thousands of skills, Alexa is in the Halloween spirit and we’ve round up a few spooky skills for you to try. See what others are building, get inspired, and build your own Alexa skill.
Magic Door
Magic Door added a brand new story that has a Halloween-theme. Complete with a spooky mansion and lots of scary sound effects, you’re bound to enjoy the adventure. Ask Alexa to enable Magic Door skill and start your Halloween adventure.
Ghost Detector
Are you worried about some restless spirits? Use Ghost Detector to detect nearby ghosts and attempt to catch them. The ghosts are randomly generated with almost 3000 possible combinations and you can catch one ghost per day to get Ghost Bux. Ask Alexa to enable Ghost Detector skill so you can catch your ghost for the day.
Horror Movie Taglines
Horror movie buffs can put themselves to the test with the Horror Movie Taglines skill. Taglines are the words or phrases used on posters, ads, and other marketing materials for horror movies. Alexa keeps score while you guess over 100 horror movie taglines. Put your thinking hat on and ask Alexa to enable Horror Movie Taglines skill.
Spooky Air Horns
Let this noise maker join your Halloween party this year. These spooky air horn sounds are the perfect background music for Halloween night. Listen for yourself by enabling Spooky Air Horns skill.
Haunted House
Scary, spooky haunted houses define Halloween and this interactive story is no different. The Haunted House skill lets you experience a stormy Halloween night and lets you pick your journey by presenting several options. The choice is yours. Start your adventure by enabling Haunted House skill.
Dress up your Amazon Echo
This Halloween, you can follow Bryant’s tutorial and learn how to turn your Amazon Echo into a ghost with two technologies: the Photon and Alexa. With an MP3 and NeoPixel lights, you’ll be ready for Halloween. Dress up your own Echo with this tutorial.
Alexa is ready for Halloween. Just ask, “Alexa, trick or treat?”
@mfladd What are Ghost Bux?
@mossygreen ?
ghost dollors
Bydebbie groganon October 11, 2016
i have made me $72.00 ghost dollors …cannt find out what its good for or what to do with it but i find this an amusing game…it keeps me humored.
@mfladd Mysterious!
@mossygreen
Alexa - remind me to buy this when I can afford it and it’s less expensive.
1950’s Pumpkin Lantern
@mfladd So, in the past sometime? Or shall we collectively hope that the Vermont Country Store makes a reproduction that doesn’t sell and we can all pick it up dirt cheap?
Am I the only fucked up person who can’t stop looking at Halloween decorations?
My two latest “vintage/country looking” finds from Marshall’s.
This guy who I call Gleep (from the Herculoids)
And this garland of ghosts (10 total)
@mfladd I look at Halloween decorations every day. Literally. They decorate my house.
@RiotDemon
@mfladd it’s saved for another topic…
I know the people who run this, and they take holiday decor seriously. They have antique, vintage and craft items. If anyone has toys, they do.
I get these decorations every year; I got the idea from my parents, I think their parents had them too! It first became popular circa 7000 BC so pretty vintage
@Moose
@Moose I liked your post before the photo loaded on the assumption it was a pumpkin, and I was so relieved to see that it is a pumpkin.
Hey @mfladd, send me an email at my username, Gmail. I’ve got something you might like.
@RiotDemon Oooooo…will do when I get a chance. Stuck in Norfolk at a conference for the next two days.
@mfladd try not to take too long if you want this thing before Halloween.
@mfladd You’ll miss the schooner race when they dock in Norfolk (VA that is) this weekend. Too bad!
@mfladd, My brother has that same cardstock articulated skeleton. it’s currently hanging in his garage, but i can remember having that thing around back as far as 1984 at least. before that… i was too young to remember that kind of stuff.
@earlyre
So I went over a friends house who has no knowledge of my vintage Halloween love and he gave me this for the kids. They might have noticed it in his garage. What are the odds?
Oh, the sweet vintage love…
(she does need a little TLC though)
@mfladd Beautiful!
@mfladd are you going to paint the pumpkin?
@RiotDemon I haven’t decided what to do yet.
Me? Shop for Halloween decorations every day? Pretty much. I found this at Target.
I forgot how much fun plasma balls were.
@sammydog01 I thought about buying that, but the ones at my store were super weak… Maybe the batteries were bad.
@RiotDemon It’s battery operated so it might be weaker than most. Also the white lights take away from the plasma effect. I took it to the science museum and the kids liked it. They had some for sale in the gift shop too (minus the skull).
@sammydog01 Plasma ball are cool. But they are even cooler in a SKULL!
Much respect.
@sammydog01 yours looks a lot brighter than the ones I saw. I found this looking around… I feel compelled to buy it.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Destroyer-Of-Worlds-Grim-Reaper-Plasma-Crystal-Ball-Accent-Lamp/162418383?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1628&adid=22222222228045717676&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=95396998610&wl4=aud-261800282100:pla-217949134130&wl5=9012430&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112562800&wl11=online&wl12=162418383&wl13=&veh=sem
@RiotDemon I like!
@RiotDemon The skull at Target is 25% off. I bought another one. Did you pick up one of these? It seemed like your style.
@sammydog01 haha, yep. Bought it a few weeks ago.
Well, my Holy Grail has been achieved. I found it on ebay for a fair price. I cleaned it inside and out , and put in a new bulb.
What’s amazing is it still has the original price tag on it from Grant’s! Who remembers Grant’s Dept. Stores.
I think what is great is that is where my mother would have bought hers at Grant’s since it was the only local Dept. store at that time.
Spending money on vintage Halloween decorations that I really don’t have - worriesome.
Obtaining a piece of nostalgia from my childhood that brings back nice memories - priceless!
@mfladd Congrats!
@mfladd My Dad worked at Grants in the appliance department. He hated it but it paid the bills until he got a industrial job. We shopped there until it closed.
I live your new addition! I tend towards the witches as favorite decorations. I keep getting the sideways pictures from my phone. I will try later in the week to get back to a real computer and post a couple favorites.
@speediedelivery Please do!!!
@sammydog01 Thanks! It’s sweet.
@mfladd
Aside from the obvious, what’s that owl thing in the background?
@gumtreertmug Haha…They are a set of jars I got on amazon.
(excuse temporary kitchen shades - I’m working on it
Trying one more time…
@speediedelivery I like the rustic witches and those pumpkin tea candles.
My kids use the glow in the dark wOOt bags for candy. I think this was the design.
Omg, @RiotDemon sent me a thing! More than one thing. Haven’t looked at everything yet.
You ROCK! Love! Love!
You will see it in another thread I am overdue in posting.
Thank you!!!
@mfladd can’t wait to see this thread, lol
Especially if you haven’t looked at it all yet.
@mfladd where is this thread? I’d blame the goat, but that’s me.
@RiotDemon Ohhh, crazy week
It’s coming soon - promise.
@mfladd
/giphy waiting
The craft store put their decorations at 70% off and threw in a coupon for another 20%. I guess they need room for Christmas stuff.
They all have color changing lights. Of course they do. The tree also makes scary noises if you want. I like it quiet.
@sammydog01 Nice! Keep’em comin.
@sammydog01 which store was this? I like creepy trees. I wanted this one that had flames in its eyes and mouth. I haven’t seen it though to buy it.
@RiotDemon AC Moore. I have been picking it up and putting it back the last couple of weeks. The coupon didn’t start until noon so I had to lug my tree around the store for half an hour.
@sammydog01 Damn. None of those here.
OK, funny story. My mom (pushing 90) ordered hearing aid batteries for my dad (past 90). Amazon sent them to me. Mom has no idea how Amazon even knew where I lived much less why they would do such a ridiculous thing. They sent her a free replacement.
Those three pumpkins? The batteries died almost immediately. I took them out- tiny little things I have never seen before. Guess what? My hearing aid batteries fit in them and they are bright and glowing again.
@sammydog01 eh? Say what?
@sammydog01 thanks for screwing up, Amazon!
I bought a shirt because Woot gave me a coupon. Does that count?
https://shirt.woot.com/offers/shipmates?ref=sh_cnt_wp_4_17
@sammydog01 that’s so cute.
FREE SAMPLE DAY AT THE LIQUOR STORE!
I’ll buy anything after a free sample. Does this count?
@sammydog01 please tell me that’s not pumpkin spice rum?
I mean, I already know that’s got to be what it is, but lie to me and help me keep some faith in humanity.
@djslack It is totally not Captain Morgan Jack-O-Blast pumpkin spiced rum because that would be wrong.
/giphy that would be wrong
The best yard decor I saw this year was at Lowe’s. They had a corral full of skeleton dogs, dinosaurs, deer, vultures, cats etc. Some lit up, some just sat there and glowed in the dark. They also had a whole Halloween Alley of merchandise.
@OldCatLady really? It seemed that home depot had them beat. I saw lots of dinosaurs and skeleton horses and dogs at the HD. Didn’t see any of that at Lowe’s.
@RiotDemon My neighbor bought the t-Rex. She’s leaving it up all year.
I did Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Target today. Target was 50% off, but unfortunately they had no plasma skulls.
Home Depot’s prices were good but the selection wasn’t. Except, I almost went for the cute fuzzy bear that said come play with me, and then put it’s paws down and roared like zombie bear with teeth and light up eyes.
Lowe’s was the best! Great prices - great selection. If I was in the market for a large air display it would have been awesome. I got a bunch of stuff, but I don’t have time to post - I will do it later. I have to get ready to go to Williamsburg, VA for work super early
Where is that new fucking GoaT? I blame you that I have to go away again for work! Ack!
