Happy Halloween 2014

Friday 31st October 2014

Halloween Party pumpkins 2014

Well I've been a bit lax in putting on party photos this year but here's a taster of the pumpkins people brought along last Saturday...

Tuesday 28th October 2014

Halloween Home Bargains

I'd not been in this store before and the Halloween decorations were much of a muchness as with other bargain stores, however I'd been tipped off that there were pumpkin spiced candles. There were two sizes of spiced pumpkin candle and a smaller apple & pumpkin scented candle. Also there were refills for the Airwick plug-in that was Sweet Vanilla & Pumpkin scented and for the Glade spray air freshener that was Maple Pumpkin scented. So worth buying some samples before they all sell out.

Saturday 11th October 2014

Terror and Wonder at The British Library

If you are in London and in the vicinity of St Pancras or Euston you might want to spend 60-90 minutes of your time visiting a newly opened exhibition at The British Library. Just in time for Halloween, it chronicles the history of gothic imagination from Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto published in 1764 to the current day.

The exhibition contains many first and early editions on books on display together with other diverse exhibits including: the original 'wererabbit' from the Wallace & Grommit film, to a letter by HP Lovecraft, film posters and set designs from Hammer films, a letter purportedly sent from Jack The Ripper to the police, manuscripts from such authors as MR James, prints of works by such artists as Henry Fuseli and film clips from the likes of Bride Of Frankenstein, The Innocents and The Wicker Man. Clive Barker has also lent some items for the exhibition too.

Well worth a visit and there's plenty to buy from the shop too!

Friday 10th October

Asda leads the way... again

The biggest aisle of decorations of the big four supermarkets. Yes most of it is edible stuff that can be found in competitor stores, but Asda just manages to do that bit extra. A larger selection of partyware (cups / plates / shaped plastic beakers etc) or a greater choice of costumes including adult costumes. And there are always some fun items... I was quite looking forward to possibly buying some of the ravens, but sadly they weren't lifelike enough for me and were a bit too cute, however the haunted vintage phone looked fun!

However look further away from the Halloween aisle and other goodies were also to be had. I picked up a t-shirt that had a print on that makes me look like I've been disembowelled and in the music section there are several compilation CDs of Halloween music at £5 each or 2 for £9. Now I have a large collection of Halloween tunes from the 1920s to present day but there were some tracks on this years choice of compilations that even I didn't have. So I spent £14 and walked away with 9 CDs of Halloween music!

Thursday 9th October 2014

Tesco Halloween 2014

Not quite as good as a few years ago when they had plenty of different CDs of Halloween music from all different eras, or last year when they had some metal tea-light holders that were good value for money.

Again the costumes a sweets are all there. The only thing that I found somewhat unusual this year was the Gorgon's animated head.

On a really positive note though, Tescos are selling Reeces Peanut Butter Pumpkins for 65p each!

Thursday 9th October 2014

Sainsburys possibly underwhelms at Halloween

Popped into Sainsburys today and felt discombobulated. It's strange that you can be underwhelmed or overwhelmed but never just whelmed! If that was a state then I guess that would be where I found myself. There was plenty of sweets and costumes but nothing that really set the world alight, and in the store that I visited there wasn't even any Indian Corn that you could buy for decorations like in previous years.

There were some glass tea-light holders and the witch wasn't badly designed, but there was nothing that I would call exceptional this year.

Thursday 9th October 2014

Selfridges get into the Halloween Spirit

All the major supermarkets in the UK now seem to have their decorations out. I haven' bothered to take pictures of the sweets as they are fairly generic, but am to give a quick low-down on some of the other goodies!

So let's do the high-class store first! Selfridges tend to be a bit more expensive, but this year they've put out some of the more unusual items so far.

Of the more interesting goodies were a salt and pepper set both in the shape of glass skulls, glass skull shot glasses, a card trivia game, brain ice cube moulds, wooden plaques and zombie cookie cutters. Yes they are a bit expensive compared to other shops... but if you are shopping in Selfridges, I guess you already know that!

Thursday 9th October 2014

Halloween breakfast cereals

I noticed this packet of Shreddies in the supermarket on Sunday. Limited edition cinnamon flavoured Shreddies. Nice packaging.

Monday 6th October 2014

Halloween Beer - Part 6

Well I have just returned from Belgium so here are some of the Halloween themed beers I've found this year. The Black Witch ale came from Morrisons who were a bit light on seasonal beers but then it is the start of the month and they are usually the best place to go nearer Halloween.

Fantome beer was an artisan beer from Belgium which was a tad more expensive, but worth it both in taste and bottle design. 

I had seen Quintine before with the witch logo, and Lucifer and Belzebuth have had redesigns this year, but the Zombi porter is a new one on me.

Monday 6th October 2014

Morrisons Halloween 2014

The UK supermarket has put out its usual wares. Nothing outstanding for the collector, just the usual partyware and sweets.

Monday 6th October2014

Marks & Spencer's Halloween 2014

Was in a Marks & Spencer store last week and saw the below display of Halloween merchandise. There were other displays of edible goodies - usual stuff although there were some pumpkin shaped jelly sweets made for vegetarians without the usual pig gelatin.

I didn't buy anything but the cauldron shaped sign looked nice as did the now annual pumpkin piñatas. I already have cake cases and lights but if I didn't these might be worth a look. Also there was a 'pin the nose on the witch' game to keep children amused which seemed well illustrated.

Monday 6th October