Wasn't expecting to see this in the local beer shop , stopping off for a quick half before going to a Christmas Ghost Story storytelling event in Folkestone last night... and it was the last bottle! 12.2% Christmas Cake Imperial Porter... and the beer's name... Krampus 2022 from Tartarus Beers.
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I had reason to go into an M&S Food Hall yesterday and bought the below savoury food, and alcohol. There were more savoury party food items simulating eyeballs and witches fingers but I stuck with burgers in pastry, breaded chicken in the shape of bats and steamed bao ghosts.
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Wednesday 26th October 2022
A week to go until my 31st annual Halloween party...
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Saturday 22nd October 2022
Sadly Sainsbury do not appear to be selling their pumpkin spiced houmous this year but they do have a Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Chutney Quiche. Limited edition - so pick one up while you can.
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Saturday 22nd October 2022
A different variety than was sold last year, this year is a Scotch Bonnet & Red Leicester cheese, but still in a nice wax coating shaped as a pumpkin.
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Thursday 12th October 2022
Found another beer at the local Oktoberfest last weekend with a spooky design. Slenderman, an 11% cookies & cream flavoured stout.
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Saturday 1st October 2022
Sainsburys near where I live have been the last to set up their Halloween offering this year and they have some interesting Nightmare Before Christmas goodies which I'm sure will be snapped up quickly. From banners, to wall coverings to items to stick in the garden. There are small Jack and Sallys, a human sized Jack, and plastic light up candle sticks, and Jack and Sally heads.
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And in their normal selection there are some white pumpkin mugs with lids (completely impractical to drink a cup of tea from, but nicely designed) and another mug that changes colour with the heat.
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Tuesday 4th October 2022
Whilst in Maidstone I also looked at their remains of Halloween decorations that they had. And whereas these were something I would not buy for myself, due to amount of storage I have, it's always nice to see something different.
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Sunday 2nd October 2022
I buy what I want from Next Home department online, but it was still nice to see a display in a shop itself. Nothing for me though this year. I like the pumpkin salt and pepper shakers and the big lidded dishes but would have preferred them without the gold stems.
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Sunday 2nd October 2022
I visited a larger M&S at the weekend with a food store. There wasn't quite the normal collection of savoury snacks in but they did have some nicely decorated light-up metal biscuit tins containing shortbread and also in the plant section a vampire Percy Pig pot holder and similarly a vampire bat pot holder.
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The ghost mug I think works better than the cauldron. The tea-light holder also has an appealing grimace. The candle is inserted in the back and it has a ventilation hole in the top. And the other pumpkin is just solid. But these seem the best of the Poundland decorations this year, in my opinion.
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Further to the nice homewares Asda have put out this year, the main aisle is now decorated in the Folkestone store. All the ususal children's costumes and sweets and cheap decorations that you would expect line the shelves with some bigger party props. A couple of nicely designed adults tshirts too. And white and milk chocolate Reese's pumpkin this year.
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The local Tesco store in Cheriton has got their aisle stocked with Halloween produce. Plenty of costumes for the kids. Nothing collectable though for the serious collector. It is interesting to see that all the supermarkets are producing some party games now, which I first picked up upon a few years ago in Morrisons. Of note too is that the Bacardi Spiced Rum label design has changed for this Halloween's special edition to a bat design. Nice to have a themed design for the season, but personally I still prefer last year's pumpkin design.
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Saturday 1st October 2022
The local Morrisons in Folkestone have put out their decorations for halloween. Again nothing special for the collector, and the adult masks were a bit disappointing this year compared to the last couple of years, but there's plenty of inexpensive decorations and partyware. It's a shame they haven't got any halloween themed beers on sale like in previous years... but here's hoping that might come over the next few weeks.
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Monday 26th September 2022
I expect this week will be when the main supermarkets and stores start putting some Halloween decorations out, now the kids are all back at school. And Wilko seems to be the first to start. To be honest there's nothing that I felt the need to buy, as Wilko tends to cater for the cheaper end of the market, but there's plenty of inexpensive partyware and decorations and some pumpkin and ghost ceramic mugs.
Not a bad pint if you happen to be in Rye and visit The Mermaid Inn.
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A bit early for the halloween decorations to be put out but it appears that some stores have a few items e.g. teatowels and some rather nice pumpkin design plates, mugs and bowls. There is a matching teapot too. Check the end of the aisles.
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Saturday 17th September 2022
I just happened to b e in my local town last weekend and thought I'd pop upstairs in TK Maxx to see whetherthey had any more halloween decorations out... and to my horror... no... it was all Christmas decorations!
Luckily we had a look round downstairs and they had trasferred the display there, nearer the tills, and there were lots of new items from outdoor terracotta pumpkins to home furnishings such as throws and kitchenware. A very good selection so far this year... even the microwavable vampire mole!
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