Halloween Decorations

Halloween in our neighborhood was absolutely amazing. We had 100's of trick or treaters and could have had 100's more - had I not run out of candy at 7:30 p.m. We had kids lining up on the porch. Some poor kids got fortune cookies in the Halloween bags because we couldn't get our house lights turned off fast enough - and that was all I could find in the pantry that could pass for a treat (I don't think they wanted an old can of baked beans or some sweetened condensed milk).

We took the dogs on a walk around the neighborhood after we closed up our candy shop. There were huge groups of kids and adults walking in packs along the sidewalks. Apparently our neighborhood is THE PLACE to get candy in the Tampa area. Folks would just drive up and park at the end of one street and kids in costumes would just pour out of the cars.

There were houses with smoke machines, strobe lights, elaborate characters you could have your picture made with and lots and lots of decorations. We saw funny tombstones in yards, ghosts, pumpkins, spiders, purple and orange lights, gargoyles and bats. As we walked around the neighborhood the folks sitting on their porches would wave and greet you with a "Happy Halloween!". It was like being in a movie.

We were visited by an adorable Spiderman who was obviously on his first trick or treating expedition. He carefully approached our porch and said "Tick or teat!". I wanted to pour my entire bucket of candy into his pumpkin. We had babies who were terribly cute in pumpkin outfits and skeleton onesies. I gave candy to a Lucy Ricardo, several princesses, pirates, several Ironmen, a bride, a bee, a flower, 2 nerds with pocket protectors, a female Finn from Adventure Time, Bumblebee the Transformer, a dinosaur, vampires, robots, zombies, and some kids just in jeans and t shirts - and there were more than that I just can't remember them all. The weather was perfect: chilly enough in FL to feel like fall - but you were fine in short sleeves and thin layers.

I'm going to have to get a LOT more candy for next year - but I look forward to it. It was so fun to see the kiddos run from house to house. I got a lot of "Thank you"s and the kids were very polite. We overheard lots of nice comments on our Halloween decorations. Even some of the kids were impressed with our spiders and pumpkins. It was a very fun day and I was even more glad to be a part of my fun neighborhood.

I am late getting these photos posted - but my mom has requested them and I must comply. Here's the house with the Halloween decorations. I usually decorate for fall in September - add in some spooky Halloween stuff in October - and then go back to just leaves and plain pumpkins for November. So here's our first Halloween in our new house:

 

We hung spiderwebs on the porch, plants, porch lamp and the wreath on the door. They swayed in the breeze in a very spooky way.

 Front Door

Walking up the front walk.

 

I hung Jack O'Lanterns and black, orange, purple and white ribbon streamers in the tree in our front yard. The streamers flowed in the breezes and wrapped around the branches. 

 

I cut out pieces of felt to make my "fake" pumpkins on the porch have scary faces. I didn't want to carve them so this was a great substitute. Plus now I can change my patterns each year.

 

A witch, a rock star and Stevie surrounded by bats.

 Boo, a standard jack o'lantern face and Wil surrounded by bats.

 

The mantle inside was lit up by orange twinkle lights. I covered the entire thing in spider webs. It looks very cool in the dark.

 

More spiderwebs and pumpkins on the hutch in the dining room.

Punkins in the TV room.

I bought this little "Day of the Dead" puppy in Mexico when we were there last week. I loved his bucket full of candy and his candy corn top hat. 

Now I'm looking forward to being home for Thanksgiving and getting our house ready for Christmas!