Happy Labor Day, Now Who's Ready for Halloween?!

[mikecho]

I remember the paper bags, and the individual caramels too, I loved them!  Sometimes my mom and I would have to unwrap a bunch of those caramels all at once to bake with, or to dip apples in. 

No way I would buy Halloween candy this early - I might eat it all!!

Those were Kraft Caramels, btw, and I remember them, too. Delicious! They're still around, too. Does anyone here also remember those Beistle cardboard Halloween decorations that we used to Scotch tape up on our front doors and windows? Well, guess what - they're still around but only online, you can't buy them in the stores anymore.

[bludevilok]

Does anyone here also remember those Beistle cardboard Halloween decorations that we used to Scotch tape up on our front doors and windows?

I do!  That's the only way my mom would allow us to decorate our house for Halloween.  She was a stickler for no-mess decorations.  Of course, that meant no pumpkin-carving either.   

[RawGoo]

I do!  That's the only way my mom would allow us to decorate our house for Halloween.  She was a stickler for no-mess decorations.  Of course, that meant no pumpkin-carving either.   

The jointed skeleton was one of my favorites!  We used those things for EVERY holiday; there are still a couple of Thanksgiving ones around.

[roughwriter]

I still have the scarecrow with the fold out haystack that created a 3D effect!

What about those Happy Meals nuggets dressed in costumes? My kids loved those!

[RawGoo]

I still have the scarecrow with the fold out haystack that created a 3D effect!

What about those Happy Meals nuggets dressed in costumes? My kids loved those!

Somewhere I am sure there is a picture of my sister and me with the Peanuts decoration with the fold out pumpkin.

[roughwriter]

And what about the costumes from back then? The flimsy printed plastic that tore if you moved or even breathed wrong! I had a Hagar The Horrible mask that was actually a mini sauna! It fogged my glasses so bad I couldn't tell if I was walking up to a house or into a lamp post!

[MoldRush]

And what about the costumes from back then? The flimsy printed plastic that tore if you moved or even breathed wrong! I had a Hagar The Horrible mask that was actually a mini sauna! It fogged my glasses so bad I couldn't tell if I was walking up to a house or into a lamp post!

These retro decorations and costumes are all super cool nostalgia items, but too bulky to collect.  A nice color picture book would be better.  Someone created one and offered online, but direct sale only and I think long sold out.  ‘A Retro Halloween’, something like that?  I’ve never seen the inside pages so not sure how good it is.

[mikecho]

I remember when my family and I went to Walt Disney World in 1976 (the year before we moved down from PA to FL) and Main Street had a magic shop (among others) there was an oversized coloring book there called Monster Gallery that had many of the famous movie monsters in it. I finally found out the title after all those years, but haven't been able to find one copy on eBay that isn't colored in to one degree or another.

[Joe G.]

Well speaking of Halloween and theme parks nobody does Halloween better than Universal Studios.  Last year my son Josh started his first job as a ride operator at Universal Studios Hollywood.  He’s been enjoying it and as a crew member gets to take part in an advance employee free night at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.  He took me last week and for a horror fan, it’s an incredible experience.  They transform the park by adding 8 movie themed mazes, the backlot tour becomes the Terror Tram and have multiple horror themed areas and shows.  It was all amazing but my favorite thing was getting to go right up to the original Hitchcock Psycho house for this Norman Bates photo op!

[sco(o)t]

Well speaking of Halloween and theme parks nobody does Halloween better than Universal Studios.  Last year my son Josh started his first job as a ride operator at Universal Studios Hollywood.  He’s been enjoying it and as a crew member gets to take part in an advance employee free night at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.  He took me last week and for a horror fan, it’s an incredible experience.  They transform the park by adding 8 movie themed mazes, the backlot tour becomes the Terror Tram and have multiple horror themed areas and shows.  It was all amazing but my favorite thing was getting to go right up to the original Hitchcock Psycho house for this Norman Bates photo op!

About 17 years ago, we went to Universal with, our then teenage kids. Not planned, but a lucky coincidence we were there during their Halloween event. It costs extra to get back into the park that evening, but well worth it. We had a blast.  This was a very lucky trip for us. One of the Shuttle launches had been postponed and rescheduled for the week we were in Florida so we got to go to NASA for the launch. STS-120 perhaps?

[Joe G.]

Scot that is so awesome!  To have seen the shuttle launch is certainly a unique and amazing experience.  Horror Nights is now in it’s 24 year so you got to catch it in it’s first decade which is also very cool.

About 17 years ago, we went to Universal with, our then teenage kids. Not planned, but a lucky coincidence we were there during their Halloween event. It costs extra to get back into the park that evening, but well worth it. We had a blast.  This was a very lucky trip for us. One of the Shuttle launches had been postponed and rescheduled for the week we were in Florida so we got to go to NASA for the launch. STS-120 perhaps?

[sco(o)t]

Scot that is so awesome!  To have seen the shuttle launch is certainly a unique and amazing experience.  Horror Nights is now in it’s 24 year so you got to catch it in it’s first decade which is also very cool.

I can only imagine how over the top, in the best way, it is now.

[roughwriter]

Next Deep Philosophical Question: Besides the Classic Peanuts Halloween Special, what else do you watch to get hyped up for Halloween?

[mikecho]

Next Deep Philosophical Question: Besides the Classic Peanuts Halloween Special, what else do you watch to get hyped up for Halloween?

It's not as well known as It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1967), but one that I really liked was Witch's Night Out (1978) (which was a sequel to an earlier TV special titled The Gift of Winter (1974)). Now, if someone could release both of them together on a Blu-ray, that'd be great!

[drono]

Next Deep Philosophical Question: Besides the Classic Peanuts Halloween Special, what else do you watch to get hyped up for Halloween?

It's a shame there aren't more non-slasher Halloween movies available.  I typically end up watching anything horror-related on TMC - especially if Vincent Price is in it.  Also I try to find any specials I can on the best/most outrageous Halloween attractions or seasonal series like Halloween Wars and Outrageous Pumpkins on The Food Network. 

I used to do a lot of pumpkin carving with my kids in my younger days, so I enjoy shows that feature that.  We used the Pumpkin Masters kits, the more complex, the better, but I find I don't have the patience for that anymore.  So I live vicariously watching the true masters at work.

[sco(o)t]

Next Deep Philosophical Question: Besides the Classic Peanuts Halloween Special, what else do you watch to get hyped up for Halloween?

Many Tim Burton projects are good to get into the Halloween mood. Nightmare before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands; Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hallow and Frankenweenie.

[Fanatical_and_Sickly]

Many Tim Burton projects are good to get into the Halloween mood. Nightmare before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands; Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hallow and Frankenweenie.

I second the Tim Burton movies and would add the new Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice as well.

I also watch the Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror episodes. Great mix of sci fi and horror.

[MoldRush]

I also watch the Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror episodes. Great mix of sci fi and horror.

Yes, good thing to add to the list.  For those who get the FXX channel, they usually run marathons of the TOH episodes around Halloween time.  Maybe several times, not sure.  I will usually start searching for them once we’re into October.  You probably have to be somewhat of a horror historian to recognize all the references to old movies though.

[bludevilok]

Hocus Pocus (and now Hocus Pocus 2) are always fun!   

[Alexeirex]

The Paul Lynde special with Witchiepoo - it's so bad it's almost good....does the Star Wars special with Bea Arthur count?

BTW, my little brother and sister always had store bought costumes as kids. He had the Major Matt Mason set and now (like alot of his old toys such as the british die cast batmobile and yellow submarine) that's a desirable and hard to find item...he didn't keep any of the old stuff, he destroyed them eventually....
A

[koduck]

And don't forget about the Rankin Bass special, " Mad Monster Party"!

[mikecho]

And don't forget about the Rankin Bass special, " Mad Monster Party"!

And its "prequel of sorts" Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters, an episode of the TV series The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie (which was a Saturday morning version of The Movie of the Week).

Btw, Neil, Mad Monster Party? was a theatrical film. Just thought you'd like to know.

[mikecho]

The Paul Lynde special with Witchiepoo - it's so bad it's almost good....does the Star Wars special with Bea Arthur count?

BTW, my little brother and sister always had store bought costumes as kids. He had the Major Matt Mason set and now (like alot of his old toys such as the british die cast batmobile and yellow submarine) that's a desirable and hard to find item...he didn't keep any of the old stuff, he destroyed them eventually....
A

No, The Star Wars Holiday Special was a Christmas special, not a Halloween one.

[MoldRush]

And don't forget about the Rankin Bass special, " Mad Monster Party"!

WOW, never knew a Rankin Bass production was ever done for anything but Christmas.  This blows my mind!  I never came across it on TV.

The title evokes fond memories of the Cracked Magazine specials (“Those Cracked Monsters”) with old monster movie film stills with funny captions, much like the You’ll Die Laughing” card sets.

[mikecho]

WOW, never knew a Rankin Bass production was ever done for anything but Christmas.  This blows my mind!  I never came across it on TV.

The title evokes fond memories of the Cracked Magazine specials (“Those Cracked Monsters”) with old monster movie film stills with funny captions, much like the You’ll Die Laughing” card sets.

There were a few others like that, too. Rankin/Bass did one Thanksgiving special (The Mouse on the Mayflower (1968)) and three Easter specials (Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971), The First Easter Rabbit (1976) and The Easter Bunny is Comin' to Town (1977), in that order).

Speaking of Halloween stories, on their TV series Festival of Family Classics (1972-1973), the sixth episode (of 18) was titled "Jack O'Lantern".

Btw, MoldRush, Mad Monster Party? is on both DVD and Blu-ray and Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters is only on DVD so far.

[JailOJohn]

Mad Monster Party is Da Bomb!

[roughwriter]

Halloween mystery! Does anyone else remember those peanut buttery gobs wrapped in solid black or orange wax paper like a hard candy? Who made those, and what were they called?

[sco(o)t]

Halloween mystery! Does anyone else remember those peanut buttery gobs wrapped in solid black or orange wax paper like a hard candy? Who made those, and what were they called?

Like these? I find several matches for a company named Melster

[RawGoo]

Like these? I find several matches for a company named Melster

There are more than one brand of them.  I used to buy the Necco version for my mom every October, she loved those chewy things!

[roughwriter]

Hey! Thanks guys! It is good to know they trace back to venerable products like Necco and Mary Janes! Now I've got to go trick-or-treating and get some!

Over the years, I remember getting apples, little cellophane bags of cookies, and change as Halloween treats. What other non-candy items do you all remember?

[sco(o)t]

Hey! Thanks guys! It is good to know they trace back to venerable products like Necco and Mary Janes! Now I've got to go trick-or-treating and get some!

Over the years, I remember getting apples, little cellophane bags of cookies, and change as Halloween treats. What other non-candy items do you all remember?

One family on our block gave out bugs made using a Matel ThingMaker.  Another gave out popcorn balls.

[toddbarrett]

One family on our block gave out bugs made using a Matel ThingMaker.  Another gave out popcorn balls.

Man I LOVED the Creepy Crawlers!!! I still have small burn scars from it. I remember burning my hand once pretty badly; I didn't want to tell my mom because I thought she would take it away. I can still remember the smell of those melted plastic bugs!!!

Todd B.

[RawGoo]

Hey! Thanks guys! It is good to know they trace back to venerable products like Necco and Mary Janes! Now I've got to go trick-or-treating and get some!

Over the years, I remember getting apples, little cellophane bags of cookies, and change as Halloween treats. What other non-candy items do you all remember?

I remember loose change, pretzels, and trading cards.

[Joe G.]

I never got anything too exotic but there was one house that gave these mini-boxes with mixed candys and a little plastic, Cracker Jack like toy which was always a favorite.  My wife Wendy tells me that on her block was a record company executive who would hand out 45s! 

[lucidjc]

We used to make 2 costumes, 1 that showed our faces, 1 that covered our faces. We only used the covered face costumes at 1 house on the street (which we went first with our faces showing) so we could go there twice. Because, they used to give out half dollars. I still have my favorite one...A 1967 (birth year) Kennedy half dollar, contains 40% silver.

If I put that $.50 in the bank at 4% interest over 50 years it would have earned $3.00.

By keeping it, the silver is worth $4.55... Wish I bought more over the years...most people don't know  1965-1970 Kennedy halfs are 40% silver. They can still be found at banks today.

Jim