Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

It looks like the company who founded "Spirit Halloween" stores are now going to open "Spirit Christmas" stores.
Well I think that's just neat. If I see one pop up around my area, I'll be sure to check it out.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lif ... 3b82&ei=11

What are you all's thoughts on this?

Edit: Looks like it won't be coming to Virginia just yet. Well, shoot. Perhaps if they're successful they'll expand. I hope it works out for them. I enjoy going to Spirit Halloween when I get the chance, I have no doubt the Spirit Christmas stores will be just as much fun!

What next? Spirit Easter? Morons.

There is already an outlet for every holiday, all year long.

It's called Amazon.

I'd browse a Spirit Christmas if one showed up in my neck of the woods. However, year-round brick & mortar Christmas stores have been a thing for decades, so the idea is not exactly ground-breaking. And I recall buying Easter decorations at one of them, in Nashville decades ago, so they've always included decor for other religious holidays.

Many years ago, before I was married (so more than 43 yrs ago), I hit on the idea of buying Christmas tree ornaments on vacation. They are small and portable and don't usually break the bank, and they remind me of good times past when I hang them on my tree. I guess lots of other people must do that, too, because I see tree ornaments for sale at every tourist mecca, no matter what time of the year it is.

Amazon you have to wait for stuff to come in the mail, although Spirit Halloween DOES have a website too, so you can order from them. I guess I like the experience of walking into a store and looking around and picking something out. Maybe I'm a little old fashioned that way? Growing up, going to the mall was a rare, but fun and exciting treat. I think that's because we had to drive at least an hour to get there. Where I live now, it's at least an hour and a half to any of those big chain stores.

I realize brick and mortar holiday stores aren't necessarily anything new. After all, "The Christmas House" comes to mind, which I remember them having a small outlet at a mall. Honestly I forgot about "The Christmas House" until it was brought up.

But, I guess I'm much more optimistic about it than everyone else here. Spirit Halloween is a wonderful store, they have a lot of great decorations and costumes and I always have fun walking into one even if I might at most, get a small trinket. It has a fun, magical quality to it. They put a lot of care into their decorations and ensembles. If they put that much care into Christmas, then I'm all for it and curious to see what kind of a spin they could put on it. I think Spirit will put a unique spin on Christmas and I'm excited to see their take on it.

But then, I love both Christmas and Halloween so...that might add to my optimism.

Murf, I like your idea of having vacation Christmas ornaments to hang on the tree to remember fun times with family and friends during the holidays. I think getting an ornament is a great idea! And you're right, they aren't expensive, nor do they take up a lot of room. I always like getting a souvenir whenever I go somewhere. Usually it's a tee shirt or a collectible cup though. But the Christmas tree seems like a nice place to display those and reminisce.

Many years ago, I was on a choir tour in Germany (so was my husband, then my boyfriend). In Munich we happened into a store that sold pewter, just off the Marienplaz (their main square), and it had a whole wall of Christmas ornaments. I bought an angel, a nutcracker, and a Santa. The sales lady told me they were made by just one company in Germany. They could fit into an envelope, because they were flat and small, but they go on my tree every year and remind me of the day I bought them.

Since then I've made it a point to collect Christmas ornaments when I travel. One of my recent favorites is a moose with a wreath in its antlers. I bought him on the shore of Lake Superior, the day my sons and I cruised by the Pictured Rocks.

The magic of sentiment is such a beautiful part of any holiday but doubly so at Christmas.

I love unboxing ornaments and reminiscing about their origins.

Truly the ghosts of Christmases past.

Dickens was so right--Christmas is a haunted.season.

Veering slightly off topic, I cranked up my favorite Christmas playlist, and baked a spiced pumpkin cake today.

It's cooling right now while I look up buttercream frosting recipes.

Cooled and frosted with vanilla buttercream frosting.

I always go overboard with the vanilla.

Oh, yum! Are you going to share?

If you have a scratch-n-sniff phone, sure.

That's not a thing, but it would be cool.

I tasted it today...if you love vanilla you're in luck.

I actually do love vanilla. My favorite ice cream is a good vanilla, with one or more toppings. For me, either chocolate or Caramel. I will put vanilla into many sweet recipes at the drop of a hat, things like baked apples or any type of fruit compote.