One lucky Design Happens fan has a date with destiny in their near future in the form of Grandin Road‘s Life-Size Halloween Zombie Bride. Standing a dramatic 63 inches tall and with pronounced cheekbones like those, who wouldn’t want to bring this skeletal beauty home? Plus, she’s dressed to kill, decked out in her wedding day finest: “a midnight black and blood-red gown topped with a matching veil.”
Nuptial bliss gone amiss marks week three of our series of fabulous and frightening Halloween decor giveaways from Grandin Road. So answer our question in the comments below before 12/11c Monday, October 10 to be entered in the sweepstakes.
Last week Shelley shared a Halloween decorating story that made me laugh out loud. One year her family’s style was “scary realism”. Her husband and her were police officers, and they used “real crime scene tape, body outlines on the concrete and fake blood… all of the neighbors thought we had killed each other.”
This week’s question: What’s your funniest or happiest Halloween decorating, party hosting or trick-or-treat story? Hilarious mishaps? Costume malfunctions? (Please, keep it G-rated.) Old-fashioned family fun?
Every year we put out what we call our little ghost boy. He is a free standing prop that looks like a little boy trick or treating with jeans and tennis shoes with a sheet over his head to look like a ghost. We had a group of kids come to our door and after they received their candy one of the little ones yelled at our prop "Jake you're not supposed to go in strangers' homes!" We got such a kick out of the fact the child thought our prop was his friend.
The leaves crispy under foot the air cooler at night just right. For sleep and days still warm enough for play with the grandchildren. Pumpkins carved and ghosts sitting on the porch waiting for all the children coming for an anticipated sweet treat. These are my ideal decorations and fond memories of past Halloweens and anticipation of another great one this year
Happiest memory was the first time that I took my son trick-or-treating. He couldn't understand why we would knock but then not go in the house … he managed to sneak by about a dozen people … then we had to chase him down!
I would love to have this freebie to scare all of my trick or treaters!
Funniest thing, or at least amusing. Our home sits on 1.5 acres with a front and back entrance. We would go out the back entrance, which is gated, to go trick or treating with the kids. My husband forgot to shut the gate, so some of the older kids would walk down the property, which is not a short distance nor is there any light until you reach the porch. They never would quite make it to the door, before they realized they were in someones back yard! I guess they were too busy chatting, now we put candy on the front and back porch just in case they actually make it to the porch!
Funniest Halloween moment was my 1st one. My parents were not too keen about the holiday and in fact didn't even know what to. They only knew what they saw on TV and the whole night they tried to scare me. I was basically crying the whole night but they gave me candy everything to calm me down. So it was scare me, I cry, I get candy the whole night.
Second to Christmas, Halloween is my most favorite time of year! When I was young we had a new home a dark unfinished basement. We created our own haunted house with our neighborhood friends and were thrilled with delight to be spooked in all those dark spaces…what I remembered most was being blindfolded and led to a bowl of eyeballs…touching them and squealing…even though I had peeled the grapes and put them in the bowl earlier!!
Happiest memory of Halloween is from my 18th birthday/Halloween party. I had a house full of people in costume, dancing, having a good time. I had a great Gwen Stefani circa Tragic Kingdom costume.
We always have a big shin-dig for Halloween every year. One of my most memorable moments happened about 8 years ago at one of those shin-digs. The night was going on as usual, music playing, people dancing. Eating, drinking and just having a great time. Some of the men at the party were feeling pretty good so when "The Stripper" song came on, 2 or 3 of them jumped into action. A superhero, a cowboy and one in fatigues started dancing around the room. My mother-in-law and another female friend sat on a love seat where the boys were really putting on a show. There was no nudity just good old fashioned fun as these guys were obviously not professionals! Our superhero took center stage and the ladies on the love seat began to "egg" him on to get up on the coffee table and really give it a go! He flipped his cape to the left, he flipped his cape to the right. Put one foot up on the freshly dusted and Pledged coffee, then the next and he promptly "flipped" up and over back onto the floor! That wasn't the funniest part. With cat like reflexes he jumped back up to position and kept on dancing. There wasn't a dry eye in the place from all the laughter and shouting and I can only imagine what it must have looked (and sounded) like from the outside! My mother-in-law passed away 2 years ago but we always remember all the good times we've shared with her, especially this one! She was always one of the first ones at the party and raring to go!
Oh, and by the way, it was all caught on film!!!
Creepy
Okay, this was funny yet CREEPY at the same time. I was working at a 100 year old boutique hotel, and I was decorating the lobby for Halloween. I was putting up cobwebs (though honestly there are a lot of spiders in the Columbia Gorge, so there was lots of real webbing already up=) and those plastic black spiders. WELL, I had just put some webs on the lobby desk and the antique bell which was on there and then I went searching for more spiders to decorate with. I go to put a spider on the bell and I was shocked, I had not realized there was already a plastic spider on there! I went to go change the position and the darn thing started moving!!!!!!!!! It was a black widow=/
A few years ago, I had wanted to use corn stalks for my outdoor fall decor, and couldn't find them anywhere. Around Halloween I noticed some at my local Whole Foods store and was sooo excited!! That is until they told me they weren't for sale. They were their decorations for their Holiday Festival. Well I really wanted them, so after much convincing (begging?) on my part, they said I could buy them after their Festival was over. Eureka! I had my corn stalks! A few days later, I picked them up and added them to the outdoor decor. It looked great, just in time for Halloween.. Well, apparently I am allergic to those corn stalks!! I am not kidding when I say I had thousands of itching bumps on my body! I bruised myself itching so hard… I'm sure you can imagine how much fun that Halloween was..Moral of the story…Be careful what you wish for!
My best memory of Halloween is having to find trick or treat costumes that fit over warm clothing. I know there are jokes around the internet about "You know you're from up north when you had to find Halloween costumes to fit over your winter jacket," and it was so true for me growing up in Wisconsin.
My daughter saying over and over at age 2 I won't be buzzy the entire time trick or treating because she felt like wearing a different costume.
It was a bee costume in case you didn't realize.
The funniest thing I remember is the year we made a ghost that we fastened to a rope, then would toss off our porch roof when kids would come to the door. It made all the kids laugh. It was the parents that freaked out! lol
What’s your funniest or happiest Halloween decorating, party hosting or trick-or-treat story?
-Last year for trick or treat, my boyfriend was dressed as the grim reaper. Our neighbor's son, who is a toddler was dressed as a lion. When the little one returned from trick or treating, he saw my boyfriend and told him "You don't scare me monster!" So, my boyfriend walked towards the little boy making scary noises. The boy hid behind his dad, peeked out from behind him and again said "you don't scare me monster!" It was too cute!
We were very poor growing up. I am the youngest of four. One year my mom came home with a Hobo costume. we all were so excited. my oldest brother wore it first and as they out grew it it got passed down. 5 years i waited and wore the ole Ghost( sheet over head) Then it was finally my turn. We had a seremony passing on to me. That was the best Holloween ever
We have a lot of property that is wooded in the back and when my son was about 6, we set up a haunted trail hayride in our woods and our neighbor's as well. We had different stations, such as Leatherface with his chainsaw, a witch, a werewolf, aliens and people that would just jump out from behind trees in various costumes and throw candy. My Dad, who has since passed, drove the hayride and was dressed up as a vampire-he wasn't the type to dress up, but he was more than willing for this event. It was quite elaborate and not too scary, since my son and his friends were fairly young, but it was a blast and it was the best Halloween that I can remember!
10 years ago a new co-worker of mine had a Halloween party at her house. I didn't know very many people, but this one guy showed up that I had known from a club I went to. He was there with someone, but we ended up talking for over a half an hour in her kitchen. We didn't talk about much of anything, just had a good time talking. They ended up leaving before I did and I didn't think anything about it. Just thought I'd never see him again. We have now been married for over 8 years now. I have to say it was the best Halloween ever!!!!!
When hosting a party, I always get some dry ice for the buffet table. It just makes the whole atmosphere.
I deserve this zombie bride…I was married on Halloween 47 years ago! My husband passed out at the ceremony and my brother-in-law stood in proxy! It is a running joke that I am probably married to my brother-in-law!
My happiest Halloweens have been every one since my children were born. There is no better feeling in the world than the day you show your child the halloween costume you made just for them to make their Halloween extra special. That is what being a parent is all about!
My favorite Halloween memory was making decorations at the dining room table. I made a big bat and won first prize in our little family contest which was a nod to my nascent artistic abilities.
Funniest Halloween Memories…We had our first annual Halloween party last year. It's a party for all the children in the family. The finale was the zombie pinata…all the little children were afraid to hit it! Too cute and Funny!
A few years back my roommates bough some spider webs and little spiders. We Hung it all across our apartment living room, added Orange lights and spiders then invited neighbors. The best part was the creapy framed lady they talked when u walked past saying "HELP ME" and it always got someone. It turned out pretty awesome for little cost.
I was dressed as a a Zombie with plastic and newspaper coming out of my feat and hands, (to look like im a zombie dummy). I was lying on the floor with a big box full of candy on my belly that said "Happy Halloween. Take your candy here".
Every time someone tried to get candy, I would grab their hand and scream at them. The reactions where priceless
Love your sense of humor! Hee hee
I think our most fun party was the Charlie Brown Halloween party. Everyone had to come as their favorite Peanuts character. My husband let his mustache grow out and curled it up on the ends. He found an old fashioned flight cap and turned himself into the Red Baron. I bought a doghouse "headpiece" complete with chain and collar. I pinned a plush Snoopy on the top of the house and was set to play hostess. Everyone had a great time although I'm sorry to say The Great Pumpkin didn't make an appearance!
My best memory is anything Halloween my daughter enjoy the shopping as well as decorating. I try to keep my decorations up yeat round. This year my 2nd old wants to be a hat and a cup holder, she came up with it all on her own. Gotta love imaginations.
I love Halloween! My son isn't a big fan. He is allergic to nuts and 50 – 75% of the candy he got when he would trick or treat were Peanut M & M's, Snickers, Reese's – very popular around here apparently. I always bought his favorite candy so he would have some, but the look of disappointment on his little face when someone put a forbidden candy into his bucket was so sad!
My husband and I used to have a Halloween party every year…. everyone dressed up, lots of beer, always a great time… I miss those!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still decorate, as this is my favorite holiday.
One of my favorite memories is when my niece, who was about 3 at the time, was helping me hand out candy after she had finished trick or treating. We get a ton of kids in our neighborhood so it's not unusual to see the same costume several times, well iron man was big that year so we had one little boy dressed up like that and then about 30 minutes later we had another one and she remembered that she had already seen that costume and said " he already got candy!" and refused to give him some until I explained to her that it was alright.
The best biggest mishap happened several years ago. Every year I go all out and set up a haunted grave yard. That particular year I had a few scary dummies standing and sitting around. I was dressed up in my ghoul costume and waited patiently. The targets were coming, about a 10 year old boy and his father. I waited and listened as the dad reassured his son, telling him not to be afraid they are just dummies. The dad touched one to prove it, but the boy wasn't convinced. Dad decided to reach out a grab my hand, well when I grabbed his back, he freaked out. He turned and ran so fast, all the while shrieking like a little girl fidgeting his poor son in his dust. I took off my mask while laughing hysterically and gave the boy a big handfuls of candy. He never appeared to be scared the whole time, only the dad was. The funniest part was listening to the boy rib his poor father relentlessly about being a fraid of a dummy.
That's too funny! I have similar fun using a voice recorder, an fm transmitter, and a boom box. Set the boom box to a static radio channel and the fm transmitter to the same channel, then hide the boom box in the bushes. Record a scary message on the voice recorder, plug the fm transmitter into the headphone jack of the voice recorder and play it when someone comes up the walkway. People think the bushes are talking to them. LOL
The most fun party is every year my neighbors gather in my driveway on Halloween to party. Everyone brings a dish to share and their drinks. They also bring their Halloween candy and all the kids come to my scary decorated house to get their candy. The kids look forward to this every year. They call my house "The Party House". You can just imagine how much candy they get at this house.
My daughter and her family dress up in different costumes every day for a week!!!! It is her favorite holiday.
We set up a haunted yard for the neighbor kids. The lot was in the woods which made for a haunted back drop. With the help of grandparents & friends, we had creepy stations set up thru out the yard. A guide led the children thru the maze of mad doctors, mummies & werewolves. It was fun!
Halloween is my favorite holiday because myself and my 2 boys and my mother are all October birthdays and orange is my fav color LOL. One memory that was bitter sweet of this holiday sticks out in my head forever. We always have a huge gathering at one of our nabors house for the start of the trick of treating, she does a huge haunted house and the parents have cocktails, from there we all go to her hill and take a huge naborhood picture, its very cool, then we take the kids trick or treating all together like a huge gang LOL of course most of the nabors are with us, so we only hit the houses of the older people and they just LOVE this )we are in our 40's and 50's) then after we all assemble at our house for the AFTER halloween party every year which is a huge blowout and tons of fun from the huge blow up screen movies to the 2 bonfires and loads os goodies and smores to eat. ok so back to my memorable story, our son had cancer when he was 4 and a few years ago (he will be 10 next week) he landed in the hospital the week of halloween, so it was real up and down if the whole halloween would take place, and dont you know it, they DID let us out on halloween day however, he was too sick to be out and about and so our festivities were canceled, well dont you know it, a bunch of the kids took it upon themselves to grab an extra bag when they left for trick or treating, and at all the houses, said this is for Mikey, he is too sick to be with us, and they all showed up with TONSSSSSSSSSS of candy for him. His little face that was very sad all day turned into a million smiles. We are so grateful for our wonderful nabors and friends that helped us get through a tough holiday and years of rough times, and we are really looking forward to halloween this year! However the kids all said that the next day should be NO SCHOOL lol casue they will all have stomach aches!! i agree!!
What’s your funniest or happiest Halloween decorating, party hosting or trick-or-treat story? Hilarious mishaps? Costume malfunctions? (Please, keep it G-rated.) Old-fashioned family fun?
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My best Halloween story happened many, many years ago. I am originally from a tiny town of 500 people in New Hampshire, Every year we had a big party at the Town Hall. My folks didn't have much money then & we never, ever bought costumes. But, my mother was incredibly creative and could turn a piece of cardboard into something truly magical. One year she asked me what I wanted to be. I told her "a woodstove." And she made me the most amazing woodstove costume out of paper-mache. I could barely see a thing out of it so I kept banging into people. But, I didin't care. It had the coolest stove pipe and fake fire. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Now, that's the story of a small town girl
The best memory was a couple of years ago when a trick or treater's mom was trying to show her children there is nothing to be afraid of at our house on the front porch. My son was dressed up like a stuffed dummy scarecrow sitting by the door. She came up to the door with her children and my son moved. She was off the porch in a flash leaving her children standing on the porch wondering what the heck just happened. When the children rejoined her on the sidewalk, she told the children she's not going to any more scary doors with them. I swear she had to have leaped over a child or two and flew over the stairs to reach the sidewalk as quick as she did. Funniest part is, she'll send her children to scary doors without her!!
When my son was about 2 and a half we took him trick or treating and it was the first time he walked to the door and knocked on his own. He had the routine down, he knocked said trick or treat and bolted to the next house. We all laughed hysterically, since he forgot to wait for the candy ! He waited for the thump on the bottom of his pumpkin pail after that!
Most memorable Halloween was when I lived in Salt Lake City and there was three feet of snow. All the kids had there winter coats, snow boots, hats and gloves on. You couldn't tell what anyone was dresses up like
But the kids had a blast!
Every year we host a big pumpkin carving and Halloween party. The only requirement is that people dress up scary… dont come to my house dressed as a M&M!!!!
As our party is for everyone (singles, families) I always wonder how scary to dress, as not to scare other peoples kids so they have to go home…
One of the first years we did this, my husband went to pick up our son from preschool while I got ready for the party. When they pulled up, I opened the door and my son ran screaming down the drive. He didnt quite understand to it was me dressed in the witch costume. Though it took some talking, he kind of got it that it was just a costume, and settled down. All the other kids thought it was cool.
Lesson here: Who is this child that claims to be my kid and is afraid of Halloween? I suppose some traits are not biological.
Isnt she pretty?
We love Halloween at our house. It also means time for Knox County Drive in Ill. the best time of year, almost as good as Christmas, at least we can be outside and on the go, viewing the country side with all the different colors, just beautiful, you can’t beat it.
A couple of Halloweens were really cold when we were little and we had to wear our coats over the costumes when we went out trick or treating.
My best Halloween Memory is Just last year, entire block party, dressed up, dancing in the street! Pretty cool!
Pretty!!!
My happiest memories of Halloween are all decorating with my mom. Every holiday, even the less celebrated, she decorates the entire house. Halloween became my domain when I got older, around 11 I think. Mom and I would paint the front window with some spooky scene and I would rake leaves all day long to stuff my dad's clothes for my props. I can't help but think that part of that was maybe an excuse to get me to rake the lawn. After hanging cobwebs EVERYWHERE and getting all of our decorations in just the right place, I would place the fog machine in such a place as to insight optimum fear in our trick-or-treaters. With my dad's help of course. Unfortunately, my dad was a little too good at his job in all of the festivities and he sent many a kid screaming bloody murder from our door step.
The best Halloween for my family was when my son dressed up as a hooded skeleton and sat in a chair on the front pordn holding the candy dish without moving, and everytime a trick or treater came up to reach for the candy in the bowl, he came alive making scary noises! He was so good he even scared the parents and his sister! We had so much fun that night, we always go all out decorating if we can,
The first year my kids and I went trick or treating in the home we live in now. They were all dressed up, we had flshlights, and away we went. Wow! We were so impressed at the decorations and all the houses in our neighborhood. We have been thrilled to go out every year since!!
Funniest Halloween (old college) memory.. was helping my 2 brilliant college friends "un-saran wrap" themselves so they could use the bathroom. These were 2 guys that thought it would be funny to dress up simply with 2 black dots for their "privates" and wrap the rest of their naked bodies in saran wrap. Let's just say that they regretted wearing the "barely there" costume not only bec. it was freezing out but they didn't have enough room to make for their beer bellys!