Mad Martian: Halloween Shopping

HALLOWEEN SHOPPING GUIDE!

Table of Contents

	Introduction
	Where to Shop - general guidelines

INTRODUCTION
In this Barney-infested world we live in, it can be quite difficult to find the cool and scary Halloween toys and decorations that we seek. Everywhere we look we see smiling pumpkins, smiling skulls, Mickey Mouse dressed as a smiling ghost, etc. The purpose of this document is to aid in the quest for Halloween items that are actually appropriate for Halloween, as opposed to smiling teddy bears dressed as witches and other hideously cute items suitable only for the mundane majority. If you think it's cool to dress as Barney for Halloween, please go away and never visit my web page again.

Halloween is now the second biggest money maker for retail stores, Christmas being number one. In theory it was television shows, such as The Simpsons, Home Improvement, etc, doing Halloween episodes that sparked the surge in popularity of this most wondrous holiday. The mass marketing of Halloween merchandise has brought about many changes in the way we buy Halloween toys - some good and some bad. It used to be most stores weren't ready for Halloween until the end of the first week of October. That has been moved up an entire month with some stores ready by September first. Halloween decorations are available at many stores previously only prone to selling candy and huge Halloween superstores are opening up in empty department store spaces. Unfortunately, some small stores have had to stop selling Halloween items due to the increased competition from the larger stores.

GENERAL GUIDELINES
Rule number one for Halloween shopping is SHOP EVERYWHERE. Halloween is so popular these days that there is no limit to where you can find Halloween stuff and with a little luck it isn't all cute teddy bears dressed as smiling pumpkins. Record stores have Halloween music, Candle stores have Halloween candles, sock stores have Halloween socks, etc. Small gift shops are often the best places to find unique items not found at the big stores. Also remember to check all departments. There may be a big Halloween section, but often some items are hidden in separate departments, such as watches, pillows, etc.

Some of the big chain stores are quite good for finding Halloween decorations and electronic Halloween toys. Visit all "one-stop-shop" stores in your area, such as Target, K-Mart and Walmart. They generally have a decent well-rounded selection and good prices. Party stores and craft stores are also good sources, though some do a better job than others.

Halloween superstores can usually be found in any large city. One in particular, called "Spirit", is expanding nationwide and has the best selection I've seen. Call 1-800-COSTUME for the store near you. Spencer Gifts also does a decent job, though on a much smaller scale. Call information and ask for any listings with the word "Halloween" in them to find out about some of the superstores in your area.