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Totally send tons of Halloween cards, to family, friends, anyone I can think of. For me Halloween starts the holiday season! I've decorated to the nines for halloween since my girls were small (my youngest DD's birthday is in October) and we always had the house decorated for her birthday. For the most part, I keep the same decorations out for Thanksgiving, and turn my jack-o-laterns around just to have pumpkins at Thanksgiving. When my girls were in middle school, some years ago, we started having an open house for their friends, to gather here before they went out. I always had a fire lit in the yard, chili on the stove and plenty of softdrinks on hand. Now that they are in highschool and college, they still want the chili, and their friends still stop by. I would be in big trouble if I didn't have the annual chili fest on Halloween night!
Hey Sherri,
That sounds like a lot of fun. Can I come by this Halloween? I love chilli.
Connie
__________________ I got a Nikon camera. I love to take photographs, so momma don't take my kodachrome away."
Paul Simon
I love Halloween and make cards...but never send them! I also decorate my house to the hilt...but never get trick-or-treaters. We live in the country, sort-of...our house sits back from the road and not really ideal for trick-or-treaters. In my area, schools and churches hold parties to keep the kids in a safer climate versus going door-to-door. I just love the cards I have made and should send them to someone! My mother's birthday was on Halloween and my husband and I were married on Halloween.
Here is a cute idea...take a rubber glove (surgery glove) blow into to puff it up...put popped popcorn in it and tie the wrist part with a Halloween ribbon. Put a plastic Halloween ring on it one of the fingers (you have seen them - spider rings). Someone I work with made these and left them on our desks. Hilarious and very cute.
Very cute idea, Kelster! My ds is 3, he'd totally love that lol! I love Halloween, and go overboard with decorations, etc. lol There's a few people that I do send Halloween cards to, but I'm also planning on making treat bags with the cello bags from the catty with cs toppers. I made some for Valentine's Day for my mom's coworkers (they're 3rd shift nurses in a nursing-home type of place), and they LOVED them lol. ;)
I'm in the "I don't celebrate halloween" group. In fact, my customers know that I only own an 11.95 halloween set "Trick or Treat" from the catalog and I've demod with that same set for 3 years in a row. I feel no need to invest an another set.
Obviously they are seeing how versatile one stamp set can be - since I design different projects with it each year! LOL
I'm also Canadian and people here don't generally give cards - I can see why people who make cards would jump at the excuse but I think my friends would find it weird if I started making cards...there's no market for it here really...yet...as the years go by I see more people decorating with those little pumpkin lights and there are certainly a handful of people who make their front lawn into a graveyard etc but that is still the type of thing you see on the local news as a novelty. I'm sure we'll catch up to the US (or parts of the US...I'm sure some areas do more or less for Halloween than others) someday but I think the US has always been more into it...candy apples, candy corn (that's a VERY American candy), popcorn balls...not traditional treats in my neck of the woods.
I would also like to mention that, while there's no market for Halloween cards where I live, there have been lots of really cute cards on SCS and I love the Halloween stamps and papers in the SU and TAC cattys but I would have no use for them, darn it!
A little hint on the gloves filled with goodies - use vinyl surgical gloves, not latex. There are too many people with latex sensitivities and if they received one of these (a fabulous idea, and one I plan to use!!!), they wouldn't be able to touch it.
I buy nitrile gloves - bright purple - and I was just thinking how gorgeous they'd be with the halloween stamps stamped all over them.
my DH asked me the other day why make Halloween cards. The funny thing is before I started making my cards I only bought my sister a Halloween Card (not ever year though). Now that I make cards I make them for every holiday and occassion. I just recently got the booglie eyes stamp set and I love it. In my webshots on the last page is the cards I made. I think I'm going to add a tag or something to the dracula card though. And I'm thinking of making another set as someone else mentioned with making one googlie eye smaller then the other similar to the stamp.
OK, here's another question then. Is this more of an American thing than a Canadian thing? I'm just curious.
I've never heard of sending Halloween cards until I started stamping. So don't really think it is an American thing. Maybe the exception is with kids. As kids we exchanged candy & things. I don't really remember exchanging cards, but kids like getting mail so why not?
I'm not a big fan of Halloween...never have been. This year though, I am making a few Halloween cards because I found some cute Halloween stamps at JoAnn's and want to use them. I know...silly reason, but what the hey. The stamps are so cute, I coudln't help it.
I had an off and on year with sending out birthday cards, (my mom was sick and dying). So, to make up for any I missed ('cause I can't remember now who I missed), I thought I'd do a cute Halloween card, with a small giftie to all the nieces and nephews. Plus the sets are soooo cute, as are the papers....
OMG, Halloween is the biggest in my office, I think it's because of all the October birthdays and stampers here. I only make cards for these stampers and my goddaughter, but I go all out on the inside of my house, complete with a disco ball. I love it more than Xmas!
My Grandparents used to send my brothers and I Halloween cards signed from the Great Pumpkin (think Charley Brown). So when I started stamping, I wanted to carry on the tradition. Everybody I know wants their kids to get one. My list is up to 37!!!! I always add a lot of confetti inside the cards, another hit with the kids. No so much with the parents. It's only September 9 and I should have the rest of the cards done by this weekend. Halloween rocks!! LOL.
We don't go all out for Halloween, but last year I did make some cute cards using Web Wishes. I sold some at work, and my co-workers are already asking about Halloween cards again this year! I was thinking about getting Booglie Eyes, and now that I have read HappyHeart's ideas for using that set as all purpose cards (see post #7), I will be getting it for sure!
I don't send Halloween cards just because I never think to. I have one halloween type stamp, but don't really use it. I do hand out candy (I'm a candyaholic, so this is right up my alley ) and my kids do dress up.
There is one house in our neighborhood that decorates his house spectacularly! Complete with the 'smoke', moving things, moaning & groaning noises, etc. It always draws a huge attraction and people stop to take pictures all the time. It is neat to see, but not something I plan to ever do.
I actually have things to decorate inside/outside my house with, but never get them out. Just not something I get into. Now Christmas - that's a whole 'nother story.
__________________ Karen Madison (6/7/00) & Mackenzie (8/22/04) & Trenton Joshua (3/30/06) My Blog WatercoloredDreams
I have loved Halloween since I was a little girl. It doesn't hurt that it is my birthday. We also had the next day off as we went to Catholic school. As I got older, we had lots of adult Halloween parties. I dress up about half of the years to go out with my son. I was just looking through all of the old pictures the other day sorting them out to scrap. We decorate with lots of stuff outside and inside. My two Chihuahuas even have costumes!
I only send cards when I have time. This year I think I will. I always get the usual Hallmark Halloween Birthday cards from my brother and sisters. I wish they stamped!
__________________
Mary Kay
"Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It solely relies on what you think." Buddha
As a Northerner living in the South, I mean really South, the buckle of the Bible Belt, it is difficult to celebrate this holiday. I loved it as a kid in PA, VA and WV, but in North Florida, I expect to have a cross burned in my yard if I decorate a pumpkin. I'm not exactly joking. Schools are forbidden to have Halloween parties. No decorations, etc...
As a former public school Kindergarten teacher, I can let you know that I ALMOST got fired because I had a web with a giant spider spread across my entire ceiling. In the web was the word, "Terrific!" Do you get this reference? (Charlotte's Web) I had to get an attorney and fight for my job. My file is clean, but I quit teaching that year. Sad, sad, sad...
I can tell you that I had 2 Trick or Treaters this year. Two!!! They were relatives!
So, for Halloween, Markie is giving his friends Jolly Rancher Lollipops with the covers made with the Cat from the Trick or Treat set stamped in Only Orange on WW. The ties will be Orange ribbon. No black anywhere.
I make 10 cards every year. However, I use the same stamp year after year. I can't remember the company, but it is a very detailed stamp that takes about an hour to color in. Then I cover the entire image in Kaleidoscope Embossing Powder.
My family members say they just love this stamp and show off the cards every year. Embarrassing!
Anyway, I love making the cards, as decorating the house, my yard, etc is a HUGE no no.
Just read this thread. It seems interesting that Halloween is either loved or hated. I don't love it but not because of the idea behind it or anything like that. It's because I don't like having to make and come up with costumes for my DD's. I like that they are older now and if they need one they do it themselves.
Having lived in Ottawa Canada, Tampa Florida and now Albany NY, I think I can say that it's a neighborhood thing for sure. Some get right into it others don't, could have something to do with the age of the area and kid filled area's tend of course to be more decorated. Tampa was really fun because unlike the northeast, all the neighbours were outside giving out goodies and so it became more of a street party! As far as cards go, I don't send them out but have always in the past made halloween goodies for the class.
I love Halloween! It's my favorite holiday!! No presents to buy, you get to wear silly costumes and eat lots of candy - what's not to love!
I have as many (or more) halloween decorations as I do Christmas decorations! My DH and I have hosted a costume party for our friends for the last 8 years! My SisterIL and I used to go in costume when we would take the kids out trick-or-treating but the kids are now 20, 16, 16, 10 so our trick-or-treating days are over.
I make and send cards to my nieces and nephews, my 3 girlfriends that I have known since Jr High, and their children. I love Halloween! Bring on the cards, costumes and decorations!
We "celebrate" halloween because I guess we did when we were kids (northern NJ) and for the last 24 years we've had kids and it's basically fun. when we moved to Texas it wasn't "celebrated" as much here - I've been told it's due to the strong Souther Baptist influences (we are Catholic). I kinda get annoyed when people say it's the devil's holiday because that just perpetuates negativity. I read an artical in the local newspaper about oh, 10 to 15 years ago and saved it - now of course I can't find it) but the author said that Halloween is the most Christian of holidays, because,when can a child go to the front door of a strangers house (let's think of the timeing of the article and not get all PC), ring the doorbell and get something for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I' mean how cool is that! I look at it as a time for friendship accross the board. No expectations. Just fun. I think religion should be kept out of it personally, but that's just me. Everyone is entitled to their opinon.
Maybe I've stirred up a hornets nest by bringing religon and "the devil" into it but that was not my intention. I was just stating an observation.
Besides, like a lot of you have said, I like making cards and do so for just about EVERY occasion, and I like getting them too.
Oh, and another thing - have you noticed that the stores have Christmas stuff going up already!! I mean come on!! Retailers (in general) just push me over the edge sometimes!! (although, come to think of it how many paychecks until Christmas? 4 or 5 ? !!!)
**sigh** NOW I'm depressed - sometimes I can be my own worst enemy!
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I have never made Halloween cards until this year but this is also the 1st year I have ever made cards of anything so whatever chance I have to make a card, I am making a card!
The funny thing is that growing up my mother would not allow us to celebrate Halloween so my sister and I ordered some stuff to make Halloween cards. When it all got here the other day she said, "Mom is getting the worlds most expensive Halloween card" because even if we dont make any for anyone else (though we are trying to) we are sending her a card just because she hates Halloween but she loves us and our cards and we are kind of bratty...
We go to church and live in the South (barely) and we dress our girls up and go out for Halloween mostly because we remember being one of those families that werent allowed to have Halloween and we always felt so left out.
I also know what we believe and I know that the way you celebrate in your heart is what matters.
Just the other day I was talking to a friend and Halloween was brought up and I said that we never got to dress up, she said "Oh, you were in one of those families..." I am a grown woman but it made me feel kind of bad.
We "celebrate" halloween because I guess we did when we were kids (northern NJ) and for the last 24 years we've had kids and it's basically fun. when we moved to Texas it wasn't "celebrated" as much here - I've been told it's due to the strong Souther Baptist influences (we are Catholic). I kinda get annoyed when people say it's the devil's holiday because that just perpetuates negativity. I read an artical in the local newspaper about oh, 10 to 15 years ago and saved it - now of course I can't find it) but the author said that Halloween is the most Christian of holidays, because,when can a child go to the front door of a strangers house (let's think of the timeing of the article and not get all PC), ring the doorbell and get something for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I' mean how cool is that! I look at it as a time for friendship accross the board. No expectations. Just fun. I think religion should be kept out of it personally, but that's just me. Everyone is entitled to their opinon.
Maybe I've stirred up a hornets nest by bringing religon and "the devil" into it but that was not my intention. I was just stating an observation.
Besides, like a lot of you have said, I like making cards and do so for just about EVERY occasion, and I like getting them too.
my thoughts exactly! well said. thank you, now my response can be very short
I like to make cards for my grandchildren who live a bit away from my husband and me. Before I made cards, I would just buy the little 99 cent cards but now I make them and send them, just to let them know we love them and are thinking of them. I usually put a little $$ for them to get a treat with or add to their savings. It never hurts to let someone know they are in your thoughts and this is just another chance to do that. Now the huge parties, mammouth decorating, etc. is something I don't like or see the need for but some people are always looking for a reason to party. I'm just not much of a party animal!
People will take it as it is......everyone has their own opinion about Halloween, but if you read into it's background, it is not a day to celebrate the devil as it is perceived thru some religion. I'm Catholic and celebrate it just as we celebrate Christmas, Easter, and other "religious" and holidays. As far as I can remember, our family celebrates it and has for a long time. Just as we celebrate November 1st in my spanish culture as the day of the dead, we dance in the streets wearing "costumes" that look like "calaveras" skeletones, we celebrate Halloween. As for the Halloween cards, I make them for the kids in my childrens school, their classmates and teachers. I also make treats for them and they enjoy it, so why try and stop them from enjoying a fun day for them when they could be anyone or anything they want to be....even if they dress up as a Vampire. I say let them run with their imaginations as long as they are not causing anyone any harm. Which reminds me.....I have to begin to make their treat boxes. :S Just MY 2 cents. Oh, and I don't think it's an American or Canadian thing.....it's a choice. ;)
We "celebrate" halloween because I guess we did when we were kids (northern NJ) and for the last 24 years we've had kids and it's basically fun. when we moved to Texas it wasn't "celebrated" as much here - I've been told it's due to the strong Souther Baptist influences (we are Catholic). I kinda get annoyed when people say it's the devil's holiday because that just perpetuates negativity. I read an artical in the local newspaper about oh, 10 to 15 years ago and saved it - now of course I can't find it) but the author said that Halloween is the most Christian of holidays, because,when can a child go to the front door of a strangers house (let's think of the timeing of the article and not get all PC), ring the doorbell and get something for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I' mean how cool is that! I look at it as a time for friendship accross the board. No expectations. Just fun. I think religion should be kept out of it personally, but that's just me. Everyone is entitled to their opinon.
Maybe I've stirred up a hornets nest by bringing religon and "the devil" into it but that was not my intention. I was just stating an observation.
Besides, like a lot of you have said, I like making cards and do so for just about EVERY occasion, and I like getting them too.
Oh, and another thing - have you noticed that the stores have Christmas stuff going up already!! I mean come on!! Retailers (in general) just push me over the edge sometimes!! (although, come to think of it how many paychecks until Christmas? 4 or 5 ? !!!)
**sigh** NOW I'm depressed - sometimes I can be my own worst enemy!
As a Northerner living in the South, I mean really South, the buckle of the Bible Belt, it is difficult to celebrate this holiday. I loved it as a kid in PA, VA and WV, but in North Florida, I expect to have a cross burned in my yard if I decorate a pumpkin. I'm not exactly joking. Schools are forbidden to have Halloween parties. No decorations, etc...
As a former public school Kindergarten teacher, I can let you know that I ALMOST got fired because I had a web with a giant spider spread across my entire ceiling. In the web was the word, "Terrific!" Do you get this reference? (Charlotte's Web) I had to get an attorney and fight for my job. My file is clean, but I quit teaching that year. Sad, sad, sad...
I can tell you that I had 2 Trick or Treaters this year. Two!!! They were relatives!
So, for Halloween, Markie is giving his friends Jolly Rancher Lollipops with the covers made with the Cat from the Trick or Treat set stamped in Only Orange on WW. The ties will be Orange ribbon. No black anywhere.
I make 10 cards every year. However, I use the same stamp year after year. I can't remember the company, but it is a very detailed stamp that takes about an hour to color in. Then I cover the entire image in Kaleidoscope Embossing Powder.
My family members say they just love this stamp and show off the cards every year. Embarrassing!
Anyway, I love making the cards, as decorating the house, my yard, etc is a HUGE no no.
Then you need to move to SW FL! Halloween is the second biggest holiday celebrated in my neighborhood, next to Christmas. We literally get 100's of trick or treaters. You are correct about the schools though, no Halloweeny stuff in school.
I never really understood the whole Halloween card thing either, but I've seen a lot of cute Halloween stamps and I like to make at least a couple for my kids. I think this year I'll make some to go with the treat bags I give to my girlfriends' children.
I always loved Halloween but it's changed so much now. When I was little it seemed like we trick or treated for hours. Now they get 2 hours and it's not even dark. And people put such evil connotations on Halloween. I believe it is what you make it. So now I send Halloween cards to my niece and nephew. It's makes Halloween more special and kids love to get mail! I put some money in there and they can go and get an ice cream or something.
In my part of Southern Ontario, I have noticed Halloween growing over the past 10 years or so. People are really getting into decorating the outside of their houses with lights etc... just like Christmas. My kids got dressed up in homemade costumes when they little and went out for trick or treating. They use to partake in a Halloween parade at school, but Halloween cards...not a tradition here.
Now for Thanksgiving in October, that is another story. I decorate my house and send cards to family members across Canada, as it is still a family holiday even though we all can't be together. I can smell that turkey and pumpkin pie cooking now!
I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!! It is the second most favorite holiday in my house. My DH and I go all out. I think we may have more decorations for Halloween than Christmas. I send out cards to everyone. I started making Halloween cards in July. Then the Holiday mini came out and I made some more. We usually have a pretty big costume party too. I love dressing up. Maybe I never grew out of Halloween. Bring on the Great Pumpkin!!:mrgreen:
__________________ May you live every day of your life. Jonathan Swift Susan
Oh my gosh, how can you not love Halloween???? I'm totally bias of course, especially since I have a fondness for witches. The uglier the better! I can honestly say that I probably have more Halloween decor than I do Christmas. That being said, now you can understand why I love sending Halloween cards to my friends and family. :twisted:
put in the "not too big on Halloween" column, I guess. Not many Halloween stamps to speak of other than the "Happy Halloween" stamp in AYC3 which I only got because I loved the font on the Merry Christmas stamp! lol! But I don't mind the Halloween celebrations...we trick 'or treated as kids, my children did the same (too old for that now) and definitely don't decorate for the season but when the kids were smaller we always carved pumpkins. Once they got to the point where they would rather just let me carve it and didn't want to participate digging all the goo and seeds out of the pumpkin then I just bought a large pumpking to put on the front porch undecorated to look "fall-ish", I guess.
So, not likely you will see me buying up a lot of Halloween stamps nor sending cards but then again, some years I am tempted to make ONE Christmas card, take a digital photo of it and send it out via e-mail with our Christmas "family-gram" so I'm no fun at all! ;-) Jan
I love Halloween, so much, that is my anniversary. I usually just tell people we were married on October 31st, most don't get it. We did have a traditional wedding that was very elegant on the golf course, with pumpkins, candy corn, and lots of Halloween music.
I have made cards for at least 10 years and goodies for the office as well. I have more Halloween decorations than Christmas. I'm sad that I'll be in Kauai this year for the holiday so I won't be home to see the kids in the neighborhood. So I'll hand out candy in advance.
I find it just lots of fun but maybe since my mom always made a big deal out of it, that helped.
Usually I only send out one card, and that is to my sister...just because she loves getting cards. I'm probably going to send out a few more this year, though, to some SCS friends. Plus I can use it as an excuse to order some of the cute Halloween sets in the TAC catalog. I do like to leave treats on my coworkers desks too.
I could really take or leave Halloween. I'm more into the harvest theme. I didn't really enjoy trick or treating as a child. I grew up pretty much as an only child to older parents. I have siblings, but they are a lot older than me. My dad would only take me around to people that my parents knew when I was little little. As I got older I went door to door with the neighbors, and I hated it. I wasn't too keen on the idea of asking strangers for candy. I was glad when I turned 13 and was "too old." I think I was exposed to too much adult conversation because I always wondered if the candy was safe to eat...that there might be poison in it. :shock: I don't think I should have been thinking that as a kid, but I sure did. I guess I picked up on a lot of stuff the adults talked about amongst themselves. I remember trick or treating once with the neighbor kids when I was probably 11 or so and this older couple had us step inside to give us the candy. I remember sticking to the door like glue thinking, "This isn't right...we shouldn't be in their house...why did they have us come in...,etc." It was probably completely innocent, but who knows. My tendency to over-think things like that kind of took the fun out of it for me. I did like eating the candy once my parents inspected it, though!
As for now, I usually decorate for fall with maybe a little bit of Halloween thrown in...maybe a few jack-o-lanterns. Sometimes we hand out candy, sometimes we don't. If it were completely up to me we wouldn't because the kids in our neighborhood are brats, and they certainly don't need candy on top of that! :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong...I love kids and the little ones in their little lion and princess costumes are sooo cute. A lot of the older kids in my neighborhood are just rude. Half of the boys just wear a black T-shirt and paint a black line under their eyes and call it a costume. Then they're the ones pushing all the little ones aside for the candy...or the high school kids with their pillowcases and no costume half the time! :twisted: Dh, however, is very fond of eating the candy himself, so he likes to use the excuse of handing out candy in order to snag some for himself! ;)
I go all out for Halloween. I generally make so many cards I run out of people to send them to! It's all about the holidays for me, Halloween means it's almost Thanksgiving (when the Harvest stamps come out) and that's practically Christmas, and I adore Christmas!
__________________ "My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. " -Erma Bombeck
I second!!
