I have to get into and stay in an Autumn frame of mind to commune with the muses and produce my annual Hecate paintings. The two I just posted were oil on canvas paper and are now in 'private collections'.

@Museek
That's why I lurk on the Halloween Spirit website or check out the Disney store online for Haunted Mansion merch. But in the stores is a bit much, especially when you enter October and actually want to look for some things to add to your decor and there's nothing but Christmas stuff out.

@MariaAragon64 true… And 😂

I avoid most stores anyway but the Spirit store has those annoyingly loud displays.. lol

@Museek
I started a tradition last year, the first time I went into a Halloween Spirit store in ages. I bought a vintage style cat mask. Each year I'll get another one to decorate my room.
What this all means is that I have to keep an eye out even earlier if I want to get some nice additions to my Halloween 'doll' collection. Target gets some good ones each year.

@Museek
In Lowes' today, I saw a duo Halloween rock band (skeletons) singing "I love Halloween' when their motion detectors got triggered.
The employees are going to hate those things long before September arrives.

@MariaAragon64 hahahah. right?

@Museek Next time I go in there, I will take a picture. I will not inflict video on anyone though because no one needs that sort of visual/aural earworm.

@MariaAragon64 I even bought bat socks the other day 😄. My daughter did a Skate modeling gig for this sock company last year… I didn’t realize it was the same company until I brought them home. Lol

Bat socks.. who doesn’t need those?!

@Museek
Right now it's hard to really dig into the Halloween mood, even to make my annual 'Hecate for Halloween' paintings, because it's just so HOT outside. Our house is a cave and we're hiding inside it, trying to keep cool.

@MariaAragon64 I feel for you.. it’s been hot for most of the country

@MariaAragon64 i feel like halloween decor is an after labour day thing. otherwise, it's just not okay. & like you, i 💜 halloween. but let's make it special & not a chore.

@singlemaltgirl @MariaAragon64

A lot of people I know who are MAD for Halloween DO work on their "stuff" all year, so I'm sure they are why the mass availability is moving earlier.

Possibly also the psychology of thinking about cool fall days when everyone is melting means people are open to buying earlier?

@CLManussier oh, i am definitely one of those peeps planning much of the year on my halloween stuff. but i map & plan & search pinterest and review my closet of stuff to see what i will do. i'm not much of a consumer except for maybe makeup and a wig or accessory so those can all be done last minute.

if i want to buy stuff for next year? i'm on the nov 1 sales!!!!

@MariaAragon64

@MariaAragon64

It's the only thing helping me get through this nasty ass summer.

@Agatha
(heavy sigh) I keep trying to imagine myself in the season, but this bloody heat keeps whiplashing me into the present.

@MariaAragon64

I'm a yard haunter. Build season is now, but, yeah, it's too hot. But, I have a skeleton army arriving soon, and I only have August and a little bit of July to get them ready. For haunters, it all starts on October 1st. So people like me are always happy when "supplies" become available early. 🎃

@Agatha
Lowes' has/had/will have a full sized reproduction of The Disneyland Haunted Mansion Graveyard attendant available this year. He has his lantern and comes with a built in soundtrack. I want one so bad for our yard.

@MariaAragon64

Dooooo iiittttt! 😂

When you see all this stuff out, imagine all the haunters and the work they're doing right this minute to make Halloween amazing for everyone - and they do it for the fun, not for pay. Maybe that'll help you smile a little when you see the stuff out early. 🧡🖤

@Agatha
I wish I could do more with our yard, but I don't dare put our stuff out until the day of, so my full sized witches don't get stolen.

@MariaAragon64

We've been lucky so far. We don't get the pre-made props. I'll start w/a store-bought skeleton, but after that it's all diy. Everything is either heavy &/or seriously anchored. Initially it was bc I want to storm proof the yard - but deterring thieves is a plus. And, our yard is a neighborhood favorite (not trying to humble brag) so people keep an eye out. But I know some people set up motion cameras, etc. We'll do that if we ever need to. We've had people drop off items though.😂

@Agatha
It isn't as bad here as it is in Albuquerque. They'll steal anything you leave out: inflatables, lights, figures, even the plants in your yard.
Plus sometimes we get these fierce desert winds and stuff ends up down the street.

@MariaAragon64

People around here get their 12' skeletons stolen. I don't have one for a lot of reasons.

We always get at least one big storm here during October. Sometimes several. Driving rain, sideways wind, etc. Destroys yard haunts every time. Not mine so far, but it's a lot of work pounding enough rebar into the ground to keep it all secure. But if a hurricane heads our way, I'll take it all down. But it's soooo much work.

@MariaAragon64

Christmas starts in Sept

@LnzyHou which is why I can't find much cool stuff for Halloween in October. It's beginning to feel like a vicious circle.

@MariaAragon64
I went to Tractor Supply Co. and they had 3 solar powered jack o'lanterns. I love Halloween stuff, but this is nuts.

@TomeReader Right?!!!!!