Shani's Halloween Resources: A Spooky Shortlist
If you read my work, listen to my podcast, follow me on Instagram, or pick up on my general vibrations, you know that I LOVE Halloween. There, I’ve said it. I love make-believe of all kinds, and rest assured I’d live a much more Comic-Con like existence year-round if I had the storage space, but without question Halloween is my favorite time to go haunt wild.
Most of my participation comes in the form of home decor. I don’t just want to dress up for Halloween, I need to immerse myself in it. So every year, my home is transformed from am apartment to a SPOOKY APARTMENT and this brings me great joy. For me, half the fun is the hunt, and the fact that my collection of Halloween crap grows with each passing year. My storage space somehow does not, but I’d get rid of my summer wardrobe before I’d toss my collection of faux skeletons, mkay?
I’m often asked about where I source my Halloween decor from. Really, it’s everywhere. If I spot something suitable to my spooky tastes, it shall be mine, and I’m not particular when it comes to the purveyor of poltergeist-ery. However, I do believe in providing you with a few resources as options to get you started along your creepy quest. So below, my thoughts on a few go-to resources for Halloween decor and fun.
Target: Obviously. This is the place to shop for new, whimsical Halloween accouterments, I look forward to their stock every year. I’ve been known to visit Target daily, impatiently waiting for when the back-to-school shit gets put away so I can get the goods I came for. The one downside to Target online: They seem perpetually sold out of everything. Like, even before it’s released, it’s sold out. I find this very frustrating, so I tend to stick to in-person Target runs to see what’s lurking about, instead of shopping online and feeling late to the party even though I was most certainly the first one there. Fans of the podcast will no doubt love Target for its Cat Scratchers. I mean, hello. (If you want one, get it NOW—they sell out.)
Home Depot: This is without a doubt a store you want to shop in-person, for the experience alone, but know there are also quite a few online options, as well. One of my favorite things to do when I visit my friends in the suburbs is go to all the big-name retailers and shop them like I’m on a great quest of some kind. Anyway, it’s really fun inside home Home Depot for Halloween, check it out, these will be bigger-budget items and stuff you’d put in an actual yard, but if you have one, live the dream baby.
Oriental Trading: If you have some time on your hands, Oriental Trading has some extremely fun and affordable Halloween goodies—they just have a LOT of them. I’ve also seen some of the products from this site show up on other sites a year later, with a slightly different (if not less awesome) design, so in my experience they’re also at the forefront of Halloween decor innovation. My precious lantern is from here, and I love her. This is THE destination if you like fake skeletons, just fyi. They have every variation imaginable (hello, mermaid), and they’re as affordable as these kinds of props are going to get. Pro tip: Sign up for their emails, because they LOVE to send over a discount code or a code for free shipping. in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever shopped this site without one…
Grandin Road: Listen, if you’re willing to spend a pretty penny, spend it here. I’m telling you right out of the gate, Grandin Road is expensive, but it also AMAZING. They have some of the coolest party supplies and animated props I’ve ever seen. It’s really easy to get sucked into how special a lot of these items are (I mean, haunted broomsticks that move, people), but I really urge you to read the reviews for each product you want to buy. You want to make sure it delivers on its promises. Also, remember that you’re buying Halloween props, not actual home goods, so a lot of these items won’t be super high quality no matter what, as they’re meant for decoration only. For example, my haunted radio is very, very light and I’m afraid it wouldn’t survive falling off the bookshelf, but it’s inner mechanism is SO WELL DONE. It has 19 “channels” that play everything from spooky music to clips from vintage theaters, and one of the channels plays Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, it its entirety. So look for how well an item functions, not necessarily how well it’s made, and you’ll be happy with your purchase. I am seriously over the moon for my radio.
Bed, Bath & Beyond: Not the first thing you think of when it comes to Halloween supply, but there are some gems here, especially when it comes to servingwear and entertaining. If you like spooky throw pillows, especially at reasonable prices, this is your spot. Another cool thing about Bed, Bath, & Beyond is that a lot of their offerings can easily be used as year-round decor as well, I myself have my eye on this doormat…
Etsy: Etsy Halloween is not for the faint of heart, or the short on time. There are literally countless Halloween treasures lurking in the halls of Etsy, but you’re going to have to dig for them. I recommend getting as specific in your search as possible, to help make the most of your time. For example, if you search for a Halloween Cat Scratcher on Etsy, you will NOT be disappointed. Always bear in mind that you’re buying from individual makers, so each item will have its own shipping costs (some things ship free!) and you’ll want to order as soon as possible to make sure you have it time for spooky season. Scented candle people: this is where we THRIVE.
Party City: Party City is a great resource for affordable decor. Also, if you just want to dip a dead man’s toe in the waters without going full-haunt, you can get some cute stuff that doesn’t feel too over the top. If you’re having people over (safely!) for Halloween, there are of course some amazing party supplies and even pre-set kits to help you host pretty effortlessly.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy my favorite Halloween items from Etsy.
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