Spooktackular September

Every year I wait until the last minute to plan for Halloween--then throw a few things together with half-assed effort. It isn't as if the holiday means nothing to me. I love Autumn, and the festivities it brings.

Maybe this stems from my childhood. Every September, my mom would groan and throw her hands up, as store displays of Halloween decorations and costumes started to appear. "They start earlier and earlier every year," she would say, complaining about the merchandising. (She would also say this the beginning of November, when Halloween goodies were replaced with tinsel and jingle bells.)

I don't know what her beef was with holiday store displays.

So, I never think to start planning for Halloween in September--until this year. Searches and sales on Halloween items are up on Etsy, showing most shoppers are planning now. They aren't like me, waiting for the last minute to throw up some fake cobwebs and plastic skeletons. (Incidentally, I have the cobwebs taken care of already. My front door is framed with them. Real ones.)

Yada, yada, blah blah blah--the point is this: I'm working on a few Halloween type things. For instance, I just listed the ornament pictured above. So, if you are doing your Halloween shopping early....