Thread: Anybody else from the UK and sick of the lack of choice

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Hi all, firstly I'd like to say great forum. I'm from the UK and Halloween sucks here I live in a small town and I'm the only person who goes crazy and puts up decor for halloween, the local kids love it and I get more and more every year. I'm hoping to set a trend but I've heard people moan saying "bl..dy kids" or complaing about little kids begging on their doorsteps. Omg you miserable greedy people all you have to do is give them some candy one night a year!

We have so little choice here in the UK when it comes to Halloween props etc usually expensive, cheap and cheesy looking. I've seen some amazing products on the US sites excellent choice, plus the ideas on this forum are wonderful

Also why do people get offended by Halloween I doubt many people celebrate it as a Pagan festival for me it's just a bit of scary fun . I don't run around my garden naked sacrificing goats to Satan. I've always been a horror fan so for me it's my fave night of the year but the wonderful Church of England is trying to make it all ghost free non scary and all nice and fluffy what right does any religion have to impose their views on the world.. I say each to their own and live and let live. Google "halloween choice" and you'll see their website

lol I feel better now after having a good old moan

I understand from reading posts from others in the UK and Canada, that the TJMaxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls stores we have here in the States has a counterpart in your country. I think it is called HomeSense? There might also be another affiilated company to it so ask if you have one. They carry some really great stuff like large resin gargoyles, tombstones, candlesticks, all sorts of indoor and outdoor halloween items. Try doing a search here for the company name and see what people have reported. For the most part I think you will be pleased with the quality. I've been purchasing from them at Halloween time for the past 3-4 years and have quite a nice collection of seasonal items as a result.

I know where your coming from, but there are people like that everywhere, not just the UK.

Halloween doesn't suck in the UK, it's what you make of it. Sure it's not as big as in the US, but it's damn near close these days and getting bigger by the year. Take it from someone who lives in both places.

99% of the halloween stuff on sale in the UK as we speak is the EXACT same stuff on sale in the states. I mean exact, same companies, same product, same packaging, different currency sign.

Maybe choice isn't as great in the country as it is in the city, but try asda (wal-mart) TK maxx (TJmaxx) pound stores (dollar stores) garden centers, card/gift stores, party stores.

There are people everywhere who don't get into the fun of things and like to put it down, i'd say more-so in the states with halloween, what with all the big christian groups, but for every one of them, there's a thousand celebrating.

i hear feel your pain! im indeed from the u.k. and until recently choice has been poor and still is where bigger more extravagant props are concerned, but saying that i did manage to blow £140 last week in the pound shops and asda (part of wall-mart hence the choice) got some kick arse stuff and as i'l keep it forever and add to it each year i see it as an investment (any excuse to shop!)
but i do love making my own stuff to even though the process usually drives me mental, but it is my persuit of halloween crafts etc that brought me here, i just wish there were more hours in the day to post all my pics AND create stuff.

omg dan is right - all those shops have some really good stuff - apparently larger tesco & matalan shops do too. don't forget charity shops for things like candle holders & stuff.
it's getting better here every year though!

I don't think it's getting better every year, sadly. I mean, last year, the majority of stock in the shops sucked! I didn't buy anything last year, I don't think. It's that some years are good, some are bad....but fingers crossed people will pick up Halloween Spirit once again.

This year, there isn't really much out, but as mentioned:

Originally Posted by OMGDan

Maybe choice isn't as great in the country as it is in the city, but try asda (wal-mart) TK maxx (TJmaxx) pound stores (dollar stores) garden centers, card/gift stores, party stores.

Those listed above are actually the best stock you will find(certainly the best in my area, although there's not a lot to choose from). You can find a few great items if you look carefully. And remember to be creative - you can always alter things that you find to make them a little better/scarier.
plus, unfortunately, a lot of UK stores don't even put out their Halloween stuff until October.....

woo hoo! there is a shop in harrogate that opens on wednesday that has shed loads of stuff lined up, i was in harrogate today as part of my voluntary work at age concern (btw charity shops rock for brica-brac that is just begging to be pimped halloween style) anyhoo this woman was filling the shelves and i had my nose pressed to the glass door crying to be let in, but she said not till wednesday so i guess i'll report back wednesday with a little review and shop info if anyone can travel that far??

Have any of you been to Blackpool for Halloween? That place really goes all out. They have a great haunted house too, but sadly I can't remember the name of it, it was the same type of place like "Terror on Church St." in Florida.

never heard of that one but sounds interesting, must google it...

OMGDan is absolutely right - Halloween is what you make of it. If you can't find something in the shops, make it. The best props you can get are the ones you make yourself, if you have the time of course. Look in the unlikely places, sometimes you just have to hunt in charity shops and modify things as little_dead_ridinghood says.

I've lived in the UK all my life, and I have to say that the situation of Halloween in UK IS getting better. The merchandise might not be getting better quality, and the range might not be getting better (both Asda and Thornton's have the exact same stuff this year) BUT it is getting more popular every year, and the shops are getting things out earlier now. I actually went Halloween shopping at the end of August, can you believe that? Last year I had to wait til the end of September, this year TK Maxx had their stuff out in the middle of August!

So, be patient. As a nation, the UK tend to be a little more bah-humbug about this sort of thing, the only reason why xmas is so big is 1) the Christian/cultural element and 2) it's a few paid days off work for people. Halloween's not a national holiday *yet* so people are less likely to "buy into it" as it were. Having said that, consumerism is ever-growing, even during the impending recession, so where the retailers can make money from you, they're gonna damn well try! Let's home next year it gets bigger. It'll only get bigger the more demand we have, so let's spread the word