Inflatable Pirate Cooler

Now THIS is just plain cool. Imagine being outside waiting for the trick-or-treaters -- and giving them a cool juice box -- pure pirate booty -- snatched right out from under the Jolly Rodger.

And when Halloween is over, you can use this themed outdoor decoration for birthday parties or tailgate celebrations.

Click here to check it out on Amazon.

Now You Know -- Pumpkins

Pumpkins have been associated with the fall holiday season for centuries. Most notably, they have a large part in Thanksgiving celebrations, and of course, Halloween. What would Halloween be without pumpkins?

Pumpkins are good food, as well as good fun. The pumpkin is a fruit, and a nutritious one at that. Just about everything about the pumpkin can be eaten, including the seeds, the flesh, and the flowers.

What we now call pumpkin pie originated in Colonial times. The top was cut off the pumpkin and the seeds were scraped out. Milk was put inside, along with spices and honey, and then it was baked in a bed of hot ashes. Sounds like it would be fun to try it, doesn't it? Probably turns into a yummy custard.

Over 1 Billion pounds of pumpkins are produced in the USA annually, with Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California giving us the most. And almost 95% of pumpkins grown for processing come from Illinois -- who knew??

Growing large pumpkins for competition is serious business, too. Every year for the past several, the record has been broken. The record currently belongs to Chris Stevens of New Richmond, Wi. He brought his 1810.5 pound pumpkin, to the Stillwater Harvest fest in Stillwater, Minnesota, on October 9, 2010, and walked away with the prize. You can see a picture of Chris and his pumpkin here.

This year a new record was set for the largest pumpkin pie on record, too. Watch the video below and be prepared to be amazed!

Halloween Flags for Your Yard

Halloween flags are a great way -- and inexpensive, too -- to show your Halloween spirit off to the neighbors. They come in a wide variety, from whimsical to country to scary. Whatever your taste, there's a Halloween flag just for you. Check out some of the designs below!

Oh, and do you have a garden flag pole for your Halloween flags? There are some very different styles available... 

Click Here To See Garden Flag Poles


     

Outdoor Decorations for Halloween

I've just got to tell you, I'm not a big fan of scary outdoor decorations for Halloween, for a variety of reasons. But I'll just stick to saying that it seems to me there are enough scary things in the world without trying to make it scarier.

However having said that, there are a lot of things you can do to decorate your yard for Halloween. One of my favorite things to do is to switch out the regular porch light with a black light. They are not very expensive, and if you can't find them locally, you can order them online. Amazon offers a wide variety of them here:

Click Here For a Good Selection of Black Lights

Another thing you can do that is fun is to get some cotton batting at the local craft store and pull it apart to stretch over your bushes. You can also get cobwebs and spiders if you want. And dry ice, available at most grocery stores, adds a nice touch if you have a cauldron by the door!

Here are some other things that are kinda fun for Halloween, in the outdoor decorations department:


Here's a "Crashing Witch" which you can use either indoors or outdoors. She wraps around a tree, and I suppose you could also attach her to the side of your house. The best witch is a smashed witch, I always say... Not to be confused, of course, with a sandwich, which is always good unless the bread is stale.




And then, of course, there are the cute little solar lights that look like ghosts with which you can line your walkway. Solar lights are a great boon to outdoor decorations because you can avoid all those potentially hazardous cords. And these look so cute -- you'll have everyone wanting to come up to YOUR door, for sure!





This is a fun thing, too -- did you know that you can get mailbox covers for just about any holiday or season? Pretty cool. This one, needless to say, is for Halloween.

MailWraps® Magnetic Mailbox Covers attach securely with a strong magnetic strip along each side of the cover. This is a patented feature which allows the cover to stay put in any weather condition and enhances the appearance. This product comes with a One Year Weatherproof Guarantee and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Screen printed for vivid, long-lasting color. AND, (drum roll, please...) it is Made in the USA!! 




And last, but not least, we have the stacked pumpkins -- What would Halloween be without a stack of pumpkins out in the yard? Here you have two of the options available through Amazon...

The stack of three is animated, and the stack of six is just tall. Do YOU have your stack'o'punkins yet? Better get them before they are all sold out!!

Outdoor Decorations - Stand out from the crowd!

Outdoor decorations are just plain fun. It doesn't matter what the holiday or occasion is, you can announce your celebration by decorating your yard. It also doesn't matter how much "real estate" you have, either. Large or small, there are tasteful outdoor decorations that can make your yard the talk of the town!

You can decorate seasonally, or permanently, and there are outdoor decorations that meet every taste and pocketbook. My goal with this blog is to share a variety of ideas with you, and help you come up with exactly the right "yard candy" for your home.

SPORTS TEAM OUTDOOR DECORATIONS

For example, you can get lighted yard items that display your sports preferences, like this fellow. He's rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I have a lot of friends who do that, too... I won't say they are misguided, because they just don't know any better!

But if the Steelers aren't your cup of tea, there are tons of other teams that will help you celebrate the holidays in style.

Click Here for More Sports Teams Outdoor Decorations!

GARDEN FLAGS

Garden flags are a wonderful and relatively inexpensive way to dress up your yard or porch. They come in a wide variety of designs and sizes, and are available for all the different holidays and seasons. Plus, there are lots of garden flags that are you can use year round. Here's an example:

Want more ideas of flags for your yard? Check out this page:

Click Here to See More Garden Flags