Halloween in many parts of the country, particularly the northern areas, is a way to transition from the activities of summer gardening.  School has begun, and we use the excuse of Halloween to help break up the tedium of time from summer’s end until the bounty of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Because of the history of Halloween, traditionally it’s geared towards scaring the little ones (and giving everyone an excuse to eat too much candy!).   

But along with a holiday celebration that will please the children, why not also appeal to the adults’ sense of festivity?  This is so easily accomplished with decoration, beginning right at the front door.  We stock a large variety of door mats, in a wide range of colors and patterns.  But for this season, why not try the over-size pumpkin-colored leaf mats, with a nod to our northern neighbors, and the fact that they’re busy raking leaves as we’re anticipating our winter growing season. 

Take advantage of our own rich cultural heritage by setting a table that reflects the traditional colors of the season—the rich reds, mustard yellows and ivy greens—but let our Texas style make this a stand-out celebration by mixing and matching our vividly patterned Melamine dinnerware.  Just be sure to anchor the color with a selection of our dinner mats in solid colors, to play off of the texture of the dishes. 

But don’t forsake the spooky parts of the holiday.  We have plenty from which to choose that is guaranteed to send an unexpected shiver down the spines of the most stalwart of celebrators.  Place a skull in a nook instead of the usual vase of flowers.  Grab one of our garden baskets, fill it to the brim with eyeballs, and then put it to good use in future when you go outside to plant.  For the arachnophobes, hang our spiders from the chandelier, have a parade of little ones tramping across the table, and place our large furry tarantula on top of a lampshade.  A skeleton wearing a black lace mantilla hanging just inside the door will elicit applause for your quixotic and capricious sense of the macabre. 

After all, why should the kids have all the fun!

Take a look at some of the frightfully fun Halloween decor waiting for you at our Nicholson-Hardie Garden Center location, open Monday-Saturday, 9 am-6 pm, Sunday 12 noon-5 pm.