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The 2006 X-E Halloween Countdown starts now!

Well, it's that time of year again...


Welcome to the 2006 X-Entertainment Halloween Countdown -- a two month tribute to all things spooky, old and new, stupid and awesome. Barring circumstances beyond my control, like exhaustion or laziness, new articles will be posted every weekday between now and Halloween. That's almost forty tributes to terror. Kicking off this year's Countdown is a look back at Flying Funkins, a line of creature bag balloon kits that turned anyone's front yard into something the kids should beware.

Big thanks to Brian Jacks, who came through for us with yet another fantastic design. This is the best looking Halloween Countdown yet. So pretty.

Of course, not everything I pick up this season will necessarily be worthy of its own Countdown entry, so look for a continuation of the frightful festivities here on the blog. I'll be using this space to cover a lot of the smaller stuff, like say, bags of candy corn.


Those krauts at Target have figured out a sneaky way to get people to buy Candy Corn and "Autumn Mix," which is essentially just candy corn in different shapes. This is not a candy that can be trusted to do well on its own, because most people have a five piece limit on eating candy corn. Anything above that brings on the sick, and thus, there's virtually no reason at all to buy entire bags of the junk, unless you're one of those traditional types who can't stand having a coffee table without a full bowl of candy corn on it during the Halloween season, even if nobody touches it.

While most people just skip the shit altogether, Target's trick will get even the most devout candy corn haters buying bags by the truckload. Hidden in each bag are paper scratch-off could-be gift certificates, giving consumers the chance to maybe possibly potentially win 500.00 Target gift certificates. The thought of it was enough to get me to buy two bags, which is just my way of not admitting that I actually bought six bags.


Ah fer Christ's sake.

Posted by Matt on 09/10/2006. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 93 comments

WOOOOT first. however that is a mean little trick

Chestnuts roasted by ikey2 @ 09/10/2006 8:18 PM

When I read that the Halloween Countdown was starting, I clasped my hands before me in a gesture of extreme pleasure.
My mom definitely needs to have candy corn in a dish, but since she lives three hours away I don’t have to be afraid of going over casually, thinking “maybe this year” and then gagging.

Chestnuts roasted by Jessica Marie @ 09/10/2006 8:25 PM

“Oh, candy corn! Corn… that tastes like candy! … SON OF A BITCH!!”

One of the best “you lose” messages I’ve ever seen on a game piece, by the way.

Chestnuts roasted by Kevin M @ 09/10/2006 8:28 PM

Every year I see that stuff and have the urge to buy a bag. I won’t eat half of it but like Marshmellow Peeps and Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes it’s one of those seasonal things I have to get. But I can always just buy a little .50 bag of candy corn to appease the need. =P

Chestnuts roasted by Realm @ 09/10/2006 8:29 PM

Halloween countdown! YES!! Makes my weekdays worthwhile!

Chestnuts roasted by Larry @ 09/10/2006 8:30 PM

I don’t like candy corn but for some reason I like the smell.

Matt – did you see the high end candy corn Target is pushing this year. All kinds of weird combination flavors like green apple.

I’ve just started running a clearance store for a Minnesota drug store chain. It’s like the 5th circle of retail hell, but at least its quiet. I’ve tried to spruce up the place by decorating for Halloween, but so far it seems lacking. Anyone have any ideas for a decorate a store for Halloween on the cheap and in such a way that it doesn’t scare the little old ladies away?

Chestnuts roasted by Emperor_Zorak @ 09/10/2006 8:31 PM

Ooooooh! I’m so glad I decided not to go on vacation with my parents! I’d be missing the first week of Halloween!

What on earth will you do with six bags of candy corn?

Chestnuts roasted by Katherine @ 09/10/2006 8:32 PM

Throw them away when you scratch off all of the losing cards. :(

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/10/2006 8:33 PM

Also, I’m going for the slow burn this year, meaning there’s still some design tweaks and features yet to come. Stay tuned and enjoy.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/10/2006 8:35 PM

The only person I know who ever had candy corn in the house would be very ashamed of you for throwing that away. (She was one of those “There are starving kids in China!” people.) But candy corn people are like that.

Chestnuts roasted by Katherine @ 09/10/2006 8:36 PM

The Halloween countdown always makes me feel like less of a freak for being too into Halloween and annoying my roommates by hogging the TV with a non-stop barrage of horror movies for a month.

I salute you good sir for starting even earlier than I.

Chestnuts roasted by Pat @ 09/10/2006 8:36 PM

Yes, the countdown.
Now I can allow myself to buy Halloween candy.

Chestnuts roasted by Somethin' Funny @ 09/10/2006 8:37 PM

I happen to like candy corn. I can’t figure out why most people hate it.

Chestnuts roasted by Char Aznable @ 09/10/2006 8:38 PM

Countdown! Yay! I really do wish this year turns out extra spooky for all.

Chestnuts roasted by captaintrips @ 09/10/2006 8:38 PM

I’ve always preferred the pumpkins myself. I usually treat myself to a bag or two of little candy squashes between mid-September and the week after Halloween when all the Halloween candy’s on massive sales.

I won’t be putting up my actual Halloween stuff until early next month, but I’m hoping to get some random, non-holiday-related fall decorations (like fake squash and Indian corn) for my place. I love the countdowns, but maybe it’s just a bit too early. I know you burn out, Matt.

On the other hand, I’m happy to report that the grocery store where I work and the Wal-Mart nearby finally have their Halloween stuff out. The grocery store actually had some great stuff (including lights and and a light-up pumpkin I may buy) despite their tiny seasonal section, and the Wal-Mart had everything from sticky “gruesome hands” to rats on fake blood-soaked “caps” and tons of candy.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 09/10/2006 8:51 PM

I actually like candy corn as well…

Chestnuts roasted by Toxicity- @ 09/10/2006 8:53 PM

“I could’ve lived without the “Here Lies Dem Bones” tombstone, but on the other hand, it gives credence to the argument that the skeleton once belonged to a Jamaican conch smuggler who partied by night.”

Best sentence ever! I’m so psyched about this, the beginning of the Halloween countdown, I’m feeling jazzed.

Did anyone else think of Ackbar and the “trap” when they read “eek it’s a trick!”?

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Poop @ 09/10/2006 9:16 PM

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Almost 2 months of spooky-themed shit! I am giddy behind all levels.

Chestnuts roasted by Roadblock @ 09/10/2006 9:17 PM

I do sort of like candy corn, but I also agree with the five-piece limit beyond which it induces nausea. Also for some reason I like the pumpkins way more than regular candy corn. I realize it’s the same basic material, so there’s no justification for this, but I just cannot resist the candy corn pumpkins.

Also I bought that high-end Target candy corn , the green apple kind. I’m not really sure why. Curiosity, I guess. It doesn’t taste bad, but it really doesn’t taste like candy corn either, which makes me ask myself, “Why am I buying candy corn if it doesn’t taste like candy corn?” But Target seems to have that effect on me, making me buy things I never meant to buy. That’s why I have to restrict the number of times I allow myself to go there.

Chestnuts roasted by jazzy @ 09/10/2006 9:19 PM

Well, since I just discovered these thrilling little countdowns last week (and have read every single one of them, thank you very much), I am quite excited to actually be present for this year’s! (And I’ll have you know I can’t walk down the Halloween candy isle at Wal-Mart without thinking, “Ohh! Matt should write one about these!”) haha! Can’t wait!

Chestnuts roasted by Broomstickjockey @ 09/10/2006 9:24 PM

Looks like there’s a double post going on up there.

Chestnuts roasted by Roadblock @ 09/10/2006 9:25 PM

We used to get the pumpkin bags, never the ones to hang in trees though. Around where I live, Halloween decorations are abundant. There’s usually a little bit at every other house. That seems like alot to me. I put out a scarecrow and pumpkins, I’ll save the scary stuff for the beginning of October.
As for Candy Corn, I prefer the kind with chocolate ends. And i can’t even eat very many of those. Does anyone know what they’re meant to be flavored as?

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 09/10/2006 9:31 PM

::shoves five tons of candy corn and skull pops in mouth:: halloween!! nothing is sweeter than the taste of pure halloween goodness :) now it’s time to buy some neon bendable skeletons!

Chestnuts roasted by fuzzy_satyr @ 09/10/2006 9:35 PM

A splooge-tastic surprise of an update tonight, Matt. I’m psyched for this countdown (and, subsequently, for Halloween). Thanks.

Chestnuts roasted by Spoodles @ 09/10/2006 9:39 PM

kbm aren’t those generally known as Witches Teeth?

Chestnuts roasted by LemonWitch @ 09/10/2006 9:51 PM

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 10th, 2006 at 8:13 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.