X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment.com A Proud UGO Affiliate
X-Entertainment loves Christmas and will not stop talking about it, ever.
« [Main Index] »

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

Oh my freaking gosh! You’ve managed to get Tim Curry into the countdown layout! I so appalaud you, Matt. Mmm…Curry.

Chestnuts roasted by rhps_brad_fan @ 09/10/2006 9:55 PM


CANDY CORN Has a wiki page. And there seems to be no intended flavor.

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 09/10/2006 10:07 PM

Candy corn tastes like crap. I have no idea how you people can eat it.

Chestnuts roasted by Rocky @ 09/10/2006 10:09 PM

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN 2006. Yesssss, sirrrrr! Looking forward to the new articles, features, and jukebox! Pre-emptive thanks to Matt, Brian, and Tummi.

Taking my gear to school tomorrow to decorate. I wonder how many years I will be able to get away with it???

Darth Poop, I didn’t think that but any excuse to use that line is a-okay with me.

Not to derail from the Halloween festivites but are you STAR WARS peeps going to buy the new/old DVD’s OR wait for the super-duper deluxe versions for the 30th, 32nd, 44th, and 50th anniversary? Seriously, I haven’t decided yet. Your thoughts??

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 09/10/2006 10:16 PM

YES! YES! CELEBRATION!

Chestnuts roasted by Bryan @ 09/10/2006 10:21 PM

Every year I fall for the damned candy corn. [And/or indian corn and/or harvest mix. Yummm.] I eat a few pieces here and there and then…well, I’ll just say that a few days ago, I threw away half a bag of candy corn.
Last year’s candy corn.

Chestnuts roasted by Jinxie @ 09/10/2006 10:36 PM

Thanks so much for the start of the countdown!!!
I’ve been dying here… LOL

Chestnuts roasted by Croww @ 09/10/2006 10:40 PM

Well buy the CANDY CORN and MIX IT with PEANUTS!!! How many times do I have to say it?

Also, YES…It has begun.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Chestnuts roasted by Fox @ 09/10/2006 10:53 PM

It’s on! Viva the Countdown! I admire your commitment, Matt, two whole months of ‘weenie goodness is more than anybody can ask for.
However: Volsas? My Spanish isn’t so hot, but methinks that’s a typographical. :)
Manimal, if the new DVDs have both the theatrical and special editions, I’m thinking about picking them up and pawning my as-yet-unopened special edition box set (just checked Amazon and it is both versions, so I’m definitely considering it. I’ll wait to hear more reviews though.).
Hit the Hallo store yesterday. Didn’t find anything great besides a cute doggy pirate costume. It was way too much to be worth buying, but I’ll watch for it at markdown time. I had better luck at the grocery, where they’d finally restocked on Pom Tea. Lately all the stores around have been out, with little signs from Pom saying they’d had problems with their harvest and to be patient. Also, I saw bloody worms at Big Lots.
Big thanks to Matt, Brian and Tummi! Here’s to a great spooky season for all!

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/10/2006 10:54 PM

I absolutely love you for starting the countdown so early this year! At least, it feels early.. But I’m already so excited for Halloween so it shall all work out well. =) I’m sorry for your bad luck on the scratch tickets, I’ll probably end up buying a bag when I see it. I open the bag right away thinking ‘yum, candy corn!’ eat a few pieces, then forget about it for weeks. =D
Funny, it seems like the Halloween season is in full swing now just because you officially started the countdown. ;)
Can’t wait to see what you have in store!

Chestnuts roasted by Christine @ 09/10/2006 10:56 PM

I hate candy corn…but leave it to Tar-J to make me wanna buy some. Excellent start to the countdown, Matt! Lovin’ the Halloween graphics! Can’t wait for an updated jukebox.

Chestnuts roasted by EtHM @ 09/10/2006 11:15 PM

First of all…I’m happy to report that Colorforms are back!!! I thought they stopped making them, and maybe they did, but I found a ton of em at my KB.

And yay, the halloween countdown has begun again! and here’s the first instance of this one this year: How can I burn the songs off of the Jukebox???

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 09/10/2006 11:20 PM

Man, I went to Target today and all they had was literally 3 Isles of empty shelves. They all had this cheap cardboard signs with a pumpkin stamped on em’ that stated “Don’t worry it’s not a trick, Halloween will be here soooooon!” only it was written in spooky lettering and the Sooooooooon had like 40 gajillion O’s in it.

But the candy Isle is INSANE! Four rows wide by 2 rows deep. Assuming the standard for Target’s isles are universal.

BTW does anyone else’s Target have a Starbucks in em’?

Chestnuts roasted by Jester @ 09/10/2006 11:24 PM

EtHM: The jukebox will be updated with a few more songs this week. :)

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/10/2006 11:32 PM

They brought back Fashion Plates, too. I was all pissed cuz I’m broke and Toys R Us wanted $25 for a set of Barbie fashion plates. And stupid Wal-Mart only had Dora the Explorer. :P I was offered some freelance work so if it actually pans out (third times a charm, right?) I might have some spending money to order some cool Hello Kitty or Disney Princess ones online instead. Dora sucks.

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 09/10/2006 11:36 PM

I already have the special editions. I like Hayden, and therefore I do not cringe about him being inserted into Jedi. I will not be purchasing anything else “original trilogy” related.

Well maybe Lego Star Wars II :)

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 09/10/2006 11:58 PM

Sweet, the coutdown has begun!

Ya know, when your half asleep and you see the word Funkins, it really screws you up. It took me a few tries to figure out what that word was. Fuckins, Funkyins, WHAT?

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 09/11/2006 12:04 AM

Candy corn is definitely a favorite of mine. Every September, I hit Target for that first (yes, first) bag of corn and then a box of Frankenberry. Why does it, and Boo Berry, only come out this time of year?! I could eat it everyday, all year round. Bastards.

It’ll usually take me about a month to polish off the bag of candy corn, and I’ll buy another just before Halloween, eat maybe half of it, and eventually toss it out. They’re a gut buster…

Chestnuts roasted by ColonelCatsup @ 09/11/2006 12:09 AM

ColonelCatsup: I’ve been munching on Booberry and Frankenberry all year long, courtesy of my local Wal Mart.

Chestnuts roasted by Spoodles @ 09/11/2006 12:28 AM

I love Count Chocula, Boo Berry and Frankinberry, but I can’t eat tons of it. And I bought the monster three pack at Sams last year, mixed them (like Matt suggested) and it was really too much for me. But I think that if I was a four year old, I would have had a fit of joy for the awesomeness of it all. And, oddly enough, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of it, the odds of me buying all three and mixing them again this year are very very very good, the idea is just to great to pass up.

I loved Funkins! I didn’t remember them as well until I saw the picture of the package with the kid being way to scared of a plastic bag, then it all came back.

Chestnuts roasted by Fox @ 09/11/2006 12:30 AM

Thank you Matt. Like everyone else I have been anxious for Halloween but felt embarrassed slightly for wanting to get into the spirit way too early. This next two months are going to be fun :)

Chestnuts roasted by Goob @ 09/11/2006 12:37 AM

Maaan, my local Wal-Mart doesn’t. They’re not capable of something cool like that. All that damned place is good for is the freak show that it is….

….and excellent DVD sales….

Chestnuts roasted by ColonelCatsup @ 09/11/2006 12:41 AM

those sneaky bastards at target. i worked there for 6 months and hated every second of it. yet i still find myself mesmerized when i go in there…mainly by their “seasonal” section. that place is amazing.

mine still hasnt finished setting up their halloween display. it’s always half-assed here in charlottesville, va.

Chestnuts roasted by brianfax @ 09/11/2006 12:51 AM

Halloween Countdown!!!

I think I just came in my pants. Just a little.

Chestnuts roasted by Rev @ 09/11/2006 12:58 AM

Can’t say I’ve ever been afraid of a plastic bag.

Chestnuts roasted by jrh @ 09/11/2006 1:02 AM

Add A New Comment!


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.