Staystillreview's annual dollar store challenge!
It's safe to say that 2020 certainly has been a very strange and uncertain year. I know lots of people were bummed out when it was announced that due to the pandemic a good number of shows, haunted attractions, theme parks, movies, and conventions were either canceled or pushed back. I for one am relieved somewhat. I feel if things were still being held or open, or released people are going to think or at least believe that everything is back to "normal" and flock out and before you know it. BOOM! A second wave. I take this pandemic VERY seriously. I know people who have lost loved ones, and as someone who's high risk, and so isn't their father this virus has seriously scared me to death. I've been beyond careful this past summer, and I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that my nerves and mental health have been on edge. It has seriously sucked. I work for the school department so this really freaks me out. I would like to believe I have been beyond careful these last six months, and now in September approaching my favorite time of year, I understand that this autumn is going to look very different than past ones. Still, I'm a firm believer that you can still make a holiday special without going out and risking getting yourself or others sick. I mean I celebrated this past 4th of July by having a Stranger Things marathon with mixed drinks and eggos. For Memorial Day weekend I went up to Maine to visit my sister and husband and took walks while socially distancing, having drinks, watching Everybody Wants Some!!, and grilling out good food. I was lucky enough to even swim in the ocean since they have a private beach. I was able to get out without interacting with others, and preventing myself for going stir crazy. Lots of evenings sipping drinks and reading on my back deck, having movie marathons, and of course my online film group with friends of mine from college. I see it as if you are safe, you can still have fun. Hell, my birthday was a few days ago and I ordered take-out, and spent my evening watching Happy Death Day. Not the most exciting birthday, but I still have fun, and was safe! For this Halloween, first it's on a Saturday, so that's beyond awesome. Second, I plan on making the next eight or so weeks jammed packed with autumn/Halloween themed fun. I plan on buying and yes attempting to carve a pumpkin, have a 31 days of Halloween movie marathon. I'm looking forward to watching the same horror movies I know and love playing on a loop for Fear Fest on AMC. I want to go on rides checking out the foliage, as well as buying pumpkin flavored drinks at Starbucks, and munching on candy corn while watching old commercials that are Halloween themed on Youtube, and reading up on my favorite blogs covering the coolest October happenings like Dinosaur Dracula, and Uncle TNUC. Like I said, it all comes down to making your own type of fun. I don't see this up coning Halloween season as a bust. I see it as a chance to get creative!!!
So in typical Halloween fashion I'm keeping up with one of my favorite traditions, I decided this morning to do my Staystillreviews' annual dollar store challenge! I always try to do this a few days into September. I woke up, and kicked things off by watching The Midnight Hour (1985) which is one of my ALL time favorite movies to watch on Halloween. Afterwards, I grabbed a pumpkin flavored coffee (I'm so white), and decided to hit up my local Michaels to see what Halloween goodies they have. I always go to Michael's at least once during the Halloween season to stock up on silly junk. Usually slime, stress balls, eyeballs, ect. It's always junk I throw into care packages to send out to my friends who live across the country, or into giveaway prizes I hold a few times a year. I actually did pretty well in there. Store wise during this whole thing I try to only visit the drug store, or the market. This was a breath of fresh air (behind a mask of course) and Michael's wasn't really packed since it was so early. The displays were awesome, and I took my time looking at everything. My only wish was that they had more body parks for sale. What only me? Still, I stocked up on some fun stuff for sure!
Afterwards, I had plans on trying to find a new Dollar Store. For the last five years I've visited the same one for this challenge. It isn't exactly in the best area, but man can they stock their shelves full of Halloween junk. It's in such a bad area I don't know...it kinda adds to the charm. Plus it's sandwiched between the DMV and Chinese buffet. Still, I decided not to visit this one simply because the city it's located in is a red zone for the virus. I decided to head up to NH (Which is right next door to where I live.) So after hitting up Michael's, I decided to see which Dollar Store or Dollar Tree I could check out that was somewhat safe. After finishing Michael's, I happened to notice this Dollar Store across the street I had never noticed before. It was on the second floor which was off, and the only way up was by taking an elevator. The second I stepped in I thought to myself "Damn this would really suck if this got stuck between the floors." Aka that's just how my brain works.
It's called fashion honey...look it up.
Once I entered, I was stunned over how HUGE this place was. I asked the woman if she had any Halloween stuff up, and she apologized telling me she had only gotten a chance to stock up on one area. Nevertheless I was impressed by what I saw "Dollar Store wise." Here I gave myself the budget of 20$ and went to town. I also found some hidden gems throughout the store, including this SICK hat that I wore pulling weeds in my lawn an hour ago like a true 90 year old. I plan on wearing this hat all the time now. To quote Goodfellas "It's my hat, it's my lucky hat...I can't fly without my hat."
This Dollar Store was actually a ton of fun and a little hole in the wall hidden away. I'm really glad I found it. The sales woman must have thought something was wrong with me since I wore the hat I bought around the store and was playing with bouncy balls and at one point out a donut float around me as I shopped. Hey...I haven't gone out a lot lately, I was living my best life!
#Mood
This is what I picked up at both Michael's and the Dollar Store...
Dollar Store pickups...
1) Plastic Scream mask - I was stunned over finding this. Man brought back some memories of dressing as Ghostface for Halloween in 1997 with my sister! Even though it was cheap plastic it was still super cool to find!
2) 1 orange bouncy ball - Impulse buy, bought it for Winchester!
3) Fake bloody fingers
4) A 4 pack of Halloween treat bags.
5) 1 pair of Furry Halloween socks.
6) Plastic bloody Saw
7) I fake rubber eyeball.
8) 1 very cheap looking bloody hockey mask.
9) Fake rubber fangs - I don't think you could pay me to pop these babies in. Still cool looking!
10) This weird light up glitter bat pen.
11) A Shark egg - One of those you put in water and watch it hatch and grow. I'm forever an eight year old and will be doing so after I'm done writing this.
12) A squishy hot dog - Yet again impulse buy. Has nothing to do with Halloween, but I had to!
13) Plastic hammerhead shark.
14) Spooky gel window clings - Who else loved putting these on windows as a kid?
15) My Hat
This fucking thing was my favorite thing I bought today. Legit wearing everywhere even when I sleep tonight. I feel like a cross between Sam Neil from Jurassic Park, and Traci Lords from Skinner.
Michaels pickups
1) 3 giant stress balls that all look like pumpkins - 2 light up, one filled with foam. Love these things. Maybe it's a sensory thing, but squeezing these when I'm working or writing always helps me focus.
2) 2 bags of fake witch fingers!
#Mood
3) 1 pack of red/orange/and green slime in tiny pumpkin containers.
4) 1 plastic cup that looks like it's a brain. - Planning on sipping my gin & tonics in this!
5) 2 packages of squishy eyeballs. Love these things and the colors they come in.
6) 2 containers of slime/sand
7) 2 containers of slime in coffin containers with rubber spiders in them. Super cool looking!8) 1 squishy Frankenstein...or "Frankenstein's monster..."
9) 3 really cool glass eyeballs.
10) 3 squishy brains - It isn't a Halloween without me buying a ton of brains to pose with my Brain Damage and Return Of The Living Dead VHS tapes!
11) 1 Grow a pumpkin - The kind you put in water and watch grow.
12) Whatever the fuck these things are?
13) Pumpkin string lights.
All and all I would say this was a pretty successful shopping trip! If anyone else decides to take part of the Dollar Store Challenge the rules are simple! Give yourself anywhere from 10$ to 20$ Find a local Dollar Store and try and find the coolest most original items that are Halloween themed. Then...go CRAZY! Email me at StaystillFX@Gmail.com or DM me on IG (Staystillreviews) I'll make sure to post your Halloween hauls on my stories! Please REMEMBER! If you go into a store...WEAR A MASK!
Planning on kicking back with some candy corn, watching some vintage Halloween commercials and kick off this spooky season in true Staystillreviews fashion!!!
Happy September everyone!!!
