New Skeletons

photo: Better Homes and Gardens

We were rather entranced by this standing skeleton in the 2011 Better Homes and Gardens special  Halloween Tricks and Treats edition of their magazine, and were further intruiged when we saw how light and poseable it was. We also liked that this is a realistic-looking skeleton, and that it is of a thick, durable plastic.


photo: Better Homes and Gardens



photo: Better Homes and Gardens

The magazine did not have a source for the skeletons but our friend Doktor Calamari was also searching for them and told us it was at a seasonal store, Halloween City, a division of the year-round Party City. we visited thier website to find locations and found a 20% off coupon, which we printed out. This brought the price of each skeleton down to $56 plus tax.

This is the first year we have seen these skeletons, and since they were hard to find and sold out quickly, this post is dedicated to them, in the hope that it helps other people who have seen the skeletons in the magazine and are also trying to track them down.



These 63-inch tall skeletons with eyes also have a small button on the head that activates flashing blue and green colored lights and some sound effects, which we were ambivalent about. I doubt that I'd ever need to push that button again, and really, I'd be fine if the skeleton came without the eyeballs. But because the eyes light up red, removing the eyeballs would reveal a hole where the electronics go (and also leave some giant eye sockets) so I guess my skeletons will have eyes for the time being.

Another good feature is that the entire skeleton glows in the dark.



One tiny negative: there is random brown paint on the glow-in-the-dark bones. One of my skeletons got a big dose of the brown paint on one leg and not so much on the other.

The skeleton's stand is very small and unobtrusive. Just some black metal plates, but they do attach to pipes that go up his legs and across his hips. The plates are not easily removed or adjustable. It is surprising how stable he feels on such a small stand.




The only assemply is to attach each thigh bone to it's respective shin bone. The right and left sides are even labeled 'A' and 'B' so it really is simple.




Here's the box:




We're not sure, but we think they are made by Halloween International, because there is a logo on the box that says that:



We also see on the box that they are distributed by Christmas International



To make it a little more complicated, the side of the box says Halloween USA



Something else I really liked about him was that his joints ratchet into place, so he will hold a pose with having to use glue or other means.

The skeleton from Halloween International

2011 was a bumper year for new skeletons on the market. For comparison, here is the above skeleton standing between two other new skeletal offerings:




The $30 Walgreens skeleton is hanging on the left. It has an aged appearnce and is super lightweight, but the plastic is thin and brittle. I returned it to the store, and saw another in the store had his neck torn.  Hanging from the right is the $40 Target skeleton, which glows in the dark, is of durable plastic and has ratcheting joints. I like his face and am pretty happy with him, but I do wish that he could stand on his own (the stand is a big feature in my book and worth the $17 price difference). I don't have a photo of it here, but I hung the Target skellie next to an expensive Bucky skeleton from Anatomical Chart Supply, and they look quite alike. I won't be buying any more Bucky skeletons, since there are these inexpensive and realistic options now.

So there you have it, a quick round-up of the new skeletons of 2011.

Roger's Gardens Halloween

These pictures of a mad scientist's laboratory were taken at a plant nursery. That's right: a plant nursery that does a haunt! Couldn't you just swoon with happiness?! The beautiful Roger's Gardens, located at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd, Corona del Mar, California, completely decorates one of their buildings, which then is open to the public during regular business hours in September and October. They create a different haunt theme each year, publishing the full backstory on their website and on mail-outs when the building is ready. Note that it is not a traditional haunt, but rather a store with many large, extremely detailed "haunt displays" (with sound effects!) that are right in the center of things, allowing you to touch the objects and become fully immersed in the backstory. That is, if you can ignore the nearby shelves, urns and baskets spilling with Halloween goodies that are actually for sale! They even sell Bucky skeleton parts at very reasonable prices. It's my heaven, and I sooo look forward to going each year. Here's some more pics from 2009's depraved-magician's-basement theme: