Halloween is quickly becoming the most popular holiday for decorating. According to Sparky the fire dog, at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), decorations are the first things to ignite in over 1,000 home fires each year. Autumn and Halloween decorations seem especially vulnerable, due to the tinder-like quality of dried foliage and flowers, combined with the use of candlelight to cast spooky shadows and keep a dark and haunting feel to the holiday. It is for these reasons that Fire Prevention Day are in the month of October (10/9).
Retail store owners hoping for a way to boost sales may want to consider something other than mailbox fliers and advertising campaigns. There’s a way to dazzle your customers so they won’t just walk on by. This type of visual merchandising is eye-catching, creative, safe, and a cost-effective marketing tool—LED decorative lights.
We all know that pink is the color for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
- Pink ribbons, inside and outside, on cupcakes, in your hair
- Pink lights wrapped around trees and in the branches
- The Gateway Arch in St. Louis turned pink
- Runners with pink shirts, and pink hats, racing for the cure
- Even the White House was turned pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- October is the month to “think pink” for breast cancer awareness
Americans have many great holidays, and holiday traditions, including Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. Many of us celebrate these holidays by decorating, having parties, giving gifts, and traveling to be with family members. Americans love our holiday celebrations, and they wouldn’t be the same without the long-standing accompanying traditions, like turkey on Thanksgiving, trick-or-treating on Halloween, or Christmas lights on Christmas. However, most of our holiday traditions and customs result in a lot of excess consumption and other activities, that have an adverse impact on the environment. One of my favorite holidays, Halloween, is right around the corner and our celebrations of this great fall holiday will have a large adverse impact on the environment. It is estimated that Americans spend over $6.5 billion dollars on Halloween each year. Most of this money is spent on candy and Halloween costumes. Although much of the candy is presumably consumed, the candy packaging is not, and many of the costumes will be disposed. These are just two small examples of the environmental impact of Halloween. We are not advocating that we do away with Halloween candy or Halloween costumes; however, there is a lot we all can do to limit the impact our Halloween celebration has on the environment.
As autumn descends into Fall, and long bright days pave way to dark evenings, a lot of parents are going to be awakened by their small child’s newly developed fear of darkness. According to WebMD, fear of the dark typically manifests itself around the ages of 2-3 when children reach the stage of brain development where the imagination takes off, but isn’t yet experienced enough to discern reality from non-reality.
You know it’s time for the annual fall festival when warm summer days turn to crisp autumn nights, and the leaves begin to turn a kaleidoscope of colors. A fall festival offers a family-friendly alternative to traditional Halloween activities, and they are the most anticipated fall event for school fundraisers, church get-togethers, and neighborhood celebrations.
Though Labor Day is now celebrated as a day of rest and relaxation at summer’s end, it really is a yearly tribute to American workers and their achievements—people who work hard and work efficiently—people who don’t easily quit. Labor Day was started by either Peter McGuire, general secretary of Carpenters and Joiners, or by Matthew Maguire, a machinist. It was first celebrated as a holiday in September 5, 1882 in New York City. It became a national holiday in 1887 and was originally celebrated with parades, picnics and speeches.
LED lights are an eye-catching and innovative way to draw attention to local events. This year, take your events beyond decorating the façade of your business or wrapping the landscaping in rope lights. Those time-honored decorative techniques will still add excitement to your event, but to really make some heads turn—get creative!