It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown celebrates its 50th anniversary

A little earlier this year, I was doing some Halloween related math in my head (as one does) and it hit me that 2016 would mark the 50th anniversary of that most beloved of classic All Hallows' Eve related TV cartoon specials: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.



{A true delight for youngsters and the young at heart alike, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - which celebrates its fiftieth birthday this year - may be the most iconic Halloween television cartoon special of all time. Vintage image source.}


I would venture to guess that most of us in North America, and many in other parts of the world (especially where Halloween is observed to at least some degree), too, have seen this immensely beloved mid-sixties animated cartoon at least once in our lives - if not many, many times.

I fall into the latter camp and would estimate that I've probably seen It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown upwards of a hundred times (possibly more) at this point. I pretty much know it verbatim, but if anything, that just makes me adore it all the more.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, is a Halloween TV special that first aired on October 27, 1966, on the American station, CBC. It has seen been shown an untold number of times on many different TV channels, particularly in Canada and the US, ever since and has become a truly integral part of the autumn holiday landscape for millions upon millions of people for decades now.

As the name of this program implies, it stars the Charles M. Schulz’s characters, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts Gang, and centers around Halloween night.

In an endearingly charming twist on the age old practise of penning notes to Santa Claus, early on we see Linus van Pelt writing his annual letter to a (fictional) character called The Great Pumpkin - in spite of the fact that he is razzed by his peers, including Snoopy, for doing so.



{Linus, welcome sign in hand, waiting in earnest at a local pumpkin patch for the The Great Pumpkin to appear on Halloween night. Vintage image source.}


Linus later goes out, accompanied by Charlie Brown's little sister, Lucy (who has a major crush on her brother's BFF), to spend Halloween night in a local pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear, as he believes that "on Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch and flies through the air to bring toys to all the good little children" (again, in a serious nod to Old St. Nick).

Accompanying this plot line, we see Charlie Brown and his friends don costumes for, then go out, trick-or-treating, before heading over to Violet's house for the "big Halloween party". As well, there is a gorgeously animated (the colouring on the skies always knock my socks off) scene of Snoopy imagining he's WWI flying ace and that his doghouse is his fighter plane.



{The Peanuts gang, sans Linus and Sally, celebrating at a fun filled Halloween party at their friend Violet's house. Note Snoopy in his cute WWI flying ace costume. Vintage image source.}


Despite his faith and "sincerity", the Great Pumpkin does not appear as the night wears on and at one point Sally chides Linus over the fact that she wasted her Halloween evening and didn't get to go out for "tricks or treats" with the other kids.

Ultimately, Linus falls asleep in the pumpkin patch on a chilly autumn night until, at 4:00 AM the next morning, his sister Lucy wakes up, sees that he's not in his bed as he should be, and goes out to bring a very sleepy and chilly Linus into the house.

The show wraps up with Charlie and Linus discussing the previous evening and Charlie saying that he's done some "stupid things in his life", too, which only gets Linus' goat up all the more, strengthening his faith that The Great Pumpkin will indeed appear the following year after all.

There is something deeply relatable in Linus' steadfast belief in The Great Pumpkin. Aside from the fact that I think many of wish there was a Santa Claus or Easter Bunny type figure for Halloween, we can relate to Linus' belief that good behaviour and devoted faith (in something that isn't accepted by the mainstream population) will lead to positive rewards in our life.

Though only 25 minutes long, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown packs so much fun and festive merriment into its modest sized time frame, that for some folks, it almost feels like a full length movie (this point is helped along all the more by the program's terrific musical score, which was preformed by the Vince Guaraldi Sextet).



It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
{With little more than three weeks to go until Halloween arrives again, why not treat yourself to an early viewing of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Video source.}


There are certain elements without which a given holiday or special occasion just wouldn't feel the same and for me, and countless others, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is one of the things that makes Halloween, well, Halloween in my books.

It is sweet and iconic, gorgeously illustrated, easy to see yourself in at least one of the characters its stars, and a clear sign - when it appears on TV in mid to late October - that All Hallows Eve, a night of playful mischief and goodhearted fun, is just around the corner again.

{Snoopy’s appearance at one point in the night leads Linus to temporarily think that The Great Pumpkin has indeed risen out of the pumpkin patch. Alas, such didn’t happen, but that won’t stop Linus from waiting up the following year, hoping that such will finally happen. Vintage image source.}


I've truly enjoyed watching this classic Peanuts holiday special for the 32 of the 50 years that it has been around, and am certain, it will continue to be an integral part of my autumn time celebration for the rest of my life.

Especially since, as I'm sure many others do as well, I've always secretly hoped that Linus was right and that The Great Pumpkin was/is real.

Who knows...a little faith and a big imagination always make Halloween – much like watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown itself – all the more enjoyable!

31 awesome vintage, vintage appropriate, and handmade Halloween jewelry finds

It's scarcely a state secret that I love novelty jewelry (see, well, the vast majority of my outfits here over the years :D), and it's probably even less of a surprise to anyone who knows me and my blog that I live for Halloween (seriously).

When those two passions combine, it's accessorizing bliss in my books! And with the explosion in recent years of independent and smaller sized jewelry lines that cater to those with old school leanings, it's been tremendously exciting to see a slew of sensational Halloween related bijoux hit the (often virtual) shelves as of late.

Add to the mix genuine vintage pieces that were either designed specifically with Halloween in mind or which can fit the bill in a heartbeat (e.g., bat, spider and autumn leaf themed items) and the modern gal who adores looking to the past for her wardrobe choices is practically spoiled for choice - especially since a lot of these types of items can be had for relatively reasonable rates that don't have to break the bank for most folks.

So many fantastic options now exist in the vintage inspired/vintage reproduction/cute handmade Halloween jewelry field that it was genuinely hard to cap this list of festively fun finds at "just" 31 different items (one for every day that October houses).

That I did though, opting for a diverse range of pieces, not a single one of which exceeds $40.00 USD, which means that, hopefully, you can pick up at least one or two of your favourites and still have enough left over to treat yourself to plenty of pumpkin spice lattes this fall. :)

31 awesome vintage, vintage appropriate, 

and handmade Halloween jewelry finds

1. From the workshop of wildly talented designer Kirbee Lawler comes this enchantingly beautiful laser cut acrylic brooch depicting a redheaded witch sporting a glittery crescent moon on her pointy black hat. Swoon!!! $27.33 from Kirbee Art (it's also available in a fab green skinned version as well).




2. Luxulite designer Katy really goes all out when it comes to her marvelous Halloween creations - much to the unending delight of fall jewelry fans everywhere. In addition to a slew of fabulous brooches, she also offers up festive necklaces and earrings, such as the stylish jack-o-lantern themed demi-parure (you can also purchase just one of the two pieces individually, if so desired) shown here. $34.64 from Luxulite.


3. No doubt like many others the world over, my jaw all but hit the ground when I saw Erstwilder's exciting new Halloween jewelry line this year, which includes this deeply cool "Full of Woe?" Wednesday Addams inspired brooch (as well as eight other October 31st perfect offerings). $34.95 AUD from Erstwilder.



4. Equally fantastic for Halloween themed outfits and those worn at other times throughout the fall (if not all year 'round, too), this charmingly pretty mid-century vintage orangey-red thermoset plastic autumn leaf necklace is a dazzling piece that can be dressed up or down to your heart's content. $25.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.





5. Whether you prefer the primarily black or the mainly orange version - or adore both equally - these cute laser cute acrylic jack-o-lantern pumpkin dangle earrings with their heart shaped eyes are a definite must for any Halloween jewelry lover. $18.00 from I'm Your Present (who stock a wide range of Halloween themed jewelry and fashions - I'm also quite partial to their spider web earrings and trick or treat bunting necklace).




6. Rocking an illustration style that instantly calls to mind artwork from turn of the last century Halloween postcards and decorations, this sophisticatedly sweet black enamel and copper hued metal bat pin is the perfect piece to sport on your lapel (or hat, handbag, hairscarf, etc) now and leave on for a dose of spooky fun long after the last jack-o-lantern has been snuffed out for the season. $10.00 from Cat Coven.




7. What could be more seasonally appropriate - or versatile - than a beautifully sweet stretch bracelet made of smiling jack-o-lantern polymer clay beads and elastic cord? In fact, I'd be tempted to buy multiples and stack them or wear one on each wrist for even more pumpkiny fun! $13.32 from By The Shed.




8. From popular French vintage inspired jewelry line Glitter Paradise comes this enticingly lovely black and white Ouija planchette brooch that is sure to appeal one's Halloween adoring spirit (see what I did there? :D). $16.20 from Glitter Paradise.




9. Sporting a colour palette that instantly evokes thoughts of fall and Halloween pumpkins, this fun mid-century orange and white polka dot plastic bangle bracelet would look awesome as part of many different costumes and festive ensembles alike. $18.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.



10. Marry your love of all things vintage tiki related with your passion for October 31st care of this splendidly adorable handmade jack-o-lantern pumpkin brooch, which is crafted right here in my own country of Canada. $14.79 from Back To Betty.




11. What has these charming old school style black kitties all agasp? Could it be how amazing you'll look when you rock this fashionable vintage inspired hand painted black resin charm bracelet? (That's also available in a coordinating necklace.) $22.00 - $26.00 (depending on bracelet length) from Charcoal Designs.




12. From the shop of fellow vintage fan and fashion blogger, Laurie Duncan, comes this wonderfully adorable little handmade felt bat face lapel pin (that would look so charming pinned to a hat or snood as well!). $10.00 from Happy As A Lark.




13. Show off your festive spirit with this cheerful - and appealingly vibrant - black and yellow 1940s inspired Happy Halloween necklace that includes bone shaped beads and a crescent moon name plaque. $26.65 from Viva La Lux.




14. Summer Blue Jewelry's Halloween offerings always knock it out of the ballpark and this off-the-charts cool Eye of Newt Potion Bottle Brooch is certainly no exception. Check it out and then make sure to browse through the rest of this talented jewelry designer's old school inspired Halloween themed creations. $26.00 from Summer Blue Jewelry.




15. If hearing the words "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" sets your heart aflutter, may I suggest this wonderfully well priced "No Feet" shrink plastic double ghost brooch inspired directly from Tim Burton's 1980s classic film. $6.34 from Sayonara Baby.




16. Hi there, hot stuff! Whether you're looking to channel your inner she devil, an ancient sun/fire goddess, or sport a candle shaped costume for Halloween, these alluringly pretty sparkly red glitter and gold tone metal flame shaped vintage earrings are for you! $12.50 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.




17. Seasonally related novelty jewelry abounded in the 1980s and early 90s, and a very decent amount of it is still available in the second hand market today, often for a total song. Case in point this smile inducingly cute bat and pumpkin brooch from the eighties. $6.00 from The Little Wicked One.




18. Cute, kitsch and very fun, these dazzling 1950s inspired confetti lucite coffin shaped earrings are just the thing to sport for an evening stroll through your favourite local graveyard. $19.44 from Miss Vaudeville.




19. Jazz up the fall time necessity that is layering with some yesteryear pinup girl style when you slip on this stylish sweater guard. $13.00 from Abbie's Anchor.




20. Big, eye-catching and marvelously fun, this generously sized resin ring (embedded with real candy!) stars a smiling jack-o-lantern is sure to be a treat to wear! $15.75 from I Sew Cute.




21. Fabulous for autumn time now and Canada Day come July, this elegantly pretty c. 1970s - 80s does 1940s/1950s terracotta ceramic bead and gold tone metal maple leaf dangle charm choker necklace is a sophisticated piece that would make for a great addition to any vintage, pinup, rockabilly, boho, goth or modern wardrobe. $16.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.




22. Decked out with some seriously wonderful mid-century inspired artwork, this attractive hand painted jack-o-lantern themed wooden bangle bracelet is just the thing to wear solo or partner with your favourite fall hued Bakelite pieces. $18.65 from Lady Jo Bangles.




23. Fans of cute enamel pins the world over are sure to squeal (meow) with delight over this adorable little kitty ghost offering, which is clearly a specter that's far more sweet than sinister. $8.00 from Em & Sprout.




24. Equal parts adorable and eerie, this charming, very vintage looking skeleton dangle brooch is sure to bound a shiver of delight down your spine! $21.98 from Mrs Polly's Lucite.




25. Aww! That's what I said when I first laid eyes on this darling glitter resin finger ring. We often associate bunnies with spring, but as this creative piece of handmade jewelry attests, they can work splendidly for All Hallows Eve' as well. $15.00 from Hypnotic Sweet Treats.




26. Owls and October go together like Halloween and caramel apples, so why not celebrate this festively appropriate avian critter in chic old school style care of an oversized articulated pendant necklace like this 1970s charmer. (Currently on sale at the time of writing for) $29.00 from The Best Vintage Clothing.




27. Boasting colours that match the two most common ones seen in Halloween pumpkins these days, this delightful pair of 1950s - 1960s orange and white cluster bead clip-on earrings even somewhat resemble a mound of piled up pumpkins to boot! :) $10.50 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.




28. With a very vintage looking style and a seriously cute face, this Scared Pumpkin Necklace is just the statement making piece of jewelry you need to let your love of Halloween shine through in any outfit. $31.97 from You Make Me Design.




29. Be a total glamour ghoul when you rock this eye-catching twinkly glitter Bride of Frankenstein head shaped brooch that's done up in a nighttime perfect combo of black and gold. $13.00 from Poison of Choice.




30. Enchantingly elegant and perfect for all sorts of Victorian, Edwardian and gothic style looks, this beautiful black floral lace choker necklace is sure to have you swooning nearly to the point of needing a 19th century fainting couch. $10.99 from Blue Velvet Vintage.




31. What list of vintage inspired, Halloween perfect jewelry would be complete without including one of Creep Heart's magnificent offerings, such as this precious pair of dancing skeleton kitty dangle earrings. $29.95 AUD from Creep Heart.



{To learn more about a specific item featured in today's post, please click on its image or the link in the text directly below it to be taken to its respective source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

...Must refrain from buying every single item above! :D Halloween themed jewelry, accessories and fashions one of those "shut up and take my money!" situations for me, and I'm not complaining in the slightest.

My October 31st approved wardrobe selection has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years in no small part thanks to some of the sources included in today's fun vintage shopping post (many of which offer multiple Halloween themed pieces, so it's definitely worth checking all of their shops out in greater detail).
 
I'm sure, too, that as time goes on, I'll continue to buy from more and more brands that I haven't yet shopped from before, while also returning to tried-and-true personal favourites, such as Luxulite, Summer Blue Jewelry, Charcoal Designs, Sayonara Baby, Poison of Choice, and Erstwilder.

Naturally, though this may go without saying, there are certainly many other incredible brands out there who are making vintage inspired Halloween themed jewelry (and fashions, etc), as well as many more sources of genuine vintage pieces that fall under this header, too.

Likewise, if a certain maker/company didn't appear here, that definitely doesn't mean that they weren't worthy of inclusion; I simply had to cap this post at a reasonable number of entries and look forward to continuing to feature other brands in future Halloween related posts.

If one is searching for additional places to shop from, stores and online shops that sell goth and gothabilly jewelry and accessories, are often a stellar spot to check out as well, as many of the offerings from such locations tend to naturally suit Halloween time extremely well.

I've recently ordered a few new Halloween jewelry items myself and can hardly wait for them to arrive! Some may appear in outfit posts this year and if not, very likely down the road during future spooky seasons.

I'm really appreciative to all of the brands who sell vintage appropriate Halloween pieces, as well as to the true vintage sellers who list such offerings.

For those of us who go weak in the knees for Halloween, it is sincerely wonderful to be able to enrich our wardrobes with these kinds of celebratory, beautiful accessories (all of which, if so desired, can of course be sported all throughout the rest of the year, too, especially if your wardrobe has goth-ly inclinations).

Have you picked up any new vintage or vintage inspired Halloween wearables for yourself this year? Which of the ones highlighted here speak to you the most? What would your ultimate piece Halloween related jewelry look like?

And last, but certainly not, least, are you as psyched as I am about that fact that October 31st is little more than three weeks away at this point?

A vintage image filled alphabet of fall favourites

My excitement over the fact that we are now, really and truly, into my favourite month of the entire year cannot be contained. I'm buzzing with more energy than if I just ate a semi-trailer truck's worth of the very sweetest Halloween candy (alas, I haven't had a single piece...yet!).

If you've been following my blog for a while now, a.) thank you immensely and b.) chances are you're well acquainted with how much I go utterly wild for all of autumn. Naturally including the gorgeous month of October, and its crowing glory, All Hallows' Eve, which will greet us again in about four weeks time.

To celebrate the start of the 10th month of the year - one of, if not often "the" busiest for our family, thanks to numerous events such as Canadian Thanksgiving, multiple family birthdays (including my sister and maternal grandma's), our wedding anniversary (Tony and I will be toasting twelve awesome years together on the 14th), and of course Halloween itself - I recently had the fun idea of listing some of my very favourite elements of the season.

I wanted to put a different spin on such however, to distinguish it from similar fall/Halloween centered lists, such as this one from 2013, and like a bolt of stormy fall time lightning, the idea struck me recently to do so by presenting such in the form of an alphabet.

This, in and of itself, tying into the start of the school year last month and the general air of all this academic that fills the early weeks of this season.

As it's Sunday and most of us are busy enjoying these final days of mild sunshine and accompanying warmth while they're still here, I didn't want this post to be a huge one by any means and have thus opted to list each entry - which speaks for itself, I feel - simply with with its name, a few further words at most, and an accompanying vintage image.

There are truly countless things to love about fall and this selection of twenty-six entries is the mere tip of the iceberg, but they're some of my perpetual favourites and one that I know are near and dear to many of hearts as well. So without further ado, may I present an alphabetical look at some of the best elements of fall.
 
1. Apples (especially candy and caramel ones!) 


2.Bats



3. Costume parties



4. Dinner, Thanksgiving (yum-yum!!!)


5. Eeriness (as in the general sense of mystery that fills the air as Halloween draws near) 


6. Fall leaves, in all their jewel toned splendor



7. Goblins, ghosts, and ghouls of every sort!



8. Harvest time



9. (The) Invisible Man



10. Jack-o-lanterns



11. Knits - sweaters, scarves, gloves, you name it!



12. Lighting candles on the nights grow longer once more



13. (The) Moon - crescent, harvest, full, any stage of this gorgeous heavenly element is all the more at home during autumn time



14. Nuts - very much including the seasonal gem that is acorns



15. (The colour) Orange



16. Popcorn being transformed into all kinds of sweet and savoury treats (very much including caramel corn and popcorn balls)



17. Queuing up on the first day back to school



18. (Hay) Rides in the crisp autumn air



19. Scarecrows



20. Trick-or-treating



21. (Carrying) UNICEF boxes to collect for charity on Halloween night



22. Vampires (and vampire movies)




23. Werewolves (and, likewise werewolf movies)

24. (The e)Xcitement of Halloween!




25. Yellow, orange and white - the traditional colours of that sweet fall time treat, candy corn!



26. Zombies

{To learn more about a specific image used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Which of these autumnal favourites strikes a particular chord with you as well? Are there others that would have take top billing on a list like this of your own? (And, naturally, if you do want to follow my lead and create your own fall favourites alphabet, please, by all means go for it - I'd adore reading your selection as well anytime!)

In a way, I want to say that this week is like the calm before the storm of epic activity that will unfold throughout the month, but in reality, it's already hopping with excitement, full days, and plenty of festive happenings - and you know, I really wouldn't have it any other way.

From my earliest childhood memories onward, October has been a busy, exhilarating time of the year and as someone who really loves to focus on family, tradition, and holidays, this month and its festive happenings brings me an endless amount of happiness.

I hope that it does the same for you as well, no matter what's on your (slice-of-Halloween-cake topped) plate this month, and that you enjoyed this fun alphabet post.

It's a charming way to roundup some of the elements that one treasures the most about a given season and I'm now, quite literally as I type these very words, wondering if perhaps I should give one a go for winter/Christmastime, too. Definitely let me know in the comments below if you'd be keen to see such here as well.

My sweet and wonderful friends, from my heart to yours, I wish you each a gorgeous, thrilling and very merry month of October - which I can hardly wait to celebrate again with you from start to spooky costume clad finish!