By: Lizz Panchyk
It’s that time of year when we can transform our lawns, houses or dorms into a haunted landscape or a cute and fun scene. All it takes are some decorations. But did you know that you don’t have to limit your choices to those at Party City and Spirit Halloween? Here are a few local spots where you can buy Halloween decorations that’ll catch the eye of passersby.
Hicks Nurseries - Westbury
Hicks Nurseries was founded in 1853 and is the oldest nursery and garden center on Long Island. It contains a wide selection of items, from plants to watering cans and pots to decorations. They go all out for fall and Halloween and the price range of items is $3 to $400, but most are in the $20 to $80 range. If you’re a plant parent, you can get one of their succulents with decorated pots--perfect for window sills for $8.99 to 11.99. And if you’re looking for something cheap and simple, look into their metal signs you can stick in the ground with pumpkins, black cats, spiders and more, ranging from $4.99 to $39.99.
“I’ve noticed that most people who get decorations always have at least one of the metal signs in their cart,” said Katie Knobloch who has been working at Hicks for two years. And don’t forget to pick out a pumpkin before checking out Learn more at hicksnurseries.com.
Garden World - Franklin Square
Established in 1949, Garden World in Franklin Square is another nursery where you can find all different types of decorations. They have light-up signs and stickers you can put on windows on your house or dorm room; some of them even light up or glow in the dark. Also keep an eye out for inflatables if you want to go all out this year. Their prices for decorations range from $2.99 to $399. They have another location in Flushing, Queens that you can check out as well. You can find out more at www.nygardenworld.com.
Dees Nursery and Florist - Oceanside
Dees Nursery and Florist has been family owned since 1958 and has since expanded their garden center. Much like Hicks, they have a large selection, from shrubs to seeds to new decorations every season. You can find scarecrows, large inflatables from Tim Burton movies, and cute little ghosts or scary witches to hang on your trees. They also carry seasonal and non-seasonal LED lights to light up your room and your house. Their store has more than the eye can see, so do stop by or visit (deesnursery.com.
Five Below - Nassau County
Five Below, known for being a cheap store with a wide selection, for anyone who loves to stock up on holiday items. College students often look for cheaper options to liven their spaces without breaking the bank. At Five Below, you can find wall decorations, hanging signs, LED lights (for those of you without roommates) and even jumbo eyeballs! All for $5 and below, you can find locations all over Nassau. So if you need something cheap and fast, here is a great place to go.
Dollar Tree - Nassau County
Another cheap place on the map would be Dollar Tree, which carries items both large and small. Joanne Meltzer, who has been decorating her Nassau County house every Halloween for 25 years, enjoys DIYing some of her decorations and uses this store as one of her shopping spots. “A lot of the stuff I get, I get at Dollar Tree because it’s the cheapest place and you can actually make that stuff last a long time,” she said.
One of the easiest indoor decorations is something as simple as a kitchen towel or garland to pin onto your walls. But if you want to really go out there, look into their hanging witches and skeletons, stick a “beware” sign into your lawn and bestow a spider web onto your bush to make your house look really haunting—just like Meltzer does.
Really wherever you go, you’re guaranteed to find some sort of outdoor Halloween ornamentation. So get your spook on and start decorating!