Pops!

Today we're talking about two varieties of "Pops."  One is candy, one is cake.  Other than one word in their names, they have nothing in common.  Although, that's not true, because they're both very tasty and bring us something cool to talk about.  So, let's dive right into it by beginning with Entenmann's.

Last year, I talked about Entenmann's Halloween Donuts.  They were one of my favorite finds from the 2011 Holidaze.  What was so great about them was the fact that their little orange sprinkles actually had an orange flavor.  This was a pleasant surprise and one that I definitely wasn't expecting.  Talk about going the extra mile.

This year, I was looking through the Entenmann's end cap at various grocery stores, but didn't find those Donuts.  This year, it appeared as though they were only carrying the Entenmann's Pumpkin Donuts.  I believe they're also new, but I know I wouldn't like them.  That was a disappointment because I thought they were a huge hit.  Shop Rite, Stop & Shop, Path Mark, strike three and I'm out.  But, that was until I wandered through Wal-Mart.  Out of the darkness, the Halloween Donuts appeared and saved the day.  However, as the logo above states, this post isn't about the Donuts.  We did that last year.  Nope, this year, we're talking about..

Entenmann's Halloween Pop 'Ems!  The box is the same as last year and that's great.  For as much as I like seeing new designs, Entenmann's doesn't necessarily need to change anything.  They have the black, they have the orange, they have witches, bats, and pumpkins, and it's just the right amount of gloomy!  I've always loved their stuff.

Now, I decided to go with the Pop 'Ems this year because I wanted to give Holidaze readers something new.  Plus, I tried the donuts last year, these look like miniature versions of the same, and I thought they'd be bite size versions of the flavorful donuts last year.  Assuming they're the same ingredients, this would be great!  The chocolatey orange burst would probably be more impactful than ever before.  This appeared to be the perfect direction.

Open up the box and your nostrils are smacked by that amazing aroma.  It's the type of smell that you know shouldn't make you that happy, but it does and you're not complaining.  It's the type of smell that explains why America has such an obesity problem, but not one that causes you to care much.  You know, as soon as those seams are popped, that this is going to be epic.  It's going to good and it's something you're going to run back to every Halloween.  They say scent is the strongest tie to memory, and I guarantee this will bring you somewhere.  Whether it's 10 years ago or 10 days ago, these Pop 'Ems are going to remind you of something.  And if they don't, they'll bring you back to this year from here on out.  That is, of course, if you embrace the Holidaze and soak it all in.

Smell is only one magnificent aspect of this product.  The visuals are another.  Look at how much that picture pops.  The contrast between black, brown, and orange is the perfect ratio for Halloween.  They're little bite size decorations that, if they wouldn't attract unwanted creatures, I'd put all throughout the house.  Luckily, these are too good to even take that chance.  You can't help but eat them.  They're too enticing and it's sad how much Halloween treats can seduce you.

When I first opened the box, I'll admit, I didn't bite into one of these bad boys.  I was so concerned with taking pictures and getting other things posted that I didn't bother.  However, my girlfriend did and she said "Oh no it's bad luck to open up a box and not try one."  That's not true, but it's pretty funny and I appreciate the use of imagination.  Now, from here on out, I'm standing by that superstition and I want you all to as well.  From now on, it's bad luck to open up any Halloween themed treats without trying them.  I don't care if you just had a three-course meal.  If you pop open a box of Pop 'Ems, you better eat 'em!  Don't be like me.  Don't ignore the little balls of terror.  God only knows what they'll do if they're ignored again.

As you can tell from the photo, I did ultimately give in to the Pop 'Ems and I knew I would.  It's not like I was doing it on purpose.  I'm not trying to watch my weight or anything like that, I just didn't eat them at first.  It's not that I don't love you Pop 'Ems, I just didn't give you the attention you deserve.  See, you have to tell them things like that so they don't attack you in your sleep.  If you think I'm kidding, just look at what I found in my bed last night.

I was able to calm him down and explain that there are no other treats for me, but it wasn't easy.  He appeared to have wolf hands.  The type you'd find in Google images and add to your Pop 'Ems monster.  Yep, he's quite terrifying.  Be careful, friends..

On to the next "Pop" variety we're talking about today, it's the classic Ring Pop!  I've seen this box before, but I didn't pick it up.  In Jersey City, you don't really open the door for Trick-or-Treaters.  It's sad, but there are always the few rotten apples that ruin it for the bunch.  When I was growing up, we would usually travel to my Family's neighborhoods or go away for the weekend.  I hate seeing little kids at my door waiting for candy, but I know if I open the door, 36-year-old men will be knocking next.  Once they know you're home, they won't leave you alone.  You think Michael Myers is scary?  Try 4 grown men asking for free candy.  It puts that Pop 'Em Monster to shame.

So, for that reason, I had no reason to buy a box of Ring Pops.  They're just going to go to waste.  But, this is The Holidaze and I can always find good use for these things.  My thought is either contesting them off to Holidaze readers or giving them to my cousin who is a teacher.  One way or another, this candy will get to those who deserve it, not the rotten apples.

Regardless of where you live, that's a tough box to turn down.  The Ring Pop logo was changed from red to orange.  The Halloween logo is sinister.  Frankenstein is the perfect green for Halloween and he's being struck by lightning.  The best part is that he's not showing a hint of pain whatsoever.  I think he likes it.  All they're doing is charging him up and providing him with more life.  What has gotten into Ring Pop?  They've embraced the Holidaze and don't care how evil Frankie may get with his extra life.  But, really, he's a gentle giant.  Look at his Trick-or-Treat pail.  He means no harm.  He's probably just a 36-year-old bum who wants free candy.  Ahh, it all makes sense.

As I write this, I'm listening to "Feed My Frankenstein" so it's enhancing the Holidaze.  It was a coincidence, but one I'm happy happened.  It's October 5th, man!  We're running out of time and it'll be Halloween before you know it.  I'll have Halloween music on blast for the next three weeks now.  You should too!  Sorry, off topic..

The wrappers are all decked out in their Halloween costumes!  As we all know, there's no better color combo than black and orange for this time of year and, obviously, Ring Pop knows that.  They have this down to a science and have everything popping perfectly.  The spider web is a great touch and I love the way it changes from black to white.

These are definitely some of the coolest wrappers I've seen released and it makes me happy I bought them.  But, there's one thing I notice.  The Ring Pops pictured on on each wrapper haven't changed at all.  They've remained the same.  Like I've said, it's not completely a deal breaker when the product doesn't change as much as the branding, but it would've been nice to see a change in color or, at the very least, a change in flavor title.  It doesn't take much to call it "Hallowgreen" or something stupid like that.  But, it's not a problem.  Traditional Ring Pops taste great and, in this case, for better or worse, that hasn't changed.

The flavors, from left to right, are Watermelon, Strawberry, and Blue Raspberry.  All very good!  I haven't opened a Ring Pop in years, but I remember them being a lot bigger.  Actually, that's not true.  My fingers are just a hell of a lot bigger.  It's obvious that this Ring Pops are made for kids because I could barely wrap the ring around my finger.  They're tight, but I made it work.  I didn't finish either of these anyway, I just took three out of the box to show you.

If you open the door for your Trick-or-Treaters and don't have to deal with 6'3 guys in Jason masks, then I definitely recommend these for you.  They taste great, look cool, and the kids will be happy to have them.  But, if you're not going to be opening your door or if you're just looking for something else, then I have something else for you.  Yes, the following was made for the true Halloween fan.  Yes, Ring Pop redeems themselves with this one and officially appeals to everybody who loves the holiday!

This Halloween Ring Pop is an individual 2 Pack and does not come in the Ring Pop box.  This was found for a dollar and, from the image above, appears to be the real deal!  Package is awesome, the flavor, "Screaming Berry," sounds horrific, and those Ring Pop images seem too good to be true.  You're telling me that, when I open this wrapper, I'm going to find two Ring Pops in black and orange?  Get outta heeree!

Boom!! There it is!  Black and orange Ring Pops topped upon black plastic rings!  Wow, I'm in my glory.  Now, we can officially give Ring Pops a round of applause and a pat on the back.  Everything I complained about before can go right out the window because they made up for it all with the individual 2 pack.  You want classic?  Buy the Halloween box.  You want the Holidaze? Buy the 2 pack and find yourself in amazement.  The coolest part is that black is actually black.  It's not a dark blue or purple, it's pitch black!  This is such a cool product and one that will probably fly under the radar.

The flavor tastes very similar to the Blue Raspberry, which would make sense, but I think my love for Halloween has developed a bias because I feel like these taste just a tad bit better.  This is like the grand daddy of all Ring Pops in terms of flavor and no matter how many times people claim, or even prove, that this is the same as Blue Raspberry, I won't believe it.  I'll continue to deny it and stand by the fact that this is a brand new flavor.  This is Screaming Berry and there's nothing like it.  I don't know where Ring Pop found the rare Screaming Fruit to base their formula around, but they did and they should be rewarded with your dollar.  Seriously, you'll enjoy this one.  Even if you're not a fan of the flavor, the visuals are worth the buck.

Now, if you read everything I just wrote, go back and count how many times I wrote the words "Pop," "Pops," "Popped," "Popping," or anything else that involves POP.  Comment or tweet me @HolidazeBlog on Twitter with the answer.  First one to respond will receive the Box of Ring Pops (minus the 3 I opened to review.)  No charge.  Anyone who takes the time to do that deserves the box!

Monster Cereal Snacks

If you read any of my posts from last year's Halloween Holidaze, you know how much I love the Monster Cereals.  I mean, just look and my Holidaze and Twitter logos.  I have Yummy Mummy everywhere and I'm not even old enough to have ever tried Fruity Yummy Mummy cereal.  I can't explain where my love for these creatures comes from, but I'd bet it goes back to my childhood.  Whether is was waking up and enjoying a bowl of Frankenberry before school, or staying up late doing the same with Boo, it has been a mainstay throughout my Halloween seasons.  As I've gotten older, it's become more of a tradition, but there are still memories created with this trio every year.  I may not realize the impact they have on my Holidaze until it's over, but I can always count on them to provide some type of emotion.  Can you believe cereal can do that?

Well, this year, the cereal boxes haven't changed and there isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said last year.  I would talk about box art and flavor all day if there was something new to say, but unfortunately, the cereal is exactly what it's been since they became official Halloween cereals.  In fact, if anything, the cereals have actually lost a bit of their flavor.  I think it has to do with General Mills adding less sugar than previous years.  It's clearly noticeable and it does affect the flavor.  It's not horrible, but it's different.  It used to pack more of a punch.  Now it's more like a tickle.  Either way, I love the cereals and I'll continue to buy them no matter what they taste like.

Lucky for all of us, that's not what this post is about.  No, getting to my point, we're talking about snacks!

Introducing -- Boo Berry Razzle Boo Blitz Fruit Roll-Ups!  Try saying that 5 times fast!  Now, these aren't new, but they're new to me because I've never purchased them before.  Years ago, I found Monster Cereal Fruit by the Foot, which was great, but they've apparently been replaced by the Roll-Ups.  I'm not complaining!  They're essentially the same flavor and texture, just one is more fun than the other.  I'll let you decide which one I'm talking about.

The box is nearly identical to the Boo Berry Cereal box, but Boo is clearly holding his Razzle Boo Blitz Roll-Ups in his right hand.  Of course, the real Fruit Roll-Ups don't look like that.  They're supposed to have his body and logo printed on the candy for kids to "tattoo" their tongues, but trust me, that's not as easy as you'd think.  

These things are a pain to unroll.  They stick to the plastic so well that it's almost impossible to unwrap them without smudging the printed face or logo.  Ripping the candy down the middle is another unfortunate consequence of the plastic wrapper and it really bugs me.  I remember, when I was a kid, these unrolled much easier.  The candy seemed thicker and we were able to punch out the shapes rather than stick them on your tongue.  That was so much better.  There was more detail etched into the candy.  Now, it's just a darker shade of blue printed on another type of blue.  Impressive, but not the best they can do.  Plus, look at that design.  Can you see it?  Probably not.  For some reason, the Boo Berry Fruit Roll-Up doesn't have as much printing as the following.  It's not a deal breaker, but it's curious.

Now, if you open these and don't give two ghost sheets about the way they look and feel, then you're in luck!  See, this Boo Berry Fruit Roll-Up tastes gooood!  No, it doesn't taste like Boo Berry cereal.  That would be ridiculous.  You expect it to taste like some type of rasp or wild berry and that's exactly what you get.  This product wasn't designed to be Halloween themed inside and out, this was just perfect branding.  Let's take a popular flavor and throw it in a Boo Berry costume.  Do that, and people will eat 'em up.  And ya know what, Betty?  You're absolutely right!  Had this been a boring white box with blueberries and a happy face, I would have never ever picked it up.  But, you slapped Boo on the box and you had me on the hook.  It doesn't take much, but a product that tastes good doesn't hurt either.  This does.

Growing up, eating blue food was always cooler than eating red or green food.  To be precise, I should say "candy" rather than "food."  Food would mean healthy products that taste good and are good for you.  If that's the case, it's most likely not blue.  So let's be real here, I'm not talking about healthy junk!  This is The Holidaze!  I'm talking about Blue, Red, and Green candy!

However, as I've gotten older, it's become more than just color that's important and that's why I like these Frankeberry Fruit Roll-Ups more.  The Strawberry Scream is a cool name, Frankenberry looks great and, honestly, I'm just a biased fan.  Frankenberry is my favorite of the living Cereal Monsters and I'm, more times than not, going to put him at the top of the list every time.  I'd like to be objective, but I can't be.  I mean look, I just said Strawberry Scream is a cool name.  That's not even close to Razzle Boo Blitz but I can't admit that Boo Berry has a more creative name.  My loyalties lie with Frank and even if Count Chocula is the leader, I'll always be hoping for a surprise revolt led my Frankenberry and the resurrected Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute.  Hey Paramount, I just gave you the plot for your next movie.  It will make no money.

I have no idea why I couldn't take this picture more clearly, but no matter how many times I angled the Roll-Up, it came out blurry.  Plus 1 for Boo.  But I also have to laugh at the fact that I stood in my kitchen positioning candy for 20 minutes before realizing this wasn't that serious.  I mean, don't get me wrong, it's pretty damn serious, just not THAT serious.  So, you get what you get.  You can clearly see how many logos are printed on this one strip.  We have the cereal logo, Frank's body, and Frank's head.  That's so much better than Boo's blank blue box.  I don't know if it was just the luck of the draw or if it's just the way it is, but in this case, Frankenberry wins again!  Great succes!

I can assure you that Frankenberry Fruit Roll-Ups are not orange, but this picture would indicate otherwise.  Obviously, we've learned today that Frank is not very photogenic, but he is clear this time and you're able to get a better look at the designs.  I actually just noticed the lower left graphic featuring Frankenberry and a tombstone.  That's different.  I don't think I've ever seen a tombstone association with him.  It's pretty morbid and, for Halloween, I like that!  If I was 6 years old, I'd probably stick that right on my tongue.  But, I'm 25, and did it anyway!  Unfortunately, it didn't come out at all and there's nothing to show you.  Still, I'd recommend giving it a shot yourself.  It's fun trying.

The flavor is nothing new.  If you've ever had a Strawberry Fruit Roll-Up, then you've had a Frankenberry Strawberry Scream Fruit Roll-Up.  They're exactly the same, so you know what to expect.  Again, like with Boo Berry, it's about the branding.  It's about the box and wrappers.  It's not about the flavor.  In some cases, I'll pass up on a product when they don't change the flavor, product, food, candy, etc.. But, in this case, I couldn't.  One, it's Monster Cereal! Two, they did make the effort to print their images.  That was enough to pick these up and I'm glad I did!

Now.. On to something that IS new and has made my day!!

All hail the mighty leader, Count Chocula, and his NEW Count Chocula Treats!  Wow, this was a huge surprise.  I first saw these on Instagram.  I typed in #Countchocula, looked for a few classic images, and saw this pop up.  At first, I thought it was photoshopped.  This was back in August, before the cereals were even released, so I wasn't expecting this to actually become a reality.  But, low and behold, after a good month of searching, we finally found these and I am super pumped.  

I've had the Lucky Charms Treats before and I think I developed an addiction to them for about a week or so.  I couldn't get enough of them.  They tasted exactly like Lucky Charms and I found it so much easier to eat that in the morning instead of a bowl of cereal.  It was fast, it was easy, it was good.  Now, with Count Chocula, it can only get better!

Okay, so the treats aren't as pictured on the box, but they're close enough.  No, the marshmallows aren't overly packed into these things like the box would have us believe, but you don't need them, anyway.  This is chocolatey goodness in the purest form.  From the picture above, you can see what appears to be a cookie layer laying on top of a chocolate sheet of candy.  Well, that cookie is, in fact, Count Chocula cereal chopped down to create the perfect Halloween treat.  Those pieces are surrounded by chocolate fudge, chocolate chips, and chocolate swirls.  Underneath all of that, in the middle, are the spooky marshmallows waiting to attack.  It really couldn't be put together any better than it is!

Do you love chocolate?  Have you ever tried the Coco Puffs Treats?  Then this is the snack for you!  This is just awesome.. It's so good that I'm trying to not fall into my old Lucky Charm habits by avoiding this addiction.  Look at the spooky marshmallow staring at you.  It's like a face has been created by my bite and he's luring you into his guilty pleasure.  Perhaps this has been Count Chocula's plan all along!  He's a sly one..

In all seriousness, I don't know why General Mills haven't released these sooner.  This HAS to make them big bucks this Halloween season and, if I have it my way, it will pave the way for Frank and Boo to join him as one of the "Treats" next year.  If you make them, with the white milk bottom, I'd imagine they'd taste amazing.  Obviously Count Chocula couldn't be made into a Fruit Roll-Up (Ew, but I'd try it), but Frank and Boo can certainly join Choc next year and I'd love to see it.  Go out and buy these great treats so we can get the sales up.  Even if it doesn't lead to anything new, you'll be able to say you had a Count Chocula Halloween Treat!  You won't regret it..

Now, what could be better than that?

It looks like a slug, it looks like a rope, it looks like a joint, and it reminds me of a barber shop.  But, it's none of that, it's my FrankenBooComboBerry.  It's not hard to figure out what I did here.  I simply took one of each Fruit Roll-Ups, combined them, and twisted.  Besides an awkward looking piece of candy that can be interpreted in many ways, it creates a crazy flavor that tops each of these individual monsters.  So, if you go out and buy these things, make sure you create FrankenBooCombBerry and enjoy the trip!

Cupcakes & Fruit Snacks

To quote my Jersey Shore brethren, "Yeahh Buddy!"  September was great, it provided many Holidaze posts and certainly topped last year, but October...Is...Here!!  This is it!  31 days of pure, unadulterated, mayhem!  This is the only month of the year where you can truly be and feel like a kid without feeling a single shred of guilt.  Want to dress up like a Pirate?  Go ahead.  Want to dress up like a Super Hero?  Sure!  Do whatever you want, and nobody will judge you because it's all about Halloween.  This is the best month of the year.  It's filled with Haunted Houses, pumpkin patches, apple picking, spooky stories, scary movies, candy, and, of course, that perfect Fall weather.  It's just an amazing time of year and I truly can't get enough of it.

To celebrate the dawn of a new October, I did a little Googling.  See, it's been at least two years since I walked through a Haunted House.  I always mean to make it, but something always prevents me.  Not this year.  I'm ready to go and, to be sure, I compiled a list of local attractions that I plan on attending this year.  There are a few that I never heard of, a few that I'm actually afraid of, and a few that I've been to before.  Regardless, I'm looking for the best of the best and, as I find them, I'll be sure to review them for all of you here on The Holidaze.  I'm avoiding spoilers so I can't tell you where or what I have planned, but I would like to share this suggestion list from HauntedHouse.com.  I'm looking at the NJ/NY area, but check out your own area and find one near you!

Now, on to the entry!

If we were judging October by the logo banner above, then we'd be in for a pretty horrible month.  I admit, it's not my best.  I quickly put it together in MS Paint and said "eh, it's good enough."  There's only so much you can do with Cupcakes and Fruit Snacks without giving away the actual product information and photos.  But hey, I made it black and orange, and wrote "Snax" instead of "Snacks."  That has to count for something, right?

Tastykake is back on The Holidaze with their Kreepy Kakes!  I'm a big fan of Halloween cupcakes, but my love really lies with the idea of these cupcakes.  I've never really enjoyed these boxed, processed, cupcakes.  I'm more of a homemade type of guy.  But, every year, I find myself hunting down Halloween Cupcakes.

The reasoning for that goes back to my childhood.  I used to walk down the block to the local "corner store" in search of treats.  At that point, I didn't really care about it being Halloween related.  I just wanted something good.  I had about $3 which, at the time, made me feel like a millionaire.  I would walk around for 20 minutes, looking at the same bags of chips and Now & Later's, until I ultimately wound up with Cheesy Checkers and Jolly Ranchers.  It was always the same outcome!

But.. One Halloween, these schemers bought a box of Hostess Scary Cakes and sold them as individual packs.  I walked in and, immediately, I was drawn to the orange icing.  I was enticed by the sprinkles and chocolate cake.  In fact, as I write this, the memories are rushing back and I remember exactly what edition Hostess was promoting.  At first, I thought I was making it up, but when I googled it, I found this..

Ahhhh man!  There it is!  I can't believe this just came to me!  That's exactly what lured me in and hooked me forever.  This came out in 1992!  I was 5-years-old!  I remember being with my Dad the first time I saw it.  I mean, no wonder I'm so into product design and graphics.  This is one of the most amazing boxes I've ever seen!  The way "Munster Pack" drips in green ooze and the fact that the Munster family is drawn around the logo?  Whoa.. I can't help but love it.  No matter how much I dislike the actual cupcakes, I'll never say no to a product that evoked that type of feeling when I was just a young kid.  I don't care if it's Hostess, Tastykake, or Little Debbie.  If you release a Halloween Cupcake, I'm buying it.  It captures the true essence of Halloween!

TastyKake does a great job, but they don't measure up the the classic Hostess designs.  That's okay, though.  I'm not looking to make this a competition, I'm looking to make this blog entry about a wonderful product.  The fact that TastyKake does anything at all is more than I can ask for.  

The cupcakes themselves are very similar to the ones I grew up on.  They're orange, they have sprinkles on top, and the chocolate cake has a white cream filling.  In that regard, they're pretty spot on.  And that's important because, as I said, taste doesn't mean much to me.  I eat them to say that I did, but I'm more fond of looking at them than devouring them.  It's about memories and opening up a window to the past.  Perhaps I should change the name of this blog from The Holidaze to The Nostalgia.  For me, that's what the holidays have become all about.

By the way, do Kellogg's own TastyKake?  Because look at those sprinkles.  Those are very similar to the ones found on Spookylicious Pop-Tarts!  The creepy moons have been replaced by baby pumpkins, but the shapes and sizes are very resembling.  Probably just a coincidence, but interesting indeed.  To me, anyway.

No matter who owns what, I'm impressed with the fact that there are sprinkles on the top and bottom of these cupcakes.  I don't know if this was their intention or if all the shuffling caused sprinkles to stray, but this is what I found on each cupcake I opened.  It's a great touch.  Nobody sees the bottom and, unless you're me, nobody cares about the bottom.  But, because I did, TastyKake is getting high praise on a blog that millions of people ready every day.  And by millions, I mean 148 people.

As soon as I bit into this cupcake, I was taken back in time.  I don't know if the flavor comes close to that of Hostess, but it did something to me that makes me think it does.  It's truly amazing how the mind works because, for a split second, I was taken back 20 years and it was 1992 again.  Obviously, the memories are all there, we just need to figure out ways of bringing them to the surface.  That split second was pure joy.  It summed up The Holidaze in a nutshell and symbolizes everything I strive for during these months.  Who woulda thunk a cupcake could do that?

As for taste?  It's what I expected.  It's processed, it's boxed, it's not bad.  If not for the representation, I wouldn't run to it for my snack fix, but it definitely isn't horrible.  I actually liked it more than I did in previous years and, if it's there, I'm not going to turn it down.  Basically, because I'm running on and on, It's good, but if there's a homemade cupcake there, I'm going to pick the latter every time.

When the Munster Pack was released, the back of the box featured a cut-out mask.  Sometimes it was Herman, other times Grandpa.  The cool part about that was the fact that they differentiated from box to box.  It wasn't necessarily a surprise, but it was nice that you had options.  Plus, for collectors, it meant purchasing more than one box.  That was pretty smart of Hostess.

TastyKake is keeping their competitors' tradition alive with this cut-out mask.  He's no Herman, but he is Frankenstein.  It's not the best artwork I've seen and I'm surprised TastyKake didn't put a little more effort into the box, but it's okay.  Little kids aren't going to care and even a grown Hallowgeek like me isn't going to bother cutting this out.  Well, at least not in reality.  Graphically?  Of course!

My good pal, Dr. Acula is back again and, as usual, he's confused!  If you remember last year's post, you understand what I'm talking about.  Dr. Acula desperately wants to be a real-life Vampire.  It's been his childhood dream.  But, unfortunately, he doesn't who or what he is and is stuck in limbo.  He's just a guy trying to find himself.  Last year, we caught him dressing up like a pumpkin.  This year, he's dressing up like Franky.  Poor Dr. Acula.  At least he can rest at day knowing that The Holidaze readers love him for him, whoever he may be.

Look what I fouunnd!!  Remember when I said that I wished they'd make Halloween Fruit Snacks instead of constantly producing Gummi's?  Well, ladies and gentlemen, here they are!!  A kind Holidaze reader, Linny, commented and brought these to my attention.  I was fairly confident that I had seen this box in previous years, but always overlooked it for some reason.  Maybe because the graphics don't pop enough for me to stop and stare, but I think I drastically underrated this box's design and it's content.  Sure, it's very orange, but duh, that's Halloween!!  We have Trick-or-Treaters along the bottom, dark, spooky grass, a grinning Jack-O-Lantern, and the snacks themselves, all decked out in appropriate Halloween colors.  I'm sorry I didn't buy you before, Betty Crocker.  But this year, you weren't getting away so easy.

Looking at the shapes and colors, which would you assume is the hardest to find?  Which piece would be Halloween's version of the Great White Shark?  If you're like me, you'd probably go with the Blue Black Cat.  It stands out the most and, like the shark, it appears to be a different type of texture.  But, guess what, that's false!  In fact, none of these shapes are hard to find and, if anything, the ones you'd expect to find more than the others are the ones I've seen less of.

What you see above are 3 packs worth of Fruit Snacks.  I didn't find a yellow ghost or red bat until I got to the final pack.  The blue?  I found those in all 3 along with the overpopulation of green spiders.  The witch hat and pumpkins made limited appearances in packs 2 and 3.  Crazy, right?  Boggles the mind.  Makes one question the universe.  I'm kidding, but what else can I say to pass time talking about Fruit Snacks?

They look cooler when you bunch them up together and put the flash on.  I know that the back of that yellow ghost looks like somebody licked him, but that's just the texture.  And maybe a fingerprint.  Ah well..

On to the taste, I have to say that these are really good!  And that's with good reason.  Little did I know, Betty Crocker also makes SHARK BITES!  Now it's all coming together.  Now it all makes sense!  All of a sudden, these Fruit Snacks taste even better than I thought before.  Whoa, Betty Crocker makes Gushers too?  Oh man.. This is just getting better and better.  Now I have to demand that you buy these treats!  Get 'em now and hand them out to each and every kid you find on Halloween night.

I usually go from box, to wrapper, to snack, but this is the only downside to the Fruit Snacks so I'm ending on a low note.  I know, it's going to ruin your day now, but it must be done.  The problem with these packages is that they're too small.  They're promoting 28 packs, but it's more like 10 when you're 25 years old and can't get enough of Halloween Fruit Snacks.  I know, I know, they're made and intended for 6-year-olds going door to door, but when was the last time one of them wrote on a blog?  When did they review for Betty, huh?  

Ha.. In all seriousness, I can't find a single problem with anything I've covered today.  This was a great, subtle way to kick off the month of October.  But rest assured, things are going to get rowdy around here.  It'll soon be time to up the ante and start going out on adventures.  Who knows where they will take us!  Time will tell, and so will I, so get ready!  If you have any suggestions, send 'em my way! @HolidazeBlog on Twitter or comment here!

To conclude, I had to include a photo of my Vampire Pez.  He's blue, the package is spooky, and it represents Halloween.  He's my end-shot because that's about all I can say about him and I plan on keeping him packaged.  But, the cool part is, my Dad actually bought this for me a few days ago.  It doesn't matter how old I get, my Dad will still be one of the main reasons I grew into such a Halloween fan.  This was a cool surprise and, if you read this entire post, you'll see that my love for this holiday has pretty much come full circle.

Spooky Cola

Last year, I talked about the lack of Halloween edition Cola's (2011 Halloween Soda's.)  I was surprised to see so little in terms of advertising and marketing when it comes to Pepsi and Coca-Cola branding their cans and bottles during the Halloween season.  Maybe they simply don't have to, because their loyal customers aren't going to jump ship over a logo, but who knows?  

Remember when Coke released their Polar Bear cans?  My God, I never thought I'd see such an uproar over a can of soda.  Is it diet?  Is it regular?  Oh no, I can't tell!!!  Seriously, relax, and maybe read the label.  That always seems to help.  I get that people don't want to be bothered with any extra effort throughout their day, and I agree that soda should require no effort at all, but why can't we all appreciate the creativity?  Those white cans were pretty awesome and I actually bought a few just because of the design.  I guess for every 10 people who flip out negatively, there's that one nerd who does the opposite!

Unfortunately, last year, there was nothing available for me to get excited over.  I didn't find anything, not even Mountain Dew Pitch Black or Jones Soda, so I had to make my own, custom, soda graphics.  A Holidaze reader, Shawn Robare, informed me that there were Halloween soda cans in store, and that's great, but I guess my area was all out.  BUT.. not this year!!

These are the mini cans that I heard about in previous years.  I think I've seen them once before, but it was well before I started The Holidaze.  Regardless, I found them this year and you really should have seen my face when I did.  

Whenever I'm at Target, I walk way ahead of my girlfriend because I can't wait to look at the Halloween stuff while she is usually focused on the make-up and clothes.  These cans caught my eye and I stood there pointing to nobody.  I had to tell her to come over and look at them!  She was excited, but probably more so for me than these cans.  

It's crazy how happy I get over these things, but this made my day!  Look at those Canada Dry cans!  There's a Mummy!! I don't know what a Mummy has to do with Canada, and I can only assume that those Lobsters have something to do with Canada, but it doesn't matter either way.  The fact that there is a Mummy at all, especially one that's giving us a smirk, its just awesome!

This one is my absolute favorite in both flavor and design!  First of all, black and orange are the two true Halloween colors.  After that?  Purple and green.  Now, I know the logo features blue, but it's close enough and, with that green leaf, we have everything we could have wanted from a Sunkist Halloween can!  Now, you throw in an amazingly designed Vampire and his bat brothers, and we've found perfection.  Ohh, and I didn't even mention that tiny tombstone in the right corner.  You know you've made a great product when the tombstone is an after thought.  Come on!

If you read last year, or clicked the links I posted above, then you saw the Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Cherry Pepsi, Code Red, and Coca-Cola designs I made myself.  Well, the new Sunkist can gave me an idea for a new Orange flavor and it will be revealed by the end of this post.  For now, we're moving on!

AhhrooooooooooooooT Beer!  That's the only correlation between A&W and the Wolf Man that I can find.  That and the fact that they're both brown.  The latter is probably the reason for this partnership, and I'm completely cool with that.  I love this can.  I would have made the Wolf Man look less like Wile E. Coyote, but it's a minor complaint.  We still have the spooky woods and full moon.  The fall atmosphere is depicted perfectly and it makes for one of the best cans I've ever seen.  It's playful, it's fun, and it's worth buying for decorative purposes, let alone for flavor!

The Sunkist Vampire is my favorite, but man this is a close second.  A haunted castle, lightning surrounding the can, and Frankenstein!  So awesome.  He looks like he's holding the 7-UP logo, but I can't be sure.  But it doesn't matter, I was sold after I saw the first can.  At this point, we're just getting bonuses here.

Now, I know I said my girlfriend wasn't excited as I was, but I think that might have been said a bit prematurely.  Because, as soon as I started taking pictures, she created this..

It's a Haunted Castle of Spooky Soda Cans!!  You have to give it up for the symmetry here!  We have 3 Canada Dry cans on the bottom, 2 Sunkist Orange cans in the middle, 6 Root Beer cans wrapping around those, and the lightning struck Frankenstein can up top!  I've seen champagne fountains before, and they're beautiful, but I think she's topped it.  These cans don't even need to pour and I'm already convinced that they belong at weddings.  All weddings.  All the time.  Let's take Halloween and make it a year-long celebration.  I'm in such a 'daze right now, that I'm ready to stay in this season forever.

The coolest part about these mini cans, and I assume this was the motive, is that they're perfect for Trick-or-Treaters!  I know kids usually want candy and candy alone, but this probably packs more sugar per sip than a bag of skittles.  Plus, I know what type of impact this will have on kids that truly embrace the Halloween season.  

I remember when Pizza Hut branded their entire store, boxes, and cups to represent the Universal Monsters.  I don't know how I old I was, but it's an image that stands out in my mind as one that really captured the spirit of the season.  Somewhere, there's a kid who's going to get a few of these cans and remember drinking them with their Mom, Dad, Brother, or Sister.  It's going to create a memory for somebody and that means more to The Holidaze than anything else.  To some, it's just a cool graphic.  But, to others, this is more than a piece of art.

Speaking of art..

Picking up where I left off last year, I created a new Halloween Soda graphic design label.  Looking at the Sunkist Vampire for inspiration, I went with Crush Orange soda this year.  If I were to produce my own Halloween version of this tasty soda, I'd definitely change the flavor and rename it "Blood Orange."  I changed the color of the logo and added dripping blood to the border.  Of course, it'd be a limited edition.  If I saw this in stores, it would be an immediate purchase.  I would probably buy a few 12-packs and just keep them sealed.  That's one of the perks of being able to work with graphics.  I'm able to make what we all want to see and share it with whoever reads this blog.  Hopefully you enjoyed this design and, once again, please check out last year's and let me know what you think.

2011 Halloween Soda

If you have any designs of cool product ideas you've had, share them with me @HolidazeBlog on Twitter and I'll post them on The Holidaze!  I'd love to see your work!

Halloween Oreo 2012

Halloween Oreo Cookies have been a staple of the Halloween Season for years now.  It's one of the things I always look forward to most around this time of year.  There's just something about orange creme that makes everything spookier.  The flavor doesn't change, but it doesn't need to.  The fact that it's in a Halloween costume, inside and out, makes it that much better and, every year, I appreciate the fact that Nabisco goes all out.  Of course, this year, they topped themselves with the Candy Corn Cookies.  I thought that might have been this year's "Halloween Edition" and while that would have been a suitable replacement, I am proud to tell you that the classics are alive and kickin'!  They're back again and, this time, they're in brand new bag!

They didn't use the new bag that the popular Candy Corn Oreo Cookies received, but with graphics like this, you don't need to put these cookies in anything else.  This is amazing.  Nabisco  never lets me down with their designs, but every year, they seem to make the previous edition look like it was done by a 5-year-old.  I was thrilled with the carved pumpkin design in 2011, but now that I've seen the 2012 edition, I can't help but get all giddy over what 2013 may bring!  

We have these eerie witches mixing an orange concoction in their enormous cauldron.  What I love most about it is we now know where that orange creme filling comes from.  These witches, who I've named Melinda, Belinda, and Pearl, are responsible for the Halloween recipe.  Every year, Nabisco gives them a call, puts in their order, and they get to work.  It's obviously not easy.  Who knows what types of ingredients go into the Boorific shapes every season.  That's a pretty big book Belinda is reading from.  No matter how many times they bake these cookies, I have to believe it's a strenuous task each year.  

So, besides having amazing graphics to appreciate, let's also give a round of applause for the terrifying trio who do our bidding every Halloween.  If not for them, we'd probably be stuck with the boring, old, white filling. 

I love opening the bag this way because, like last year, it creates a face.  If you use your imagination and look close enough, you're bound to see something staring back at you.  Last year, I saw a monster.  It didn't take much creativity.  I saw some teeth, a nose, and a place for a nose.  He actually popped into my head without much thought at all.  I guess that's because my mind works in ways that probably aren't normal.  I don't have the best math skills (I hate mental math), but ask me to create a monster from a box of Oreo cookies and I'm good to go.  Priorities?  What's that all about?  Hey, I have a calculator.. What do I need to think for when I can create?

So, what was going to fly into my head this year?  Well, seeing as how we have a school of witches on the front of the bag, it was pretty obvious that whatever came flying in, would probably be on a broom.  Take a look!

Isn't she beautiful?  I mean that in the worst way possible which, for Halloween, is the BEST way possible!  She's your traditional witch!  She's green, with a big nose, yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and, of course, the wart on her nose!  This is my favorite incarnation of the witch.  I know, if witches were real (which they apparently are) that they would be human just like everybody else, but I don't want them to be.  I want them to be alien colored, deformed, hideous, and scary beyond belief. That's what this Oreo Beast is!  She and the blue demon from last year would form one "Hell" of a Tag-Team!

What do you see when you look at the Oreo Bag?  I'd love to see it, too!  @HolidazeBlog on Twitter!

The back of the Oreo bag has new designs as well, but the BOOrific shapes never change.  I understand why they don't change them, but I'd like to see something new.  Maybe Dracula, or a Mummy, or some type of Zombie.  It would be really cool, but Nabisco has done enough already.  I'm sold, they don't need to do any more for me this Halloween to put me in a 'daze!  I'm good!

But, because the shapes are exactly the same, I'm not going to review them again.  I'm simply going to direct you to the 2011 Halloween Oreo Cookies Review if you're interested.  That's where you'll get to hear all about the Ghost, the Pumpkin, the Black Cat, the Witch, and the Bats!

But, if I'm going to review these cookies again, I have to come up with something new.  I have to figure out something different to do with these cookies in order to spice things up.  Nobody wants to read about these cookies over and over again every year.  There's only so many things I can say about a new bag and awesome graphics.  So.. what will I come up with this year? Hmm...

Ahh Got it!  While walking through the aisles of Target, I glanced at the Ice Cream.  First, I thought "Man, why did they get rid of the Soda flavored Ice Pops?"  Then, I thought, "Hmm..Cookies and Cream.. I wonder why they don't do that with The Halloween Oreo cookies?"  Wouldn't that be cool?  The flavor wouldn't change, but we'd have those tiny hints of orange creme throughout the vanilla ice cream and that would be amazing.  You could even do it with chocolate Ice cream!  It would be great!

Well, I'm a big fan of doing things myself to make what I want.  If the big companies won't capitalize on it, I can use the ingredients I have to capitalize on it myself.  It wouldn't be hard.  I already have the cookies, so all I have to do is pick up Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream and get busy!

My girlfriend scooped out the Ice Cream, and I chopped up the Halloween Oreo Cookies by putting 8 in a plastic bag and crunching the hell out of them.  That was actually a lot of fun.  I wasn't angry, but I'd imagine that's a great coping mechanism for anybody who is.  

In my case, the problem was that the Orange cream got stuck to the sides of the bag.  So after I poured out all of the cookie pieces, we had to use additional cookies for their Orange creme.  We took each tiny circle whole and mixed it into the ice cream.  The results?

Halloween Oreo Ice Cream!!  Look at that!  It's just a small amount, but it screams Halloween!  It kinda looks like Butterfinger Ice Cream, but rest assured, this is pure evil!  This is everything Halloween represents.  It's fun, it tastes great, it's creative, it's black and orange, and it's homemade.  That's the best part of this season.  It's all about doing things on your own, making the most of very little, and making memories on an otherwise unimportant night in September.  At the end of the day, I'll never forget the night my girlfriend and I made Halloween Oreo Ice Cream.  No matter how good or bad it might have come out, it was an experience I'll cherish for Halloween's to come.  Embrace that during your Holidaze!!

I'll admit, the pictures don't truly do this Ice Cream justice.  It looks like a big mush of classic and Halloween Oreo Cookies, but I'm tellin' ya, this is some good stuff!  This has the exact same flavor as the traditional Breyers' Cookies and Cream Ice Cream and, because I wanted this to be different, I changed it to Cookies and Scream.  Creative?  Eh, it was fairly obvious, but enough to make me smile.

To enhance things even further, we put this batch into my Skull Cup.  We're still over a month away from Halloween, and I'm already satisfied with everything I've found and have yet to cover.  This has been a good season and we're far from through!

Breyer's Halloween Cookies and Scream Oreo Cookie Ice Cream is a product that would be very easy to produce, and one that would probably sell like hot cakes around this time of year.  I really believe this would lead to great profits and I would certainly be in line to buy a carton.  Just on attention to detail alone, I'd stock my freezer with whatever type of Halloween Ice Cream were to be released.  It's awesome and, really, I hope to see this carton staring back at me through the frozen glass next year.  I made this one, but I'd be happy to see anything!  Make it happen, Breyers!