Halloween Outdoor Decorations: Funny Face Jack-O-Lantern Porch Sculpture

This guy's expression is priceless, and for under $30, he'll definitely give you your money's worth each Halloween by adding some character to your outdoor decor. I had to double-check to see what "Surprised" Jack is made of: it looks like more of a lightweight ceramic or terracotta than polyresin. That's a good thing, by the way. This particular Jack has a wonderful sculptural quality -- his brow is deeply furrowed, his nose is a bonafide honker, and his nasolabial folds (smile lines) are beyond Botox. If you stare long enough, he might give you a wink!

To reiterate, we're going for quality, not quantity here. With the concept of taking your Halloween budget -- say, under $100 for costumes, candy, and decorations -- and buying one good quality Halloween decoration instead of a bunch of disposable plastic and paper, perhaps you'll feel better about how you're spending your money. If properly cared for, outdoor decorations like Target's "Surprised" Jack-O-Lantern will be something you and your co-celebrators will look forward to unpacking every October.

Maybe it's just me, but I tend to gravitate toward decorations that have some character and a sense of humor or nostalgia. When going past a house with an inflatable character on the front lawn, I find myself or my daughter saying, "Look, there's another...(fill in character's name)." That makes me not want to run out and get one just like it.

"Surprise" Jack or his little buddy (sold separately), "Winking" Jack (a grimmacing face) offer an element of appropriate surprise, especially grouped with more run-of-the-mill pumpkins and Jack o' lanterns. He'd be equally at home on a front porch, balcony, courtyard, or at an outdoor party. Because he's made of polyresin, I wouldn't recommend using him as a giant votive or candle holder. If you want to illuminate his fine facial features, stick a small flashlight or other battery-operated light in his toothless pie-hole and watch him glow!

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