TNMBC Man-Eating Wreath

'Twas a long time ago
Longer now than it seems
In a place that perhaps
That you've seen in your dreams.
For the story that you are about to be told
Began with the holiday worlds of old.

I know you're curious
To see what's inside.
It's what happens
When two holidays collide....
-from Disney's Haunted Mansion Holiday ride [1]


Merry Christmas Instructabrarians!

I am so so excited right now I feel like I might spontaneously combust at any second now. I mean next to Halloween, what other possible holiday can lay claim to having the most extravagant and awesome decorations, celebratory activities, or mind numbingly beautiful atmosphere like X-Mas?  But both holidays are my absolute favorite times of the year and I'm always left feeling a bit disheartened at the end of each one of them  That's why, for the past couple of years, I've been taken a tip from Tim Burton and combined both Halloween and Christmas together in an attempt to create a beautiful fusion of the two. In this Instructable, I present an old annual favorite of mine from my "Twisted Christmas" collection, the Man-Eating Holiday Wreath.

Editor's Note: Since it's so close to Christmas, I thought it might be fun for me to include some of the nightmarishly Crowning Music Of Awesome in this 'ible. So feel free to follow along, and I do not take any credit for the videos.

Step 1 Overview & Inspiration

"A man-eating plant makes a wonderful wreath...as long as you don't get caught in its teeth!" 

I love Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (directed by the awesome Henry Selick). Hands down, it is one of the most awesome Christmas animated films ever conceived and the everything from the art to the animation is pulled off amazingly. And every year I decorate my home to pay tribute to this awesome film.   

For those of you who haven't seen the film, The Man-Eating Wreath was one of the terrifyingly bizarre Christmas presents that Jack Skellington left  under his guise as "Sandy Claws". This wreath is based on both the film's version as well as the realistic toothy version in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Holiday.

Comments

[effiesque]

I would absolutely adore having a man eating christmas wreath with glowy eyes, but unfortunately my husband shot down the idea. Sigh. You are after my own heart with this 'ible!

Thanks for giving me ideas... I'll sneak it in somehow in the next few years...

[wirecutter]

Wow Its a good one. You have given me some evil plans for this year!
In the UK "H H" is not very well regarded, as it tends to end up with egg chucking by teen age students, or non costumed kids demanding money at the door.

Two years ago I built a quick 'Ghost' that rose out of the dustbin as you went past aided by a motion sensor and a motor.
Last year I went too far and we had NO callers! another motion sensor and an Infer sonic generator (2 to 9 Hz)
But this year I think I''ll pinch your Wreath plans and as we have a small porch over the front door I will be putting the sensor & motor back in to use and have the tentacles hanging from a strip of curtain rail and draw them across the opening!

[CatTrampoline]

This is too cool. I'm going to make one and see how long it takes before the HOA makes me bring it inside. Maybe a leaf-wreath for Halloween, too. It can't be too scary or the little kids run away in my neighborhood. Seriously. I had to stop with the pop-up moaning skeletons. Come back! We have Doritos! It's just plastic!

[Danger is my middle name]

This is awesome! I don't know how I missed this!

[Biggsy]

hahahaha this is brilliant welldone!

[SHIFT!]

thanks Biggsy! Happy Howl-idays!

[Biggsy]

You too dude!

[PaHalloweenFreak]

I do believe I will have to make one of these for next year in our new home! :) Great Job!!

[SHIFT!]

Thank you very much PaHalloweenFreak! Personally, I think it would look very festive right next to Rotoff the Deadnose Reindeer.

[PaHalloweenFreak]

Ha Ha Ha!! That it would! Thanks!
The new house has a decent deck on the front so I really think I will do that!! Of course, I think I am going to have to find a way to animate the arms. Maybe something like a flying crank ghost set up! That should have my new neighbors talking. LOL!

[gwebisu]

The perfect thing to greet Christmas carolers - ho, ho, HO-O-O-O-OH!!!!!

[SHIFT!]

Exactly my plan!

[valhallas_end]

Ahhhh I wish you had posted this earlier! My kid sister absolutely loves that movie, and this would have been a perfect thing to make for her for Christmas (and I'll be traveling all tomorrow). Ah well, there's always next year.

Very cool 'ible, by the way. Now to make this animatronic...

[SHIFT!]

Yeah....I think the cool thing about this project though is that while it is pretty Christmasy, it also could work for Halloween as well.

And an animatronic version would be totally awesome! I've often thought about building a motorized version, using parts from a paper shredder or shaver.

[valhallas_end]

Definitely. Wiggling arms and glowing eyes, gnashing teeth, all set to the fantastic music...perfect for Halloween. I'd also be tempted to hide it in my sis's closet as a "nice surprise"...

Now I'm thinking the rest of the monsters from the first song in TNMBC would be great to build, too. I think I was only 5 when the movie came out - most of the critters scared the crap out of me back then...great fun to turn them loose on trick-or-treating children.