Countdown to Halloween - McDonald's Halloween Pails

During the Halloween of 1986, McDonald’s introduced something new in their restaurants. They temporarily abandoned the cardboard Happy Meal box in favor of a themed bucket. A candy pail for collecting Halloween treats, complete with lid and handle. The original three designs came in bright orange each adorning a unique expression. McGoblin with the evil grin, McBoo with the frightened face, and McPunk’n with the traditional Jack O' Lantern face.

In 1989 the restaurant introduced the McGhost and McWitch. Unoriginal naming aside, they were worthy additions.

Over the years changes were made and additions to the line occured including a purple witch pail and Play Doh mold lid pail. In 1999 the Pails changed and instead of the faces from years past were replaced with scenes of the McDonalds characters cavorting in costumes. The lids on these Pails contained Halloween cookie cutters.

 

The final year of the original run of Halloween Pails came in 2001 with a new bat shaped Pail handle.

In 2010 after an absence of 9 years, the Halloween Pails returned, now with Halloween scenes of  Mt Potato Head and stickers that allowed kids to customize the scenes however they wanted. The pails featured cool handles that resembled either a Jack O' Lantern or a Skull and Crossbone that could be removed and used as a mask.

 

As to what McDonalds has in store for 2011, that I do not know. No information is available online and I haven't set foot in a McDonalds or a Burger King since Easter (doctor said if I didn't stop eating the fast food  I was gonna drop dead any day). Once I do find some information I'll do a new post.