Halloween

The History and Origin of Halloween
Halloween as it is celebrated these days is but a pale representation of its rich and multicultural history. It is not, as some would call it, a celebration of the Devil or of Hell or of the Damned, but rather a blending of the celebrations marking the end of the growing season, a heralding of the coming of the winter months and folk traditions that told of the day when the veil between the living and the dead, ever a transparent, gossamer veil at that, would lift and ghosts and ghouls would walk among the living. From those many traditions, coming to us from the Celts, the Roman rituals and even Catholic tradition, we get the stirrings of what would eventually become Halloween.
Back in the Old Days
Back in the old days, or once upon a time, in the tradition of fairy tales, there were the Celtic people and their Druid priests. The Druids were believed to have the ability, among other skills, to commune with the dead. Their powers, it was rumored, were much more powerful on the day of Samhain (pronounced sow-en), which was the last day of the year in the Celtic calendar. But, before believing that the Halloween celebration came directly from Samhain, a day mistakenly attributed directly to the Wiccans rather than to the Celts, you must understand that it is a blend of Hallowmas, a celebration of Catholic origins, as well as the Roman festival called Feralia.
On the day of Samhain, the Celtic people would all extinguish their homes hearth fire. They would gather in front of a blessed bonfire and would sing, dance and listen to the stories that were told during the celebration. At the end of the evening, each person would take some of the bonfire home to relight their heart fire in hopes of ensuring good fortune to their home and family for the coming year. It is said that if your hearth fire would not light from the sacred bonfire, misfortune, even death, would befall someone in the house that very year.
By the 19th century, most of the religious aspects of the Halloween celebration had dwindled away and it was mostly a secular holiday, a gathering of community with only some of the remnants of the past clinging to it like the cobwebs of a haunted house. People would still dress up in costume, but less for the original reason of confusing the dead and more for just plain entertainment and fun.
Halloween Travels to the New World
European immigrants brought many of their traditions and beliefs with them to the New World, even those that were sometimes frowned upon or scoffed at. Halloween itself was largely disallowed, even forbidden, but in Maryland, the tradition was not only allowed but encouraged. The people there held what they called play parties where they would take turns telling each others fortunes, dancing, singing and telling ghost stories. The children would dress in costumes and try to scare one another as well.
The Irish immigrants came to the new world in great masses, fleeing from the Potato Famine that was starving them to death, and brought with them the Halloween tradition of going door to door looking for sweets and other treats. The tradition of trick or treating is still a favorite among little children today.
The Witchcraft, Halloween Connection
There are still many, especially among fundamentalist Christians, who believe that Halloween is nothing more than a celebration of paganism and witchcraft because of some of the traditions that are involved. It was thought that on Halloween night, a young woman could determine who her future spouse would be by staring into a mirror in a darkened room or by peeling an apple in one long strip and then casting the peel over her shoulder. Other traditions involved baking small coins and trinkets as well as a single, plain ring into a barm brack, a type of fruit cake that would be shared among the neighbors. If you got a trinket in your piece that was your fate for the coming year, with the person who got the ring destined to wed.
Counteracting Halloween
While the Catholic Church bears no ill will toward the Halloween traditions and the holiday itself, there are some Christian churches who say that it encourages witchcraft and may even lead to Satanism. These churches hold Hell Houses meant to scare children and young adults away from the traditions and to lead them back to the church. Some of these churches even hand out pamphlets and religious tracts on Halloween night to be found when the children go through their candy.
Halloween, History of Halloween
The Druids and Celts and Halloween History

Posted by admin On May - 24 - 2011ADD COMMENTS
The Druids and Celts and Halloween History When it comes to Druids and Celts and Halloween, there is a connection that dates back eons. Of course the tales surrounding their connection involving Halloween are deeply shrouded in mystery and lore, as the holiday itself is. While there some variations in the tales, the core of the stories remain the same. The First Halloween or Samhain The celebrations for this holiday started in ancient, pre-Christian times as a Celtic ceremony for the dead. The holiday fell upon October 31, as it still does. It was called Samhain and marked the eve of the next season and new year. During this time period, November 1 was the beginning of the cold season, which was a time of hardship. In this era the year was divided up based on four holidays, as opposed to seasons but each division was still affiliated with a season. For this situation, the season was winter. The winter ahead promised to be cold, long and harsh. The people would get ready by relocating their livestock closer and preparing them for the cruel season ahead. The cessation of the crop cycle was at this time, with the harvests being stored for the winter. Because of the severity of this season, and the long, dark, cold spell upon the Celts, it became affiliated with death. The festival of Samhain became a time that people believed the worlds of the living and the dead could become one again, with the presence of spirits. Spirits could return to earth and be mischievous, like causing crop damage. The Celts also thought the priests, or Druids, could make forecasts with greater ease for the coming year when the un-living were around. Animal sacrifices would be made and fires lit to try to keep the souls at bay but help them see their way from the earth to the beyond. Costumes were adorned during these early festivities, usually those made from the skins and heads of dead animals. The Celts would try to make predictions for one another, gathered around the large bonfire, then returned home to start their own hearth fire back again. They would use a flame from the Samhain bonfire, believing this would help to protect themselves and their homes. The Transformation Eventually, the holiday we know as Halloween became known this way after Christian missionaries set out to tamper with the ways the Celts practiced religion. The holiday really began to change following the Romans domination over most of the Celtic territory. Samhain was then combined with two Roman holidays. Samhain was declared pagan as Christianity spread, and a celebration associated with the devil and all things evil. Since Druids were priests and scholars of the practice deemed pagan, these scholarly men were seen as worshipers of evil and the Devil. Christians categorized the underworld of the Celts as tied in with Hell. Many held on strong to their core beliefs as the changes were made. First All Souls Day was started, where the living paid homage to the dead, or souls, who had passed. This took place on November 2 of each year. All Saints Day occurred on November 1, but it was the night before All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows, that the lines between the living world and the spiritual one were blurred. This night was called All Hallows Eve, and eventually Halloween. The Celts maintained many of their beliefs and traditions involving this
holiday and time of year. One change that happened was that the spirits, once viewed as simply mischievous, were considered evil. This is how the Druids and Celts and Halloween all went down in history together. The Druids and Celts and Halloween Connected to Modern Traditions Though the holiday saw many changes in both name and traditions, much of the modern day celebrations can be said to still be tied to original Samhain practices. For example, the Celts wore the hides and heads of animals as costumes during this event, and the use of costumes is still practiced today. Trick-or-treating is another example of Celt traditions that live on. Since, originally, people left food and offerings to wandering spirits to appease them, people began to use costumes of spirits to go from door to door to collect these offerings. This is what became the first true type of trickor-treating. While customs continue to change and evolve, it is doubtful the holiday will ever transform so much that there will not be some remaining proof of the Druids and Celts and Halloween connection.
Costume Parties
Though costume parties can be held as a festive event during any time of the year, Halloween is often the most popular time for this type of event. Halloween costume parties are a great way to celebrate the holiday for both youngsters and adults. Parents often schedule Halloween costume parties right before Halloween or on the night of as an alternative to trick-or-treating. Adults, on the other hand, have come to enjoy these parties since they generally do not get to celebrate the holiday in any other form or fashion.
Brief History of the Halloween Costume
Most information seems to support the idea that Halloween originated with the Celtic celebration known as Samhain. This event marked the eve of the beginning of another long, hard, cold and cruel winter in which survival alone was a task. During this night it was believed, by the Celts, that the barrier the between spirit and mortal world was open and spirits would return to earth. At this point, restless spirits could destroy crops or cause other forms of damage. So, while the Celts tried to appease spirits and keep them from causing mayhem, they would burn great bonfires and often sacrifice animals and crops, as an offering. Also, during Samhain, the Celts would wear the hides and heads of animals and march the streets in these costumes. Hence, the first Halloween costume was born, as well, in a way, the first Halloween costume parties.
Costume Parties for Children
It begins, of course, with the selection process of a costume. These disguises come in an unimaginable amount of options that can be purchased off the rack at a retails store, or crafted at home for those craft-savvy and budget conscious types. Designing a costume at home can also be a good way to be more original or creative and avoid being a duplicate of too many other children at a party or at school.
Some schools still host costume parties in which children wear their holiday outfits to class and awards and prizes are often given out for different categories of best costumes. For home-based Halloween parties, there are plenty of other activities to include in the itinerary including judging for best costumes. Some popular activities to include are bobbing for apples, pumpkin bowling, Halloween-themed crafts and ghost story telling.
Freeze dancing is another fun way for youngsters to have holiday fun and burn off some energy. Music, often Halloween themed, is played and the party goers dance until the DJ abruptly cuts the tune off. Those who do not immediately freeze are out until only one dancing guest remains to claim his or her place as the winner.
Another fun idea for childrens Halloween costume parties is sectioning off part of the home as a haunted house event kids get to scamper and scream their way through. An increasingly popular activity in the past few years has been the addition of pumpkin hunt. Using either minipumpkins or small plastic versions of the squash, the kids hunt for hidden pumpkins like during an Easter egg hunt. This can be done outside before dark, outside with the use of flashlights or completely indoors.
Costume Parties for Adults
The beginning of this process isnt any different than the Halloween party for kids; it begins with a costume selection. Again, costumes can be store bought, handmade but often, in usually just the case for adults, renting a costume is also an option. Adults often get a little more daring with their costume selection, bordering on risqu in some cases, especially womens options. There are bound to me more scantily clad cats, Playboy bunnies, school girls, French maids and Indian princesses competing for an award, and some attention.
These celebrations are usually hosted at someones house or by booking a restaurant, pub, bar, club or other type of venue or hall. Events at adult Halloween costume parties can closely resemble the activities that take place at the kids parties. Though the punch may be spiked and there is likely to be a sexiest category during the Halloween costume contest. Scavenger hunts
can be a great addition to adult Halloween parties, especially when conducted in a public place or outdoor venue.
A Wrap on Halloween Costume Parties
Halloween can be a hauntingly spook-tacular good time for children and adults. The Halloween get up is one of the most important, and fun, elements to celebrating the holiday. Whether trickor-treating or not, just the fun of a Halloween costume party can be the best part of the season. Goriest Movies For Halloween
When you talk about gory movies there are different levels of gore. Even a small amount of blood can make some people faint, or the thoughts of being stabbed, or shot, or dismembered etc. To see the blood draining out of you is another shocker, as is getting attacked by a vampire. Some of the scariest bits in movies and novels come from the 19th century as some of Edgar Allen Poes classic stories one is The Pit and The Pendulum.
A few of his books have been made into movies but are probably not gory enough for modern aficionados of the genre. We have some of the goriest movies listed below, in no particular order, for your rental or downloadable pleasure. Most are certainly not suitable for children.
Nightmare on Elm Street (Johnny Depp bedroom scene)
Freddy Kruger ingests handsome Johnny then spits him out into his bed. A lovely scene and not for Depp fans.
Dead Alive (the lawnmower scene)
Funny and gory all at the same time. A half zombie (recently separated into two) advances towards one of the leads. Very squishy and similar to gore level of Kill Bill.
Cube and Resident Evil (for lovers of the slice and dice genre)
A laser dices up a person in R.E., just like those iron chefs on TV. In Cube, a thatched metal wall does the dicing. More loss of blood than with lasers, Im guessing.
Final Destination 2 (pigeons involved)
Tommy gets crushed quickly beneath a panel of glass. Pretty quick and may be too fast for some lovers of gory scenes.
High Tension (Haute Tension in French) the chest of drawers death
Nothing like being decapitated by a nice armoire. It happens quick so you get your gory fix right away.
Ghost Ship (opening sequence)
This is a great and gory scene. Passengers on a ship dancing, having fun, eating a drinking. They are on deck when one of those high tension cables comes loose, swings down at just about waist height, and slices everyone in half immediately. It happens so fast that some dont even know and go to walk away from their lower halves. Pretty much the goriest one weve seen.
Hellraiser (Jesus Wept)
At the beginning and end of this one, Cenobites get Frank into a real bind and chains with hooks on the end pierce his skin.
Slither
This is a comedy horror film but it gets nice and gory when the monster splits a victim open like a green pea pod, with just its tail.
Saw Three (the rack trap)
The trap is slow and torturous and twists off the victims limbs individually. Not for the squeamish.
Day of the Dead
This movie is a classic and has one of the bloodiest scenes ever in a movie. Slow zombies can do just as much damage as quick ones. They must get their energy from all of those brains
Even if a movie is glassed as gory, it can be better with some kind of decent plot and a lot of the action left to the imagination. You simply cannot beat Psycho for the shock value of blood running through shower water in the shower scene. If done well, movies can make even diehard fans of gore jump. People still love to watch films in a movie theatre because of the group reactions to the horror of it all.
Some of the classic Sci-Fi movies do well in the gore department, especially the Alien series. Remember the first one when the baby alien splits open the crewmembers chest? And we just thought he had a bad case of gas. Now, if you could combine Day of the Dead and Alien, and all of those Halloween movies and throw in a healthy dose of classic Nosferatu and Christopher Lee vampires and teeny-boppers holed up in a remote cabin somewhere (and being killed off one by one), youd have the plot of the best and goriest Halloween movie ever. Maybe.
As a unique Halloween game you could have everyone sit in a circle and write a short and gory Halloween movie scene. Then, people have to read their own scenes and add all of the necessary sound FX. Who knows it could be the next big Halloween movie.
Halloween Costumes for Pets

Posted by admin On May - 29 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Pets today are often considered part of the family, and are treated as such most of the time. Halloween costumes for pets are commonplace, but they need not be common. If the pet is dressing solo or part of a group, then the size, temperament of the pet and wishes of the owners have to be taken into consideration. There should be no restriction on movement for the pet and it should be able to see and walk normally. Safety should be first and foremost on Halloween, for children, adults and pets. A few pets have no tolerance for wearing anything, especially hats, so if this is the case, then you must costume your pet simply.
There are hundreds of pet costumes to be found on the web, but many you can make or adapt yourself. If you are in a patriotic mood or perchance marching in a 4th of July parade, then an Uncle Sam costume for your dog would be a wonderful way to show your pride in the US. These are usually made of a simple bodysuit in red, white and blue, with a matching hat. The latter should be lightweight or your dog will think a bird has landed on his or her head and theyll try and shake it off.
Another funky outfit is called a dog riders cowboy and it has a miniature cowboy riding your dog like a bronco. Test your dog first as its the same as a hat your dog may simply want to shake the cowboy off. A cute outfit for a pug is a bumblebee. Everything is flexible and comfortable so the likelihood is your dog wont try and shake it off. Theres a bee-striped shirt (leaving your dog in a natural state in the rear), an antenna headband with a set of black pompoms for antennae, and mesh wings.
If youre into gardening then dressing your dog up as a flower could work. For this ensemble the manufacturer has made a light green cape, bright pink flower petals, and a set of antennae to match of pink and green. Are you from the islands Hawaii, that is? Perhaps youre just a fan of that nostalgic cop show set in Hawaii. Its a comfortable and simple outfit, with a lei and a Hawaiian shirt. Perhaps this would suit that surfboarding/skateboarding bulldog they have in Southern California.
A butterfly ensemble from Animal Planet has printed foam wings that look like a bright Monarch, plus an antennae headband. Another one from the same company and TV channel is a cowboy dog costume. This can make your little dude into a regular cowpoke Its made from a character jumpsuit, has stuffed arms, a vest with a fringe, a rope, and a cowboy hat with string to hold it under your dogs chin. Another costume suitable for a pug, is Yoda from Star Wars. It has Yodas big green ears sticking out from the headpiece and a jumpsuit with attached arms. If you love Star Wars then let your dog be the Jedi master for a change.
Zelda the rock star could make your dog over into a punk musician, with its zip-up black jacket, red spikey wig, pants, and a studded dog collar. By far and away the most unusual new costume for this year is a hammerhead shark one. This is another Animal Planet outfit, as is the raptor (dinosaur variety). Both the shark and raptor have nice teeth, but they are harmless. Kids love these types of costumes and they could be used as puppets throughout the year.
If youre into The Flintstones, then Zelda the cave dog is the perfect outfit for your dog. Its a stone age riot with its animal print wrap-around shirt, and a black spiked wig. This particular outfit would be perfect for a trick or treating stone age party, including the dog of course. There are classic dog dress up outfits such as a foam bun which fits around your Dachshund making
him or her into a real hot dog, or a pink tutu for your poodle. Pet stores have regular clothes for all sizes of dogs and these can be used or adapted towards Halloween costumes for pets.
Cats were never mentioned I regards to dress-up, because we all know how cats feel about any kind of costume: What you want me to wear that? Perhaps a cat whos eaten a whole can of tuna might be inclined to wear a headband for a few second. Just maybe
Halloween Crafts for the Holiday

Halloween crafts can be projects that bring the entire family together. These are projects that can be used to decorate the home, so that your house is transformed into a spooky and festive place. It also gives you ideas for things you can do with groups of children at Halloween parties or school craft classes. Whatever your reason, Halloween is a great time to get crafting.
Halloween Crafts for the Yard
Aside from the classic and traditional carved pumpkin jack-o-lantern, there are other things you can do to get creative and make the exterior of your house look festive. In fact, you can add to your jack-o-lanterns with other styles of decor that have the same idea. Turn flower pots into painted pumpkins, either upside down or right side up.
You can also use empty milk or orange juice jugs for a new twist on an old classic. Using a black marker you can create ghost faces on white milk jugs or jack-o-lantern looks on the orange juice ones. Using a blade to cut away part of the bottom, you can use Christmas or string-bulb lights to illuminate the inside. Put as many bulbs in as you like, then set more jugs side by side with the rest of the string lights running into these.
Also, make use of what you have on hand and create a giant black spider to scare the neighbors. Using a giant black trash bag stuffed with leaves, you create the body. The head is the same process, only a smaller end result. Twist more bags in pairs lengthwise to create the legs, then use black electrical tape to fasten it all together. Get creative with eyes; you can cut them from plastic cups, paper plates, construction paper or paint them on. Dont forget fangs and an hourglass for a really sinister arachnid.
Bats and Spiders
Speaking of giant spiders, not much else creeps people out for Halloween more than spiders and bats. So what better way to get creative with Halloween crafts than to incorporate these critters into the plan. One method you can use includes mini-pumpkins as the body of either one.
The basic idea is to paint the pumpkins black, and be creative with the faces. Wings, ears or spider legs can be created from thick construction paper, poster board or craft foam. You can also use pipe cleaners to create spider legs or add dimension to bat wings. Simply glue on or attach with black electrical tape.
The same principle can be applied to creating bats or spiders from black balloons. A larger one for the body, smaller for the head, and use paper for the features. Make eyes, ears, fangs, wings or legs and attach with glue or tape. Remember, the balloons dont get filled very full. That way you avoid them popping or looking like overstuffed critters.
Recycle, Reuse and Get Scary
A great way to make decorations is by repurposing items meant to go to the trash bin and giving them a new use. The skeleton of plastic bottles is a neat way to do this. Keep in mind though, it does require cutting, and only adults can do most of this activity. Also, you can use clear or white, or paint clear bottles white, but you want to end up with a consistent end result.
Milk jugs become the head and chest cavity by bringing them together where the lid openings are. Your child can paint on a skeleton face while you do some cutting of the ribs. The pelvis is yet another jug, but just the bottom part cut and shaped a bit like hips. The bones are made from plastic bottles, with or without the centers cut out. It looks more realistic with them cut, but does not have to be. Attach the bones with wire so the skeleton has some realistic movement involved.
Use old white sheets stuffed with old newspapers to create ghosts around the home. If you have some old white pillowcases too, then you can vary the size of the ghosts. Either use the entire sheet, or divide into smaller sections for a family of ghosts. Decorate the faces with markers, partially fill with newspaper and cinch off with wire or rubber bands. Suspend them from rafters or doorways to spook your guests.
There are plenty of ways to get crafty for Halloween, decorate the home and create some family bonding moments. Have kids offer their own ideas or at least express their individuality by decorating pieces. Halloween crafts can be saved for the next year when a whole new bunch of ideas get added.
Halloween Crafts
Halloween Crafts
Posted by admin On June - 6 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween Crafts Making your own crafts for Halloween means making a whole lot of fun, and each finished craft project is a unique one that only you could have made. House decorations are terrific ways to accommodate guests, whether at a party or tick or treaters. They are usually super-easy to make and quite inexpensive. We have some tips below and hopefully they will help you to realize a few crafts of your own.
Design a pumpkin or ghost-like face on empty one-gallon milk jugs then paint on the face. After youve cut out a back hole, light the jugs with candles or bulbs. Those battery operated candles are the best, and safest. Get a few of those twig wreaths from the craft store and seasonal decorative items and flowers for them. You can make a Fall one first for Halloween, then one for Winter, Spring and Summer. Spiders! These can be made from all sorts of found and purchased objects. One of the easiest is to get 8 of those chenille stems, a couple of googly eyes, a small styrofoam ball, and a suction cup. Paint the ball with appropriate paint, stick the stems in like legs, glue on the eyes and suction cup, and stick it on your windows. Make a crowd of ghosts for the front lawn Set up a few tomato cages and use twigs for arms. Weave a strand of lights through the cage and test to see if they light up. Cover with sheet or muslin and always use tiny lights for safety. Eyes on the passersby. Use ping pong balls and tea lights which are battery powered. Paint the ping pong ball to look like an eyeball then cut a small hole in the bottom and stick it on to the tea light. Line up in your front window on a ledge. Purchase one or more of those white translucent paper globe lights. Decorate with scrapbooking or construction paper and then plug it in. This is one lit owl! Paint acorns orange then draw faces on them with a permanent marker. Arrange the tiny pumpkins how you like. This is a good one for kids as the pumpkins like tiny hands to make them! Pumpkins can be changed into baseball players. Put a real hat on them, paint some eyes and part of a face, then blow up a small pink balloon, tie it off, then make a small hole and poke it into the pumpkin where the mouth would be. Your own batmobile, or other mobile. Start with a wire hanger then cut out bat shapes and hang them from the hangar with twine or fishing line. Make a hangar go through another at right angles and youll have more hanging points. Use pumpkins instead, or ghosts.
Paint small pumpkins black, put on fierce eyes, cut out wings from craft foam, and youll have some unique bat-pumpkins. If you paint the eyes differently they will have different expressions. An assortment of creepy creatures. Use craft foam and cut out bats and spiders and black cats. You can out these on a mirror or the inside of your windows. Bats that are fuzzy. Cut a little puff off of a feather boa, attach craft foam wings and eyes, and youll have a whole bunch of bat kitties. Cut a band of paper and measure it to fit around a votive candle holder. Cut eyes out of the paper in pairs and when a candle is lit, the eyes will dance. If you are camping around Halloween, then make yourself a nice sign out of cardboard like : The Smiths Campsite. Decorate with leaves and hang on the nearest to the campsite post. Permanent pumpkins can be made by using clay pots, upside down, and decorate with yellow Jack OLantern faces and a piece of foam or branch for the stem. If you have a pair of windows in your house, then decorate each half from the inside to look like a Jack OLantern from the outside. Make a big spider for your window by using a half of a large styrofoam egg, then sticking bendable foam legs into the side. Dont forget there are 8! Use battery powered tea lights in small brown paper bags and line your walkway with them.
Halloween House Decorations

Halloween house decorations can turn any home into a haunted home during this holiday. You can get in the ghastly spirit of the holiday by adding some spooky, eerie or gross details to the home. What other time of year would you invite rats and bats indoors or make the effort to create a final resting place for dead bodies in your back yard? So live it up by celebrating the dead, or un-dead, and add some flair to your Halloween haunted lair.
Halloween House Decorations for a Haunted Home
Honestly, these days it is almost impossible to narrow down the choices of how to decorate your home for Halloween. Weve come a long way from just the simple paper cutouts that hang on a door or wall. These days, homes can come alive with the undead and macabre fairly simply. It really all depends on how much or how little you want to decorate.
One of the easiest ways to add little touches of a fear factor to the home is by adding plenty of fake vermin. Those critters you spend money having exterminators keeping out of the home, you can now add with great enthusiasm. Plastic spiders, roaches and rats can be scattered about a room to add some yuck. Of course, do not use the little critter dcor if you have little ones or pets as these can be choking hazards.
Add fake cob webs to corners and ghosts suspended from the ceiling. Ghosts can be created by using sheets, pillowcases or white trash bags. Simply lightly stuff with paper, close off with wire, string or rubber bands and hang for some scare factor. Remember to use caution and never hang anything too close to a light fixture or ceiling fan. To go all out, check out your local party supply store. There are plenty of monsters and other details you can add to up the amount of ghoulish delight you want in your haunted house.
Not so Scary Options
Halloween doesnt have to be just about ghosts, goblins, demons and the undead. Halloween house decorations can also be selected to offer more of a seasonal theme than a haunted appeal. So think fall, instead of fear.
Pumpkins still add holiday finesse, only this time they dont require any carving. In fact some gourds of all sizes, shapes and colors can really make a home look festive for this holiday. Of course that also means adding some hay to the look. You can put cloth or plastic on the floor and then use hay bales for dcor or even seating. Make sure to use some loose bits around the room as well.
Apples and dried corn also add some festive holiday flavor to a room. If youre really feeling in the spirit of things, you can also incorporate a scarecrow into your decorating and take it that extra step. Use some paper leaves to create an ambiance of fall, not just Halloween.
Crafty Ideas
Using homemade crafts to decorate for Halloween can be budget friendly and good for the whole family to get involved. Use some ideas you find to work together on a larger project or to create smaller individual pieces. A family sign is a good DIY project.
You can create one sign that everyone contributes to, or signs for each person to have on the door to their bedroom. You can also create one to hang outside. Go with either an autumn look or a haunted theme and color or decorate as you please. You can, in fact, take the eerie idea even farther by creating signs that look like tombstones.
You can also create holiday themed mobiles as part of your Halloween house decorations for inside the home. Again, family members can work together on one or create individual mobiles
for different areas of the house. Use paper, felt, cloth, markers, glitter, glue and anything else you can think of to make a mobile. You can use patterns or stencils or do it all freehand.
Cut out drawings for younger kids and let them color with crayons. Once you have a collection of black cats, pumpkins, ghosts, bats and witches, create your mobile. You can use a coat hanger for better support if needed, and remember to make the top of the mobile larger than the pieces hanging from it.
Look online or do some party store browsing to get some ideas and inspiration. Make what you can and buy what you cant. Either way, your Halloween house decorations will be sure to get your whole family in the spirit of the holiday.
Halloween Decorations

Posted by admin On June - 9 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween House Decorations Many people keep certain holiday decorations from year to year, then add new ones. Theres the Christmas tree, ornaments for that, and perhaps a few well decorated and artificial pumpkins, Jack O Lanterns, and large black spiders for Halloween. Families often have a pumpkin carving fest and kids get a real kick out of creating those transitory pumpkins which are great for a week, then soften into a green and malodorous puddle when they start to decay. Theres room for permanent and temporary decorations for all seasons and holidays.
Craft stores have numerous basic pumpkin shapes made from either Paper Mache or Syrofoam Where these types shine is in a lovely mantel or window display which you can make yourself. After Halloween or Thanksgiving is over, pop the display into a plastic bag and seal it up, then store in a dry place. Dried gourds can also be used but they are natures own and eventually will deteriorate. For the mantel or window display, measure your space and cut a length of board to fit. Cover it neatly and totally with brown felt (fabric store) and fasten to board in back and at ends, kind of like a long, skinny package.
Choose either a few differently sized pumpkins and fall greenery and small picks with scarecrows on them etc., or a few Jack O Lanterns and black cats and a haunted house pick or two. One can be for Thanksgiving or you can do a combo. If there is an outlet near to where you are displaying the pumpkin diorama, then string some mini orange or purple lights along it
and plug in. This is great for a front window. Dont forget to turn the lights off at night or if you are out.
Haunted houses are popular at Halloween so you can create one in your own home, or even perhaps just the entryway. This will use several components which can be packed away or discarded each year when Halloween is over with. That stretchy spider web material is great for corners and very realistic. Guests may even think its real! In a dark upper corner you can place a large black spider and one of those that is animated and has glowing red eyes is super freaky and kids get a real kick out of them. Other rubber or plastic spiders can be placed around various locations, but make sure that pets dont get hold of them as they can swallow them, and may get sick.
A favorite each year is a candy or treat bowl, so purchase a large black cauldron (plastic is fine or else it will weigh a ton), and if you can get s small electric glowing fire simulator and place it under the cauldron, so much the better. When Halloween comes you can place some dry ice hidden in your display so it seems to be bubbling over. Be careful about the dry ice as it can freeze the skin so keep it sway from treats. You can set up your cauldron and put treats in front of it as this would be the safest method.
Always think safety of children, adults and pets first on Halloween, whenever you make a decoration or wear a costume. Its a fun time and kids love to dress up. There are realistic skeletons on the Web and also in some pop-up Halloween stores. They are usually molded from plastic and some can be inexpensive but the most realistic ones are expensive. They will last a long time so think if youd like to invest in one. You can hang one from a chandelier if you have a very high ceiling, like the one in Disneys Haunted Mansion.
An incredibly inventive scene and one which will be talked about in the neighborhood, is if you have a cubicle in your house or a very small room, you can create a Halloween scene in it graveyards are popular, then stretch a scrim (muslin) cloth across the front which will screen off the room. When lit, people will see the scene suddenly and have a great time laughing about how it made them jump out of their skins! This is exactly how its done in the theatre and you can make these scenes fairly easily. An old fashioned parlor with a skeleton sitting in a rocking chair, a dusty tiffany lamp, and spooky music playing is a good scene to start with. If you can get the rocker to rock back and forth, then so much the better.

Halloween house decorations can turn any home into a haunted home during this holiday. You can get in the ghastly spirit of the holiday by adding some spooky, eerie or gross details to the home. What other time of year would you invite rats and bats indoors or make the effort to create
a final resting place for dead bodies in your back yard? So live it up by celebrating the dead, or un-dead, and add some flair to your Halloween haunted lair.
Halloween House Decorations for a Haunted Home
Honestly, these days it is almost impossible to narrow down the choices of how to decorate your home for Halloween. Weve come a long way from just the simple paper cutouts that hang on a door or wall. These days, homes can come alive with the undead and macabre fairly simply. It really all depends on how much or how little you want to decorate.
One of the easiest ways to add little touches of a fear factor to the home is by adding plenty of fake vermin. Those critters you spend money having exterminators keeping out of the home, you can now add with great enthusiasm. Plastic spiders, roaches and rats can be scattered about a room to add some yuck. Of course, do not use the little critter dcor if you have little ones or pets as these can be choking hazards.
Add fake cob webs to corners and ghosts suspended from the ceiling. Ghosts can be created by using sheets, pillowcases or white trash bags. Simply lightly stuff with paper, close off with wire, string or rubber bands and hang for some scare factor. Remember to use caution and never hang anything too close to a light fixture or ceiling fan. To go all out, check out your local party supply store. There are plenty of monsters and other details you can add to up the amount of ghoulish delight you want in your haunted house.
Not so Scary Options
Halloween doesnt have to be just about ghosts, goblins, demons and the undead. Halloween house decorations can also be selected to offer more of a seasonal theme than a haunted appeal. So think fall, instead of fear.
Pumpkins still add holiday finesse, only this time they dont require any carving. In fact some gourds of all sizes, shapes and colors can really make a home look festive for this holiday. Of course that also means adding some hay to the look. You can put cloth or plastic on the floor and then use hay bales for dcor or even seating. Make sure to use some loose bits around the room as well.
Apples and dried corn also add some festive holiday flavor to a room. If youre really feeling in the spirit of things, you can also incorporate a scarecrow into your decorating and take it that extra step. Use some paper leaves to create an ambiance of fall, not just Halloween.
Crafty Ideas
Using homemade crafts to decorate for Halloween can be budget friendly and good for the whole family to get involved. Use some ideas you find to work together on a larger project or to create smaller individual pieces. A family sign is a good DIY project.
You can create one sign that everyone contributes to, or signs for each person to have on the door to their bedroom. You can also create one to hang outside. Go with either an autumn look or a haunted theme and color or decorate as you please. You can, in fact, take the eerie idea even farther by creating signs that look like tombstones.
You can also create holiday themed mobiles as part of your Halloween house decorations for inside the home. Again, family members can work together on one or create individual mobiles for different areas of the house. Use paper, felt, cloth, markers, glitter, glue and anything else you can think of to make a mobile. You can use patterns or stencils or do it all freehand.
Cut out drawings for younger kids and let them color with crayons. Once you have a collection of black cats, pumpkins, ghosts, bats and witches, create your mobile. You can use a coat hanger for better support if needed, and remember to make the top of the mobile larger than the pieces hanging from it.
Look online or do some party store browsing to get some ideas and inspiration. Make what you can and buy what you cant. Either way, your Halloween house decorations will be sure to get your whole family in the spirit of the holiday.
Halloween Decorations

Posted by admin On June - 9 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween House Decorations
Many people keep certain holiday decorations from year to year, then add new ones. Theres the Christmas tree, ornaments for that, and perhaps a few well decorated and artificial pumpkins, Jack O Lanterns, and large black spiders for Halloween. Families often have a pumpkin carving fest and kids get a real kick out of creating those transitory pumpkins which are great for a week, then soften into a green and malodorous puddle when they start to decay. Theres room for permanent and temporary decorations for all seasons and holidays.
Craft stores have numerous basic pumpkin shapes made from either Paper Mache or Syrofoam Where these types shine is in a lovely mantel or window display which you can make yourself. After Halloween or Thanksgiving is over, pop the display into a plastic bag and seal it up, then store in a dry place. Dried gourds can also be used but they are natures own and eventually will deteriorate. For the mantel or window display, measure your space and cut a length of board to fit. Cover it neatly and totally with brown felt (fabric store) and fasten to board in back and at ends, kind of like a long, skinny package.
Choose either a few differently sized pumpkins and fall greenery and small picks with scarecrows on them etc., or a few Jack O Lanterns and black cats and a haunted house pick or two. One can be for Thanksgiving or you can do a combo. If there is an outlet near to where you are displaying the pumpkin diorama, then string some mini orange or purple lights along it and plug in. This is great for a front window. Dont forget to turn the lights off at night or if you are out.
Haunted houses are popular at Halloween so you can create one in your own home, or even perhaps just the entryway. This will use several components which can be packed away or discarded each year when Halloween is over with. That stretchy spider web material is great for corners and very realistic. Guests may even think its real! In a dark upper corner you can place a large black spider and one of those that is animated and has glowing red eyes is super freaky and kids get a real kick out of them. Other rubber or plastic spiders can be placed around various locations, but make sure that pets dont get hold of them as they can swallow them, and may get sick.
A favorite each year is a candy or treat bowl, so purchase a large black cauldron (plastic is fine or else it will weigh a ton), and if you can get s small electric glowing fire simulator and place it under the cauldron, so much the better. When Halloween comes you can place some dry ice hidden in your display so it seems to be bubbling over. Be careful about the dry ice as it can freeze the skin so keep it sway from treats. You can set up your cauldron and put treats in front of it as this would be the safest method.
Always think safety of children, adults and pets first on Halloween, whenever you make a decoration or wear a costume. Its a fun time and kids love to dress up. There are realistic skeletons on the Web and also in some pop-up Halloween stores. They are usually molded from plastic and some can be inexpensive but the most realistic ones are expensive. They will last a
long time so think if youd like to invest in one. You can hang one from a chandelier if you have a very high ceiling, like the one in Disneys Haunted Mansion.
An incredibly inventive scene and one which will be talked about in the neighborhood, is if you have a cubicle in your house or a very small room, you can create a Halloween scene in it graveyards are popular, then stretch a scrim (muslin) cloth across the front which will screen off the room. When lit, people will see the scene suddenly and have a great time laughing about how it made them jump out of their skins! This is exactly how its done in the theatre and you can make these scenes fairly easily. An old fashioned parlor with a skeleton sitting in a rocking chair, a dusty tiffany lamp, and spooky music playing is a good scene to start with. If you can get the rocker to rock back and forth, then so much the better.
Halloween Festivals around the Country

If Halloween is really your kind of holiday than Halloween festivals around the country should be just the thing to get you in the spirit of the holiday. For some people, a costume party or taking the kids trick or treating just isnt enough. In that case, youll be glad to know, there are some places that even celebrate Halloween all month long.
Halloween Festival of Salem, Massachusetts
It may come as no surprise that the town where the Salem Witch Trials were held has become the party spot to celebrate Halloween all month long. There are different types of planned events throughout the month, some involving the city and some independent groups. It doesnt matter when you show up; you will find a way to celebrate the holiday.
Theres a week-long Festival of the Dead, a Witches Halloween Ball, a Vampires Masquerade Ball and a psychic fair, just to name a few of the many options. Of course, Halloween night itself is the most grand of all costumed galas. The entire area closes down the streets to traffic and costumed visitors and residents take over. There are plenty of clubs, bars, street food vendors and random craziness that make this an unbeatable Halloween celebration.
Anoka, Minnesota
When you think Halloween you certainly think Anoka, MN, right? Though the name may not ring a bell, shockingly, this place is considered the Halloween Capital of the World. This week long event started off as a one day parade and celebration back in the 1920s. The festivities grew
until one day became one week. There are plenty of things to do throughout the week, including simply taking in the decorating that practically everyone in town pitches in to do. The usual Halloween events take place, including awarding the best decorated house, and there are now three parades instead of just one.
New York Village
One of the most well known and best loved Halloween parade takes place here. Going on its 39th year, the parade has become quite a spectacle and includes public participation. Costumed New Yorkers and visitors come to mingle with the puppets and performers, such as musicians, dancers and artists. This self-proclaimed Nations Most Wildly Creative Halloween parade is a must-see, and must join in, for holiday fans.
Independence, Kansas
Spell Halloween backwards and you have the Neewollah celebration of Independence, KS. This town has been celebrating a backwards version of the holiday since 1919. There is a carnival, parades, a chili cook off and plenty of other Halloween and seasonally appropriate events to attend during this traditional holiday homage. The great pumpkin contest is a real crowd attracting event and most of the activities are fun for the whole family.
Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California
This festival is now a six week-long event, beating out even Salem, which goes for four weeks. The festival includes a pumpkin patch, corn maze and haunted house and trail. It is the perfect combination of family fun, country autumn fair and spooky Halloween attraction. Kids will love the farm animals and hay ride if they arent at the age to enjoy the Factory of Nightmares Haunted House just yet. Parts of the festival, such as the corn maze and haunted house and trail even go until midnight on weekends.
Irvington, Indianapolis
The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival is a traditional part of the holiday that has been happening for more than 60 years. Designed to bring some attention and tourists to the town, this festival is now just shy of a full month of celebrations. The variety of events included are eclectic, to say the least. From a roller derby to ghost story telling or a five mile run followed in
the evening by Halloween-themed movies, there is sure to be something for everyone who attends. The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival also includes music, a pageant, theater, haunted puppet shows and ghost tours.
Finding Halloween Festivities
If you can travel, there is a world of opportunities to available to go all out celebrating Halloween. From single day events to six week festivals, there are all kinds of spooky or family friendly events to enjoy Halloween, or just autumn in general. All you have to do is search around a little and you will be sure to find something that suits your Halloween needs.
Even within your own town, or neighboring areas, there is sure to be something happening to pay homage to the holiday. More and more, towns are starting or elaborating on the events planned to honor Halloween.
Halloween Festivals
Halloween Festivals or Events Around the United States

Posted by admin On June - 1 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween Festivals or Events Around the Country There are thousands of events and festivals and happenings around Halloween time, spread throughout the U.S. Some of the dates vary each year but some are fixed, so its wise to check before heading on out to any particular one. Another good idea is to find out whether the event itself is family-suitable, and whether or not the crowds are rowdy or family-friendly, as well. Of course, not all of the events are listed and theres bound to be some within a short distance of your local city or town. If you have your own event, you can list the event in the Halloween.com links directory. New York Citys Halloween Parade This huge and diversely-populated city is not the place to be if you dislike large crowds. The party and parade is simply gigantic and it starts early evening on October 31st. The jumping off point is usually 6th Avenue, and it goes from Spring Street to 21st St. The event ends about 11pm but some celebrants carry on into the wee hours. There are 100s of large puppets, over fifty bands, along with parading citizens all dressed up. Millions watch from the sidelines according to the usual estimate.
Arkansas Magic Screams
This one is a theme park makeover held throughout October on the weekends. Its in Hot Springs at the Magic Springs and Crystal Falls park. A lot of the things to do and see are familyfriendly, with goblins and ghosts, wizards, costume contests, pumpkin painting and a haunted trail. Witch Trial Recreation in Colonial Wiliamsburg in VA Take part in this dramatic trial of a woman accused of being a witch (its set in 1706). Cry Witch is 1 of several offered here in the spirit of Halloween. They also have tours and evening walks by flickering candlelight, which talk about ghostly legends. California Theme Park & Other Halloween Bashes Universal Studios in Hollywood holds an annual event and they audition actors a few months before. Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park becomes Knotts Scary Farm for the season. The West Hollywood Carnival attracts costumed participants (usually about half a million) along Santa Monica Boulevard. The huge retired luxury liner, The Queen Mary which is docked in Long Beach, gives paranormal tours, haunted hotel rooms, ghost investigations and dinners around Halloween. Disneyland in Anaheim is decorated to a T for Halloween, and it holds parades and has crafts areas as well. Ripleys (Believe it Or Not) Events Ripleys Haunted Adventures in San Antonio, TX; special horror movie guests at their location in Gatlinburg, TN; the same at their location in Myrtle Beach, SC; Carnival of Screams at their Tussaud Palace of Wax in Grand Prairie, TX; and ghost walking tours as well as ghost train adventures in St. Augustine, FL. Around California Several Dia de los Muertos festivals, or the Mexican Day of the Dead, are spread throughout California. Altars for loved ones may be created at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery; in San Francisco they hold a procession all the way from the Mission District through to Garfield Park; Oceanside is the site where thousands of marigolds are used to decorate altars honoring ancestors, and where visitors can make their own in a Chalk Cemetery. Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa, FL The park is transformed into Howl-O-Scream during the Halloween season, using scare zones, haunted houses, roller coasters and shows. Lots of screams here! Misc. Events Across the Country Events are held at the Nickelodeon Family suites which are in Orlando, and at some of the Great Wolf Lodges at other locations. Disneyworld decorates up a storm in Orlando, FL each year. In Key West, FL, they hold a Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea parties themed event. There are street fairs, costume contests and a parade. Alice in Wonderland is the theme. Theres a
coronation ball as well as Captain Morgans Fantasy Fest Parade right through the historic downtown area of Key West. In one of the best cities in the U.S. to celebrate Halloween New Orleans youll find The Witching Hour Ball (Anne Rices Lestat fan club puts this on), Haunted History Tours, and the Voodoo Music Experience. Just walking around New Orleans at this time will let anyone soak in the mysterious and romantic and exciting atmosphere of this legendary city. And oh, the food, glorious food, in New Orleans!
Halloween Food for Children

Halloween food for children is about more than the sweets they pick up while trick-or-treating. Many parents host Halloween parties during this time of year, and the food can add to the overall holiday appeal of the party. The key is to keep it spooky without going overboard. Keep in mind the fear factor should be well below the planning involved for an adult Halloween party. Get the children to have fun, not need therapy afterwards.
Spooky and Sweet
You know you cant go wrong with Halloween foods for children when there are sweets involved. Though they may round up plenty of goodies during their trick-or-treating, make some home baked treats. The easiest option is to decorate cupcakes in a clever manner, and there are plenty of alternative ways to do this. You can use icing on a plate to give the appearance of spider legs with the cupcake being the spider body and maybe a little red hourglass on the cupcake for a black widow. Icing can make spider webs, ghosts or use stencils to get into more intricate designs.
If you want to do an entire cake instead, there are also several options. The two most popular are the graveyard cake and the worms in dirt. Worms in dirt may not be spooky, but it is gross and a great choice of Halloween foods for children. The first layer is Jell-O with gummy worms, topped with crumbled cookies for dirt. Add a few gummy worms protruding from the dirt for extra fun.
The graveyard cake is however you would like to interpret it, but the general idea is to create a cemetery. Use cookie crumbles for dirt or green icing for grass, and whichever type of cookie you would like to create tombstones. Marshmallows or whipped cream make great ghosts. Just remember, using extra touches such as plastic spiders, may not be a good idea for younger children. Make sure to keep choking hazards out of the food planning.
Frightening Foods
A fairly easy but delicious treat is a variation of pigs in a blanket. Instead of wrapping the dough around the entire hot dog, wrap it like a strip of cloth winding around to create a mummy effect. Leave a slit of dog exposed and use two mustard or ketchup dots for eyes. This same idea can be applied to mini pizzas, too. Arrange the shredded cheese to look like strips of bandages with an opening at the eyes. Once the pizzas are cooked, or before they are done, use olive slivers for eyeballs.
For ghostly snacks as part of Halloween foods for kids, consider using potato skins. Use a thin layer of sour cream like icing to paint the potatoes white and then use scallions to add eyes and a mouth to individual ghosties. Slice hot dogs length ways in slivers to create a worm effect. Mix the cooked hot dog slices with ketchup and add to a hoagie roll or bun for a tapeworm sandwich.
Edible Scares with a Healthy Twist
For the ultimate in finger foods, create a look that resembles real fingers. Carrots or string cheese sticks make a great looking finger, especially if you have the extra time to carve some lines to make knuckles. Get creative with fingernails. For example use red or green bell pepper slivers for a monster hand look. Optional tip: create a dip to go with the snacks and arrange the fingers to look like a real hand reaching back from inside the bowl.
Of course any variation of a deviled egg with an olive twist can create the look of an eyeball. Using olives in halves or slices and with or without the pimento can actually turn a variety of foods into eyeball looking treats.
Get the Party Started
In the end, it is really more about the overall party than just the snacks. Keep in mind ways to add games, a costume contest and some ghost story telling for a holiday event that will be unforgettable. Consider the ages of the children who will be attending and make sure the scare factor and food items are age appropriate.
Decorating is also another detail not to overlook. Add some fake spider webs and jack-olanterns to the room and help create a real mood for the party. Download some spooky but fun
holiday tunes or find a CD with creepy noises or songs to get all the kids in the Halloween party mind frame. While Halloween foods for kids can help add to a holiday party, the other details help truly make it one.
Halloween Food
Halloween Drinks for Children Punch Bowl Classics and More

Posted by admin On June - 29 - 2011ADD COMMENTS
Halloween Drinks for Children Punch Bowl Classics and More

When throwing a holiday party for the little ones, Halloween drinks for children are a must. While it may be easier to find some great cocktail recipes for adults, some of those concoctions can also be made without the alcohol for a kid-friendly version. The simplest thing to do is make a punch bowl the centerpiece of the foods table and be ready to refill it as it gets low.
Gross and Ghastly Halloween Drinks for Children
Rotten Apple Cider is a popular favorite around Halloween, and just needs a little prep the day before the party. Depending on how much punch you want to make, most recipes call for using five cupcake tins or trays in the prep. Each of these gets filled with cider and 2 drops of red and one drop of green food coloring, and then stir. Hang 2 worms within each cup, with some of the gummy worm dangling over the side, and freeze. These wormy cups can either be added to plain apple cider in a punch bowl, or in individual glasses.
Another holiday punch classic is the Squirmy, Wormy Punch. This one calls for a day before prep step, too. So, just keep that in mind for your Halloween party planning. Freeze some gummy worm ice cubes the day before. Then, blend up a swampy looking concoction using Lemon-Lime Kool Aid, orange juice concentrate, ginger ale, sugar and water in your punch bowl. Add the cubes and top with a few scoops of orange sherbet, and you will have a mucky, yucky looking but great tasting beverage.
Also, the Bloody Buggy Punch is a fun Halloween beverage for a group. This punch tends to be a favorite of parents too, as it uses fruits. This one requires starting by mashing full strawberries in a bowl using a fork. Then mix the strawberries, ginger ale and lemonade in a pitcher. Put a handful or two of blueberries and raisins in the bottom of the glasses and pour the mixture over top of the fruits acting as bugs. It tastes good, is healthy and still looks terrible, which is the perfect combination for any Halloween beverage.
Seasonal Treats versus Halloween Sweets
Want Halloween drinks for kids with more of a season theme than a Halloween twist? For something tasty suiting for this time of year, but without the yuck factor, try pumpkin smoothies. Its like the classic, seasonal pumpkin pie without the baking. It uses canned pumpkin, vanilla yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, a bit of honey and some ice cubes. All the ingredients get blended and poured into glasses with an optional dab of whipped cream or yogurt on top.
The other option, instead of a smoothie, would be a milkshake. Use a frozen banana, peeled and divided into smaller sections, and add to orange juice concentrate, pumpkin puree and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and water for a blended treat.
Extra Special Tips for Your Halloween Drinks for Kids
Extra details can add that much gorier pizzazz to your holiday punch. Peeled grapes are great for floating eyeballs, and as you may have noticed from the above recipes, gummy worms can be added to almost any drink idea for some gross out appeal. You can also make glasses look like they have bloody rims. Mix red food color with corn syrup or honey and then glaze the glass rims with enough mixture to enable it to drip down the glass. The clean up can be a little more involved, but is worth the added effect.
To make floating hands, freeze water in a disposable glove, the kind without the powdered lining, and simply cut it off before serving and add to the punch bowl. You can either add one or several floating hand cubes, or have one standing up and protruding from the center of the bowl. Normally ice cubes with fake bugs frozen inside would be a great detail, but when working with kids it is better to do away with any potential choking hazards.
Set the Mood
The perfect Halloween party should include snacks, music and games as well to create a holiday party feel. Have a Halloween costume contest, maybe tell some spooky ghost stories and, above all else, have fun and be safe. Keep games, foods, drinks, ghost tales and anything else appropriate to the ages of the children attending. Theres more to creating a holiday party than just the Halloween drinks for children, but it can all come together for perfection.
Halloween Games for Children

No holiday party would be complete without Halloween games for kids. Aside from helping to set the mood for the party, it gives kids something to do to stay active and burn off the increased levels of sugar intake they get this time of year. Remember, keep the activities fun but safe and appropriate for the age groups attending the Halloween function. Enlist the help of other parents for chaperoning and encourage all the children to participate and its sure to be an enjoyable and memorable Halloween party for kids.
Classic Halloween Games for Kids
A standard and traditional Halloween party activity is bobbing for apples. This game can be played using a large metal basin tub or a plastic kiddie pool, but should be done outdoors if possible. Also, it should be played with plenty of supervision since it involves children and water. The players, without using their hands, dunk their heads into the water and try to retrieve apples using only their mouths. Usually, a small group plays against each other in rounds and whoever snags an apple first, or the person who gets the most, is the winner.
Parents who do not feel comfortable with this game, or do not feel like cleaning up water from all over their living room, can offer Hanging Apple instead. This alternative to bobbing for apples utilizes apples that have been hung up on a tree limb or sturdy rafter by string. Again, without using their hands, children try to snag the apple using only their mouths.
Pin the nose on the witch is a substitute for the kids classic party game pin the tail on the donkey. This can also be done using any form of symbolic Halloween related creature. You can use a decoration from a party store and cut off the part to be pinned. Another option is to trace the part to be pinned and make your own version of it. Maybe even have kids make their own before starting the game. You can have a pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern, or feet on Frankenstein just keep it Halloween related.
On Their Feet
One of the great things about party games is that children tend to get plenty of exercise without even knowing it. Some, of course, may offer a little more action than others. This is a great way to tire children out before winding down for the evening. Some of it will depend greatly on how much space you have available.
The Monster Mash has been a classic Halloween tune, as well as a graveyard smash, since around 1962. Using this song, have kids play a different version of freeze tag called Monster Mash Freeze. Kids dance while the song is played, but when the music is stopped at random intervals, participants must freeze in place or be out. The last one standing is the champ.
Pumpkin bowling is another one of the Halloween games for children that keep them on their feet. You can use a standard plastic bowling set and a mini pumpkin as the ball and have kids compete to knock the most pins down. You can even make it part of a small obstacle course so children run from one holiday themed game to the next.
As a separate game, or as part of the obstacle course, you can also include the eyeball and spoon race. Like the old egg and spoon race but with a Halloween twist, use an egg or ping pong ball painted to look like an eyeball and have kids race to the finish line without dropping the eye. For extra fun have each child decorate their own ping pong ball prior to the race. You can also create a version of this game utilizing a balloon and a paper plate. Again, an option is to have children decorate their balloon first to look like an eyeball. The child who makes it to the finish line first without dropping the balloon from the paper plate is the winner.
A Final Word
The idea is, when in doubt, put a Halloween theme or twist to a classic game and you have a holiday activity. Whatever activities you choose, just keep the kids involved as much as possible. This could mean helping to set up the games or decorating their own object to participate in the activities. Try to give everyone a chance to have a turn and, hopefully, be a winner. Halloween games for children should be fun but safe and add to making it a party to remember.
Halloween Games and Activities
Halloween Games for Adults

Halloween Games for Adults

Halloween games for adults are the best way to add some entertainment to your holiday soiree. While it seems only the costumed kids get to have fun during trick-or-treat this time of year, parties are the perfect celebration for adults. The costumes might get a bit more risqu and the mood a little bit more frightening, but it can be a good way for adults to enjoy the holiday. If you are planning a Halloween party youll need to do a little planning to make it memorable.
Bobbing for Apples
A classic game for all ages, really. This Halloween favorite may not be adored by anyone with excess Halloween face makeup, but everyone else should have a blast. Using a large metal basin tub or a plastic kiddie pool, youll want to play either outdoors or somewhere you dont mind the floor getting wet. Add your water and your apples and then let everyone take a turn at dunking their heads in the water and trying to retrieve an apple. Players are not permitted to use their hands. Usually, a small group competes and whoever gets the first apple or the most apples, wins.
Witch Hunt Scavenger Hunt
This is generally more enjoyable if you can use more than one room and possibly even the outdoors. Make a list of five to ten things guests are supposed to find and try to weave in the Halloween theme. So, for instance, if you have something you might find in a graveyard guests can do their own interpretation by bringing back a rock, a worm or a handful of dirt.
This can also be played more like a version of an Easter egg hunt. Hide clues in plastic pumpkins and plan out where guests should go during the hunt. Each team starts with a clue that is meant to lead them to the next hidden clue. The first team to get all of their items or clues wins.
Mummy Wrap
In this game, couples work together to beat out all the other couples playing. Using toilet paper, one person wraps and the other person is the mummy. The first team to wrap their mummy completely from head to toe is declared the winning team. Other variations of this game include
having more than one person wrapping or using a blindfold on the wrapper so the mummy has to verbally lead the couple to victory.
Pin the Tail on the Devil
As one of the Halloween games for adults, this can be changed to anything Halloween related. Theres pin the nose on the jack-o-lantern or witch, for example. You can use any decoration from a Halloween store and either cut a section off, or trace and make your own body part to get pinned. Blindfold the guests, spin them a few times to disorient them and let them take off in the direction of the wall. Whoever gets closest, wins the game.
Pass the Organ
Using a good sized sponge or partly peeled orange, the object is to pass the item down the line without using your hands. The party gets divided up into two teams and blindfolds are an option. If the guests are blindfolded then they arent expecting the damp, squishy object that feels like a heart being passed to them. The first player starts with the object grasped between his chin and neck and works with the next person to pass it to the same spot. Whoever gets the organ to the end of the line first, without using their hands, wins.
Name that Yuck
Before the party, plan to have a row of bowls, usually five or six is fine, and fill them with something that feels yucky to the touch and have guests guess what is in the bowls. Peeled grapes can feel like eyeballs or make a gelatin brain mold, for example. Allowing things to be at room temperature for a while can add to the grossness factor. The guests waiting to play are in another room, and the guest taking his turn to guess is blindfolded. Whoever gets the most right answers wins. If some people tie, then decide who guessed their items the quickest.
In addition to these Halloween games for adults, there are also other well-known classics such as using an Ouija board or simply having a costume contest with different categories such as most original and sexiest. With the right dcor, some scary movies or music in the background and everyone in great spirits, these Halloween games for adults will be the highlight of your holiday party.
Halloween Makeup Ideas

Halloween Makeup Ideas A lot of the theatrical makeup used for Halloween dress-up can cause reactions in sensitive people, so always test it first. Or, read the ingredients before purchasing. You dont want to look like a leopard with spots, if your goal was to be an Egyptian queen! If youve purchased your costume then it will usually have a few make-up ideas in the package. If you are lost and dont know what youd like to do, then look at some books or designs on the Internet and they will inspire you. If you sweat a lot, then chose a light makeup up look. The more greasepaint you put on your body, the bigger the likelihood that you will sweat. There are natural mineral makeups out there plus specially designed ones used in show business, that wont cause reactions. They can be more expensive but its worth it if youll feel more comfortable. Some costume designs require a lot of makeup to create the look, while a few hardly need any. A lot of costumes use masks and if you arent allergic to latex then this is an almost instant way to glam up your outfit. Makeup for animal costumes is more complex than a lot of others This is like those face paintings that the kids get done at county fairs. One accidental wipe at your cheek and the look may be ruined. Even little babies can have a few dots or noses or whiskers on their faces. Of course, any makeup for babies should be hypoallergenic from the get go. Watch out for glitter. Its usually applied by a spray and it can cause reactions, besides the fact that it tastes funny if you get some in your mouth. Use a well-lit makeup mirror for your makeup if its complex. Try and get a photo of the look youre aiming for and tape it up on the mirror at eye level so you can refer to it.
One thing to be careful of is makeup staining either your skin or an area of your home where you dont want it. You have to get it off you before you go to bed, and sometimes it does take special removers. Test first, well before youll be needing it, and also test how to get it off. Remember read about both the makeup and the way to get it off, because you dont want your skin being removed along with it.
Theatrical makeup artists study for a long time because they often have to age or young an actor up for a role, or create a monster or disfigured person (such as in Phantom of the Opera) and these become an integral part of an actors costume. Once they start to act, then the two often meld together to form the character. Weve gotten a few tips together for specific looks.
Monster
This is not just throwing a bunch of makeup on your face and mixing it up together like a bread pudding. At the base of every monster is the person or being which existed before they became a monster. Somehow, you have to transcend the bridge and make your monster real. If its an affliction then make it as simple, and as real as you can. Sometimes a perfectly simple Mardi Gras-like mask can help, as in Phantom of the Opera. There neednt be anything behind a mask, but we can always wonder.
Swashbuckler/Daredevil For men, theres a certain swagger to an explorer or adventurer or pirate. This can mean beard stubble, which is easy for men as they have their own. Just dont shave for a few days. You can always stipple on some black makeup as well, unless you are a red head of course. An old sword wound can be created as long as it doesnt curl up on your face like a mini-venetian blind because of sweat. One director made himself up as Nanki-Poo in Gilbert and Sullivans The Mikado, and he was so active that his eyebrows started to peel off. I couldnt look at him without choking up. You can buy wounds in either a magic shop or makeup store or off the Internet. Womens Makeup Most women use makeup every day, but some do not. Most women leave the superhero and heavy makeup look to the men and opt for a more natural makeup job. Most women know when they look silly so most women will do alright at Halloween. Have a friend help you if need be. Help the men in your family with their makeup, because they are no doubt quite inexperienced at it. Have a happy and safe Halloween.
Halloween Ghost Stories

Ghost Stories
There isnt a more appropriate time of year for sharing ghost stories than Halloween. Swapping ghastly tales of freight at slumber parties, around a bonfire or at a Halloween costume party helps get in the spirit of holiday. Whether made up on the spot or handed down through the generations, spooky stories are perfect for all ages around and on Halloween.
Im Not Making This Up, I Swear
From all points around the globe, ghost stories emerge. Just like watching a horror movie that claims to be true, the most terrifying haunted tales are the ones that are supposed to be based on real events. This isnt that far a stretch since all one has to do is turn on the television and pick from one of several shows where people are hunting down actual ghosts in haunted places.
Just even within the United States there are plenty of areas that boast a spirit world claim to fame of being the most haunted area, town, city or community. From these paranormal hot spots plenty of ghost stories emerge. So much in fact that many places now offer ghost walks where tourists or locals can take a guided stroll and hear some of the accounts of the ghostly activity.
There are countless books of ghost stories or hauntings specific to different regions. Pick a city, town or state and do a search for that locations hauntings to have more home based ghost stories for Halloween time. New Hope, Pennsylvania, for example, has been labeled possibly the most haunted nook of America. Type in haunted New Hope PA and there are plenty of ways to find stories or ideas from around the area to create some that could sound true to guests huddled around at a Halloween party.
Tales, Folklore, Urban Legends and Myths
As previously mentioned, many spooky accounts come from another source or even from personal accounts of paranormal events. Many ghost stories though, are the result of folklore, urban legends, myths or even rumors. In these cases there is rarely ever a way to trace it down to the original storyteller other than someones claim that it really did happen to a friends sisters ex-boyfriend.
Usually, with this type of tale, everyone has heard some version of it, with the names and minor details changed. A good example of an urban legend of this nature would be the story of Bloody Mary. The name often changes and, in fact, a similar idea was explored in the 1992 movie Candyman in which the lead female was researching urban legends. Also, the number of times it takes to say the name varies from 3 all the way up to 20, but the basic idea stays the same. After an explanation of how Mary died, and this is where stories can really vary or just be made up, the listening audience and story teller gather by a mirror in a room lit only by a single candle. By chanting the name together a certain number of times, Bloody Marys spirit will appear behind the humans in the mirror.
Why Ghost Stories Have Become So Popular
Ghost stories are obviously beloved because of their ability to raise those hairs on the back of necks, cause goose bumps and generally frighten even the most devoted skeptics. Tales of things that go bump in the night have also been created to give people explanation where no other reasoning seems to be. Humans are quite perplexed by and fascinated by death and what happens to souls on the other side. Haunting theories claim that a spirit may be trapped if there was a murder, suicide or otherwise overly traumatic death. The idea being the spirit has a difficult time moving on to final rest and become trapped in a spot where they either died or a place that was familiar or near and dear to them.
Any Halloween get together is sure to be a thriller if chilling tales of the paranormal are on the itinerary. The important part is to keep them age appropriate. It is also a wise idea to not make it the very last thing people leave the party with, so having a more upbeat event following the round of ghost stories is a kind way to enable guests to go home and actually be able to sleep through the night. Whether or not they choose to try summoning up Bloody Mary in front of their own bathroom mirror is their choice.
Ghost Stories, Halloween Stories
Halloween Stories
Halloween Stories
Halloween stories have been around probably since the first Halloween, when it was started by the Celts and still known as Samhain. These tales, also lumped together with good old campfire style ghost tales, have been helping set the mood since the holidays inception. Some classics have withstood the test of time by maybe being updated, but still haunting us all.
Almost everyone recalls at least one of the scary stories they heard as a child either during a slumber party, summer camp or Halloween party. Some Halloween stories or ghost tales are born from folklore, others more recently contrived, while some shared accounts claim to be true events that a friend of a friends cousins sister really had happen.
Scary Tales Around the World
Since Halloween is recognized and celebrated at many points around the globe, there are many Halloween stories that are customary to different cultures. Even regions that do not partake in Halloween celebrations at least have spooky ghost tales that have been part of the heritage for decades, or even centuries. Every corner of the world claims some sort of true haunting, so it is not surprising that ghost stories are part of every culture, to some degree.
Russia has its fair share of ghost stories, but this is also an area rich with tales of Baba-Yaga. This witch flies around and makes meals of small children. Or how about Romania, where the
inspiration for Bram Stokers Count Dracula was born, thanks to a fiendish man known as Vlad the Impaler?
Germany is rich with tales of ghosts, as well as werewolves. Ireland has some classics, and this area is known for including fireside ghost stories as part of their Halloween celebrations. Seems fitting, since the holiday originated here. Not to mention, this area has plenty of banshee stories to share.
A Few Classic Halloween Stories or Ghastly Tales
The Man with the Bloody Hook has been a popular urban legend since around the 1950s. There have been almost as many variations of this tale as years it has been circulating, some with less than happy endings. The gist of it involves a couple at make-out point who are interrupted by a radio announcement that an asylum escapee with a hook for a hand is on the loose. The spooked couple drives away and when the boy drops off his girlfriend and opens the car door for her, he finds a bloody hook still clinging to the roof of the car.
Another one thats been around for a long time is along the same theme and is about a woman driving alone at night on a dark, scary road. After a stop for gas, she hears on the radio about a crazed escaped convict who is thought to be near the exact area she is in. Thats when she notices a truck following close behind her, that seems to get closer and closer, then begins to flash its headlights and hit the horn. The woman is certain this is the killer and in a state of panic, ends up running off the road. Only a moment later she hears someone smashing in her side window and she is sure this will be the end. Only to find out, the trucker was only trying to alert her and scare off the killer who was actually in the backseat of her car.
A classic story that often comes up around Halloween is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It has been a book, a movie and is a popular play adaptation in community playhouses as Halloween draws near. Sometimes, it still shows up in some version around campfires or parties during the holiday.
The basics of the story are about an unfortunate soul named Ichabod Crane. This schoolmaster, a nervous sort of fellow, was finally hunted down by the Headless Horseman and never heard from again. Most versions include the flaming jack-o-lantern that was used by the Horseman to knock his victims from their horse.
Most communities also have their own local legends that make for great Halloween stories. From haunted houses, to graveyards where spirits run amok, to those back roads where a parked car will move forward or in reverse on its own.
Do a little research and youre bound to unearth some stories, folklore, legends, myths or rumors to make some great Halloween stories. The best part is, even if you dont you can make one up as you go along.
Halloween Symbols
The calendar flips to October, the leaves begin to change their color and suddenly the decorations for Halloween begin to go up. Even if someone had no idea what Halloween was, they would know it was coming up and be able to gauge from the Halloween symbols that it is a spooky holiday. Certain things have come to represent Halloween either because of tradition and legend or just due to their connection to the macabre.
Individual Halloween Symbols
Some popular Halloween symbols include witches, ghosts, spiders, bats, vampires, skeletons, graves, jack-o-lanterns, black cats and monsters. With a holiday that dates back to the Celts and the Druids, it is bound to have picked up some stories and traditions along the way. Though many things that have become symbolic to the holiday because of rituals related to the day, some just tie in to the spooky element.
Jack-o-Lanterns This has become one of many popular Halloween symbols as well as rituals and traditions. The jack-o-lantern has become a great representation of Halloween since families often come together to choose their pumpkins as well as prepare them for the final look. Yet few know the supposed Irish folklore origin of this carved pumpkin.
It basically has to do with a stingy man named Jack who tricked the Devil not once but twice in order to prevent the Devil from taking his soul. After Jacks death Heaven refused him and Hell couldnt take him because of the agreement. The Devil sent Jack on his way back to where he came from with only an ever-burning ember from the flames of hell to light his way. Needing something to carry this hot coal in, Jack found a turnip and carved himself a lantern. Irish immigrants quickly discovered pumpkins and thought that would make a much better candle holder to carry on their tradition than a turnip.
Witches These familiar Halloween symbols pop up everywhere for the season, from decorations to greeting cards to Halloween costume parties, and for good reason. Witches have been around for eons and were often thought to have mystical powers, partly because of their connection to Satan or the spirit world. Their most notorious gatherings were thought to happen during the two major season changes on April 30 and, of course, October 31.
Spells would be cast, witches brews boiled, and these creatures would often change their shape during the witchcraft meetings. They flew on broomsticks, gathered around cauldrons, made potions involving toads and kept black cats as pets, leading to all of these items or images to become Halloween symbols as well.
Bats While actually not vicious, evil or terrifying at all, bats have become a familiar symbol tied to Halloween. Much of this is to blame on vampire bats, who do suck blood, but just enough for survival without usually killing another animal, such as a cow. Since most vampire tales claim that these mythological creatures transform into bats for flight and to enter places with greater ease, bats have become a symbol of evil and all things ghoulish. Bats have also been linked to witches, either flying about from their caves while witches perform their ritualistic ceremonies or for actually becoming part of a witchs brew. Bat wings, blood and other parts have been famous for being part of the recipes for witchs spells or options to give themselves the ability to fly, along with other not-so-nice things.
Spiders These arachnids have become part of Halloween imagery because of their connections to witches as well as abandoned haunted houses. Witches were thought to invite spiders into their homes as pets, companions or for use in potions. They are often affiliated with the extra creepiness one might find in the overhead corners of dilapidated houses of haunts or horrors. Not to mention, the stories tied to writing spiders. It is thought that if a writing spider spins your name in its web, you are destined for death in the near future.
Death and the Celts It would be impossible to list each one of the many Halloween symbols, as well as their meaning. Consider that many things that can be a representation of the old Celtic festivity known as Samhain, the original Halloween, or death conjures up holiday themes. Halloween costumes, for example, have been used since the first Samhains though the original disguises were animal skins.
The connection to death also brings to mind plenty of images, especially skeletons and ghosts. Anything that could be considered spooky and relate to death, including graves and cemeteries, are bound to be perfect subject matter for creating Halloween symbols.
Halloween Symbols
Halloween Symbols Ghosts, Bats, Broomsticks and more!

Posted by admin On May - 21 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween Symbols Weve come to know Halloween as a time to dress up and go out trick or treating, or host a family party. Halloweens practices and symbols have breathed new life into a few dark practices of ancient civilizations. Many Halloween symbols are familiar to peoples scattered across the globe, but every group does take new meaning into each Halloween symbol and gives it their own kind of spin. Some believe that a symbol represents thrills and chills while others believe that some of the symbols mean death or that they are either scary, or life affirming. Amongst some believers, these symbols are evil and representative of an occult and satanic world. It all depends on what culture people are from and what they have come to believe as the truth. Some images are a mixed bag and can come from something like the fantasy Dungeons and Dragons, Aztec art, Tarot cards, and ads for Halloween costumes and accessories. Halloween symbols are popular and have lasted for generations, as well as appearing to be here to stay. Halloween can be a spiritual war for some and scary, but good fun, for others.
Bats Bats are harmless creatures and these mammals actually fly. They eat a lot of insects such as mosquitoes and their appetites can be ravenous. One bat, the vampire bat, drinks flood usually from cattle. Vampires are reputed to be able to change into a bat at will, hence the name. Some bats will only eat fruit. In Eastern countries, bats can represent good luck. There is an interesting bat exhibit at Disneys Animal Kingdom at Disneyworld. Visitors may walk through and observe bats (or not) and learn a lot about this night creatures habits.
Broomstick This has long been associated with bats and was used to great effect in Disneys The Sorcerers Apprentice. No matter how hard he tried, poor Mickey Mouse soon became inundated with water because all of the brooms kept multiplying and carrying buckets of water! With the popularity of Harry Potter books and movies, broomsticks are more popular than ever, especially for a good game of Quidditch!
Black Cat In both Japan and Western cultures, a black cat can be linked to either white or black magic. For todays Halloween dcor they are most often seen on porches alongside of pumpkins, and made from curly black plastic!
Blood Gore has always fascinated people in a spooky way and many Halloween themed movies and books really play it up. Knives, in horror movies, seem to produce the most amount of blood and chills and thrills. People need blood to live so that could be why vampires are popular at Halloween time as they just love blood! A fear of losing blood and then dying is at the core of peoples chills when around vampires and their kin.
Evil or Spooky Eye Both Harry Potter fans and many cultures around the world consider an evil eye a bad sign. Most everyone knows what an Eye of Horus looks like and it has come to symbolize the Ancient Egyptian culture. Evil eyes have been featured in a lot of Halloween and other horror movies for decades.
Ghosts Ghosts are the quintessential Halloween symbol and kids love to dress up as ghosts, while adults can be a lot of different ghostly types such as pirates, dead brides (Tim Burtons The Nightmare Before Christmas), and many others. Ghosts can also come in different shapes and sizes and be seen or not, or even half seen out of the corner of your eye. They have also been caught on films about the paranormal.
Pumpkins or jack-o-lanterns are the universally recognized symbol of Halloween in both Europe and America. In the British isles, jack-o-lanterns were made from turnips or gourds. When children go out trick or treating, a plastic pumpkin container is usually their container of choice.
Pumpkin Facts
These pumpkin facts are commonly known: they look good carved up as jack-o-lanterns for Halloween and taste delicious served up as pie for Thanksgiving. But what else do people really know about pumpkins? Ask someone if the almighty orange one is a fruit or a vegetable, and even that may be beyond their basic collection of pumpkin facts.
Pumpkin Facts 101
In case you were wondering yourself whether a pumpkin is a fruit or a vegetable, the answer is a fruit. Pumpkins are in the squash family and a Cucurbita family member. The cucumber is also within this family, which is ironic since there is often much debate about whether this is a fruit or vegetable as well. The name started with the Greeks with the word Pepon, which translates to mean large melon, was altered by the French, then the British and finally by American colonists to the name we now know and love.
For a little more trivia type information about pumpkins, it might be interesting to know even Alaska grows these fruits. Antarctica is the only continent that does not, because it cannot, grow these fruits. That brings us to the origin of the large melon within Native America. These fruits have been cultivated in the States for 5,000 years. It was a Native American Indian crop, picked up and renamed by the colonists. The first pumpkin pie was actually a slightly different version, which consisted of baking a pumpkin that had been filled with honey, spices and milk.
Pumpkins provide fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin B, iron, protein and potassium. Not to mention, they are also low fat. Pumpkin seeds are also edible. In fact, a popular thing to do with seeds scooped from a pumpkin during carving at Halloween is to give them a good scrub down and pop them in the oven until slightly golden for a tasty treat. That leads into another batch of fun facts about pumpkinsthe jack-o-lantern.
Carving of the Pumpkin
Jack-o-lanterns in the United States started from Irish immigrants who had previously been using turnips. Once these Irish immigrants saw how much easier it would be to carve a pumpkin as opposed to a turnip, they made the conversion. Of course, you may be wondering why the Irish had been carving turnips in the first place, which leads directly to the history of the jack-olantern.
Irish tales go on about a fellow by the name of Jack who struck up a deal with the Devil while drinking. Being a miser, the man somehow talked the demon into transforming into a coin to be used to pay their bar tab. Then, clever Jack decided to put that coin in his pocket next to a cross, which would keep the Devil from returning to his natural state. Later, the demon and man made another agreement. In this agreement, if Mr. Stingy would free the Devil from his current state, as currency, the Devil would steer clear of soul snatching this fellow for a decade.
At the end of the decade though, Jack happened to run into the Devil while strolling along a rural road. For good reason, the demon felt he should be able to cash in on grabbing that soul of Mr. Stingy, who agreed but not before a quick fruit snack. Jack again tricked the Devil to climb a tree for an apple, and kept the Devil stuck by carving a cross into the trunk. This time the bargaining
went better for Jack who made the demon agree to never touch the mans soul. Again, the Devil agreed.
Following the stingy mans death though, it turned out Heaven wasnt interested in his soul and Hell couldnt take it. The Devil cast Jack back to Earth giving him a burning coal to light the way. Jack, using the first thing he could find, carved up a turnip and created what became the first jack-o-lantern.
The Irish kept the turnip tradition going until moving to America an finding a much more sensible thing to use, the pumpkin.
Other Pumpkin Facts
If you think you feel full after a dessert of pumpkin pie, imagine downing the largest pumpkin pie in history. This large melon fruit pie weighed in at 2,020 pounds. It wasnt even made from the largest pumpkin ever grown. That honor goes to a Wisconsin resident by the name of Chris Stevens, and the prize winning, world record setting pumpkin was a massive 1,810 pounds.
So the next time pumpkin trivia comes up on Jeopardy, youll be full of all the pumpkin facts you need.
Archive for the Traditions of Halloween Category Halloween Stories

Posted by admin On May - 18 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Halloween Stories
Halloween stories may be based on ancient legends or come from a contemporary writers imagination. Several basic premises are the favorite of moviemakers since movies were made, and first and foremost is things that go bump in the night. This can be ghosts, aliens, haunted houses, witches or demons knocking on the door anything that starts out as unknown and often, scary. Edgar Allan Poe was the avowed master of the scary horror story. Alfred Hitchcock was the master moviemaker using dark psychology to scare us.
Black and white movies were popular for horror in the 1950s but then came the chance to scare people even more with lots of blood and gore in full color. And boy, did moviemakers start to get into all of the blood and gore of Halloween and other sub-genre films. Every year filmmakers think up additional ways to scare people, whether its scarecrows that come to life and then kill everyone who visits the creepy, old farmhouse stuck in a lonely field to people who enter a haunted house at their own risk and end up in the morning scared to death. Youd think theyd get a clue when the dark and discordant music was cued up.
Vampire movies are still a favorite and the old silent film , Nosferatu, is still around. Storytellers are constantly coming up with new ways to figure our whos a vampire or not, and various ways to kill them. Usually the undead win in the end and isnt it always the case that the beautiful young woman, perhaps a boyfriend or two, and the old sheriff are the only ones to survive? Sometimes a virus causes everyone to turn into vampires, or zombies. Theyre another favorite for Halloween movies and also costumes.
Reanimated people are scary and thats why zombies and vampires always do well on Halloween. Wizards and witches are associated with Halloween because of all of the spells and magic and both good and evil happening then. People can be even more scared when the horror of it all is created within their own imaginations, as in reading a book. Humans are capable of making everything seem real, or indeed, become real, within themselves and as seeded by a great storyteller. Stephen King excels at this, As does Dean Koontz and others. If someone wishes to read a Halloween story, then there are many in local libraries, on the Internet for download, or even borrowed from a friend.
An old tradition with stories is passed on in a circle around campfires or when a parent reads to a child. This is how the history of ancient peoples came down through the generations, both before writing was invented, as well as to our modern day. Campfires (or fire pits in a contemporary backyard) are wonderful places to tell scary stories about Halloween on a cool autumn night, round about October 31st. Kids may be listening as they lay down in a pup tent, shadows dancing on the walls of the canvas or nylon, and making the story even scarier.
Halloween stories may be told to and be suitable for even young children, along with any age including older kids, adults, teenagers and even grandpa and grandma. The latter may have a few good stories to tell the grandkids themselves, and these could have been in the family for generations. If you are outside telling Halloween stories or inside watching Halloween movies, then dont forget those snacks. Popcorn is always good, and marshmallow/graham cracker/chocolate combos melted over the flames are even better. Watch out for marshmallows, as they can get very hot inside.
Halloween Stories, Traditions of Halloween
Traditions of Halloween
Posted by admin On May - 17 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Traditions of Halloween Celtic people are responsible for the core of Halloween, as it was first celebrated in their traditions and folklore. They formed a society about 800 BC. Celts were located in the UK, part of Turkey (rather odd!) and a lot of Western Europe. They held a big party close to the end of October which was called Samhain. This was to recognize the end of Summer and the harvest, no doubt. Celts thought that the connection and separation between the real world and the world of the dead and spirits, was thin at this time of year. Friends and relatives returned for a short stay and often in the form of a black cat, which is why that symbol can still represent Halloween. After harvest, food was offered to the gods. Almost like a modern food drive, they went door to door for food donations, which they then gave to the deities. Young people from that time asked for kindling and firewood for a bonfire, which they made on top of a hill. This tradition of going from door to door may have been the root for trick or treating. Sacred bonfires were often lit during Samhain, in order to honor the Celtic gods. An ember was kept from the bonfire and villagers would light their own fires when they returned home. A gourd or turnip was used to carry the ember as it would be sheltered from the wind and not burn the wet gourd or turnip pulp. Evil spirits dwelled amongst the Celts, or so they thought, so on a long dark walk home they would disguise themselves in costumes and also scare away the spirits by carving fierce faces on the ember holders. This also carries through to today with lit pumpkins and costumes. Pumpkins are considerably easier to carve than a small turnip or beetroot or gourd. Neopagans and wiccans continue to celebrate Samhain to this day as they base a lot of their faith on the ancient Celts. Some traditions were based on the Celtic ones but some have evolved from other sources. The Jack OLantern came from a 17th century Irish folktale. The devil took pity on a departed soul who was not allowed into either heaven or hell, and gave him a burning coal to light his way as he wandered around the globe. This Jack took to carrying the ember in a partially eaten turnip. Apples have been associated with goddesses for a long time, as they were with Adam & Eve, There association with immortality, knowledge and resurrection has made them an icon. A fivepointed star is revealed if an apple is sliced through its equator. A pentagram came from this symbol, its thought. The latter is a goddess symbol for Gypsies, ancient Egyptians and Celts, and contemporary Wiccans and others. Bobbing for apples and trying to grab a dangling apple was a game for singles who, if they grabbed an apple, were said to be in line for a marriage proposal. If someone peeled an apple in front of a mirror lit with candles (one would hope that theyd keep their eyes on the knife!), then an image of a future spouse was supposed to appear. If the peeler could make a long string of peel then this was said to guestimate how long a person would live. On All Souls Day, Christians from Europe would go door to door asking for currant buns or soul cakes. If they got any, theyd pray for the homeowners relatives. All Hallows Eve was the original name for Halloween. This meant the evening right before All Saints Day. Hallow meant saint in old English and the phrase was eventually shortened to Halloween.
Archive for the Trick or Treating Category
Trick-or-Treating
Trick-or-Treating
A Halloween tradition for children in many countries around the globe, trick-or-treating has seen some changes over the years but continues on in some form or fashion. The event takes place on Halloween night and, generally involves costumed children walking through the neighborhood knocking on their neighbors doors. Upon answering the door, the homeowner is posed with a decision, not just a question.
Trick or treat? the child asks. The adult then usually doles out candy, cookies, other sweets, apples or even money to the youngster. This offering is, in one way, a contractual agreement that the kid will not play a trick on the home owner. Though tricks are not commonly actually carried out, the tricks were usually played on those who refused to answer the door.
Getting Ready for Trick-or-Treating
This has become quite an event, with stores putting up Halloween displays around Thanksgiving and sometimes earlier. There are a wide variety of Halloween costumes to choose from, and they change each year depending whats trendy that season. The traditional looks include anything spooky or frightening. Some popular costumes that have lasted through the years are ghosts, vampires and other types of monsters. Some of the less macabre costume choices include princesses and superheroes. Each year whatever trends have recently popped up often make their way into the Halloween costume departmentfrom comic book action heroes or villains, to video game figures or even popular singing or acting celebrities.
Some costumes are elaborate and some are more of a made at home, thrown together at the last minute look. Other options involve using make up to create a painted face or fake, bleeding injuries. Whatever the final outcome, the costume is the foundation for the candy hunt.
Taking It to the Streets
Since at least the 1950s, in the United States, the tradition of trick-or-treating has been a part of Halloween festivities. Individual homes and entire neighborhoods would prepare for the holiday by decorating. A decorated home was usually a sign that trick-or-treaters were welcomed. Some
home owners, though, choose to either be away for the night, or hide away inside with the lights off. This only makes them prime targets for getting a trick later as punishment. Tricks are less common now, but once consisted of activities like soaping windows, or redecorating a home with eggs or toilet paper.
A single child and parent or larger groups of disguised children go to each door and ask for treats to prevent the person from getting a trick. At the end of the night parents and children return home to take stock of the goodies collected in their pillow case, bag or plastic pumpkin.
Safety for Trick-or-Treating
Anytime there are children running around in costumes at night asking strangers for candy, there is reason for concern. Safety precautions must be made. Some of these start before leaving the house to begin trick-or-treating. Choosing a costume that doesnt obstruct a childs eyesight or could cause him or her to trip is the first priority. Some parents also opt to include some type of reflective material or device to make the youngster easier to spot. Parent and child should each have a flashlight, as well.
Once wild on the street, it is advisable to keep the child close by and not allow them to run. Watching for traffic is another concern, and drivers on Halloween night should also be alert to potential hazards. When going into homes, the parent should accompany the youngster. And any poorly lit areas should be illuminated by flashlight.
At the end of the night, as eager at the child may be to tear into their stash, parents must first inspect all the gathered goodies. Candy wrappers must not appear tampered with, baked goods should be checked for odd odors and apples should but sliced before serving. While not common, there have been cases of poisoned candy or apples with razor blades inside. It isnt about being paranoid, its about being safe.
How It Has Changed
In more recent years, the methods used for trick-or-treating have changed in some areas. In order to avoid being on the streets, some parents have chosen different ways of celebrating Halloween. This is especially true in more rural areas where going house to house isnt feasible. Some parents host Halloween parties on that night. Some places, like malls, often participate in giving out candies so children can still go door to door, but in a safer, well lit area.
However one chooses to do their trick-or-treating, the idea is to be safe and have fun. Giving kids the chance once a year to dress up in costumes and collect candy is a fun part of growing up.
Halloween, Trick or Treating
Trick-or-treating
Posted by admin On May - 17 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Trick-or-treating Many countries recognize this as a traditional activity on Halloween. Some cultures offer candy, while a few offer money. A lot of children also utter the phrase trick or treat as they knock on doors. The trick isnt performed very often so its sort of a ritual. In North America, trick-or-treating has been around since the 1950s. If a homeowner decorates their front door with Halloween accessories, and leaves the porch light on, then thats usually an indication that they have candy to give out. Trick-or-treating started in Ireland and Britain with something called souling. The poor and children would say prayers for the deceased and sing, and in return people would give out cakes. Costume wearing started with guising (disguising?), and the young ones went door to door in Scotland around 1895. In disguises, they would visit homes and carry lanterns carved from turnips and receive money, fruit and cakes. Actually saying trick or treat is a mainly North American tradition. Ireland, Canada, the UK and the US, and Puerto Rico celebrate Halloween this way. Central and Northwestern Mexico also have it. People there call it Little Skull and kids ask: Can you give me my little skull? They will receive a small skull-shaped candy in sugar or chocolate. Prior to 1940, the term trick or treat was used mostly in Canada and the US. The term was introduced to the UK in the 1980s, but often its not welcome. In Ireland and Scotland dressing up and being given sweets is considered normal on Halloween. Dressing up and going door to door in Scotland started around 1895 and costumed children and adults would take lanterns made from turnips to each house and after knocking on the door, receive fruit, cakes, and money. Boys used to visit some of the wealthier homes in the 1920s, where the benefits were no doubt more generous. Dressing up and going door to door on Halloween is still popular with the Irish and the Scots. In the US, churches may sponsor Trunk or Treat which is done in a parking lot. Parents feel this is safer as kids visit different car trunks and receive candy and decorations. Treats received when trick or treating have changed throughout the years because of changing society. It used to be in the fifties, that children enjoyed homemade candy apples or homemade brownies or cookies Everything now is made safer by pre-wrapped and manufactured candy being doled out to the trick-or-treaters. If a homeowner wants to show a bit of individualism on Halloween, they can purchase treat bags and insert four of five pieces of candy into them, then seal with a little Halloween sticker.
Individual bags can be made by purchasing brown bags from a craft store and then decorating them. This would work if theyre arent a hundred children stopping by. Its a wonderful idea for a home thrown party and these hand decorated bags and homemade candy will be enjoyed as party favors by children, for as long as it takes them to eat the treats. Most estimates put that around an hour after the kids get home. If children go out into a neighborhood trick or treating, the youngest ones should be trailed closely by a parent. If older children or teens go in a group then all candy should still be checked at home. This can be why a party and candy treats are perhaps best enjoyed at home, where everyone knows each other. Children enjoy designing and making treat bags. They also enjoy choosing the candy to go in them. A little age-appropriate toy is also nice, plus perhaps a gold chocolate coin to celebrate those more ancient traditions of giving money.
Vintage Halloween
Posted by admin On June - 1 - 2011ADD COMMENTS Vintage Halloween Whenever the word vintage or retro is spoken, it evokes memories of the past that are most often, very pleasant. Baby-boomers especially remember parties at Halloween with old fashioned games that didnt need blood and gore to give the kids a thrill, and costumes werent composed of intestines and worms and zombies and flashing red lights and green eyes. Sure, there was a bit of that but a lot was left to the imagination, and thats why vintage Halloween is so popular. Think The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock and youll get the idea. An easy fix to your vintage cravings for costumes, at least, is a trip to the local thrift or vintage store. If you live in the country then the Internet is also a vast resource to partake of. Here are a few ideas to stir the pot.
Prom & Wedding Dresses or Old Formals Use these for the Bride of Frankenstein (with gray streak in hair of course), Prom or Beauty Queen (dead, half-dead, or alive), and ex wife, or a princess. The latter can be good or evil or just plain Halloween-style. This look is good for an ex-silent film star whos seen better days. For zombies, dont get carried away because, after all, this is retro and not Zombieland.
Farmers Coveralls or Overalls
These work great for the vintage Halloween look. The more faded and ragged they are, the better. You can put these on and be a scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, or a real hill dweller or country person, even a serial killer from those 70s and 80s cult favorites. Other characters and real people who would be great dressed in overalls, are farmers, plumbers, Super Mario Brothers, Rosie the Riveter (dont forget a curly wig and bandanna), and Bob the Builder (use some safe and oversized tools in a belt).
Vintage Uniforms
These may cost a bit more but other than some suitable accessories, they are worth looking after because the look is usually perfect. Try for any military, nurses, cheerleaders, sports team members, and flight attendants. They can be sexy or slightly starchy, but dont get carried away with either look.
Decades Looks
With the 1920s we had flappers and gangsters. Flappers wore a drop-waisted dress and a headband or cloche hat, and cut their hair short and swingy. Gangsters need a pin-striped regular suit, a fedora, and a fake machine gun or violin case for pretend. In the 1930s there were swing kids and jazzmen and they often wore a hat and cane and sported a long pocket watch with chain and a zoot suit. Bonnie and Clyde wore high trousers, a suit jacket and a fedora (for Clyde) and a depression era dress, beret, and trench coat (for Bonnie).
In the 1940s there was Carmen Miranda with her tropical sarong, swimsuit, halter top and sandals. Add lots of fake fruit, fringe, pompoms and ruffles to this outfit. The 1950s produced a lot of icons, such as James Dean and Elvis, and a Greaser girl or Doris Day look. The basic look for men is easy dark jeans with rolled cuffs, boots, leather jacket and a white T-shirt with rolled sleeves. Girls wore tight pants, a scarf and high heels, a leather jacket and a boatneck (curved) shirt. Doris Day and Sandra Dee loved a cardigan, saddle shoes, circle skirt and petticoat. You can add appliques to a plain circle skirt if it doesnt have any.
The 1960s produced Go Go girls such as twiggy (opaque tights, shift dress, heavy eye makeup and patent leather belts etc.), and Hippies (dig through your old stuff) had bellbottoms, loose and flowery shirts, fringe and headbands). They still make tie-dye T-shirts and you can purchase these online. The 1970s meant disco and think of John Travolta dancing Anything in glittery lame or platform boots or polyester and big wigs would work. The 1980s had leather, acid washed denim, studded belts, and on the other end of the spectrum preppy.
Vintage Halloween Games
You can often find these in antique stores and sometimes thrift stores. Fortune telling and predicting the future were popular. Halloween was a time when spirits could communicate with the living. Harry Houdini followers hold a sance every year per his wishes when he passed
on. Bobbing for apples (either in water or hanging from a string) has been popular for many years and anyone can participate. Its cheap to set up as well.
Victorians used to predict when theyd get married by blowing out a candle (they were blindfolded). The number of puffs it took meant that the time was lengthened and if 3 or more it meant forget about it for the rest of the year! Another rather quaint game was to put a bunch of colored ribbons in a pile, blindfold a girl, and the ribbons she chose meant her future husbands college would have that color. Of course, this works both ways nowadays.
Dia de los Muertos

In Mexico, Latin America and Spain, All Souls' Day, which takes place on November 2, is commemorated with a three-day celebration that begins on the evening of October 31. The celebration is designed to honor the dead who, it is believed, return to their earthly homes on Halloween. Many families construct an altar to the dead in their homes to honor deceased relatives and decorate it with candy, flowers, photographs, samples of the deceased's favorite foods and drinks, and fresh water. Often, a wash basin and towel are left out so that the spirit can wash before indulging in the feast. Candles and incense are burned to help the deceased find the way home. Relatives also tidy the gravesites of their departed family members. This can include snipping weeds, making repairs, and painting. The grave is then decorated with flowers, wreaths, or paper streamers. On November 2, relatives gather at the gravesite to picnic and reminisce. Some gatherings even include tequila and a mariachi band.
Guy Fawkes Day

On the evening of November 5, bonfires are lit throughout England. Effigies are burned and fireworks are set off. Although it falls around the same time and has some similar traditions, this celebration has little to do with Halloween or the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The English, for the most part, stopped celebrating Halloween as Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation began to spread. As followers of the new religion did not believe in saints, they had no reason to celebrate the eve of All Saints' Day. However, a new autumn ritual did emerge. Guy Fawkes Day festivities were designed to commemorate the execution of a notorious English traitor, Guy Fawkes. On November 5, 1606, Fawkes was executed after being convicted of attempting to blow up England's parliament building. Fawkes was a member of a Catholic group who wanted to remove the Protestant King James from power. The original Guy Fawkes Day was celebrated right after his execution. The first bonfires, which were called "bone fires," were set up to burn effigies and symbolic "bones" of the Catholic pope. It was not until two centuries later that effigies of the pope were replaced with those of Guy Fawkes. In addition to making effigies to be burned in the fires, children in some parts of England also walk the streets carrying an effigy or "guy" and ask for "a penny for the guy," although they keep the money for themselves. This is as close to the American practice of "trick-or-treating" as can be found in England today. Guy Fawkes Day was even celebrated by the pilgrims at the first settlement at Plymouth. However, as the young nation began to develop its own history, Guy Fawkes was celebrated less frequently and eventually died out.
Halloween: Where It All Began

In Ireland, where Halloween originated, the day is still celebrated much as it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were in the days of the Celts, and all over the country, children get dressed up in costumes and spend the evening "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhoods. After trick-or-treating, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends. At the parties, many games are played, including "snap-apple," a game in which an apple on a string is tied to a doorframe or tree and players attempt to bite the hanging apple. In addition to bobbing for apples, parents often arrange treasure hunts, with candy or pastries as the "treasure." The Irish also play a card game where cards are laid face down on a table with candy or coins underneath them. When a child chooses a card, he receives whatever prize is found below it. A traditional food eaten on Halloween is barnbrack, a kind of fruitcake that can be bought in stores or baked at home. A muslin-wrapped treat is baked inside the cake that, it is said, can foretell the eater's future. If a ring is found, it means that the person will soon be wed; a piece of straw means that a prosperous year is on its way. Children are also known to play tricks on their neighbors, such as "knock-a-dolly," a prank in which children knock on the doors of their neighbors, but run away before the door is opened.

Halloween

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Halloween

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The History and Origin of Halloween

Back in the Old Days

Halloween Travels to the New World

The Witchcraft, Halloween Connection

Halloween, History of Halloween

The Druids and Celts and Halloween History

Brief History of the Halloween Costume

Costume Parties for Children

Costume Parties for Adults

A Wrap on Halloween Costume Parties

Nightmare on Elm Street (Johnny Depp bedroom scene)

Dead Alive (the lawnmower scene)

Final Destination 2 (pigeons involved)

High Tension (Haute Tension in French) the chest of drawers death

Ghost Ship (opening sequence)

Hellraiser (Jesus Wept)

Saw Three (the rack trap)

Day of the Dead

Halloween Costumes for Pets

Halloween Crafts for the Holiday

Halloween Crafts for the Yard

Bats and Spiders

Recycle, Reuse and Get Scary

Halloween House Decorations

Halloween House Decorations for a Haunted Home

Not so Scary Options

Halloween House Decorations

Halloween House Decorations

Halloween House Decorations for a Haunted Home

Not so Scary Options

Halloween House Decorations

Halloween Festivals around the Country

Halloween Festival of Salem, Massachusetts

New York Village

Pierce College, Woodland Hills, California

Finding Halloween Festivities

Halloween Festivals or Events Around the United States

Arkansas Magic Screams

Halloween Food for Children

Spooky and Sweet

Edible Scares with a Healthy Twist

Get the Party Started

Halloween Drinks for Children Punch Bowl Classics and More

Halloween Drinks for Children Punch Bowl Classics and More

Gross and Ghastly Halloween Drinks for Children

Seasonal Treats versus Halloween Sweets

Extra Special Tips for Your Halloween Drinks for Kids

Set the Mood

Halloween Games for Children

Classic Halloween Games for Kids

Halloween Games and Activities

Halloween Games for Adults

Halloween Games for Adults

Bobbing for Apples

Witch Hunt Scavenger Hunt

Pin the Tail on the Devil

Pass the Organ

Name that Yuck

Halloween Makeup Ideas

Halloween Ghost Stories

Im Not Making This Up, I Swear

Tales, Folklore, Urban Legends and Myths

Why Ghost Stories Have Become So Popular