Creative Halloween Decorations

Creative Halloween Decorations

Creative Halloween Decorations - If you walk around your neighborhood, there is a good chance that you will see very similar decorations at every home. Jack-o-lanterns, orange lights, trash bag pumpkins, and witches that have “crashed” into garage doors and nearby trees are incredibly common. However, if you are looking for something different to do this year, read on for creative ideas.

Masks

Hang a creepy mask on your front door. Decorate your scarecrow and garden gnomes with them. You can even hang them in the windows to look like someone creepy is peaking out. You can amp up the scary tone by placing a flash light on the ground, turning it on, and adjusting the light to illuminate the mask. Just make sure that any masks used outdoors are waterproof and fastened down so that they do not become ruined or fly away.

Vases

Glass vases can be an interesting way to decorate inside of your home. Consider filling them with different objects in fall and Halloween colors – colored leaves, black and orange marbles, Halloween candies, or even plastic bugs. You can then reuse the vases by making a few changes in the contents for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays. You can often find a variety of “fillers” at your local craft or dollar store.

Webs

Fake spider webs can make your front yard look creepy, but you can also use them inside, where you get the added benefit of having them last longer. Hang them in doorways and in corners throughout your home. You can even consider adding on some creepy inhabitants to perfect the look. Another benefit? You won't have to worry about dust? You may want to consider spraying the webbing with an insect repellent to keep the real deal from moving in. You will also want to make sure that you do not hang them anywhere that could be a potential fire hazard.

Murals

Have some budding artists in your family? Consider designing your own Halloween mural. You can then hang this in a bay window, a blank wall, or even outside if the weather permits. Have older children design their own Halloween scene, while younger children can color in the words “Happy Halloween.” This can also be a cute memento to pass on when your children get older to help remind them of childhood Halloweens.

Accents

If you don't want to go all out with your Halloween decorations, a few tasteful accents can help set the Halloween mood without turning your home into a Haunted house. For instance, you can hang orange and black curtains or bring out some Halloween themed throw pillows. Look for a Halloween welcome mat or move your smaller potted plants into plastic Halloween trick-or-treating containers. You can even look for Halloween knick knacks and static window clings.

If you are tired of the traditional Halloween decorations, a little creativity can help you create your own Halloween display. Simply look for items that you like that fall into the Halloween theme and create your own designs.

Class Party Halloween Games

Class Party Halloween Games

Class Party Halloween Games - If you ask children what their favorite holiday is, the most likely response from most children will be Christmas, with Halloween coming in a close second. Some children will choose Halloween as their first favorite. But this holiday, with all its goblins and ghouls, likely makes the top two favorite holidays on most children's' lists.

To that end, then, it's always fun to have a raucous Halloween class party. With lots of fun games and activities, and plenty of candy for prizes, it's sure to be a hit with kids of all school ages.

For younger children how about a game of pumpkin bowling? Find some of those inexpensive plastic pumpkin treat buckets and stack them up on a hard floor. You can stack them as high as you like, but you have to start with at least three buckets. If you get many buckets, you can make a pyramid out of them. Find some lightweight plastic balls - plastic bowling balls are excellent for this. And let the kids go bowling! The kids love knocking over the pumpkin heads and all the kids who play should get a prize for this game.

Kids of all ages enjoy making mummies out of themselves and their friends. Here's how this works. You bring in toilet paper, lots and lots of toilet paper. Divide the kids into teams of 2. When you begin timing the kids, they must wrap their friend up in the toilet paper, mummy style. The first team who is all wrapped wins. The child who's wrapped up like a mummy can then break out of the toilet paper wrap with a scary "roar" and the game begins again so the other child can also be wrapped. Be sure to play some spooky Halloween music while this game is being played to add to the atmosphere.

Circle time! Have all the kids get in a circle and begin a spooky story. The story can begin with the classic, "It was a dark and spooky night..." and then the person next in the circle continues the story. Each child adds something to the story as it moves around the circle. If the children are young, you can keep the story on the straight and narrow by indicating no gruesome elements will be allowed. If the kids are older, you can decide how scary the story can be. Be aware that children in higher elementary grades will not only like their stories fairly scary and gruesome, but some might even add "booger" and "snot" and "throw up" elements to their story. You can set the rules ahead of time to prepare for this type of storytelling.

No game has held onto children's interests for more years than the classic "musical chairs". This version includes playing Halloween music (think "Monster Mash" or "Thriller" by Michael Jackson) and asking the kids to act as spooky and scary as they can while they race around the chairs. You can up the rules depending on the ages of the children. For example, for children in the lower grades you can tell them to just walk around the chairs until the music stops. As they get older, you can add challenging elements, such as make scary faces as you walk around the chairs, do the monster mash (whatever that means to the individual kid) and other things like that. You're sure to get some creative responses.

Kids love cakewalks, but they aren't practical in the classroom. You could, however, have a treat walk. Save enough space in the classroom for this one. Again, play some Halloween-themed music and have the kids walk around in a circle as they do for cakewalks during other school events. Instead of having them walk onto number squares or circles, however, you can have them walking onto cardboard discs that include pictures of ghosts, monsters and the like. The person running the cakewalk will stop the music and pull a matching picture out of a pumpkin head. Instead of calling "#14", for example, as the winner of the cakewalk, it will be "ghost head" or "monster mouth".

Crafted Halloween Surprises

Crafted Halloween Surprises

Bewitch The Neighbors With These 5 "Crafted" Halloween Surprises - When I was a child in the New Orleans area, my big brown eyes would be popping at Halloween time with vivid images, shapes, characters and colors designed to capture the imagination and transport one into another sense of reality. I recall scary voodoo zombies regaling the windows of storefronts, Halloween jesters staring out from behind curtains, expressive uses of masks with a French or Creole twist, and these visuals combined with music and food would be a fun, frightening feast for the senses.

Now that we've moved into the Northeast and times have changed, Halloween has become more demure and conservative, and in many ways around our neighborhood, barely noticeable. Parents have become spooked themselves about having their children running around trick-or-treating, and small parties - tightly-controlled - have replaced the traditional community experience of Halloween. I can understand why that's happened, but it doesn't prevent me from trying to bring some of that old New Orleans spirit to my adopted hometown; in fact, it inspires me to share some ideas. I'd like to share these 5 with you.

1. Curtains - the Blacker, the Better!

It's really inexpensive to purchase some black fabrics online and spread them all throughout the house; curtains over windows, draped over furniture, hanging in corners or in unexpected places. This alone can give a dramatic "cape of fear" over one's home. Use liberally.

2. Make Strange Costumes!

This is a bit more involved, but rather than buying costumes off the shelf, a little imagination can turn some cheap fabric and some well-glued craft goodies into one-of-a-kind, bizarre costumes with weird shapes and faces. I recommend a combination of black and other ghoulish colors.

3. "Webbing."

Fabric alone can be taken and "shredded" to make a host of scary cobwebs all around the house and especially on the front porch. "Webs" draped everywhere create a sense of foreboding as the children approach the door - creating a spooky effect that "primes" them for the fear to come once they ring the doorbell.

4. Eerie Lighting!

Setting up light bulbs (I strongly recommend red) at specific points of interest can cast ghastly hues and shadows in the windows and on the porch, as well as when you open the door. I like to have a light directly behind me when I answer the door, because it gives the effect of a gigantic silhouette. If this light is red or orange, it completely magnifies the effect!

5. Scary Faces Everywhere!

I purchase a bunch of cheap masks that, when in used in combination with the webbing, lighting, and black curtains, create the illusion of living faces peering out from every nook of the house. If done correctly, this creates the sense of a "ghoul jungle" that is fun, surprising, and never fails to delight the kids - even if there is a scream or two!

I do try to keep away from the bloody, murder-themed stuff - but I like making my Halloween experience as fun and spooky as possible without crossing the line. I may never recapture what I enjoyed in New Orleans as a kid, but every year I try to come as close as possible!

A Lesson on Halloween

A Lesson on Halloween

Halloween never has been my favorite holiday. As a kid, growing up on the farm, trick-or-treating meant getting in and out of the car (often on very cold nights) and wearing coats over our costumes. I certainly liked the candy, but it never made much sense to me.

As a father, I must admit I have warmed to the holiday, but I still have a problem with all the focus on witches and ghouls and such. A holiday that focuses on scary things still bothers me just a little bit. I’ve been pleased that my children have typically chosen more wholesome images to emulate through their costumes.

This year was different though. I’ve actually been looking forward to Halloween since the middle of June. I planned. I prepared. I thought and strategized about it. But, it didn’t go quite the way I expected. . .

The Garage Sale

Our community has a neighborhood garage sale each June. By planning everyone’s sale on the same day more people attend and the event is more successful for everyone. For several years my son Parker has had a stand selling lemonade, coffee, muffins and cookies, taking advantage of all of the shoppers who came to our cul-de-sac. Last year, my neighbor Jim and I added hot dogs and other grilled food to the menu. People could shop and get a meal too! We had so much fun; we did it again this year.

Only this year, we secretly decided to give the proceeds to our neighbors who have a son with autism. At our annual party, after the sale, we presented them with about $120 (a lot of money when you aren’t selling anything for more than a dollar!) to give to the autism group of their choice.

Trying Again

The mix of the fun we had and the response we received from our neighbors led to another idea – let’s do this at Halloween. Halloween would be perfect we speculated; lots of traffic (since we always have more than 100 trick or treaters), easy to market (through flyers in the neighborhood), and this year Halloween would be on a Friday. It seemed perfect!

Every few weeks the subject came up. We talked about what to serve and how to market it. Jim, who works in the food brokerage business, got sponsors to provide all the meat. As the calendar turned to October we got more serious and the menu was set: hot dogs, bratwurst, hamburgers and homemade chili.

As I worked on the marketing flyer, all the foods became holiday-themed: Halloweenies, Beastie Brats, Haunted Hamburgers and Chilling Chili. We decided to sell soda and chips. We added a place for kids to bob for apples. We would have the candy from five houses for one stop trick-or-treating. We distributed more than 140 flyers. We were raising money for a great cause. In the final week we even realized we were going to have perfect weather – upper 60’s by “game time.” We had the perfect setup for a successful event.

Halloween is Here

Friday morning Lori and I made the chili. After lunch we finished shopping for the final items. I couldn’t wait to set up! We got everything out – ran extension cords to the street, set up lights, tables and chairs, blocked off the cul-de-sac and fired up the grill.

Two other neighbors were manning the candy – to help the trick-or-treaters get it and to tell them which houses were empty. Parker, age 11, decided to help with the event rather than trick or treat. He would take money and answer questions. Jim would take and fill orders, and I was grill man. We fed the families around us, ourselves and our kids to get the grill going, and they took off to collect candy and good wishes. We were ready.

It got dark, and we had very few trick-or-treaters, and even fewer customers. One mother said she and her son would be back after they were done. We rubbed our hands and prepared for the onslaught.

The onslaught never came.

The Results

By the end of the evening we probably had half our typical number of trick-or-treaters. We sold a little water and soda. We sold a few grilled items. We made $32 (before expenses).

It was a tough night for me. In retrospect, I was as discouraged and disappointed as I can remember being in a long time. It was Sunday before I was really back to normal.

The Lessons

I shook myself out of my self-imposed funk by thinking back on what we did – and what we accomplished. $32. I didn’t even count it until Monday. Truth be told, it was more than I expected at that point. My reflection helped me realize that several positive things happened:

• We had fun both planning and doing the event.

• We strengthened neighborhood relationships.


• We taught our children a lesson about caring and doing things for others – through our actions, not our checkbooks.

• We made a memory we will talk about for years.


• We learned what might have to change if we do this again on Halloween!

• I got the subject for this essay.


• A neighborhood shelter got lots of hamburger and hot dog buns.

• And we did add $32 to the Riley Children’s Hospital Autism Unit to help them do their work.


However, the best result for me was the lesson of reflection. All the value created by the event was overshadowed in my mind when we didn’t reach our goal. My personal goal had been $300. So, in reality, we did about 11% of that goal. I lost sight of all the good by focusing only on the desired outcome.

If you had asked me Saturday morning if the event was a success, I would have grimaced and quickly said no. If you ask me now, I will say that we didn’t raise much money, but it was fun, and we learned a lot. Anytime you can have fun while learning is a good experience in my book.

We all suffer defeats, challenges and disappointments. Sometimes they are large; sometimes they aren’t. Big or small, I believe there is value and learning in every one of them. Our goal has to be to find those lessons. We only find them by reflecting on the experience and expecting to find them.

Maybe you find yourself reeling from a setback as you read this. If so, please take the message to heart. Maybe the message is more theoretical for you at the moment, that’s OK too. Use this as a reminder for the next time you are discouraged. Lift your head up, reflect on what happened, learn from it, smile and go on!

I don’t know what next Halloween holds, but we already are talking about the garage sale. We may expand to breakfast. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Celebrate "Mexican Halloween" In Cancun

Celebrate "Mexican Halloween" In Cancun

Much like the fun-filled traditions associated with Halloween in the United States, Mexico embraces the somber autumn holiday with a variety of celebrations and activities. Known throughout Latin America as El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Cancun offers visitors a truly unique version on this popular holiday, with many events incorporating both Mayan customs and modern Mexican traditions. Beginning on October 31 with celebrations for the returned souls of the departed, the party continues each year until November 2.

As Cancun is in the center of the historic region known as the Mayan Riviera, many of the city’s events incorporate Hanal Pixan – the Mayan ritual of the dead. Both in Cancun and at most of the Mayan sites outside the city, candlelight prayer services are held on October 31 to commemorate the deceased. After this period of reflection, Hanal Pixan quickly transforms into a friendly meal shared by hundreds. Tamales are often baked in an underground pit and served to both the living and the dead, as it is believed that the deceased absorb the essence of the food placed at their graves. Handmade wines and candies are also passed around for all to enjoy, but Hanal Pixan marks only the beginning of this amazing holiday.

October 31 is also marks the beginning of a three day culinary feast in Cancun, taking place both in the streets and all the best restaurants. At the city’s gastronomy festival, visitors can sample local delicacies and gourmet international cuisine prepared by Mexico’s best chefs. Held outdoors along the Caribbean waterfront, this festival is anything but a sober Day of the Dead ritual, as guests are invited to eat and drink as much as they like. If you dine in any of Cancun’s restaurants throughout the three day holiday, you will be treated special local recipes reserved for Day of the Dead. At night, many visitors move from the restaurants to the bars and dance clubs where special events such as costume parties have become the norm.

One of the most fascinating traditions associated with the Day of the Dead is the creation of colorful altars – known in Mexico as ofrendas – to honor deceased loved ones. Anywhere you travel in the city, you will pass numerous altars containing all kinds of offerings. Set on tables with white cloth, the altars of Cancun display everything from fresh flowers and chocolate skulls to wooden crosses, personal mementos and photographs. Though the tradition of honoring the deceased might seem solemn, the positive atmosphere of the holiday extends to these personalized displays, as awards are handed out for the most elaborate and beautifully decorated altars.

The newest Day of the Dead activity for Cancun’s visitors takes place south of the city in the Xcaret Nature and Cultural Park. Last year, the park unveiled The Bridge to Paradise – one of the world’s most unique cemeteries. Composed of 365 lavish gravesites created by local artists, The Bridge to Paradise serves as a creative representation of Mexican history and culture. For instance, a colorful sculpture of a bed complete with linens references the country’s dreamlike mythology, while a miniature replica of a cathedral reminds visitors of Mexico’s religious culture. During the celebrations surrounding the Day of the Dead, visitors are served candies and other refreshments from altars set up throughout the cemetery. Much like the celebrations in Cancun, the events at Xcaret and its cemetery rejoice in life and the cultural traditions of Mexico on this seemingly dark day.

Much like the American tradition of Halloween, children are encouraged to don costumes and trick-or-treat during the celebrations of Day of the Dead. However, Mexican myth and tradition contribute some interesting items to the children’s experience. As most trick-or-treating takes place of November 2 – the day when, as myth has it, spirits must leave the homes of their loved ones and return to the other side – all children wear bracelets of red string to ward off the more nefarious spirits traveling to the underworld. As with all the other events surrounding Day of the Dead, visitors are encouraged to participate in the local traditions.

Furthermore, as the holiday takes place just weeks before the beginning of the peak travel season, Day of the Dead may be one of the best times to visit Cancun. Many airlines and resorts will feature special rates during this week, making travel to this luxurious destination affordable for any family.

Though Day of the Dead is celebrated throughout Latin America, few destinations observe the holiday as colorfully as Cancun. If you want to experience one of the region’s most treasured holidays, visit the city where modern luxury and Mayan tradition meet to create an unforgettable vacation.

Adult Halloween Games

Adult Halloween Games

Who says Halloween is just for kids?  Halloween is, of course, a time for trick-or-treating, and mom and dad certainly can’t go out begging in the streets for candy, but the holiday can also be a great time for some adult fun.

If you are planning a Halloween party for grown-ups, you will want to have some adult Halloween games on hand.  It is all part of the fun.

Some great adult Halloween games include:

About the Town – This is a scavenger hunt.  All you need to do is create a list of Halloween-related items, pass out the list to each team, and send them on their way to collect the items.  Some great objects to put on the list include:

A Hangman’s noose
A black veil
An obituary

You get the idea.  Just include items that have to do with being scared, ghosts, Halloween, or whatever.

You might try a variation on the hunt, too.  One great one is to make the hunt a video scavenger hunt.  Each team goes off with video camera in hand (or cell phone with a camera or whatever) and films the items rather than actually bringing the items back with them.  This is really cool because you can make the list of items include really big stuff and potentially scary things like tombstones.  For a further variation, you can have the list be only things like: Superman, a clown, a pirate, a fairy princess, a werewolf, a vampire, and so on.  That would mean the adult Halloween games would include the kids via taking video of trick-or-treaters who are all dressed up.

Halloween Fortune Telling – In this game, your guests put their knowledge of one another to the test and get to know each other better.

Simply hand out slips of paper and a pencil to each guest.  Each person then chooses a person at the party (maybe even himself or herself), but doesn’t tell anyone who it is.  Then, everyone write a “fortune” for that person, folds it, and puts it into the fishbowl.  You can have everyone write one or several; that’s up to you.

Then, each guest pulls out a slip of paper and reads the fortune.  He then tries to guess which person wrote the fortune and which person the fortune is about.

Some examples of fortunes might be:

“This person will get caught doing something illegal and spend the night in jail.”
“This person will marry someone from a foreign country.”
”This person will quit his job and buy a Corvette when he turns fifty.”
“This person will adopt a child.”
“This person will become President of the PTA.”

You get the idea.  Each person who correctly guesses wins a small prize, and this game is a delightful way to get conversations started at your Halloween bash.

A really cool variation of this game is to have each guest put their name on a piece of paper and drop into the bowl. Then have each guest draw a name from the bowl and have the one who drew the name make up a scary story about the name drawn. Then have the other guest guess who the scary story is about.

As you can see adult games can be a lot of fun and the types of games can be endless. It just takes a little planning to come up with adult Halloween games.