"Fall Fun" by Ginger Garvey

As Halloween approaches, the seasonal “to-do” list, typically marked with finding the perfect costume and trick-or-treat route, is a bit more complicated with the growing need to protect the environment and manage household budgets. In preparing for your neighborhood ghosts and goblins, try these easy tips and tricks to “go green,” and spend less on your families’ spook-tacular celebration.

Howl to be Green
Incorporating small changes into your holiday preparation will go a long way to create an eco-friendly Halloween. Whether you’re hosting a party or adding colorful flare to the home or office, take inventory of your decorations and go back to nature by using locally-grown pumpkins, apples or fresh gourds to create tabletop and front porch accents. Organic, pesticide-free produce is widely available at farmers markets, grocery and specialty stores and leaves little waste once the celebration ends.

Also look for ways to “re-use” your Halloween accessories. Cloth or canvas shopping bags and pillowcases are great alternatives to paper, plastic bags and more traditional plastic jack-o-lanterns used by many trick-or-treaters to collect candy. Gather fall-colored scraps of fabric, ribbon, buttons or food coloring and spend the afternoon with the kids decorating a recyclable trick-or-treat bag. Use the custom creation to hand out candy at your door and your house will be the hit of the neighborhood.

Howl to Save
Spend less this Halloween by using old or outgrown clothes, sports equipment or dress-up items to make one-of-a-kind costumes. Unpack your graduation gown and buy a gavel at a thrift or prop store to transform your trick-or-treater into a judge. Dust off a wedding gown or bridesmaid’s dress, polish an old pair of pumps and grab a wig from a costume store and you’ve got a princess. Host a costume trading party and make sure everyone comes with old clothing or accessories to trade. Let the kids use their imaginations and see how many new and different costumes come to life.

You can also save by using recyclable household materials to decorate. Bed sheets hung from the ceiling or tree branches make convincing ghosts, as do balloons covered with a white sheet, tied with a ribbon around the neck and black felt tapped on for eyes. The sheets can be taken down, laundered and returned to the linen closet once Halloween is over.

Howl to Have Fun at Home
Consider baking at home this year to get everyone in the Halloween mood. Find unique recipes for Halloween treats that can be used as decorations or centerpieces before you indulge.

Gather everyone around and make creepy “edible eyeballs” with mini white powdered donuts, Life Savers Gummies, red icing and chocolate chips. Cover the hole in the center of the donut with a thin layer of icing and top with a gummy. Next, dip the bottom of a chocolate chip in icing before layering it on the gummy. Make the eyeball scary by drawing lines from the center of the donut to the outer edge with red icing. Finish the treat by poking each donut with a lollipop stick and arranging them in a bowl of candy corn to make a freaky yet tasty centerpiece.

Howl to Be Safe
Set the seasonal mood by decorating trees and sidewalks with lights and lanterns while making it easier for trick-or-treaters to find their way from door to door. Neat, well-lit landscapes make everyone feel more comfortable and confident.

Another simple way to help ghosts and goblins find their way door to door is to use makeup to finish a costume as an alternative to masks. Face paint makes it much easier for trick-or-treaters to see … especially at night.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Hosting a healthy Halloween

(NC)-Hosting a Halloween party doesn’t have to be all about the candy. Be a super-mom by hosting a healthier kid’s party that includes the classic Halloween décor but offers candy-free goodie bags and fun games designed to get kids physically active. This spooky feast will keep kids eating a balanced diet while still having a horrifically fun time.

A Creepy Feast

. Bat Wings: Bake frozen chicken wings and serve with barbecue sauce (blood!) for dipping.
. Witches Cauldron Dip (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Ghostly Potato Cakes (recipe available at www.homebasics.ca)
. Frozen Eyeballs: Scoop vanilla frozen yogurt onto cookie sheets and refreeze. Garnish with a maraschino cherry iris and a raisin for a pupil. Serve two eyeballs per child.

Horror-ific Fun

. Monster Mash Off: Have a dance competition where kids create their own dances based on classic Halloween characters like the “Slime Swing” and “Footloose Frankenstein”.
. Spiderweb Team Challenge: (For school-aged kids.) Stand in a circle with a group of four or more people. Grab hands with two people who are not beside you. Untangle, as a group, moving under and over limbs, back into one open circle, without letting go of hands.
. Haunted Obstacle course: Plan a spooky obstacle course indoors or out. For example; create a “bat cave” out of old sheets hung over chairs, a cotton batting-lined hula hoop “spiderweb”, or a pile of pillows for “sleeping ghosts”.

Candy-Free Loot Bag Suggestions

. Dollar store treasures that could include Halloween stickers, spider rings, slime toys and glow sticks.
. Trick-or-treating survival kit, which includes a small flashlight, toothbrush, toothpaste and floss.
. Make-your-own spider pet kit that includes a black balloon, pipe cleaners, garbage bags cut into legs and instructions for assembly.

Dozens more ideas for a safe and fun Halloween can be found online at www.homebasics.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com

If you don’t want your Halloween party food to be silly or disgusting looking then you can still have a sophisticated menu that has touches of this scary holiday. Whichever direction you choose to go in, here are some Halloween party food recipes and ideas to help and inspire you.

Silly Food

With children’s Halloween party food you can indulge your inner child and crank up the scare factor. Make scary ice cubes for the punch by freezing gummy worms into ice cubes. Gummy worms are a great addition to party food at this time of year and another way to use them is in ‘rotten apples’. Take regular apples and cut a hole in the apple that is deep enough for you to stick a gummy worm into.

For something more substantial make hard boiled eggs and cut them into halves after peeling. Take the yolks out and then fill the hole with whipped cream cheese. Then press olives with pimentos, pimento side up, into the cream cheese and voila! You have an eyeball. To add to the effect you can draw blood vessels by dragging a toothpick that’s been dipped in red food dye through the ‘white’.

For Adults

For adult Halloween party food stick to using seasonal ingredients and rely on keeping the theme black and orange. Pumpkin soup with a scary ornament at the bottom of the soup bowl is a wonderful starter. A salad that includes roasted sweet potato chips is also another way to inject a little seasonal color into your menu. For your dessert you can’t go wrong with a bittersweet chocolate tart.

If you want to have a buffet style party, keep the food simple and concentrate on the décor instead. Use spider webs and velvet for tablecloths, candles in wine bottles and so on to create the effect of a dining room in a haunted mansion. Use scary centerpieces such as a candy dish filled with eyeballs. Your food can be ordinary party food; the décor is enough to create the atmosphere. Do try and use orange and black in the food and crockery you choose.

Haunted Gingerbread House

(NC)-If you are looking for a ghoulish Halloween activity everyone can enjoy, why not create a peanut-free Haunted Gingerbread House? Decorated with Nestlé Fav*rites peanut-free treats, it’s not only safe for children who have peanut allergies, it’s also spooktacularily fun to make!

Haunted Gingerbread

1 1/2 cups shortening 375 ml

1 1/2 cups sugar 375 ml

3 eggs 3

1 1/2 cups fancy molasses 375 ml

1/4 cup golden syrup 60 ml

8 cups all purpose flour 2000 ml

1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger 22 ml

2 tsp each pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon 10 ml

1 1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt 7 ml

1 box of 100 Nestle Peanut Free Fav*rites snack-size chocolate bars

Method

1. Beat shortening and sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, with molasses and syrup.

2. Stir dry ingredients together and add in heaping spoonfuls to molasses mixture; stir until well combined. Divide dough into 4 balls. Wrap individually and refrigerate for at least 2 1/2 hours or up to 1 week.

3. Cut out and carefully label each pattern piece. Roll balls of chilled dough individually between wax paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Trace and cut out each pattern piece for the house; save cookie scraps to roll again as needed. *Remember to cut out windows and doors before baking*.

Click to enlarge the Halloween Gingerbread House pattern

4. Transfer gingerbread to parchment paper-lined cookie sheets leaving at least 1 inch between shapes. Place in freezer for 25 minutes.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes or until gingerbread is firm.

Haunted Icing

3 egg whites 3

1 tsp cream of tartar 5 ml

3 1/2 – 4 cups icing sugar 875-1000 ml Optional: food colouring

Method

1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar for 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Slowing add icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time beating until thick (may require less sugar). Add food colouring if desired.

2. Transfer icing to large zip-lock bag. Close and set aside.

Assembly and decorating

1. Use the haunted house photo as your assembly guide, and use a foil-covered cutting board as the base.

2. Snip corner from icing bag, and pipe icing generously along edges of gingerbread to glue pieces together. Start with the walls, using cans or jars to support the structure as the icing hardens.

3. Complete structure by gluing on the roof and chimney with piped icing. Allow to harden for at least 15 minutes.

4. Use the 100-count box of Nestlé Peanut Free Fav*rites to decorate your haunted house, gluing the chocolate in place with icing.

Nestlé Canada encourages parents to read the labels when buying ingredients to ensure they are made in a peanut-free facility. For more information on Nestlé’s peanut-free offerings, visit www.nestle-peanutfree.ca.

Credit: www.newscanada.com

If you are the type of person that likes having dinner parties, then have a relaxed buffet with themed food and decorations. If you like dancing and plenty of food, booze and music then plan accordingly. Remember if you do not to take it too seriously; you won’t have to worry about having fun.

Planning

Planning your Halloween fun is the first step to making sure that everything goes well. You don’t have to have detailed checklists – just a rough plan that you can refer to. The most important list is your guest list. Come up with numbers and then start sending out invitations as early as possible.

Numbers are important so that you don’t end up with too much or too little food. Think of what you want to serve, whether you just want to have simple finger food or something more substantial. If you want to have a potluck then make sure everyone is bringing something and that no one has any allergies that you need to inform the others about.

An Angle

Halloween fun can be unusual or it can be ordinary. As long as you’re with your friends then you’ll have fun. Have a screening of your favorite horror films on Halloween. Have everyone come in pajamas. Provide lots of snacks and maybe a bottle of wine or two.

Have a pumpkin themed party. Part of the Halloween fun can include different things made with pumpkin and pumpkin carving. This is great for family gatherings where you can have teams to come up with the best pumpkin carving. Children can have separate games to keep them amused.

You can even take your Halloween fun to the streets. Have an old-fashioned block party. Make sure to get a permit to close off the street. If you live in a close knit community this can be a great fun filled activity for everyone. Contests for best costume are a must in this case. Have games and good music and you’ll find that everyone will get into the spirit of things pretty quickly.

Spider Favor Boxes (Halloween craft project below article)

Halloween is one of the biggest decorating holidays of the year, second only to Christmas. According to the National Retail Federation, nearly 60 percent of people plan to purchase decorations and 47 percent expect to decorate their home or yard this year.

With everyone getting into the Halloween spirit, make your house stand apart from your neighbors’ by keeping in mind this year’s trends.

“Making homes festive with creative Halloween decorations can be easy and fun for everyone from beginners to advanced crafters,” said Susan Atchison, trend expert for Jo-Ann Stores. “This season, cute is in and creepy is out. Gone are the days of menacing mummies or frightening felines. Cute spiders, goofy monsters and playful witches will be especially hot. Also, décor adorned with sunny and unexpected color pairings such as royal purple mixed with hot green, pink and jack-o’-lantern orange will add extra personality to the inside and outside of your home.”

If you’re in the mood to embrace the charming side of Halloween this year, check out these easy ideas from Jo-Ann Stores to add a playful and creative touch to your un-haunted house — inside and out:

• Show your trendy side by dressing your table with vibrantly colored place settings that feature friendly spiders made from basic shapes with large animated eyes. 
• Accent your mantle with spider votive holders on a yarn table runner to add quirky distinction to party décor. 
• For Halloween entertaining, give your guests goofy handmade spider boxes filled with goodies and treats. With wiggle eyes and bright, glittery colors, these little favors are gifts your guests won’t soon forget! (See instructions below.) 
• Greet guests and trick-or-treaters with a festive door wreath made with silly monster and jack-o’-lantern faces in a rainbow of colors. 
• Colorful lights aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Use strings of lights to decorate outdoor trees and bushes for Halloween. For a fun, friendly feel, add lively and unexpected hues of green and magenta with traditional orange and blacks to bring fresh life to your outdoor lighting. 
• Post unique stakes in the yard featuring cute character cutouts, such as the one featured to the right, to welcome guests (instead of scaring them away!) 
• Let kids make their own personalized treat bags this year by easily stitching two pieces of black felt together with a strip at the top for a handle. Glue on ears, eyes and whiskers to make a black cat or use green and orange felt to create a pumpkin.

Spider Favor Boxes

Skill Level: No experience needed
Approximate Crafting Time: 30 minutes plus drying time

Supplies and Tools (for one favor box):

One 2-inch paper mache box
7 inches of 5/8 inch dotted ribbon, optional
4 Chenille stems cut to 6 to 8 inches, black
Glitter, examples use black, green and purple
Tacky glue
Two 10mm wiggle eyes
Two 1/2 inch black pompoms
Black spray paint
Wire cutters
Scissors

Directions:

1. Spray paint box and lid. 
2. For legs: Make one small hole on each opposite side of box near bottom. Poke chenille stems through holes in box, extending out both sides. Shape legs and make small loop at end for foot. 
3. Spread glue on lid top and top of feet, sprinkle with glitter; set aside to dry. 
4. Glue pompoms to lid, then glue eyes to tops of pompoms. 
5. Fill boxes with favorite treats.

Optional: Glue ribbon around side of box lid.

Courtesy of ARA Content

You will want to make sure that you have enough tricky treats for all of your ghouly guests. You can make some creepy cupcakes, Bug juice (punch with gummy bugs inside it), brain surgery salad (fruits and vegetables mixed with Jell-O), Bat Chips (Bat shaped fried tortilla chips made with a bat shaped cookie cutter) and horrible hands (popcorn stuffed into plastic gloves). Make sure your tricky treats pertain to Halloween. All of your guests will gobble down the wonderful Halloween goodies you have prepared ahead of time.

Halloween Party Ideas: Decorations

Decorations are very important at a Halloween party. They can actually make or break your party. You do not have to spend a lot of money on decorations. Simply pick up the cheap store bought typical Halloween decorations such as spider webs, plastic pumpkins, orange and black balloons and any other things you like. Make sure you decorate both the front yard and all rooms where guests will be in the house.

Halloween Party Ideas: Music

You will need to have a nice selection of Halloween music and sound effects playing throughout the house. There are a lot of websites where you can download really cool sound effects and burn them to a CD. You can also purchase a CD at your local record store that has sound effects and songs such as “The Monster Mash,” “Thriller,” and other Halloween favorites. Your guests will have fun listening to sound effects and dancing the night way to their favorite tunes.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on great Halloween party ideas. When you shop for supplies and foods, look for the best bargains available. If you start planning earlier in the month before Halloween, you may even find some things cheaper. If you know you will be having a party next year, you can buy your decorations after Halloween when everything is marked at a discount. Shop wisely when shopping for Halloween party ideas.

These are just a few fun Halloween party ideas to help get your mind thinking of some great time saving ideas. There are so many fun and exciting things you can do for your next Halloween party. The main idea is to keep all of your Halloween party ideas creepy, crawl, and scary. With just a few great Halloween party ideas, you can have the best Halloween party ever.

Despite scares of some evil pranksters in the late 1980’s spiking Halloween give outs, trick or treating is still the most fun Halloween activity for everyone – whether giving the candy away or those receiving the candy.  Kids think they have it easy for this fun Halloween activity – they dress up, get a pillowcase or some other sack and go trick or treating.

But many adults who give the candy away make those kids work for their candy. This is the fun part.  They make their homes spooky with strobe lights, sudden blaring noises, distorting cobwebs and spooky costumes.  Usually the adult neighbors have to come check it out.  This is one time where you can get to socially scare your neighbors.

Dressing Up

Another one of the most fun Halloween activities is just the act of getting into costume.  Some employers will allow employees to wear costumes to work (as long as it doesn’t interfere with their mobility or vision).  Some will let you wear a discrete costume or even just a mask, black lipstick and silly pin.  This is a great way to get to know your co-workers better and have at least one fun day at work a year.

Some restaurants, bars and clubs will also offer discounts if you come dressed in costume on Halloween night.  Check it out to make sure first.  Some will not offer a discount, but will allow you to dine or dance in full regalia.  It’s fun for you and for the employees at the club or restaurant.  It’s away to safely show a hidden side to your personality.

Haunted Tours

More and more, haunted houses or haunted tours are being offered in big and small cities alike.  This is a safe and fun Halloween activity, since you are among other people and not alone with any strangers in strange garb.  Haunted houses sometimes spring up in aid of charities in October.  They are usually manned by college kids to aid the charity being benefited.

Halloween Pictionary

Halloween Pictionary is a fun Halloween party game that will be enjoyed by most adults. Begin by writing a scary word on various slips of white sheets. Place all of the slips of paper into a plastic pumpkin. Divide the people into two teams and have each team take turns choosing a slip of paper from the pumpkin. They then draw a picture of what is on their slip on paper on a chalkboard while others try to guess what it is. The team who guesses correctly first gets the point; and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Mummy Maker

This is a very fun Halloween party game for both kids and adults alike. Divide people into two or more teams. Each team should choose one person to be their mummy. Each team quickly wraps their mummy in toilet paper from head to toe. The team that completely covers their mummy first is the winner of this game. Kids love to play this game and it is also a fun adult game.

Halloween Word Scrambler

This Halloween party game is also fun for players of all ages. Give each player a sheet of paper and write the word Halloween across the top of each paper. Then set a time to about five or ten minutes. The person or team to find the most words out of the word, “Halloween” will be the winner. Make sure you allow plenty time for each person or team to write down their answers.

Halloween Balloons

Halloween balloons are a great ongoing Halloween party game. Blow up some orange and black balloons. Gently hit them into the party crowd. When the balloon comes to a person, that person must say the name of a Halloween related word. One can have this game be specific to a particular theme such as “Halloween Treats.” However, if the guest does not say a word before the balloon lands on them, they are removed from the party.

Halloween party games are very important at a Halloween party. Your games can make or break the overall Halloween party. Therefore, it is very important that the host chooses fun and exciting games. There are just a few popular games that are often played at Halloween parties.