So I took some time off after the Halloween season, because we all know that scary things only appear then. Right? Not really! I was searching for a nutcracker to buy for my kids for the Christmas season because we always get something new for the house during the holidays.
After a little searching around, I found that Steinbach nutcrackers are kind of the gold standard of nutcrackers. A must have if you will!
At least that is until I saw one. Check out this particularly hideous Steinbach nutcracker!
I was not aware that the Steinbach family was so in to American baseball players. I’m a huge baseball fan, and I generally buy more baseball related collectibles that the average American consumer. I’ve even purchased some colectibles in the past that were possibly equally as hideous. I just generally do not see a correlation between baseball and nutcrackers though.
Lest you think I am bashing Steinbach’s, I am not. After a litttle research on them, I found a long, rich history behind Steinbach’s, and I don’t mean to belittle them. They’ve been in the business for well over a hundred years, and they obviously make high-quality nutcrackers (a company does not remain in business for that long by putting out crappy products (see GM — oops).
Perfect for Halloween….you’ll want to make your Halloween Jack O’Lantern just as spooky as the Halloween season. There are some carving tips you’ll want to keep in mind to make your pumpkin the spookiest on the block!
Think of facial expressions. When you want to create a spooky facial expression — what would this look like? Perhaps the pumpkin would look menacing or threatening. Or maybe the pumpkin would look scared of something. As if the pumpkin itself was being pursued by something spooky. Try to get ahold of magazine or book images that you can look at of spooky faces so you can fully understand what a spooky face will look like. But typically the eyes will be wide, the mouth would be open wide like an “o”, the eyebrows could be jagged. There are many things that you could do.
Another option is to create a monster. With a monster face — then literally anything goes — there are no rules. You can create any type of face that you feel is spooky. Monster faces can be frightening with just one eye, or with six eyes. Think of what would make your monster frightening and add each of these elements carefully.
Watch this YouTube video to learn more about carving spooky pumpkins from an expert:
Warning: do NOT plan a spooky prank on someone where you feel it could intentionally harm them or put them in danger. The entire goal of a prank is for someone to be spooked at first — and then to think it is as funny as hell. Use good judgment so people don’t get hurt.
Halloween is the ultimate time to plan a spooky prank on your friends. Maybe you want to “get” your brother who always teases you for being the big chicken. You’d like to see just how scared he can get. Or you were scared by the prank your friends threw for you last Halloween and you figure that this year it is their turn. There are many cool ideas for a fun Halloween prank that is spooky.
What’s spooky to them? When planning a spooky prank, you want to get into someone’s head. What would be spookiest to them? Are they (just a little) scared of the dark? Do big animals scare them? Do they not like loud noises? Try to brainstorm for what things would spook them the most. Remember the goal: you want to spook them and then have them think it is hysterical.
An easy spooky prank is to hide somewhere and jump out. While this sounds so simple, when someone does it to you — it really can be shocking. Doing it in a spooky costume can make it even more spooky. Try doing it with a mummy mask on or a monster mask. Hide in their closet and pop out as they are getting ready for the party. You’ll hear their screams throughout the neighborhood!
Another spooky prank is something that moves, that you can’t quite see. A great new item for a spooky prank are the fake tarantulas that you can put batteries in and have crawl across a room. Starting one of those up across a room would be a great spooky prank. They look quite realistic at first — but when you get closer you realize that it is a toy. But very spooky to have something crawling up to you.
Remember to use some common sense when planning a spooky prank. You want your prank to be both spooky and funny — not one that ends in tears. You want your friend to think it is hysterical. Think of a spooky movie the two of you saw and liked and maybe this will give you an idea for a prank. Get inspiration from a scene you know your friend thought was especially spooky.
Most people want a good shiver and fright on Halloween night. The rest of the year, you want to be calm and normal — but on Halloween night, you want to be just a little scared. There are some popular ways to get a really good spook vibe going.
Tell a ghost story. Ghost stories have existed since ancient times. Modern horror films sometimes make ghost stories all the more frightening — as we see what these horrific spirits can do even from their graves. Try visiting Amazon.com or your local bookstore to find a book about ghost stories and find some bone chilling ghost stories to tell. Remember to dim the lights for the best effect.
Have a séance. Halloween is the ideal night for a séance. It is said that the veil between the dead and the alive is especially thin on Halloween night. Communication is more possible on Halloween night than on other times of the year. You’ll want to take full advantage of this by having a séance. Get a group of friends together and light candles and call down the spirits of loved ones — or even famous people.
Use a Ouija board. Now some people would say this is the same as a séance but it is really not. With a séance, you are connecting with someone specific. With a Ouija board, you are asking for “anyone” to come through. Using a Ouija board can be VERY spooky and should be used with caution. Don’t use a Ouija board if you have been drinking, doing drugs or have excessive moods of any type.
Watch something scary. There are many scary movies ideal to watch on Halloween. Try the original Dracula movie from the 1930’s, or the Scream trilogy for something that is both scary and funny. Many people love to watch Friday the 13th movies for a good spooky fright. Just don’t watch scary and spooky movies alone!
Halloween is the perfect time to tell a spooky ghost story. But it is not just the story you tell, but HOW you tell it. Using proper emotion and body language is critical to tell the story well. Knowing your story ahead of time will help you tell the story successfully.
To tell a spooky ghost story, you don’t have to be overdramatic, but simply be enthusiastic about telling the tale. Think about emotions or body language that you can add to the ghost story that will enhance it.
You don’t have to be an actor, just someone with enthusiasm for the story you are telling. You can even be reading your story from a book or a piece of paper. But a little dramatic flair will add to the audience’s enjoyment of your ghost story during this Halloween season.
Learn more about how to tell a spooky ghost story by watching this YouTube video:
Kids love Halloween. It’s the one day of the year when you can dress in a fun costume, eat candy and walk around the neighborhood after dark, most likely past your bedtime. Kids know this is a special night. Many kids plan their costumes well in advance and they deserve a unique and fun costume perfect for Halloween.
Fortunately, there are many great options for Halloween that kids will love. There are some terrific Halloween costumes that are easy to put together that are also quite creative that kids will enjoy wearing.
What is important about an easy costume is that it be something that your child would actually want to wear and also that it be something that you can create from items that you have already in your home. An easy costume can be created from items you have on hand and is very practical to make. You may have to buy a few things, but quite often you can create it from things you’ve already got in your kid’s closet.
Pirate
This is a great costume, for a boy or a girl. You need a pirate hat and a patch to go over one eye and a plastic sword. Dark colored pants and a light top. Kids can also have fun drawing a mustache with an eyebrow pencil on their faces and a beard, as many pirates (like Red Beard) have these.
Pumpkin
This is a very cute costume, also ideal for either a boy or a girl. To make a pumpkin costume you need an extra large orange sweatshirt that fits very generously and a pair of sweatpants that fit comfortably that are also orange. Stuff a pillow into the sweatshirt and tape it in there temporarily. Draw a Jack-o-Lantern face on the sweatshirt. A green baseball cap for this outfit adds a stem for the pumpkin!
Punk Rocker
Now how many kids want to dress like a teenager? Many kids would have fun with this costume. Get wash-out dye in an outrageous color, like pink or blue and add streaks to your child’s hair. Then add gel and make the hair stand up on its ends. Your child should dress entirely in black. Black lipstick and nail polish are great additions to this costume.
Veterinarian
Many kids love animals and this makes a great costume that you can make. Take a large white dress shirt to make a coat. You’ll need a kid sized stethoscope (at any toy store) and a lunch box (to make the vet’s doctor kit). Have your kid carry a stuffed animal so they have a “patient” with them at all times.
With Halloween coming, you’ll want to dress your house up so that it celebrates the season. Fortunately, with a little creative thinking and planning, your house can easily be the spookiest one on the block! It can be fun to have a competition with your neighbors to see who can come up with the spookiest house. Here are some tips to create your spooky house for Halloween.
Clear all unnecessary clutter. It is VERY hard to be the spookiest house on the block with children’s toys spread out all over the lawn, laundry on the line and other signs that you are “at home.” The spooky house looks very much un-lived in. Clear your lawn and front porch from all clutter, as this really makes a difference in the atmosphere you can create to spook people out.
Look at your house objectively to create a spooky scene. What are your home’s best features to spook it out? Maybe you can work on the walkway, or the front porch? Or maybe you can do something outstanding to your front hall. You don’t have to be perfect and do everything — everything is literally impossible and will just frustrate you and tire you out. Create one part of your home that you are going to work on the most, the “wow” factor, where everyone will see it and say “wow! look at that!” Then dress up the rest of the house with little touches that are spooky and add effect.
Use music for the right atmosphere. Spooky music truly sets the scene. We emotionally react to music, even if we don’t realize it. Getting a CD of spooky sounds and music is ideal to create your spooky house for Halloween. This is also a very inexpensive touch that you’ll add to your decorating that will really make a difference. Hook up your CD player’s speakers to the second floor windows or the front porch.
Keep your spooky house safe and practical. You want your house to be spooky, but you also want to make sure there is enough light for people to see their way to walk down the stairs. Better to spoil part of the effect than to have Trick or Treaters tumble down the stairs. Do a “dry run” the week before Halloween with all of your decorations at night to see what everything looks like. You can realize what adaptations you’ll need to make. This can make a tremendous difference to what you do for Halloween night to create a spooky house.
Its surprising just how many adults dress up for Halloween. But each year many adults do dress up for Halloween, and they dress up with a vengeance! Halloween parties and Halloween costume competitions are quite popular with adults. In some communities, the costume competitions can mean big prize money.
The secret to picking your best costume is trying to pick something that people could never imagine you being. So if you are shy, pick the costume of someone who is very outspoken. If you are outspoken, be a nun or a librarian. Do something totally unexpected. Halloween is a great time to show someone a different side of your personality and to be a little different. You can try on a different persona and everyone can be totally surprised with the costume you pick. There are many popular costumes out there for 2008 for Halloween.
2008 Presidential Elections
All of the nominees (and some who are no longer running) are all totally ideal for great Halloween costumes. We are sure to see many Obamas, McCains and Palins running around this Halloween season. Even First Wives are great ideas for Halloween costumes, as Michelle Obama could certainly be a great idea as a potential Halloween costume. Many people have fun during a presidential election year dressing up as their candidate of choice.
Popular Celebrities
Kathy Grifith is a great choice as a Halloween costume, well known for her My Life on the D List television show. Paris Hilton remains a popular favorite of adults, and even older teens. Lindsay Lohan is also quite popular. Amy Winehouse is also a great choice for this year. There are many celebs that will be ideal Halloween costume choices.
Look to the economy
This year is also a great year to go to a party as a real estate agent or an oil baron or a mortgage broker. Our economy has been in a real tailspin between the housing and gas crisis we have been facing. Both issues lend themselves quite nicely to some funny Halloween costume choices.
Sexy Costumes
The sexy costume is popular, especially with the single adult that looks to Halloween as an evening to try to meet another single. Try being a sexy fairy or a sexy witch. Or even a sexy angel or a sexy nurse! There are so many things you can make into a sexy costume – try a sexy schoolgirl costume. Use your imagination – everyone has a great idea of what can be sexy.
Aliens
With 2012 coming up, many people are worried about the end of the world. They are worried about doomsday or what is coming next. This means many people are thinking about aliens and other places than earth. Being an alien for Halloween can be a terrific costume. There are many great alien costumes out there. Costumes related to the 2012 theories are very popular with many mystical people.
At Halloween time, the person that loves a good fright often starts to think of monsters. And why not? There are some totally cool popular Halloween monsters out there! Check and see if we’ve got your favorite Halloween monster on the list — and send the ones you like!
The Mummy is a well-known (loved/feared) Halloween monster. Probably the most spooky thing about a mummy is that you don’t understand what they are saying and you can’t see any of their facial expressions. The mummy you see them wrapped from head to toe in cloth or gauze. But you don’t see what expression they have — or hear exactly what they are saying.
Frankenstein is another Halloween monster. We all know Frankenstein was created by Dr. Frankenstein. Who wouldn’t think that a man created monster was totally cool, and a little spooky? In this day and age of cloning made possible — are we actually that far off from a real Frankenstein being created? You just never know……
The Wolfman is a spooky Halloween monster. This Wolfman monster has a face like a wolf and a body like a man’s except that it is covered in wolf fur. But it is frenzied and crazied, like a mad wolf on the run. The Wolfman is threatening and dangerous, especially under a full moon. Everyone lookout for the Wolfman!
Dracula is one of the most popular Halloween monsters. What could be more monstrous than drinking someone’s blood until they die or become a vampire? Vampires are spooky monsters. The true undead, they come alive at night. Dracula is the king of the vampires and is considered literally impossible to kill.
Many people want a truly authentic spooky look on Halloween night. They want people to be stunned and surprised when they realize that it is them. You can get spooky affects, like gory looking stitches, very easily. It used to be that only makeup artists knew how to make authentic looking affects like this but now they are available to all of us.
This means you can look like a zombie or an accident victim or some type of monster with half of its face ripped off. You can totally take this look to an extreme. We’ve seen people really go crazy with these type of spooky looks.
Here are the instructions to make a great skeleton face. We know you’ll be making this, along with other cool stuff for Halloween:
