| Now that the leaves on the trees are starting to | | | | Fog is another Halloween essential for me. I use |
| change color and that familiar chill in the air can be | | | | two fog machines, one in the house (I hope that |
| felt, it's time to start thinking about that scariest | | | | stuff isn't dangerous) with some windows open |
| of holidays; Halloween. Ghosts and goblins, ghouls | | | | for ventilation and one outside to highlight |
| and witches and all that candy! I don't think there | | | | whatever creepy item I feel needs it. Usually the |
| is any time of year more exciting for kids than | | | | creepy item is a 6 foot tall ghost we like to call |
| Halloween. | | | | "scary big man". I purchased him at a garden |
| Halloween is celebrated on October 31st and "trick | | | | centre and probably paid too much, but he's going |
| or treating" has become a tradition, but it's not | | | | on his 3rd year now and I stand by my purchase. |
| the only one. Costume parties, haunted houses, | | | | He's totally cool! |
| hayrides and creepy movie festivals are all part of | | | | Hay bales and corn stalks are great yard accent |
| the weeks leading up to the big day. Here are | | | | pieces and nothing brings out fall's creepiness |
| some sof my Halloween ideas, perhaps you'll use | | | | better than those two items. If you live on a |
| some of them this year. | | | | farm, you could even build a maze out of the |
| Halloween decorating does not need to be | | | | bales and make the kids go through it to get to |
| expensive, but if you want you can spend a | | | | the front door. |
| fortune. People do everything from the most | | | | Last but definitely not least is Halloween music. |
| simple decoration (a pumpkin) to extravagant light | | | | I've been building my collection for years, but for |
| shows and my favourite personal haunted houses | | | | starters you can get a simple halloween sounds |
| and yards. You need to find something which | | | | CD and put it on repeat. Chains, howling, screams |
| matches your budget and commitment. Dollar | | | | make the young ones shake in their boots. The |
| stores have a lot of inexpensive Halloween | | | | old ones (including parents) find it amusing but |
| decorations, my favourite from the dollar stores | | | | neat. I like to throw in a mix of halloween songs |
| are the glow in the dark spiders and skeletons. I | | | | like monster mash and of course what Halloween |
| hang the skeletons on tree branches and they | | | | would be complete without a little Danny Elfman. |
| light up at night giving a spooky chill to the yard. | | | | If you're not familiar with Mr Elfman's work, he |
| I like to do a couple of pumpkins on Halloween, | | | | has done soundtracks for some of the scariest |
| one for each of the kids, a family effort and of | | | | movies out there. Google him and see what |
| course my personal masterpiece (which I usually | | | | comes back. |
| do on the 30th after the kids have gone to bed). | | | | So, get started early. Get the decorations up and |
| You can find nice pumpkin templates all around | | | | maybe have a Halloween party too. Christmas |
| the Internet, but be sure to use a sharp knife and | | | | shopping is just around the corner, so enjoy |
| if the kids are young, you do the carving, but let | | | | Halloween while you can. It's the chance for every |
| them tell you what to cut. | | | | grown up to act like a kid again. |