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Halloween Ideas – Trick or Treating Like Never Before!

  • July 20, 2010 11:49 pm
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Halloween Ideas – Trick or Treating Like Never Before!

Celebrating Halloween for some is much like Christmas, a family event to enjoy each other’s company in the spirit of giving and receiving.  It is a much anticipated day for teens and kids especially, where candies and chocolates are exchanged for beaming smiles.  Days and even weeks before the actual day, adults and kids alike are out shopping for costumes of their favorite superhero characters or the classic spooky vampires.  Unspoken friendly competition is always the motivator since everyone wants to have the most humorous, most life-like or most outrageous costume amongst the crowd.

Undoubtedly, we know it’s now part of our custom to dress up and knock on our neighbors’ doors to ask for treats on October 31st night, but, what is the actual meaning of trick or treating?  Well, it originated from the medieval times when early Christians in each town go from door to door to ask for food, or ‘Soul Cakes’.  In return, prayers would be said for the dead relatives of those who donated on November 2nd, ‘All Souls Day’.  Over time, it has morphed into a custom festivity of trick or treating.

If the intent from before is to give something back to those who donate the ‘Soul Cakes’, trick or treating nowadays is missing an important aspect.  Maybe this aspect should be added to our current practice, which could make Halloween all the more exciting and all the more meaningful!  So, to put a little twist to this Halloween, why not try what I like to call “retro trick or treating” or “reverse trick or treating”?

Keeping it short and simple, “retro trick or treating” is when you bring goodies to give back to those who give treats to you.  Just imagine for a second, you and your friends (or kids if you are a parent), knocking on a door to say “trick or treat”.  The homeowner happily opens the door and gives you bunch of candies and chocolate that you know you will enjoy for the rest of year.  Now, what about them, don’t you want to share this joy with them too?  What if before they close that door, you can say, “Please wait, I have something for you too!”  I guarantee they will be shocked initially but will accept your kindness in return with gratitude.  So, bring some goodies (like cookies, muffins, candies or even thank you note) along this Halloween and put a smile on those generous homeowners!

The other twist is “reverse trick or treating”. This is when you give goodies to people instead of receiving treats yourself. This idea I heard from a friend and I thought, “what a brilliant way to give to those less fortunate or to change the bad stigma around the idea of trick or treating for some folks.”  This can be done in a public area (i.e. shopping mall) or the good old fashion way of knocking on people’s doors. Lights are intentionally turned off on Halloween night for some households to avoid giving away treats. I say, ring those doorbells and surprise them with kindness and a treat of your own! Doesn’t that add so much more meaning to the trick or treating as we know it?  Since trick or treating was intended to give something back to those who gives, taking it a little further is to give without receiving! Dress up, have fun and prepare some goodies that you can share with someone else!

Wambtm shares his fun experiences trying reverse trick or treating and more. Please visit http://www.squidoo.com/halloween-new-ideas or http://halloween-newideas.blogspot.com/

9 Halloween Gifts for Your Favorite Trick or Treaters

  • June 25, 2010 11:54 pm

9 Halloween Gifts for Your Favorite Trick or Treaters

Halloween is a fun holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st. Children will dress in their favorite costumes and go trick-or-treating for candies.  These activities can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was a celebration of the end of the harvest season.  The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31st, the boundary between the alive and the dead disappeared, and the dead became dangerous to the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops.  Costumes and masks were worn at the festival to mimic the evil spirits to placate them.  Because of the origin of this holiday, traditional characters for Halloween celebratons include ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, black cats, goblins, skeletons, and pumpkin-man. Halloween gifts often include one of these characters. This article provides some gift ideas for your trick or treaters.

1. Jack-O-Lantern gift basket:

Jack-O-Lantern is the symbol of Halloween. Hence most Halloween gift basket have a Jack-O-Lantern pail filled with treats and games.  One popular gift basket is filled with candy corn (popular Halloween candy), Reese’s, M & M’s, gummy worms, caramel corn, pumpkin carving kit for making Jack-O-Lantern, flash light for safety during trick-or-treating. and a plush black cat dressed as a witch,  This gift is a must have for Halloween.
 
2. Boo Gift Box:
Gather all your neighborhood witches for a fun-filled night with yummy treats in this gift box. Delivered by Witches Poos favorite black cats, these scrumptious Halloween favorites include Witchie Poos black cats pops, candy corn, Witchie Poos poison popcorn ball, M & M’s, mini Reeses peanut butter pumpkin, Nerds candies, sweet tart candies, buttery microwave popcorn. This gift box ensures a fun-filled night for neighborhood kids.

3.  Candy Bouquet:

You can indulge your goblins with a Halloween candy bouquet while they listen to scary ghost stories. This gift box contains fruit flavored Halloween shaped marshmellows, M & M’s, mini Hershey chocolate bars, mini Butterfinger bars, mini Reese peanut butter pumpkins, swirl pops, and a happy Jack pumpkins with Halloween pops, friendly ghosts chocolate cream lolipops, and Happy Halloween pick.

4.  Candy Cake:

This candy cake is a ghastly collection of candy pumpkins, chocolate fudge filled ghosts, Twix bars, Reese’s Halloween pumpkins, Halloween miniature chocolates, ghost peeps, candy corn filled coffin, and miniature Hershey’s candy bars.

5.  Hexes and Potion Gift Box:

Every little witch dreams of creating hexes and potions. Fulfill their wish with this Potions & Hexes Gift Box. Inside the black gloss gift box are microwave popcorn, potions bottle with nerds, miniature Hershey bars, Reese’s peanut butter cup, 2 bags of fun shapes Jacks & Bats pretzels, marshmallow ghosts, halloween candy corn, microwave popcorn, and popcorn ball.

6.  Care Package:

For young adults away from home in the military or in college, you probably want to send them a care package. This care package in a black gloss gift box.with a 14″ plush cat in a pumpkin outfit delivers lots of all-American favorite Halloween treats (Trick or Treat bag filled with candy corn, Hershey’s chocolate ghosts, microwave butter popcorn, Reese’s pieces, peanut M & M’s, Reese’s peanut butter filled pumpkin, and foil wrapped candies). Send the Halloween Care Package to those you care about!

7.  The Singing Count:

For your little goblin, delight them with a friendly little plush Count that sings the Monster Mash and groves down to the classic tune. This gift is appropriate for young children.

8.  Halloween Candles:

The Halloween Trio Candle set consists of an owl, a witch, and a Jack-O-Lantern, each stand on a black metal plate.  This gift will bring a festive glow to your spooky decorating theme.  You can also give them as party favors or hostess gifts. They are the perfect addition to any collection. The candles have a forest musk fragrance. 

9. Boo Activity Bag:
  
Halloween is about fun activities.  Send all the ghouls and goblins in your clan this fun filled activity and treats gift bag. This fun fabric bag carries hand-held brain twister games, Squishy fun ball, relaxable smiley face ball, creepy crawlers gummi candies, Halloween bats and pumpkins pretzels, candy corn, chocolate bars, marshmallow ghost peeps, and more. It is a great for tweens and the “Big Kids”

In summary, Halloween is a holiday for fun activities and candy treats.  Send a gift basket, candy bouquet, care package, gift box, or activity bag to your favorite trick-or-treaters.  They will always remember the fun and love that you provide.

Kate S is the CEO of Gift Basket for All, LLC. You can visit her site, http://www.giftbasketforall.com, for gourmet gift basket, anniversary, new baby, birthday, corporate, get well, sympathy gifts.

For product information on Halloween gifts, visit:
http://www.giftbasketforall.com/halloween-gift

The Best Halloween Costumes To Trick Or Treat In Are Bought Online

  • June 18, 2010 11:59 pm

The Best Halloween Costumes To Trick Or Treat In Are Bought Online

Don’t you just despise shopping for a Halloween Costume every year? When you get to those stores they are jam packed full of people, prices are outrageous and all the shelves have been picked over before you even get there. My suggestion this year is to take some friendly advice and avoid the headache; be smart and shop early. An even better way to save you money on aspirin is to buy your Halloween Costume online this year. In this day and age shopping online is where it’s at and Halloween costumes are no exception for those small-towners.

Halloween Costumes are usually hard to find in every size and for all age groups but not at an online store. You can find everything including cultural costumes, historical costumes, French maid costumes, witch costumes, cowboy costumes, and the list goes on and on. What’s so amazing about these stores is they never close, are well stocked and you don’t just have to use them for Halloween, they ship items for every occasion; graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, school plays or sporting events.

The online Halloween Stores will promote the fact they provide something for every customer seeking a festive costume. All sizes for men and women will be available, even the hard to find plus size couples costumes. Available in most popular characters for Halloween like are goddesses, pirates, fairies and sexy Red Riding Hoods. Dress up your little toddler in a cute little fairy or angel to go trick-or-treating for the first time. Most costumes are available in child and teen sizes also. See the online sizing charts to size up an exact fit. Most of the online stores will have experienced phone staff available to take your calls and questions about appropriate sizing.

Popular items from the TV, Movies & Comics sections, feature interesting outfits like Batman, Elvis, Harry Potter, characters from Star Wars, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, and comic book characters from DC or Marvel Comics such as Superman, Wonder Woman and Spider Man. If you are looking to be a little more risque this season, have a look at the adult’s sexy costume section. There will be the perfect little number for those scandalous playboy bunnies at heart. These also make great Valentine’s or anniversary gifts for that special someone in your life. A novelty that is becoming huge for online costume stores is that special item for your pet. Eccentric costumers can now purchase an outfit for their dog or cat, and they get to choose from about a dozen different ones. Imagine trick or treating this year with Rover the super dog or Fluffy the pirate cat. Now there’s something you don’t see every day.

All Halloween fans know costumes are not complete without accessories. These online masquerade shops contain quite a lot of accessories to top off your costume. In the accessory section you’ll find beards, wigs, jewelry, wings, horns, shoes, weapons, helmets, capes, robes, hats etc. In the makeup section you can find all sorts of makeup kits, face colors, blood, fangs, prosthetics and other stuff you might need for the Halloween season.

The larger online costume shops will also have products for magicians and clowns, where they can find dozens of prop articles from lights, smoke machines, puppets, magic hats, swindle card decks and some other stuff to put on a great show for children and adults alike.

Silver Surfers should click on over to the party supplies and decorations area before checking out of the shopping cart because no Halloween Ball should be without a blood feast on party themed platters, cups and matching decor. Never see a picked over shelf or Halloween costume line again! What are you waiting for? Punch in that URL and have it delivered right to your door… and in your size.

The outfit extraordinar, Susan writes about Sexy Halloween costumes and offers advice on costumes & Halloween costumes. Go to http://www.costumecauldron.com for details.