Trick Or Treat - A Halloween Tradition

Trick or Treat - Smell My Feet - Give Me Something Good To Eat! These words are a Halloween tradition and have been uttered countless times over the years and will again come October 31. Are you ready for the parties and celebrations that will be here before you know it?

You need to make a list consisting of everything that must be done in preparation for this exciting holiday. It is not only the children who have to make their decision on who to masquerade as this year, you are invited as well.

Invited to participate as adults should - and to act like a kid again. Decorate your yard with pumpkins, scarecrows, and bales of hay. Plug the DVD in at the front entryway and play spooky, eerie sounds to greet your guests. Create a stuffed monster with an outfit filled with hay or old rags. Use an old mask on a ball or bucket as a face and set your creature on a chair, a swing, or standing under the tree.

There are many creative and totally unique ways to decorate both the outside and the inside of your home. Use pumpkins in your windows and as centerpieces for your tables; witches, ghosts and menacing monsters in your windows, on your walls, doorways and shelves also help to set the mood.

Don't forget the many visitors that could come to trick or treat on this special night. Be prepared with plenty of treats to hand out to the pirates, witches - both good and bad - the ghosts, skeletons, fairies, lady bugs and all the creatures that will be darkening your doorway.

Last, but surely not least, the Halloween costumes for everyone. There are parties to attend, or maybe you are hosting one? Dressing in disguise to celebrate at work? Or, go out to dinner at a special restaurant that encourages participation in the traditions of the holiday.

Halloween by all accounts, is a strange and peculiar holiday. The one night of the year that can fulfill your wildest fantasy, dress in costume, act (and look) silly, and it is all okay and widely accepted to do so.

Trick or treat time is a fun time. It is a time for parties and celebrating, so go have a good time, be safe and Happy Halloween. Trick or treat - a Halloween tradition - decorations, costumes and more. Explore Everything Halloween.

10 Tips to Keep Your Dog Safe and Sane on Halloween

Halloween is a fun time of year and a holiday that many of us look forward to.  However, for the family dog Halloween can be a dangerous and stressful holiday.  Plan ahead and be prepared by implementing some common sense and making the holiday safe and sane for everyone involved. 

1.  Prepare a Secure Place for Your Dog to Hang Out On Halloween 

Have a place where your dog will be safe, secure and comfortable on Halloween.  If your dog is crate trained then this is the best option hands down.  If your dog is not crate trained, keep him confined in a separate room during peak trick-or-treat hours.  Either option will help reduce your dogs stress caused by the ringing doorbell and exuberant squealing of costumed children.  Keeping your dog confined will also reduce your stress by eliminating the worry of your dog darting out the door every time you open it.

2.  Best Dog Halloween Costume Ever - A Tag and a Microchip

If you do not seclude your dog and he manages to escape out the door, he may find his neighborhood frightening due to it being filled with strange looking costumed creatures. Be sure Fido is wearing a tag with his name and your contact number in case he is too confused to find his way home.  If your dog does not have an identification microchip implanted between his shoulder blades, now is the time to get him one.  The chip is permanent and contains your contact information that is read by a scanner.  If you regularly change your phone number then consider using your vet as a primary contact point.  Contact your local veterinarian, shelter, or pet store for more information about microchipping your dog.

3.  Second Best Costume Ever - Fur

Some dogs will tolerate you putting a costume on them but most find it uncomfortable and stressful.  If you insist on dressing up Fido, be sure the outfit does not constrict movement, vision, hearing, breathing and barking

4.  Appropriate Treats

Dogs and humans should always stick to their own treats and Halloween is no exception.  Chocolate is toxic to your dogs health.  Keep some yummy dog treats handy so Fido can participate in the holiday festivities and do not forget to keep a watchful eye over the candy that you are handing out.

5.  Watch Out for Xylitol

Xylitol is a sweetener used in gum and candy and it is also toxic to your dog.  Watch for products containing Xylitol and keep them out of your pet's reach. 

6.  Keep an Eye on Jack

The carved Jack O'Lantern looks great with a flame flickering inside of it and candles can be spooky and provide ambiance.   If your dog knocks over anything that is burning he could be seriously injured or start a fire. 

7.  Keep Decorations Out of Your Dogs Reach

Keeping your dog away from candy is not the only hazard to worry about on Halloween.  Pumpkins, decorative corn, costume accessories, etc. may be non-toxic but if your dog eats them he may suffer from an upset tummy or even worse, intestinal blockage.

8.  Kids Outside - Dogs Inside

When the kids go out trick-or-treating keep Fido inside at home.  You may enjoy seeing friends, neighbors and kids dressed up in masks and costumes but this can be confusing and frightening for your dog.  Dog behavior can become unpredictable under stress so play it safe and leave your dog at home.

9.  Know Who to Call In Case Your Dog Becomes Sick

If you think your dog has consumed something dangerous have the following resources available:

Your veterinarian's number, local animal hospital, or after hours emergency vet.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center  888-426-4435.

10.  Do Not Forget About the Wrappers

The candy is has been eaten but have the wrappers been disposed of properly?  Candy wrappers and packaging could lead to choking or other medical issues if your dog finds them and eats them.  Clean up after your little goblins and be on the look out for dangerous debris for the next few days after Halloween. 

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Ghoul Celebration and Trick Or Treating

Halloween is a popular Christian Holiday observed annually on October 31. People generally celebrate it by wearing costumes, throwing Halloween parties, holding bonfires, telling scary stories and making jack o' lanterns. Trick-or-treating is a ritualistic custom for children on Halloween. Kids go around on this day to every house in the neighborhood to ask for treats like candy, sweets and money with the question 'trick or treat' to every person who opens the door to them. If no treat is given, they perform some kind of mischief to the person hence the term 'trick or treat'.

Traditionally Halloween themes invite the age old subjects of awe and horror like death, monsters, vampires, werewolves, occult, witchcraft, ghosts and the like. Black is the symbolistic color associated with this momentous day. Homes are decorated with pumpkins and scarecrows during Halloween. It is believed that if you disguise yourself by wearing costumes and masks, you can ward off harmful spirits and ghouls and that is why people dress in traditional costumes. Bonfires are a part of a cleansing ritual or performance and play an important part of the festival.

Costumes are typically based on traditional themes to scare off spirits and demons. Pop culture icons, movie stars and characters from television shows are what people choose from for their costumes. Since the Harry Potter book and movie series release, a lot of costumes during parties are based on this spooky and hit production.A lot of people also dress as the popular character 'the Joker' from the Batman movie 'Dark Knight' directed by Christopher Nolan. Games such as apple bobbing and gazing at the mirror on Halloween night to see your future spouse are common. Because the holiday comes in the opening of the apple harvest festival foods such as candy apple or caramel apple are much in demand. Halloween costumes are a rage with teenagers and college students during this much loved and famous occasion.

Revelers stay up all night usually to celebrate this festival and bonfires held throughout the night aren't uncommon during these times. Halloween also signifies the time to chase out the old and bring in the new. It also celebrates the defeat of evil forces; to elaborate that evil can never win over goodness. The triumph of good over evil is a common universal theme which Halloween borrows from. Children are often seen dressed up in their costumes roller-skating or biking their way to people's houses on this ominous day.

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How Do Costumes Get on the Popular Halloween Costume List?

How does the National Retail Federation come up with their list of popular Halloween Costumes a month before Halloween takes place? They take into consideration what is popular at the movies, on TV, in Music and world news and they always throw in a few of the perennial favorites that have been around for years - Princesses, Vampires, Witches, Fairies and Disney Characters.

Older kids and teen costumes tend to be scary Halloween costumes. Anything from cutesy stuff all the way to the bloodsuckers and zombies. The popular costumes usually feature black or darkness and range from vampires and witches to fallen angels and demons. Skulls are also common among Gothic fashion.

Most parents choose sweet costumes for their babies. Disney Characters and Animals are at the top of the list. As young children begin to decide on their own costumes, they are influenced by TV, Movies and Cartoon Characters. Princesses, Fairies, Spider Man, Witch, Star Wars, Pumpkin, Ghost and Power Ranger are the most popular costume choices.

Adult costume choices are sometimes influenced by whether or not they need to be a couples costume or not. The choices are more limited if you choose to go in couples costumes. Being creative can help you pair up 2 seemingly unrelated costumes. Online costumes shops have some great choices if you need to go as couples - Bowling Ball and Pin, Matador and Bull; Plug and Socket, Vampire and Vampira.

If you decide to make your own costumes, you will need to be creative. Homemade costumes don't need to involve a lot of sewing. Checkout old clothes you may have or visit a second hand store. You can find accessories to use around the house. Get the child involved and the project will be more fun.

If your children are going out in the neighborhood for trick-or-treating be sure that they are safe. Attach some reflective material to their costume and give them a loot bag that is reflective as well. If they are wearing a mask, ensure they can see properly with it on. As well, reinforce with them to wait until they return home before they eat their candy.

Dressing up our pet dog or cat is something fun that we like to do. Whether your pet goes with you as you trick or treat or it stays at home to greet the trick-or-treaters, they should be allowed to participate in the festivities. Halloween is meant to be a fun day for everyone.

If you know what costume you want, you are ahead of the game. If not, do some research - stores, catalogs and online. There are thousands of costumes available, but order early so that you aren't disappointed. Popular costumes and specialty sizes will sell out quickly. You don't want to be still looking for a costume on October 30th.

Before you select this year's costume be sure to check out Popular Halloween Costumes and Popular Costumes.

Cheap Ways to Make Halloween Costumes - Best Kiddies Funny Ghoul Jokes, Party Ideas & Games

Halloween - It only seems like yesterday cowering behind closed doors fearing little monsters, which would come armed with tricks up their sleeve, more than that of the year before. Would my treat be good enough to keep me safe, I thought? With bated breath I would apprehensively open the door. The pleasure I got from giving was so rewarding, once the masks were removed to reveal ear to ear grinning kids, who believed at the time, had scared me witless

Witches, pumpkin lanterns and jolly kids, who, in cold damp weather conditions, dress up wearing a mischievous grin under a ghoulish mask, are just some things we associate with Halloween (October 31st.) I am not sure of the popularity of this event around the globe, but in the UK it is pretty big Halloween - a time when kids love dressing in eerie costumes, and a happy time for parents who do the dressing.

What is trick or treat, simply explained, it involves children dressing in their favorite Halloween costume and approaching neighbors for their goody bag to be filled with treats. If a child is denied a treat then beware because a trick is then played. Tricks can include throwing flour/eggs through the letter box. Depending on how devilish the imp (child) tricks can be more serious. Do yourself a favor and give generously. Children at one were safe to go out alone; however, you must discourage kids from wanting to do this. Insist that an adult accompanies them on their rounds.

Want this Halloween night to be extra special but money is an issue, worry not because there are ways to help you have a fun Halloween night without costing the earth.

A fabulous money saving option is to share expense. Ask neighbors or family if they are up for sharing costs. Don`t be afraid to ask, as there is possibility they too are in the same boat, and think this a good idea. If your neighbor has a bigger garden than you, then you save money if they provide space for tent or marquis depending how big the event. And in return, if you`re handy with a needle and cotton, then you supply the Halloween costumes. Two heads are better than one, so ideas will come fast and furious on how to save cash.

Halloween Costume Ideas

Nothing beats making your own outfit as a money saving alternative regardless of whatever the occasion. Avoid temptation to hire a ghoul costume as it is expensive; also it has to be returned. A handmade Halloween costume can be stored away and used the following year. Jumble/car boot sales are worth a visit for picking up bits and bobs cheaply. Let us assume that the needle cotton option is not your forte, if so consider working with face paints, newspapers and black bin bag liners.

If you want a spooky Halloween mask then make one with paper Mache. Involve the kids, it makes decorating more exciting and the mask more personalized. Remember there is no right or wrong way. To create the shape of your Halloween mask use a balloon, this saves on buying fancy craft store products. "Warning" some children may not excite over Halloween like other kids do and may fear different things. If so, dress them down so they can still enjoy the fun without their little heart pounding ten to the dozen.

Make a Mask Items.

1 You will need a Balloon, Newspaper, and Wallpaper Glue/Paste, some Acrylic Paint, Pinafore and scissors.

2 Protect the work space with newspaper or old cloth. Blow balloon up to preferred size. Cut newspaper into strips then dip in glue and layer round the balloon several times. Smooth out wrinkles as you go along. The more layers - the more solid the mask. Finally add features specific to the mask you are making. Allow cast to dry for 24 hours. Once Mache has set cut into the mask popping the balloon. Cut the back of the mask out, and secure a piece of elastic around the back for keeping the mask in place.

Paint mask in preferred color. This is where imagination comes in so you can identify the mask in the way you see fitting as a scary Halloween mask using paint.

Halloween Costume Ideas

3 Costumes do not come cheaper than making one with a bin liner. Bin bags make shiny capes. All you do is cut a hole for the arms and head to go through. Red liners use for creating a devil, and black for witches, Dracula or Batman. Also good for keeping the kiddies dry if raining when out trick or treating.

4 Spooks don`t come spookier than a Halloween ghost. Take a white sheet, cut out eyeholes, and you`re done (how quick.) Keep the sheet a safe length to prevent tripping. Sheet cuttings make favorable treat bags with draw string opening. Using a permanent marker, you can draw spiders, bats etc on the sheet. A Halloween skeleton has you wear a black leotard and your face painted black. Use white paint to draw bones on for skeletal effect. Have a book to hand with graphic pictures for you to copy from.

Halloween Jokes

1. Where do ghosts go the day before Halloween?

Boo -ty Parlour

2. What do witches use after

blown dried their hair?

Scare spray

3. On what day do spiders eat the most?

Fly-day

4. What do skeletons say before they begin dining?

Bone appétit!

5. What kind of mistakes do spooks make?

Boo boos

6. When does a skeleton laugh?

When his funny bone is tickled

7. What do ghosts drink at breakfast?

Coffee with scream and sugar

8. Where do most werewolves live?

Howllywood

9. What instrument do skeletons play?

Trom-BONE

10. What do you get when you cross a black cat with a lemon?

Sour-puss

Halloween Games and Party Ideas

1 The filling of a sweet jar with colored jelly beans is a fun game. Ask guests to guess how many beans inside. Other confectionery connected with Halloween i.e. jelly snakes frogs and toads are ideal. Place sweet jar near the door and hand each guest a blank piece of paper to put their name and answer on.

2 Halloween Generation Game: Place items such as different type sweets, fruit, mini pumpkin, etc. on a tray. Allow guests to view for a minute, and then have them recap on what they remember. Winner is the one who remembers the most

3 Halloween Words: Of course word choice will differ for age groups playing this game.

Hand each person or child a sheet of paper printed out with a Halloween word such as haunted, trick or treat, pumpkin, skeleton or apple dunking on. Save printer wear/ tear and ink, and hand write. Ask participants to make as many words as they can out of the words.

4 Who Has The Pumpkin - Ask guests to form a circle. Start a song, the more suitable for the occasion the better i.e. Monster Mash. Give mini pumpkin to someone who then passes it on to the next person, and so on until music stops. The person left holding the pumpkin leaves the circle. The last left with pumpkin is the winner and gets to keep it.

5 Halloween Hunt - Hide bags of spider jellies, toffee skeletons or candy. Set kids loose letting them run riot while trying to find the hidden yummies. Have children supervised for particular Halloween games. Be sure to keep back some sweets as someone has to lose.

For the Halloween environment buy black construction paper and cut out silhouettes of bats and decorate accordingly - hang them at different heights with thread from the ceiling. Pipe cleaners are great for making creepy crawlies (spiders.) Pumpkins hollowed out and carved with evil faces with a lit candle inside is traditional and they make great Halloween room features. Watch children at all times where there is a naked flame. Happy Haunting and keep safe this Halloween night.

Halloween Fun Costumes and Entertainment

Dogs and the Dangers of Halloween

Fall has arrived and with it the Halloween holiday. I love Halloween and look forward to helping my girls picking out costumes every year. However, each year I worry about my dogs and the dangers that I know can go along with this holiday. Unfortunately there are unscrupulous people out there who will go as far as to hurt your dog on purpose and then there are the dangers of candy poisoning, wrapper choking, an escape out the door and the list goes on.

Unfortunately the thing that we humans love most about Halloween - the candy - is also one of the most dangerous things for your dog. Candy is not good for your dog. There are a million reasons from the artificial sweeteners to the toxicity of the chocolate to dogs. You even need to look out for healthy treats like raisin or grapes. They are extremely toxic for your dog. Oh, and for you adult trick or drinkers - NO Cocktails for the pooch! Somebody has to drive! Seriously though, dogs cannot tolerate alcohol either.

If your home is like ours, I'm sure you like to include your dog in the celebration and they like to be included. So for a fun idea, try baking them some homemade dog treats for Halloween. There are thousands of healthy recipes online and your dog will think he is getting treats just like everybody else.

Halloween costumes can be so adorable and a fun way to include your dog in the celebration but

be sure that you find an outfit that fits properly and that is safe. Costumes that are too big or too tight can cause them to trip or to become irritable. It's a good idea to have a trial run a few days early for the costume.

Do you remember when your kids were little and it was time to decorate for holidays? Remember how everything had to be simple and up higher? Well, that same principle goes for your dog too. They will get into everything just like a toddler. They will be chewing that pumpkin to bits before you know it and electric cords too. So remember to plan before you decorate.

Another safety issue to consider is the lit candles in the pumpkins. It only takes a second for your curious dog to knock one over and the curtains are ablaze! So light with caution!

One of my main fears on Halloween is losing my dog or having them accidentally get loose. With all of those kids coming to the door and loud noises it can be very overwhelming for your dog. It doesn't take much to spook them and the next thing you know they are darting out that open door. So it's a good idea to make sure they have proper identification on and perhaps consider putting them in a bedroom for the evening or putting up a gate to keep them from getting to the open door.

If you decide to leave your dog loose while you are entertaining trick or treaters, remember that to your dog, they look rather strange with their masks and costumes hiding their faces. Your dog will likely react in a protective manner and you don't want to put them in the position of accidentally biting someone. So consider keeping them out of reach of all of the trick or treaters. It's less stress for you and your dog.

If you would like more information on the Dangers of Halloween for your dog, please visit the website listed below.

A few months ago I left the business world to pursue my passion of working with animals while trying to improve my health. To do this, I am using my 20+ years experience as a dog breeder and pet owner. I also worked for a well known veterinarian and national vet supply company for several years. I have a B.S. In Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science and Ag Business. I want to be clear that in no way does any of this qualify me to be an expert. I am only sharing my experiences as informational material only. You should always consult your veterinarian before making any health choices for your pet. Please click here http://www.love-your-dog-food.com if you are interested in the details of how the right dog food can truly make your dog happy and healthy.

For complete information on Dog Halloween Safety, please go to the following link:
http://www.love-your-dog-food.com/dangers-of-halloween.html.

Halloween Fancy Dress Ideas - Costumes and Accessories

It is that time of year again when you need to start planning your Halloween costume. Whether you plan on Trick or Treating or hosting your own Halloween party you're going to need some scary Halloween fancy dress ideas. You might want to buy a complete costume or create your own with the addition of a few accessories, but first of all you're going to need some good ideas.

Here are just a few Halloween fancy dress ideas for men, women, teenagers and children.

Halloween Costumes for Women

There are plenty of traditional Halloween costume ideas for the ladies, including wicked witches, sexy little devils, corpse brides and Burlesque Victorian vampires. You can create your own costume based on one of these ideas and accessorise to add your own twist, or you can easily buy complete, ready-made costumes.

Some other womens Halloween costume ideas include gothic brides, ghostly ladies, fallen angels, dark fairies, gothic nymphs, good witches, black widows, and film characters, such as Morticia or Wednesday from The Addams Family, the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz, Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd, a female Death Eater from Harry Potter, a dark Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, or even a Miss Krueger costume based on Freddie Krueger from Nightmare on Elm Street.

Halloween Costumes for Men

Traditional mens Halloween costumes include skeleton suits, werewolves, vampires and zombies, as well as any costumes with lots of fake blood and gore. You can be as creative as you feel like if you use your imagination and some accessories like Halloween make-up and fake blood packs.

Other Halloween fancy dress ideas for men include the Grim Reaper, ghostly gentlemen, bloody surgeons, Voodoo priests, evil jesters, Lucifer, killer clowns, a mummy or a mad monk. Some film character ideas include Hannibal Lector, Edward Scissorhands, Freddie Krueger, Michael Myers, Frankenstein, Voldemort, a Dementor, Hellboy, Dracula, Barnacle Bill, a Ghostbuster, The Joker, Sweeney Todd or a Donnie Darko rabbit.

Halloween Costumes for Teenagers

Many teenage Halloween costumes available to buy are the same as adult costumes but less scary and for teenage girls often not as short or sexy. They also come in smaller sizes obviously, but they can be suitable for petite adults. Also teenagers have some different film idols and current favourite characters, such as Edward Cullen (Rob Pattinson), Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and the rest of the Twilight and New Moon crew.

As well as vampires and werewolves other popular costume ideas for Halloween for teenagers include evil fairies, punk and biker zombies, glittery witches, bat pixies, devil girls, zombie pirates, Harry Potter, maidens of darkness, South Park Satan, Lolita, Jason and Scream stalkers. Teen costumes also include many other film characters, especially current horror films.

Halloween Costumes for Children

Children are also catered for in the Halloween costume market as there are loads available to buy, but you can make your own if you prefer and kids particularly love face paints to help make a fancy dress costume. Some kids' costumes are just as scary as adults but it's important to think about the age of your children and the other kids they'll be mixing with as some costumes can really frighten children. Keep their costumes fun and without scary masks.

Some kids Halloween costume ideas include colourful witches, pumpkins, little devils, vampires, werewolves, skeletons, mummies, zombies, ghosts and ghouls. Some popular Halloween characters for kids are based on the much-loved Harry Potter characters, and pirates from the popular Pirates of The Caribbean films.

Halloween Accessories

Accessories can really make or break a costume. If you want to stand out from the crowd on Halloween, then make sure you accessorise well! Accessories can also help to make a costume if you are on a tight budget or creating your own costume rather than buying a ready-made one.

Some of the best accessories include Halloween wigs, which are absolutely essential for most good Halloween costumes, special Halloween make-up and fake blood, vampire teeth, witches broom sticks, hats and cauldrons, and face paints, as with some face paints you can create almost any character and really change your appearance.

Whatever costume you choose this Halloween part of the fun will be making it or putting it together and accessorising it. There are loads of Halloween costumes and accessories available to buy online so you should have no problems once you've thought of some fabulous Halloween fancy dress ideas and decided what you'd like to be this year.

For more Halloween fancy dress ideas for men, women, teenagers and children visit http://www.topfancydressideas.co.uk

Adult Halloween Costume Ideas That Will Bring the Fun Back to Any Halloween Party

So, it's that time of the year once again when ghouls, pumpkins and eerie creatures decorate stores and restaurants. Halloween is here with all the promise of Trick or Treats, costume parties and Jack O' Lanterns. But who says Halloween is just for kids? Grown ups can have fun during this season too!

Thinking about hosting a costume party for your friends? Or perhaps you got invited to a Halloween party yourself and need help looking for the right costume. Don't be a party pooper (party poopers go as themselves or slightly different versions of themselves)! Here are some adult Halloween costume ideas that will surely bring the fun back into playing dress-up. And you'll wow all your friends as well!

1. Literary Me

Who says you have to dress up as a ghost or the usual vampire for Halloween? The main thing is to come in a smashing costume, no matter what it is. So, instead of going as Catwoman once again or something equally cliché, why don't you go as one of Literature's best heroes or heroines?

Fancy detective novels? Why don't you dress up as Sherlock Holmes? In love with Jane Austen? Try going as Elizabeth Bennet - complete with the Victorian era gown and hat. You can even ask your special someone to go as your Mr. Darcy. Ride along the Harry Potter craze and go as Dumbledore or Hermione Granger. You can even be creative and go as a Dementor. The possibilities are endless when you get your creative juices running.

2. Mask it up

Want to wear a costume but still look somewhat dignified? Not to keen on putting face paint or winning the "Most Hysterical Costume" award? Well, wearing a mask might be the best way to go. There are a variety of masks available in party stores or even antique shops, so take your pick. You can go ultra-glam and choose one with peacock feathers or glitters on it. You can also opt to be theatrical by getting a Phantom of the Opera, black and white mask. Just slick your hair back with loads of gel, wear a tux and a cape and you're set to go.

3. Cartoon Copy

If you want to be original, there's nothing like taking a walk down memory lane and recalling the heroes of your past: cartoons! Why don't you dress up as Popeye or Olive Oil? For those who were children during the rocking eighties, how about a Rainbow Brite costume for the ladies and a Star Boy costume for the boys? A group of friends can even go as The Flinstones: Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty! If you're going as a family, your kids can even go as Pebbles and Bambam!

As you can see, planning a costume to wear for Halloween can be great fun indeed. All you need are fresh ideas and a willingness to go back to your childhood and have a swell old time. Good luck with the party planning and happy Halloween, folks!

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Top 10 Halloween Safety Tips For Parents

There are accidents and incidents every Halloween that can spoil the holiday. Pedestrian accidents, tampered products causing illness or lacerations, falls, fires, etc. Here are my Top 10 Tips to keep your family safe this Halloween.



Costumes. Make sure the costumes you buy are flame retardant. They should fit well and not be too long so kids can walk without tripping. Watch out for dangling strings, fringes, scarves, etc. When choosing a costume, pick ones that will be comfortable for hours of wear, and will keep the child warm enough for chilly nights trick or treating. Avoid costumes and accessories that are sharp or pointy.

Be visible. Costume that are reflective or bright are best so kids are visible by car drivers. If the costume is dark, consider adding some reflective tape to the costume, treat bag, shoes, etc.  Reflective tape and a flashlight can make your child more visible in the dark.

Masks. Be wary of mask since they can obscure vision. They are usually difficult to wear for any length of time. Opt for makeup and hats instead.

Pumpkins. Do not let kids carve pumpkins themselves. Let them draw faces or designs on the pumpkins with markers and you do the carving. Instead of candles, use fairy lights, Christmas lights, or the orange lights now available at many stores. Just carve an extra hole in the back of the pumpkin so you can bring the plug through.

Your Home. Before the little ghouls and goblins start arriving, make sure your home is ready. Clear off any items on your lawn that kids could trip on in the dark. Make sure your walkway is clear and lit. Check that your porch light works.

Pets. Pets should be secured in a back part of the house. All the excitement and noise can upset them. You do not want them getting loose, or worse - biting a child.

Safety outside. Warn your kids about running across the street. Night comes earlier this time of year and motorists may have trouble seeing the little ones if they dart out. There are pedestrian accidents every year during Halloween.  Use extra caution if you are driving.

Safe Trick or Treating.  An adult must always go with small children. Teach your child to only go to homes where the lights are on. They should never enter inside a home. They should never go off with anyone promising sweets or enter a car for treats.

Safety in Numbers. Older kids will probably want to go without parents, but lay down some rules first. Make kids stay together. Plan the route they will take, so they can find each other if one person gets lost, and you know where to go looking for them if you need to. Remind them to remain on the streets: not to cut across lawns or through alley ways. At least one child should carry a cell phone.

Treat Safety. Once your kids get home, go through their candy. Throw out any suspicious or unwrapped items. Apples should be washed and cut up into pieces or used to make apple sauce. Limit the sweets children eat. My recommendation is to give Halloween toys instead of candy. They are free of allergens and sugar; toys are fun; and leftovers can be saved for next year. You can also get inexpensive Halloween flashlights and reflective necklaces as treats.

A little preparation can ensure everyone has a happy, and safe, Halloween.

Nancy Stonecutter is a nurse who writes about family and child care. Visit her blog at http://www.NancytheNurse.wordpress.com for more information.

About the History Behind Halloween

Halloween is one event that has been celebrated by our ancestors, their ancestors, and then also their ancestors as well, maybe with the same pomp glory that we do it today. In fact, the history of Halloween stretches to well about 3000 years. This along with many other traditional wisdom associated with Halloween is what this article is all about. Such facts will come in handy for you to start a conversation with a party guest that you've been keen to meet with. Or, if its you who is hosting the party, you can make booklets adorned with Halloween icons, Gothic fonts or scary photos for your guest that will serve as simple party favors. So, lets explore the long and interesting history that makes up the Halloween of today.

The first to celebrate Halloween were the Celts sometime in 2900 B.C., though it was Samhain that the celebration was referred to as back then. Samhain used to be celebrated on the occasion of the new-year on October 21st to mark the end of their harvest season. Celts also believed that it was during Samhain each year that the dead came back to earth, often in the guise of animals, which added a touch of eeriness to the harvest season.

The Celts used to be pagans during this time and among the many customs they engaged in Samhain was to collect and exchange food, which they believed would please gods and help ward off evil spirits. With this in mind, they would dress in fiery costumes and scary masks. This they thought would be enough to scare off evil spirits, in much the same way gargoyles were put to use later on in churches. Bonfires too were a usual feature, which Celts believed would prevent evil spirits from gaining ground in their community. This way, costumes, masks, pumpkins and treats came to be associated with the history of Halloween right from the beginning.

It was the Christians who later transformed the Samhain of the pagans into a Christian celebration that we now know as Halloween, followed on the 1st of November by All Saint's Day. This was a clever ploy to divert the offerings to pagan gods and make it an all-Christian affair, a strategy that did yield success.

Gradually, several myths and legends came to be associated with Halloween, many of which can be considered to be a hangover of the pagan rituals and customs. Thus, the ghost stories around campfire that have become very much an integral part of the Halloween tradition.

However, though Halloween started off as a festival with adults engaged in merry-making, some unruly behavior on part of the adults marred the otherwise gala celebrations that this event should be all about during the early half of the 20th century. In fact, things had reached such severe proportions that it even threatened the very continuity of the event, until a few wise men came together and decided to keep things going. And to ensure it's clean and safe, it was turned into a kid's only event, with adults keeping away from trick or treating for about half a century since.

However, adults were back in the scene by the 1980s though most adults still refrain from doing trick or treating in view of the chilly reception that they face with. Nevertheless, they do attend adult Halloween parties with the host providing the treats and everyone get made up in fancy costumes in much the same way as Celts did centuries ago.

So, how about a Halloween party themed around the Celts? That it would bring in some very interesting costumes is without doubt!

Get more information about Halloween costumes and Halloween parties and try visiting Halloween costume ideas for groups, where you'll find this and a lot more tips and advice including Halloween costume ideas for kids.

Get Ready For Trick Or Treaters This Halloween!

Halloween is coming...are you ready? Kids are counting the days until this fun holiday when they can dress in costumes and eat sweet treats way past their bedtimes. Halloween is certainly a special time for children - and they don't want to miss a moment. That's why you'll want to be prepared for the droves of Trick or Treaters that will appear on your doorstep on October 31st. Try our simple tips to get ready, fast and easy:

Get rid of any clutter. This may sound very basic but remember that as little ones trample up your front steps in the dark, that large flowerpot you've been meaning to remove is now something they could trip over or worse. Now is the perfect time to remove anything a kid could step on or could be in their path to the front door. Think clutter clearing, not perfection.

Halloween may be spooky but kids need a lit pathway. Some homes get so into the "Halloween spirit" with the haunted house look they forget that kids will be making their way up their front steps and porch after dark. To get ready this is simple: go outside when it is dark and see how easy it is for you to navigate your front porch. Gardening stores sell inexpensive solar lights that are great to stick along your walkway and will keep the path lit very well.

Decorate for the season but remember Mischief Night. While the majority of kids are good natured, some kids have a bit too much fun on October 30th - what most communities call "Mischief Night." On this night homes can get egged, toilet papered or decorations can get damaged. Take in out-of-the way decorations for that night and leave your porch light on so the neighbors would notice any damage quickly.

Halloween decorations don't have to be expensive. This is the ideal time to get creative. Many grocery stores will sell three pumpkins for ten dollars or another low price. Carving several Jack-O-Lanterns and adding these to your steps is a fun look. Try placing Jack-O-Lanterns in pumpkins or gourds other than the traditional orange. Consider opening your Trick or Treat door wearing a fun costume like a witch's hat or mask. This isn't a full costume but gives you a great Halloween look.

What's your worst Halloween nightmare? If you are opening the door for Trick or Treaters it is easily running out of candy. Sometimes it is hard to guess how many children will come to your door. But many homes can do well with two to four big bags of candy. Try keeping bags of candy in reserve and handing one or two pieces of candy to children as they arrive. Some overeager (or young) children when faced with a bowl of candy will take as many pieces as their hands can carry. Make things simpler and give them one or two pieces to ration your candy so you are sure you'll have enough candy for the evening.

Check another great article about Infant Halloween Costumes. And Please visit my Newborn Baby Care Site to get tips on baby care.

Costume Masks - They Are Not Just For Festivals Or Carnival Celebrations

As Halloween approaches, party costume revelers know that costume masks are not just for festivals or Carnival. Costume masks are an integral component of any scary Halloween costumes. As a form of expressive power of commemorating All Saints' Day Eve, thousands of people don their favorite monster masks such as cryptic cadavers skull masks, scary Halloween masks and masquerade masks.

Indeed, throughout human history, people have used masks as part of ceremonial outfits to celebrate a variety of religious or spiritual festivals. The exact origins of wearing masks in ceremonies are unknown; but masks have been worn by religious celebrants as well as spiritual and pagan observers. In Africa, masks are carved with extraordinary skill from a variety of materials including wood, copper, brass and iron, and are used for various functions such as the ritual ceremonies to communicate with the spirits.

In Europe masks are worn in carnival, a festive occasion which occurs immediately before lent. In carnival, celebrants dress up in colorful costumes and masks, and they masquerade in their chosen characters during the celebrations in public street parties. Street parties and parades have the elements of a circus, with people masquerading in costumes and masks.

In Asia, masks are worn during various ceremonies, including Shamanism wherein the Shamans intercede on behalf of humans and communicate with the spirits of the underworld. And, because certain animals are viewed as gods, it is not uncommon to see monstrous heads on Hindu and Buddhist temples. These monstrous masks on temples are intended to ward off evil.

In Christianity, Halloween is associated with the All Hallow Even, better known as All Saints' Day that is celebrated on October 31. For nonreligious believers, Halloween can be traced to the Celtic cultural celebration of a harvest festival. Although the harvest festival has the elements of a festival of the dead, it is a holiday celebration between October 1 and November 1, to celebrate the end of Summer and the harvest of crops. Some religious believers hold that Halloween is a pagan festival, and such believers do not usually permit their children to wear Halloween costume masks and to participate in the trick or treat celebration.

For most people, however, Halloween is largely a secular celebration, and a time for costume parties, wearing Halloween masks and hiding their identities behind silly mask or scarecrow masks, and a time to for children to tell scary stories, pumpkin carving and the famous carving of Jack-o' lantern.

As Halloween has become largely commercialized, merchants play their part in ensuring that families have all the Halloween props, Halloween costume masks, monster costumes and costume party supplies to make the Halloween celebration a memorable festival for their kids, friends and loved ones.

For children, Halloween provides them a chance to play their favorite monster characters in monster costume masks such as Dracula, Frankenstein or Michael Jackson Thriller costumes.

Simply stated, Halloween costume masks make costume parties come alive.

Remie Chikasu is an Internet Publisher and author of online articles on costumes and Halloween costumes, and is the founder of Monster Madness Costumes. Remie writes on different subjects and topical matters of interest, including product reviews on health, fitness, and weight loss products and internet marketing. For more information, visit at: http://www.monstermadnesscostumes.com.

If you are thinking of hosting a costume party but you are still unsure where to begin searching for costume masks, visit at:

Monster Madness Costumes Website for further information.

10 Tips for a Halloween Party

With the popularity of Halloween parties growing with every year, here are a few tips that might assist with the planning and executing of a successful party.

Tip number one- play a recording of spooky sounds or spooky music near the party entrance; it sets the mood as soon as the guests arrive.

Tip number two- create an atmosphere with colored light bulbs or black lights.

Tip number three- pick a theme for the party and coordinate decorations. If the theme is ghosts, make paper ghosts to hang around the house. If the theme is pumpkins, carve pumpkins and place them nearby. You can have a spooky theme for older guests with accompanying decorations. At http://www.halloween-party-fun.com you can find all of the decorations you'll need.

Tip number four- create party games or crafts for a kids' Halloween party. Make sure that the games are age appropriate. Kids will enjoy making crafts and placing them around the room as decorations.

Tip number five- have a best costume contest. Several categories can be chosen for the contest such as scariest costume, sexiest or funniest. At a child's party, find a reason for everyone to win a prize.

Tip number six- make all foods and snacks related to a Halloween theme. Search the web, magazines or ask friends in search for the cutest recipes.

Tip number seven- make memorable decorations. Pick up a how to book on making your own Halloween decorations.

Tip number eight- put together a scary story with props for teens or pre-teens. Make up a story about a car accident where they had to go around the side of the road looking for body parts. Pass around in the dark a bag of wet spaghetti for a brain, two peeled grapes for eyeballs and water frozen in a latex glove for a hand.

Tip number nine- invite kids to go trick-or-treating together first then back to your house for the party.

Tip number ten- have a safe holiday. Don't allow children to go trick-or-treating by themselves and check all candy before it is eaten.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free Party Games to help complete your event.

Let the Kids Enjoy Halloween

One of America's most beloved holidays is Halloween. This is the day when a person can put on a disguise of whatever he wanted to be. Almost everywhere, adults and kids celebrate and enjoy Halloween. There are lots of activities that can be done during Halloween. You can attend Halloween parties, do trick or treat, go to a haunted theme park or to Halloween fairs. Everyone definitely loves this season especially the kids.

Kids love parties the same way they love to play with balloons, clowns, mascots. Now, what can you do to make Halloween spookier and enjoyable for kids? Well for one, why don't you just let them make the most out of this occasion? Plan a Halloween treat that will surely be unforgettable.

Halloween Delights

Trick or treat! This is the most enjoyed part of the Halloween that should not be missed. You can prepare a Pumpkin candy or a magic wand like Harry Potter's. Or let them play and enjoy being stinky with the Bloody Fish Bowl.

A child loves to play and it is very hard to get his attention out of it. Preparing food for kids is quite difficult and you must serve food that will satisfy their discriminating tastes. As much as possible, prepare their favorite food such as hotdogs with mallows, spaghetti and ice cream.

You can create different Halloween ideas for treats that are easy, healthy, tasty and fun. Whenever possible, use vegetables, fruits or cheese that you can form in odd or eerie shapes. Spend time to plan and create fun yet scary stuff for these children.

Halloween Costumes

As a parent, you know which costume is good and suitable for your kids. Let your child go with you when you shop. Get the costumes that are comfortable and let your child choose one for him. Picking the best costumes is the most creative part of the Halloween.

Remember, he must be comfortable when he wears it. Let him try it out and ask him if he is at ease with it. Never impose what you want. No matter what design he chose, as long as he likes it and he is comfortable wearing it, then its fine.

There are many fabulous costumes to choose from. Costumes are available together with accessories or props, make-ups and masks. If you want something unique, you can create a costume for your child as this idea can save your time and money.

Halloween Decorations

Decorating your house is fun as it serves as the perfect time to bond with your children. You can ask them to go with you in buying the materials and allow them to choose the decorations. This will help them show their creativity. Remember, they must enjoy the Halloween so putting overly scary decorations is not a good idea as they mighy hate Halloween instead.

Let Halloween be memorable and allow your kids to do what they want. Let them feel and enjoy every second of the season because it only happens once a year. Children always look forward to special holidays and Halloween is one of them. So make it their best Halloween.

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Halloween Traditions: Should You Choose a Scary Halloween Costume?

Halloween is often one of the favourite times of year for families, children and parents alike. It is an excuse to get dressed up, have fun, and eat candy. If you are going to be around young children (younger than eight) or if you are a parent to a young child, should you be choosing a scary costume?

Tradition

The Halloween tradition is to dress up as ghosts and goblins. This was to frighten the souls that were walking the earth on All Hallows Eve.

American Halloween is now a far cry from that. While there are still some aspects of the old traditions, including pumpkin carving and costume wearing, there is now much less of an emphasis on scariness and much more of an emphasis on candy!

Internationally

Halloween is not celebrated globally. What Hallowe'en is now in America--an excuse to have masquerade parties and get together--would be called a "fancy dress" party in Australia or New Zealand.

England is where the traditions surrounding All Hallow's Eve began, but they still do not celebrate with the same door-to-door trick-or-treating that North Americans associate with trick-or-treating.

When giving out candy

Children enjoy being scared a little bit, but don't ever make them feel truly unsafe. It is fine to decorate your house, put on a costume, and even play scary music...but know that if a child is really getting fearful, you need to perhaps take off your mask or turn on a light to help the child be less scared.

When dressing up your child

If your children are too young, they might not want to dress up in scary clothes or be scared. Consider other alternatives for these kids such as ballerinas and princess or cowboys and superheroes. (And remember if your child wants to have a gender bending costume, that is perfectly normal for children and you should support their decision).

Older children might want to dress up in scary costumes. They will also probably want to hear the scary traditions from around the world, or about historical moments (such as witch-burning) that seem particularly gruesome. However, if they want to have a lighter costume, it is also up to them.

When taking your child out trick-or-treating

Never stay too far behind your children, and always let them know that you will be there at all points. Of course, you shouldn't let your children eat any candy until after you have inspected it (but that's no reason not to inspect some of the candy while you're making the rounds!)

Have a fun and safe Halloween, and good luck choosing your costumes!

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Safety of Halloween Costume

You should always consider the safety point of view while buying the Halloween Costumes for your kids. You should ensure that costumes are properly fitted. They don't be dragging on ground, as it shows hap-hazardless. You should also paste few reflective chips on all of costumes so that they can be seen in dark and this way, kids can be protected by many unseen accidents. Your kids can also use flashlight and use them while walking in the dark places.

You should choose a comfortable costume for your kids, as fashion is not all if they are uncomfortable. You should take care of the safety of other people and don't choose a dress which is dangerous for other people. And when it comes to the choice of face revealing, always go for face make up and paint. You should never buy masks as they can cause damage to eyes and they can restrict the vision of your kid. It is very important to note here that you should buy flame-resistant Halloween costumes for your children. Otherwise they are too dangerous to wear even.

If you have chosen a dress with which there are sword, cane or stick then be sure that they are not sharp and cannot cause damage to other people. You should also make your children learn that how to call emergency if any accident happens. It is better for you to accompany your kids when they are trick-or-treating or give them exact till then they have to return home. You should also teach your kids that they should always walk in lit-streets and use sidewalk and don't cross-parked cars.

There is no harm if you allow your kids to draw faces on pumpkins, it will enhance their creativity and they will enjoy the event of Halloween and they will enjoy wearing such Halloween costume. You should also teach your kids that they should not leave candle-lit pumpkin without attention.

Come visit the author latest websites on Scary Halloween Costumes and Wall Candle Holders

Your Baby's First Halloween

Trick-or-treat! A baby or infant may not understand what the phrase means, but he or she can still have fun participating in the Halloween festivities. Of course baby's first holidays are really for the parents, since baby probably won't remember any of them, so feel free to dress your little one as you wish- there will be a day when they won't want you to dress them anymore! Have fun with it and take lots of pictures. In the following paragraphs we will give you some baby costume ideas as well as safety tips and fun activity ideas for parents to do with their little ones at Halloween time.

How to choose a costume

Halloween is a time for young and old to be whatever they want to be for one day. A Star Wars character? No problem. Superman? Great. A princess? A witch? A ghost? The list goes on and on. In baby's case, his or her costume is based on what parents want baby to be for the day. When brainstorming for your baby's costume you will first want to decide which costume genre you want to pursue. Many times parents want baby's costume to match the rest of the family's so you might want to pick out the other family member's costumes first and then look for a baby costume to match.

Basic Costume Genres

TV & Movie Inspired: This type of costume includes television and movie characters from yesteryear and today. Examples of these types of costumes are: Superman, Supergirl, The Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Dora The Explorer, Go Diego Go!, Buzz Lightyear, Travelocity Roaming Gnome, Shrek, Scooby Doo, Mickey or Minnie Mouse, Elmo, Wizard of Oz characters, Sesame Street characters, Batman or Robin, Star Wars characters, The Hulk, The Smurfs, Baby Eeyore, Thomas the Train, Yogi Bear, Curious George, Muppets characters

Fantasy/Storybook: Pirate, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell, Belle, Snow White, Alice in Wonderland

Occupation/Hobby: Fisherman, Doctor, Trooper, Sailor, Rock Star, Astronaut, Fire Fighter, Soldier, Police Officer, Baseball Player, Golfer, Nurse, Football Player, Basketball Player, Soccer Player, Veterinarian, Lawyer

Animal: Some examples of animal costumes are: Lion, Lady Bug, T-Rex, Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Lobster, Bumble Bee, Lamb, Butterfly, Elephant, Cow, Puppy, Triceratops, Kangaroo, Frog, Pengiun, Skunk, Bat, Rabbit, Alligator, Kitty, Spider, Bear, Pig, Octopus, Panda Bear, Guppy

Funny: Lil' Monster, Crayon, Woopie Cushion, Chili Pepper, Hot Dog, Pizza Slice, Billion Dollar Baby, Strawberry, Candy Corn, Pea In A Pod, Jack-In-the-Box, Tootsie Roll

Classic: Witch, Skeleton, Devil/Angel, Frankenstein, Ghost, Mummy, Zombie, Flower, Vampire, Pumpkin, Clown, Cowboy/Cowgirl, Angel, Ragamuffin

Make, Buy or Borrow?

After deciding on a costume idea you will next need to decide whether you want to make your baby's costume yourself or purchase it. You can also look at the option of borrowing a costume from a relative or friend who's baby has outgrown theirs (which is probably the most cost effective costume idea you will find).

As far as buying goes, most baby costumes range from $19.99 to $49.99. You can even find some on clearance for $14.99 at certain stores and on websites. There are also older child, teen and adult costumes so you might want to consider buying all of your family's costumes at once place to take advantage of free shipping opportunities and coupons.

If you decide you want to make baby's costume yourself, bravo! This gives you the chance to make a truly unique and custom fitted costume just for your little one. There are plenty of websites that offer baby costume patterns and you can also try looking at your local fabric store for patterns and Halloween fabric.

*Note- For newborns and very small babies a good option is themed pajamas. In pajamas baby will stay comfy and safe while masquerading as a little animal, skeleton, ghost, ghoul, goblin or other festive creature.

Costume Safety and Comfort

Whether you make, buy or borrow your baby's costume the first and most important thing to consider is baby's comfort and safety. Be aware that the costume should not be too tight or binding, especially around the neck. Baby will not have a good Halloween if his or her movements are restricted or if he or she is too hot. If you decide to use a costume with a headpiece ensure that it isn't squeezing baby's head. Many babies and infants do not like things on their heads so the headpiece might get pulled off during the festivities or even before. In addition, we recommend that you do not use a mask in your baby's ensemble since this could be dangerous or at the minimum scare your baby. If you choose to put face paint on baby, use non-toxic paints to ensure that baby's sensitive skin is protected as well as to prevent baby from ingesting anything toxic (since the paint could run if baby sweats, or baby might be able to lick it off around his or her mouth).

Other Important Things to Consider

The weather- is it usually getting cold or still a bit warm at Halloween time where you live? If you have your heart set on a summery type costume for your baby and it will be cold where you live make sure to bring along a heavy coat and layer baby with items like legwarmers (which can be put on baby's arms or legs for warmth), gloves, socks and shoes or boots. If baby will tolerate a hat then consider a matching winter type beanie, or another cap that covers baby's head and ears.

The type of event you will be attending- If you will be going to a pumpkin patch or other outdoor event consider what the outside temperature will most likely be. However if you will be attending an indoor celebration and it's cold outside be sure that you can take off any layers from baby's costume when you get inside so that baby stays warm on the trip to and fro but is comfortable inside the event.

Other people's costumes- As you probably know, babies and infants can get startled easily. If you are going to an event where adults and teens will be in costume, or if you plan to go trick-or-treating, it is important to realize that your baby could get scared. Some adults costumes can be very frightening, even for baby's parents, so it's important to keep in mind that you may have to change your plans if baby isn't enjoying the festivities. Certain babies will not be able to handle a situation like this at all so try to gauge what kind of event you feel your baby is ready for and plan accordingly.

Fun Halloween Activity Ideas

Throw a Halloween Party

Have your own Halloween party and invite your friends, family and their children.; When you host your own party, baby can enjoy Halloween festivities right in his or her own home with people he or she is already familiar with. At your own house you will have more control over what baby is exposed to, such as certain costumes (you could ask guests to remove scary masks, etc. when around baby- most guests probably won't mind, as their intention is most likely not to scare small babies!) You could have a small gathering or go all out and do cute invitations, decorations, food, drinks, games and favors. Just make sure that any decorations and games do not have small pieces that your baby could get a hold of. There are plenty of websites that offer excellent Halloween party ideas so have fun with it and start planning!

Community Organized Events

Sometimes there are planned Halloween events at local churches, schools, malls, museums, fire houses, zoos and YMCAs. In some cities there are even Halloween parades and carnivals. It's important to do some research about each event first to see if it's going to be something that you think your baby or infant would be able to handle and hopefully enjoy. Many of these events will have plenty of other children attending so your baby can be entertained watching the children play games and do activities (and it's even better if you have an older child because they can participate while baby looks on). You can usually find a good list of events in your local newspaper or online by searching "Halloween Events for Kids in ______" and adding your city in the blank.

Pumpkin Patches

Pumpkin patches are a great place to take a baby or infant for Halloween! Babies will love looking at all of the pumpkins and watching the older kids do the hayride, corn maze, face painting, mini train, pony rides or other activities offered. Many pumpkin patches also have farm animals around which babies tend to enjoy looking at and in some cases petting. As with other activities don't forget to bring a jacket and extra clothes for baby if it's a cold October.

Trick-or-Treat (If You Dare!)

Many parents who have older children decide to bring baby along for the ride, and others choose to take baby trick-or-treating to show off his or her cute costume and be social. Either way it is essential to remember that your baby can't handle what older kids can and so his or her limit will probably come a lot sooner than the other children, especially if he or she gets spooked. If you are going as a family be sure to have a "back-up plan" in case baby gets tired or scared, such as one parent taking baby home and the other staying with the other children who want to continue trick-or-treating. It is also highly suggested to take baby only to houses of friends or family to avoid any potential scares. Some people enjoy making their home and costume as scary as possible for trick or treaters and while an older child might think this is "cool" a baby or infant will most likely not!

This Halloween our daughter will be 11 months old and we are beyond excited about picking out just the right costume and event for her. Whatever you decide to do with your baby don't forget to bring your camera and your childlike wonder. We wish you a very happy and safe Halloween!

Carrie Ray is the mom of a 9 month old daughter and owner of Dulce De Baby. Dulce De Baby connects new and expectant parents with quality pregnancy and baby products, coupons and helpful information.

Old Halloween Traditions Survive Our Modern World

Old Halloween Traditions Survive in a Modern World

Today in our modern world we celebrate Halloween on October 31st. Mostly Halloween is a time for the children. They can be seen in scary kids Halloween costumes going door to door collecting candy. This is certainly a strange thing when you consider where Halloween originated from.

Halloween has its roots in an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. Samhain was a celebration of the end of the harvest season, a time used to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Celtics believed that on October 31 for reasons unknown the boundary between the living and the dead dissolved.

The dead, during this short time frame supposedly were quite dangerous for the living, causing problems such as sickness and damaged crops. The Celtics tried to scare away these evil spirits by wearing costumes and masks

Halloween is considered to be the holy day for Satanists. The Celtics lit bonfires on the hilltops in order to frighten away the evil spirits. Today many people go to great extremes to bring the scare back into the season by decorating their houses with spooky decorations for Halloween.

When we think of Halloween we usually think of death, evil, magic, the occult, mythical monsters, ghosts, witches and of course the devil.

The tradition of giving out candy on Halloween stemmed from people putting food on their doorstep to appease the spirits which would then safeguard their home. The pumpkins were also used to ward off evil spirits. The Celtics believed by carving the pumpkins and lighting them with candles that this would scare off the evil spirits.

Today we celebrate Halloween by trick or treating, wearing outrageous costumes and visiting haunted attractions. Reading or telling scary stories after dark around a bonfire has also become somewhat of a tradition.

Another tradition of Halloween that has developed over the years is the candy apple. Since Halloween occurs around the time of the apple harvest making the candy apples seemed like just the thing to do with all those apples around.

UNICEF which is United Nations Children's Fund for a long time raised money during Halloween. Children would carry little UNICEF boxes and people would give them some loose change for the box. The boxes were handed in at school the next day. For whatever reason UNICEF stopped doing this in 2006.

Today the number of children going out door to door has decreased. Halloween has again in a way become a time to ward off the evil spirits around us. Parents need to carefully check any candy that the kids bring home due to the sick actions of some individuals. Razor blades and pins have been found in candy apples. Candy has been found not to even be candy. Every year you hear more horror stories concerning Halloween.

The trend now seems to be to have a party for the children at the school or a hall. Monetary donations are made so Halloween candy can be purchased for the children. It's not quite the same as going out door to door but it is much safer.

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The Annual Halloween Costume Drama

Mom dreaded Halloween when my brother and I were kids. On the one hand my brother, Kevey, could always be conned by Mom into "being something easy." He was a ghost every year of his young life. But unlike most ghosts, he was never completely white; in fact, he was always the ghost that by coincidence happened to be the color of the sheets that were earmarked for the Goodwill donation bell.

I recall one year in particular when he was a pink satin ghost with butter stains. He didn't seem to care. "My ghost suit smells like popcorn!" he gleefully albeit stupidly proclaimed, running down the hallway in nothing but a pink satin sheet and Underoos. But hey, as long as he got to trick or treat, it didn't seem to matter much to him what he was dressed up as. It was all about the candy.

For me, however, no bigger decision was made all year that was more important than what was I going to be for Halloween. It had to pass my muster list of Halloween Costume Absolutes: (1): It had to be creative. (2): It had to be something or someone that I wanted to be; not Mom. And (3): (which was the most important one), my costume had to be better than anyone on the block, including that Shelly Tuttle.

I also, under any circumstance, did not want to end up like my brother.

Mom and I would start the costume dance around the middle of September. She would ask me what I wanted to be for Halloween and I would tell her I wasn't sure yet, and every year she would ask me if I wanted to be a ghost. "How about a beautiful, lemon colored ghost... Yellow would be lovely with your hair, Bethy." "Mom," I vigorously protested, "you wouldn't even see my hair if I had a sheet on." The Halloween arm-wrestling would end with me telling her I would think about it and get back to her.

Her follow-up tactic was for her to spirit me away to our local Zody's in a lame attempt to interest me in the costume-in-a-box displays. I loved the smell of Zody's, with its stale buttered popcorn combined with the rubber of new shoes. I'm assuming at this point it was Zody's, and not my brother that was responsible for the signature odor that would hit me when the doors whooshed open to reveal Hong Kong costumes piled to the ceiling.

"Zody's always has such a nice selection of costumes, don't you think?... How 'bout this one?" She grinned as she held up the rectangular Tomy's box with the clear plastic see-thru panel and revealed a somewhat formed plastic mask with two eyeholes in it. The molded plastic yellow hair looked like no princess I had ever seen. At least I think it was a princess costume. The masks resembled the horror films that my cousin Donovan watched every Saturday with his creepy pals. They all look ugly and fake. (The costume, not Donovan and Company). Nope, I was afraid my costume had to be the real deal.

Meanwhile, my brother was eyeballing a GI Joe costume box. "Put that down, Kevey. You're going to be a ghost, remember?" Mom took Kevey by the hand and directed him toward the color books.

"I don't see anything, Mom," I bellyached. So we would leave Zody's with a big bag of salty popcorn-like stuff, and Kevey's new coloring book. It was a definite sign that he was going to remain a ghost if he was rewarded in advance with a new color book.

"I know what I want to be," I announced at the dinner table that night as Mom separated the candy corn into pumpkin and tarantula bowls. "I want to be... Pippi Longstocking." Dad didn't say a word; just kept reading his Herald-Examiner. He knew that this would be my obsession for the next four weeks, and would have plenty of time to comment as the big day approached. Mom just groaned. "Why can't you be something simple, Bethy? Why not a clown or a hobo? How about Captain Kangaroo?"

Dad looked over the top of the paper. "Yeah, Captain Kangaroo; you wouldn't have to shave for a month." I just rolled my eyes. They had no idea how important the pronouncement of the costume was.

Next was the mandatory Mom guilt trip.

"Why can't you pick out something normal? Why the theatrics? Pippi Longstocking! She's a book character. Nobody goes as book characters!" She just didn't understand: This was my one chance a year to pick out fabrics, dream up my own creation, and be different than everyone else.

Mom finally relinquished, like she always did. Then she would shift gears, jump on board, and get all excited about making the costume genuine for me. We went to the fabric store and picked up wire to thread through my hair in order to make it stand straight out, in true Pippi fashion. She made me a dress like Pippi's, complete with the huge patches. We even searched high and low to find a plastic monkey for my shoulder.

I was so excited on Halloween night as I armed myself with a pillowcase ― they held the most candy ― and waited for my brother to make his ghostly appearance from his bedroom. Maybe he would be the lemon colored ghost this year. Then I saw a four-and-a-half-foot lump appear before me draped in a floral print sheet with two eyeholes.

Well, this was a first. This was a new low, even for Mom. "Are you kidding?! He looks like Grandma's tablecloth!" Kevey smiled, "Hey, Mom! She guessed what I was! She guessed what I was!" Mom just grinned. "He didn't want to be the yellow ghost this year, so I asked him if he wanted to be a tablecloth."

"Come on Kevey," I sighed, in a display of sympathy for my little brother who knew not that this would probably become the incident that would be responsible for years of psychiatric bills later in life. Oh, well. Candy was the focus, so I cast all thoughts of Kevey's future mental issues aside and headed for the chocolate.

I would fill up my first pillowcase with Kevey in tow as we visited all the close neighbors. Then I'd embark on a second round with my friends in a radius that encompassed as many homes as we could possibly handle in one night.

One of my school buddies, Davy, dressed as the Green Lantern. The problem was he didn't look like the Green Lantern at all. He looked like a masked booger.

To me, the excitement of Halloween wasn't all about the candy. It was about dressing up as a favorite character and waiting to see the people in the neighborhood offer their admiration as they recognized the perfection of my costume. I was, therefore, quite devastated when no one seemed to be able to figure out who I was. How could they not know? My costume was perfection personified.

But one person did recognize my well-drawn character, and that person made all the difference.

Mrs. Crosby was my teacher and told the class that she would be dressing up as a nurse for Halloween, and to make sure to drop by her house. When we arrived at Mrs. Crosby's door, she looked me up one side and down the other, and without missing a beat said, "Bethy, you should win an award. I have never seen a Becky Thatcher quite like that." My face fell. "I'm not Becky Thatcher, I'm..." Mrs. Crosby laughed, "You're Pippi Longstocking! I knew it all the time!"

Mrs. Crosby invited us in, and true to her word, was dressed in a white cap and real nurse shoes. She had made up special treat bags for us, complete with Halloween pencils and homemade pumpkin cookies that were still warm. As we headed out the door, Mrs. Crosby gazed at Davy and after a moment or two finally gave up. "I just can't guess what character you are, dear?" He was crestfallen, and I knew how he felt since I had experienced the same blank looks myself the whole evening. Davy finally shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "I'm a booger Mrs. Crosby. A big, green booger."

That was one of my last dressing-up years. Now that I have my own children, I can see that my littlest exhibits the same need to be different. She cornered me in the kitchen one morning to and announced that she was going to be Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple? Where did she get that idea? How am I ever going to find a white polka dot dress with dots that big? And the hair; is she crazy?

And I know just as sure that I'm going to go grab my sweater and take her to the fabric store. Maybe I can use fabric glue instead of sewing it. It would be much faster, and maybe I'll find her some tap shoes to go along with the dress and the hair. She's going to be the greatest Shirley Temple ever and very likely the only Shirley Temple in the neighborhood. And just as likely, few will recognize the character, but she won't mind a bit. She knows what she wants. Yep, she's my daughter.

Beth is an author and writer of an array of genres.
Beth is an instructor and lecturer in applying the Law of Attraction to everyday life.
To get in touch with Beth, please visit: http://www.bethandleemccain.com

Halloween Ideas - No Trick or Treat For Kids and Pets

If ever there was a time that kids loved to dress up is on the 31st of October (Halloween night), however in saying that, so do the biggest majority of big kids to (adults). Halloween is time a for having fun and throwing parties so therefore the reason behind much excitement the kids show when trying on their ghoulish Halloween costumes.

The earlier your plans are sanctioned for a Halloween party the better so as not to have to last minute hiccups which cause disappointment e.g. delivery of the wrong size Halloween costume you ordered from the fancy dress store. With the world the way it is today parents are desperate to protect their children and if that means forbidding them to go trick or treating then so be it. If this decision be made in your household then there are plenty of ways to put a smile back on the kiddie's faces behind their devilish masks

One way to overcome this is to accompany your children on the evening; you will be surprised just how much fun it can be. By going along with the little ones dressed up as imps you can get a better understanding of why that in past years when it was safe for them to go out alone they get so excited.

Another solution is to throw a Halloween party if you have commitments preventing you from trick or treating with the kids. Under your supervision, leave the kids in charge and allow them to answer other trick or treaters who come knocking at your door. Let the children donate sweets money or edibles; another good idea is to let the children help you bake monster cookies to give as a treat.

It can prove to be cost affective if your neighbours who feel the same as you on the matter about children trick or treating alone come together in unison and share the cost of throwing a Halloween street party, by doing this responsibilities can be divided between each family participating. Families can be allotted a particular task i.e. preparing the food, hanging up decorations or organizing the entertainment, i.e. games music and competitions like for the best Halloween costume.

Other Activities for your party to keep the kids happy can include the popular Halloween pumpkin decorating. What is needed for this are acrylic paints, brushes, paint pens, other art supplies for decorating pumpkins. Always supervise young children and allow for mess.

Give the children their own personalized trick or treat bag and fill it full of their favourite yummies, candy will be welcomed along with a surprise novelty wrapped up inside. Halloween games come no better that the hot favourite Halloween bone hunt, for this game you will need small plastic bones; prizes, be careful with young toddlers and small particles.

Get enough bones for each child. Mark some of the bones as prize bones. Scatter the bones throughout the party area. If the kids start to show signs of boredom announce the Halloween bone hunt and watch their faces light up knowing they have to run a bone hunt. If you forget the bones I`m sure a creative mind will have you think of something else like hiding dollar bills.

Kids love movies and especially scary ones, however you may have those in contrast so be careful what movies on DVD you tend on showing, although its Halloween we don`t want the kids having nightmares.

Halloween night just like bonfire night can include fireworks being set off to liven up the occasion so as well as protecting your kids protect your pets too by keeping them at home where they will be safe warm and out of harms way.

Halloween Costumes and party ideas http://www.jesterminute.com
If Ugly is Not 4U http://www.spotthepimple.com
Wrinkles http://www.remedy4wrinkles.com

Halloween Costumes For Kids - Toddlers to Teenagers

All kids love to dress up in fancy dress costumes and what better time of year than Halloween to hold a costume party? Kids love to go Trick or Treating too but if they are doing this it's a good idea that they are supervised by an adult. This is not only for the safety of the children but also because some Halloween costumes for kids are quite scary and they might give an elderly person a fright.

What kind of Halloween costume your child wears depends on their age of course. You can get some really cute baby and toddler Halloween costumes, some scary-looking kids costumes, and some more flirtatious teenage Halloween costumes. The costumes kids prefer also differ by age according to the movies and cartoons they are into as well, as some of the best costumes are based on well-known fictional characters.

Some ideas for toddler costumes for Halloween include cute and cuddly vampires, little bat costumes, plump pumpkins and pretty witches! There are lots of costumes for babies and toddlers available to buy ready-made or you could make your own. All kids' costumes look even better with their faces painted, and there are lots of face painting kits available to buy.

Some Halloween costume ideas for little girls include a Bewitched witch wearing a long black and purple dress with a classic pointy witch's hat. You can accessorise any witch costumes with stripy tights, witch wigs, a broomstick or a toy cat. Other popular witch costumes for little girls are Harry Potter schoolgirl witches, as they can wear a school uniform with a cloak and a pointy witch's hat, and carry a wand.

There are lots of other characters from the Harry Potter movies that you can base costumes on for little girls and little boys at Halloween. You can create a costume yourself or buy Death Eater costumes, Dumbledore costumes, and costumes for pretty much all the professors at Hogwarts and most of Voldemort's followers as well.

You can get all kinds of pretty, glittery and colourful witch costumes for girls, as well as little devil, vampire, and pumpkin costumes, amongst others. Little boys tend to prefer to dress up in more scary or gory costumes, such as zombie costumes, skeleton suits, ghost, werewolf and Dementor costumes. They also love characters such as the Joker from Batman and the ghost ship pirates from the Pirates of The Caribbean movies.

For boys vampire costumes with lots of fake blood are also popular, as are scary Halloween masks. There are loads of different masks available to buy, but some of these can really frighten other kids so be careful what you let your child wear.

As for teenagers most of them love the blockbuster movie Twilight so this year vampire costumes will be more popular than ever, but with a modern twist. Other costumes favoured by teenagers at Halloween include characters from horror movies, as well as any gothic style costumes or anti-authority statements. What you allow your teenager to wear is up to you but Halloween is a good time to allow them to express themselves and get really creative with their costumes.

There are many fabulous Halloween costumes available for kids of all ages, as well as accessories such as wigs, make-up and masks to add to any homemade creations, so Halloween should be loads of fun this year!

For more Halloween costume ideas for kids and adults visit http://www.ultimatecostumeideas.co.uk.

How to Help Your Child Find the Right Halloween Costume

Children love Halloween! It's the candy, the parties, the haunted houses. It's decorating the yard with ghosts and goblins and taking the hayride to find that perfect pumpkin. But most of all it's the costumes they get to wear that make each Halloween memorable and special to both the children and their parents. October 31st, this yearly tradition when kids get to dress up in a costume that transforms them into superheroes, athletes, policeman, fireman and much, much more! Today there are so many great costumes for kids to choose from. With all the wonderful characters from Nickelodeon, Disney, the Cartoon Network or it could even be someone that your child looks up to in the community or in the armed forces. Children love having that perfect costume. That's why you'll see them running around in that same costume for months after Halloween is over - they love it!

Now comes the hard part - finding that perfect costume with them. Notice that I said "with them" because it's important to them that they have some say in what they ultimately wear. Boys are a little easier, but take it from me when I say that girls pretty much let it known they want to be involved in the process. What you think is cute and what your child wants may be two very different things. Of course we all know that the parent has the final say when it comes to what our children go out trick-or-treating in, but let them throw out some ideas. You might be surprised at how easy it is to come to a unanimous decision where everyone is happy.

Because there are so many great costumes to choose from, you can help your child decide by narrowing down his or her choices. Once you have a ballpark idea go to a Halloween costume website and look at all the different costumes under that character. Children are very visual and it always helps them to see the costume in its full glory. The decision is usually pretty easy after that.

Also don't narrow down their categories of what they can be. If your little girl can't decide whether to be a scary monster or a fairy princess, throw out the idea of a gothic princess. She can have the best of both worlds! Any traditional costume whether for a boy or a girl can be quickly changed over to the "dark side" by adding a little black gothic appeal to it.

Here are a few things to consider when picking out that perfect costume:

Safety - be sure that if they are wearing a mask make sure it doesn't impair their vision.




Comfort - dress for the weather - they will be running around all night and you don't want them sweating up a storm in their costume.




Fit - you don't want the costume to be too big or too small - make sure it fits them perfectly.


Just remember to have fun with your child when you're looking for their Halloween costume this year. When you see their face light up when they put that costume on, all the fussing and fighting over finding that one perfect costume will all be worth it!

Anna Bradford is an author and blogger for http://www.HalloweenExpress.com where you'll find the absolute largest selection of Halloween costumes and costume accessories available anywhere. Halloween Express is the exclusive retailer for the Tom Arma line of Kids Costumes and Toddler Costumes.

How to Make Halloween Masks and Costumes Using Printable Halloween Stencils

Looking for some Halloween masks that would be fun to make? Halloween is sneaking up on you and if you get caught without a costume, it could be scary! Don't scream. With a creative mask pattern or stencil you have the start of a unique Halloween costume. Plus you'll have a great time making it yourself. And as you may have guessed, there are many ways to use stencils to create a costume. We are going to explore several of them here. So, let's jump right in but don't be scared.

OK! So there aren't too many stencils out there that are specifically designed as Halloween masks. So, you'll have to think outside the pumpkin a little and get those creative juices flowing. After all, that's why making your own craft masks is so much fun.

When we were kids we loved making our own costumes except we didn't have all the fancy stuff like felt and craft foam or patterns from the internet (I'm dating myself aren't I?). It didn't matter because we had a ball coming up with ideas using the things we could easily find around the house.

First, there are many stencils available for carving pumpkins. Right? Well, these are great for creating masks. How, you say? Well, let us count the ways.

Cut out a round or pumpkin shape from orange felt (stiff felt is great), orange craft foam or even paper you painted orange. If you can, don't forget to cut a little stem on top and dab some green paint on that. If you really want to be creative, paint some vertical curve lines in a darker orange to really give it the pumpkin look. Then take your stencil designed for pumpkin carving and use it to cut openings into the felt. You may need to make some adjustments to the size of your stencil to make sure that eye, nose and mouth holes are in the appropriate places for you to see, breath and talk. Just take the stencil to a copy machine and reduce or enlarge it until you have the right size. Use a hole punch tool to make nice round holes on each side and attach orange or black ribbons so that you can tie it around your head.

Here is one of our tried and true methods of mask making. It's a little like the tip above. Take large paper bags (big enough so that you can slide it over the head). Paint the bag orange and then use a stencil for pumpkin carving to cut out the face on the front of the bag. You can find plenty of printable Halloween stencils on the internet. You may need to trim out some curves for the shoulders so that the bag can come down low in the front and back. Don't forget to cut out holes around the ears for good hearing. It's quick, easy and best of all free!

To complete a pumpkin mask costume, cut leg and arm holes in one of those jack-o-lantern leaf bags. Fill it with plastic shopping bags to fill it out and tape it around your shoulders once it's full.

Let me just mention another creative way to use these stencils designed for carving pumpkins. Try using the old stand-by sheet for a ghost costume and cut out the stencils in the face area. Use a little creativity and decorate the rest of the sheet too. Or maybe spray paint the sheet orange around the area that will cover the head before cutting out the pattern. To be really creative, after the stencil is cut into the sheet, outline the holes with some black acrylic craft paint. This makes the openings stand out and also helps the edges from becoming frayed.

Halloween stencils offer an easy way to trick (or treat!) out a t-shirt. Use an old one from the closet or purchase a new one (old is preferable). If you have an orange shirt, use black fabric paint to put the image from a pumpkin carving stencil across the front of the shirt. If you have a black shirt handy then use orange or white fabric paint.

OK. So we covered all the common stencils for pumpkin carving that are designed as the normal faces we're all used to. But now with the internet we have so many others to choose from. Some very talented artists have taken the whole pumpkin carving stencil art to a whole new level. You can find designs of cats, pirates, wolves, witches, demons, cartoon characters, vampires, ghouls, mummies ... Well, the list is too long to keep going. My point is that the above options for creating a mask can be used for most of these. Remember that these were designed for a round pumpkin so that to resize them for face shapes and sizes is not a far stretch and can usually be achieved.

Now let's come up with a few ideas to complete the costume for some of the masks mentioned above.

Feel like howling at the moon? A wolf mask is easy to create with gray felt, craft foam or paint. Complete the costume with a gray t-shirt and gray sweat pants.

Feel like a feline? Black cats are always popular at Halloween. Complete a cat mask with a black turtle neck shirt, black leggings and a black feather boa for a tail.

Want to be Frankie Baby? That's an easy one! Get some lime green felt, craft foam or paint. Dress up the mask with an old plaid flannel shirt, a ragged pair of jeans and a pair of work boots.

Are you a Witch? I mean for Halloween! Use black felt for the mask. You need to have an old loose fitting black dress (try a thrift store if you don't have one that you can use) and a broom.

And speaking of the many possibilities that stencils give us to decorate, here are some more creative and easy ideas. Just because Halloween stencils and patterns were designed for pumpkin carving doesn't mean that they can't be used for a large variety of other Halloween crafts such as: paint them on a bag for collecting your treats; paint them on the corner of a napkin to decorate your festive table; or paint them on colored paper for decorating the windows or doors. There are many other ways to use these wonderful designs to embellish your holiday decorations.

I know how creative you can be when you get started so don't be frightened to try something new. Create a costume using a stencil or mask pattern and finish up with some other fun ideas. I hope your Halloween is a real Scream!

If you are really looking for Halloween mask stencils, then there is only one place to go and that's Designs From Penny (http://www.designsfrompenny.com).

There you'll find four Scary Halloween Masks patterns for you to paint on paper and cut out (a Witch, a Skull, Frankenstein's Monster and a Black Cat).

Plus you'll find three patterns for craft masks created by cutting out pieces of felt or craft foam (a Pirate Skull, a Cat and a Wolf).

These are two great options that give you a variety of ways to be creative and they are easy enough to get the kids involved. Best of all they are very inexpensive printable Halloween mask patterns that allow you to adjust the size to fit and each one comes with complete instructions. Since they are adjustable, why not have some real fun and dress the whole family in the same costume (like a pack of wolves or a band of dead pirates)?

If you are looking for more information on how to use stencils and want to find great ideas for using stencils then head over to All About Stencils (http://www.all-about-stencils.com). They have a great article on painting stencils on t-shirts with complete step-by-step instructions on how to do that successfully. And don't forget to look for the Free Witch Hat Pattern.