Halloween

I can’t believe that Halloween is only a day away! I truly love Halloween, which might explain why my yard has been flashing strobe lights and pumping out spooky fog every night since late-August (our dry ice bills are through the roof!). It might also explain why I’ve been rocking out to the “Monster Mash” three times a day for the last month. But even among the best of us holiday decorators, sometimes things get overlooked. Like a costume, for example -- I just realized I still don’t have one for this year!

Now, I’ve gone the rental route before, but to tell you the truth I prefer to make my own costumes. And some of my best costume ideas have actually come at the very last minute. So that’s the plan, I’m going to check and see what I already have at home and use my imagination. And you can do the same: if you find yourself stuck for a costume idea, try improvising with what you have around the house. Or maybe head to a local thrift store and see what inspires you.

Another thing that often gets overlooked until the last minute (usually) is carving a pumpkin. For years I found myself carving the same old boring, triangle-eyed jack-o-lantern … that is until I got on the internet and did a little research. Turns out, there are lots of great carving ideas that you yourself can do with a little patience and some guidance (no, really!). And the best part is that most of them are free!

Now, as much fun as Halloween is for adults, it’s really about the kids. To avoid incident, be sure to follow the advice of these safety experts.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!