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Halloween is approaching. Some of us go further with this occasion than others. Many people fall into one of three camps. The groups who hide in their houses, pretending they don’t hear the trick or treaters at the door. Flicking through channels, avoiding tacky horror films and sighing as kids peek through their letterboxes, pointing out that they are home and are just stingy when it comes to sharing chocolates. The girls and lads, thankful for an occasion that allows them to wear as little clothing as possible in public and get sheet faced in the club. Then the fanatics. The Cady Herons who turn up to parties in full horror fancy dress. To this third category: we salute you and your passion for pumpkins, freakish fancy dress and unshakeable Halloween spirit. You know what they say - if you got it, haunt it. Here are a few ideas to make your Halloween the best yet.
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Pumpkins
The Halloween staple. Steeped in tradition and an absolute must for anyone with a love for the spookiest of occasions. We’re well aware that Halloween competitions has become extremely fierce. Realistic 3D designs are shared all over the internet as the 31st approaches. Maybe you can’t quite live up to the professionals. But you can still give it your best when creating an amazing and unique pumpkin. For one that stands out from the rest, you don’t need to get the biggest or most deformed pumpkin. It’s all about design and preparation. Get a small carving knife. Take time scooping out the innards. Draw your design on the front rather than freehanding it. If it goes wrong, don’t worry. Pumpkins are meant to look dodgy. Besides, they’re cheap to replace if it all hits the fan. You can always try a second time round. Tonnes of pumpkin is wasted every year. Use the contents of yours to make a delicious pie or roast the seeds with salt and pepper.
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Trick Or Treat
Don’t just hand the sweets over and shoo the kids off. Give trick or treaters something to remember. No, we’re not saying scare the life out of them. We’re saying deliver their treats in style. Get plenty of orange tissue paper, some green straws and bite size sweet treats. Wrap the sweets into a spherical bundle with the orange paper. To make sure that the parcel won’t fall apart before the little ones get home, seal with a dot of glue using cordless glue guns. Cut a short part off of a green straw and place it in the glue on top before it dries. Hold in place until secure. Et voila, parcels of treats shaped like a cute little pumpkin. They’ll be wanting to come back for more.
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Fake Blood
Blood. Nobody wants to see it. If there’s blood, pain has been inflicted and someone is hurt. So for extra creepy vibes, douse your house in the stuff. Fake, of course. If a standard size bottle won’t do, you can buy larger quantities online. They’ll be delivered straight to your door. This will save you the repeated raised eyebrows from your local store as you fill your basket with little red tubes. Use fake blood to smear cryptic messages on mirrors or doors (just check it will clean off first). There are endless film references that can be employed here. “REDRUM”. “The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened”. Whatever. If you’re throwing a party, keep plenty of fake blood at hand for those spoilsports who came as “themselves”. Offer them a tube of fake blood so they can at least be a kind of zombie version of themselves or something.
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Finger Foods
If you’re hosting a Halloween party, you’ll need to keep your guests’ stomachs full. You don’t want them becoming skin and bones now, do you? There are so many fun Halloween themed foods that you can make to keep the party fun and make it extra memorable. Everyone loves toffee apples. But how about a darker twist on the classic? Use black food colouring when making your toffee apples to make them more macabre. When people ask what they are? Simple, poison apples. (Don’t actually include poison, this is very immoral and definitely illegal.) Give gingerbread a creepy makeover. Rather than icing the standard design onto them, make them voodoo dolls. Draw stitches and use mix-match icing colours on them. Don’t fancy creating a voodoo gingerbread community? Try using white icing to make them ginger skeletons. Your guests will get thirsty. But you don’t want to be cruel and offer them room temperature drinks now, do you? Scoop out a pumpkin, fill it with ice and use it as an ice bucket. This will keep drinks cold and fresh while keeping in the holiday spirit.
Outfits
If you’re getting dressed up, be original. Avoid store bought outfits that you will see by the dozen once you’re out. Make your own. It’s much easier than you think, as long as you allow yourself time and prepare all of the things you will need beforehand. Don’t leave your outfit until last minute. You’ll just end up giving up or making a mess. Avoid dull ideas. 95% of women this year are going to be Harley Quinn and 95% of guys are probably going to be the joker, or a member of the cast from Breaking Bad or Stranger Things. For effective outfits, think traditional. There isn’t something more easily recognisable than a Brothers Grimm character. Don’t know who they are? Well you’ll know their stories. The Big Bad Wolf scared us as he chomped on Grandma and Red Riding Hood. The Witch who cooked Hansel and Gretel is imprinted on our minds. We remember the Evil Queen poisoning sweet Snow White with a cursed apple. Choose a recognisable character and gather together whatever it takes to recreate their look. Want something less strict and more flexible? Choose a stock horror character. Zombies, masked men, sirens, you name it. You will be able to make an effective outfit from charity shop bits and bobs and a little paper mache or liquid latex and face paint.
For more child-orientated Halloween arts and crafts, check out our scare-some how-to guide here.
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