Children love to dress up in pirate costumes. If you are planning to have a fancy dress party for kids then this would make a very popular theme for it. You might think that it will limit things a little by just organizing it around pirates but it will actually prove to make it all a lot easier. Instead of having to cater for so many different things, absolutely everything to do with your party can hinge on the swashbuckling theme.

If you have more than one child of your own then you have already solved several problems. You are not going to have to think of ideas for what your children are going to wear. If you are just sticking to pirate costumes then it will make it a lot simpler. As long as each of your children is happy with their outfit then you are onto a winner.

Depending on the amount of work that you are prepared to do (and if you have someone who is going to help), there are all sorts of activities that will fit around the theme of pirates costumes. As far as the children are concerned, if they are dressed up in pirate costumes then they want to behave like buccaneers.

Organizing a treasure hunt for all of the children to take part in would be a great idea. Kids love things like this and it will keep them all occupied for quite a while. You could perhaps design some treasure maps on your computer and print them off beforehand. They don’t have to be anything too elaborate as long as they are going to fit in with the rest of the party. You could even tie them all up with sashes and give them to the kids to wear on the belts of their pirate costumes until it is time to look for the treasure.

Plastic swords are very reasonably priced and would look great when worn with their pirate costumes. It might be a good idea to have some ‘organized’ sword-fight though. If a few children are left alone with plastic weapons without a little supervision then it is only a matter of time before one of them is wounded… Perhaps, to avoid any squabbles, you can have some proper contests for them where they are able to show off their swordsmanship to the fore.

If you have your children’s’ party in the summer then another idea would be to have some themed games in the back garden. With a bit of imagination, you can soon adapt some ordinary children’s activities into something that is more in keeping with pirate costumes. Perhaps you have a sandpit where you can bury some ‘treasure’. The kids will love to dig away hoping to be first to find it, especially if they don’t even know what it is that they are looking for.

With a little thought and planning (and minimal outlay) you can easily create a whole afternoon of fun that everyone will thoroughly enjoy.

HOBNOB WITH THE HOBGOBLINS

Hobnob with the hobgoblins
And gather with the ghouls!
Let the monsters in your heart
Loose to run with wolves!
Open up your happy Hell,
Window on your weir!
Even as you know quite well
Each demon from your dungeon will
Not ravish long your fear.

THE LORD HAS BEEN MERCIFUL TO ME

The Lord has been merciful to me.
For I have sinned all the sins of this place
That preys on weakness and traffics in sin,
And He has not turned away from me.

For I have sinned all the sins of this place,
And sinned and repented and sinned again,
And He has not turned away from me,
Nor blinded my eyes, nor hardened my heart.

And sinned and repented and sinned again,
And He has remained even here, in this place,
Nor blinded my eyes, nor hardened my heart,
Nor left me alone. Praise the Lord!

And He has remained even here, in this place,
That preys on weakness and traffics in sin,
Nor left me alone. Praise the Lord!
The Lord has been merciful to me.

I KNOW WELL I HAVE NO RIGHT TO LOVE YOU

I know well I have no right to love you:
I gave you up, and now you’re with my friend.
But I can’t stop myself from thinking of you,
Even though that’s not what I intend.
I want you but I also don’t want you
To hurt my friend by breaking up with her.
So things go wrong no matter what you do;
I long for what I don’t want to occur.
Ah, me! I’m in a soap and can’t get out!
Help me if you can by being kind.
I tell you this to banish any doubt
That I’ll be waiting, if you’re so inclined.
But please, please, if my friend still has your love,
Forget completely what I’ve spoken of.

HOW MIGHT A SPIRIT SETTLE IN THE WIND

How might a spirit settle in the wind?
After death, how might a soul find peace?
Love lasts long after lips and laughter cease,
Leaving only memories behind.
Out of longings, one might linen spin,
Weaving well the welkin edged with fleece.
Each spirit must from wandering seek release,
Else ever through the weary midnights wend,
Not resting till love’s angels dark descend.

THERE’S BEAUTY IN THE BAREST BREATH OF SUNSHINE

There’s beauty in the barest breath of sunshine,
Wasted on all but those who know despair.
Each wound turns passions just a bit more grey,
Not adding new nor taking old away,
Trading joy for something far less fair,
Yet turning grace to something far more fine.

For such, there is a winding of the way
In which a bleakness, soon become a sign,
Vividly undoes the dying day,
Evoking longings one can hardly bear.

WHEN LOVE IS AN AFFLICTION

When love is an affliction,
There’s not much one can do.
Despite the way you’ve treated me,
I’m still in love with you.

I am the wave and you the rock
Against which I must break:
Again, again the crushing jolt,
The pain I can’t forsake;

Again, again the long retreat
To safety, far from shore,
And then again, I don’t know why,
The long trip back for more.

Perhaps it is nostalgia for
A long uncertain glow,
Or just some hope so beautiful
I cannot let it go.

Perhaps it is the need to try
For those who must depend
On who we are and what we do,
For whom this should not end.

What evil makes you hurt me so,
What defect of the heart?
What sense there is no greater whole
Of which you are a part?

What lonely choice that only you
Be served by what you choose?
What hard, hard fear of losing what
It is a gift to lose?

I dream sometimes my waiting love
Has made you turn again.
But you care only for yourself,
And I must love in vain.

WHEN GOD’S AS REAL AS SANTA CLAUS

When God’s as real as Santa Claus,
And temples are works of art;
When the Bible’s living literature,
And the Universe has no heart:
One feels grateful,
But to whom?

When the ritual vestments of faith
Are seen only from outside;
And the strength to live in the void
Becomes a matter of pride:
One feels grateful,
But to whom?

When life seems bursting with beauty,
But everything’s accidental;
When calling the noumenal “Thou”
Seems impossibly sentimental:
One feels grateful,
But to whom?

When death is an absolute end,
And pain lets one barely get by;
Prayer’s a harmless delusion
And the solace of heaven a lie:
One still feels grateful,
But to whom?

This human urge to say thank you,
Unavoidably orphic,
Requires, just for a moment,
A Creator, anthropomorphic:
So that one can feel grateful
To Whom.

The “trick or treat” day is one fun filled day wherein we can get total strangers to give us candy or money. The sheer amount of fun and frolic on that day is one unforgettable experience.

One of the costumes which is well suited to emphasize the “trick” aspect would be the Samurai costume. After all, what better costume than that of a warrior to get the message home and that too a traditionally feared warrior?

The ability to stick out of the crowd is what can make a difference in getting the best treat, and one excellent option can be the samurai dress, which not only is different compared to the regular devils, or elves or spooky creatures, but also can emphasize that it is better to go for the treat option.

Considering that Halloween falls during the winter season, it is best to choose dress material that is a bit thick to protect from the cold.

There are a variety of Samurai costumes to choose from depending on what you would like to portray.

The basic dress is the satin Kimono which traditionally is made of two layers. The kimono can have Japanese figures painted on it or even a dragon spewing fire.

For children maybe a suitable jacket with matching elastic pants and drawings would be more suitable.

On this the Happi coat or the vest with shimmering colors of green or orange will go on to add an effect of glamour and power. The effects can be heightened by the use of different colors along the edges.

The next would be the sash, in a dual color for example Purple and red. Of course the choice can be best left to individual tastes.

Depending on the preference the head piece or cap can be combined with a face scarf to highlight the masked effect. Where the person prefers to have the face exposed, a fancy long and drooping moustache can give a weird effect to the Warrior image. One can also choose to wear a mask in order to make the intire costume a bit more realistic. Beard can be painted directly on the skin if you do not have a mask.

The Wig with pony tail is a necessary accessory. The pony tail can either be bunched up or knotted with a rope and stick on the top or can be left to hang loosely behind. Either way the effects can be enhanced by coloring the wig,

The warrior sword with sheath hanging on the back side. The ultimate fear factor! Of course the sword will be made of card! Such samurai swords can often times be bought in regular toy stores and halloween shops. Otherwise do a quick search online and you will have no troubles finding one. Most often, however, samurai costumes are bought as a set with the sword included.

Rounding off the costume would be the socks and the sandals! I guess it will only be treating; no one would dare to go for a trick!