The perfect and scariest Halloween costume would not be enough without the mask. Since the face is first thing that people gaze on to when he or she meets somebody, a Halloween mask worn during a party would definitely determine how scary can you get.
Today, there are so many Halloween masks being sold in various bookshops and specialty stores out there. You can choose from your favorite characters from horror, thriller, or sci-fi movies. You can even find masks which as truly Halloween inspired such as ghosts, ghouls, and monsters.
In most specialty stores, the most popular Halloween masks include gaping wraith mask, glow in dark hockey mask, meateater mask, Batman the dark knight Joker mask, deep sea mask, devil’s rejects Captain Spaulding mask, whispers hooded mask, Harry Potter dementor mask, elegant devil mask, leatherface deluxe mask, Batman the dark knight grumpy clown mask, that’s not funny clown mask, got your goat mask, red skull mask beanie, white skull mask beanie, skull mask blue beanie and so much more. If you are into departed celebrities, you can even find some which are created in their memory.
But, if you are the type who gives so much emphasis on creativity, uniqueness, and resourcefulness, then you should try making your own mask. The following are just some of your options in making your very own Halloween mask:
1. Improvised latex Halloween masks. Many people would agree that latex or hard plastic masks could be quite uncomfortable once worn. And why not? These are made from synthetic plastic materials and can even be harmful when not used properly. So if are not into wearing latex masks sold in specialty shops, you can create your very own latex inspired mask.
Here, you’ll be needing poster board or light weight cardboard, elastic or tongue depressor, and various embellishments to make the mask stand out. The instructions are quite simple, you need to cut the board with the shape of your face, cut it out, punch holes in each side of the mask and decorate it using various embellishments such as poster paints, feathers, glitter, and everything you wish to put in. The good thing about this is you can make your mask as scary and as ghoulish as you want it to be.
2. Simple paper and cloth masks. This is quite popular and easy to do because all you will be needing is a used cloth which can come from a used pillowcase or shirts, permanent markers, a pair of scissors, and lots of duck tape. Doing a paper and face mask is easy because all you have to do is lay the cloth flat and cut a hole in the center of the cloth. Afterwards, you need to take a piece of paper and draw the mask that you like. Then, turn the cloth inside out and lay the mask face down.
Using the duct tape, tape the sides of the mask down to the cloth and cut the eye holes. Let the duct tape grip the cloth and paper well then you can now decorate your Halloween mask using markers and other crafts and embellishments that you want to include.
3. Your very own printed mask. If you are not the type who is into work stuff such as cutting, pasting, and drawing, you can still make your very own Halloween mask through the use of computer. Today, there are so many sites, which offer Halloween mask patterns, which are ready for printing.
You can choose from a wide array of styles and characters depending on what or who would you want to portray. If you are knowledgeable on various computer programs and software such as Photoshop, you can design your very own mask and print it out.
This might not be a great practice especially since children scare easily but still there are quite a number of relevant stories which you can tell during a storytelling session in a Halloween party or event. Even if it’s not Halloween, you will always have a request from your listeners to tell a scary story. So people have more excuse to demand a scary story during this day of the year when spirits and monsters are supposed to be free to roam the surface world.
Aside from scary stories, you can also narrate mystery type of stories. Having a storytelling session in your Halloween party program will keep the children quiet and at bay. This is also a good opportunity to prepare other things for the party.
What stories to tell? You can search the internet for various short scary stories that have both the Halloween scare factor and at the same time children will learn something productive and inspiring at the end of the story.
You can even draw from personal experiences or stories. It’s often “cool” hearing a story from someone who has experienced it first had or was really there. This gives the story a personal touch and the kids just love the idea of stories happening for real.
Remember not to overdo it though. These are children we’re talking about and if you scare them witless, they will certainly have nightmares and you’ll have parents breathing down your neck the next day. Now that would be a real scary situation for you as organizer or storyteller.
If you lack some modern shorts and have not time to prepare your own stories, you can always turn to the classics. There are several classic ghost stories that children nowadays have yet to hear.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of them. The headless horseman of Washington Irving is sure make some children gasp. You can tell the story of the Flying Dutchman, a mysterious ship that is said to be a doom ship that brings bad things to other ships that crosses their paths. Dr. Frankenstein’s monster is also always popular.
Another classic is A Ghost Story by Mark Twain which has several adaptations that you could read for the kid‘s enjoyment. Algernon Blackwood’s The Willows is said to be the best ghost story in history. You might also find some suitable adaptation for children somewhere in your bookstore or on the internet. Another work of Blackwood is The Empty House which is also pretty good.
Now, I have to remind you at this point that you will be reading these stories to children. You might want to kind versions that would be easier for children to grasp and understand. If you’re Halloween party is for adults, which I also think putting a storytelling session is a great idea, you can be as eloquent as you want. But in the meantime, simple and short adaptations would be better for children’s party.
If for some reason you can’t get any storytellers for your party, other options would be buying an audio or video CD of various ghost stories. There are several of these in the market and you can easily buy one off the rack of your favorite bookshop or audio store.
The idea here is to keep your options open. Of course Halloween parties involve game and prizes but having a Halloween storytelling session can be both fun and productive.
You don’t need to buy a costume for Halloween when you can make one yourself. What is even better is the fact that you don’t have to be a tailor or seamstress to sew it together. You just have to be creative and use whatever you have in your closet or get a few of these items from the thrift shop.
Using your imagination and putting different items together is much better than tossing a sheet over your head and saying you’re a ghost. Since Halloween doesn’t always have to be scary, think of other characters you can play like perhaps a clown, tin man, a pirate or a gorilla.
For a clown outfit, you should start by looking for a colorful pair of sweats pants. If you don’t have any, see if there is some other baggy clothing lying around. Since clowns have big buttons on their coveralls, use colorful mesh dish scrubbers which can be found in your kitchen or the grocery.
For your hair, get a wig because it will take more than a day to get off the color on your hair. Get some white makeup for your face and then find a pair of goofy shoes to complete the outfit.
We all know tin man from the wizard of Oz. To dress up just like him, you will see cardboard which will be most of your costume. To make yourself look like him, you can spray the cardboard with silver spray paint or attach aluminum foil all around it.
For your hat, see if there is an old funnel in the garage. You will need black shoes for your feet and silver eye shadow for your face. Another option will be to make your own make up using silver face makeup with cold cream and food coloring. Don’t forget to put black eyeliner to draw lines from the corners of your mouth to your chin.
Making a pirate costume is probably the simplest of them all. For this you will need a pair of black or brown hospital scrubs. You then cut the top portion as well as the sleeves to create a vest. To make it look good, sketch and skill and crossbones onto white felt then paste this on the back of vest.
Now put on a white shirt and just wear a pair of jeans. Since not all pirates have wear a hat, you can wear a bandana instead just like some of the characters in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Lastly, to be a gorilla, you will need a lot of black fur and then sew this up to your top and bottom. Since the mask is hard to make, it is best to just get the costume from the store.
Once you have finished planning what you are going to wear, it is time now to look at what accessories there are available. If there are none, then you have to buy it at a thrift shop or consignment store.
Making your costume for Halloween will surely save you a lot of money since most costumes cost more than $20 a set. The best pat is that you don’t have to feel guilty when you decide to throw it away since you can probably make a new one the following year.
There will be a lot of kids walking around the neighborhood during Halloween. Apart from the planning for the event, children will be knocking on your door and asking for goodies so be ready for them by exercising these safety tips.
1. If you are going to be at home the whole night, keep your porch lights and any other exterior lights on so they know that they come and knock at your door.
2. If you live in a street where a lot of cars pass regularly, go out so you can tell the drivers not to speed and you can check that there are no acts of malicious mischief or crimes happening against children. Should you see someone out of place, report this directly to the police by dialing 911.
3. For those who have candlelit jack o lanterns on their front porch, make sure that this is placed a bit far from doorsteps or landings. Children could play with it or at worse, their costume could catch fire and you will have a bigger problem on your hands. One alternative is to use lighted bulbs instead.
4. When you are carving a pumpkin or working on a lantern, don’t let the kids touch any of the sharp tools.
5. Your children will choose what they want to wear during Halloween night. Just makes sure that the outfit they choose to wear is flame resistant and is not too long as this could make them trip or fall.
6. Should you own a pet, make sure it is leashed or in a caged as kids who don’t know any better could be discouraged from knocking.
7. When children knock at the door, give candy to each of them. If they push and shove, tell them to line up as there is plenty for everyone. Never invite them into your home so you won’t be accused later on of anything. When everyone’s trick or treat bag has been filled, tell them the safest route to take so they can be on their way. Also, remind them to have their goodies checked first by their parents before eating it.
8. Since everyone is going to give candy, you can do something different by providing them healthier treats. Examples of these include a pack or raisins, pretzels or biscuits since this will not damage to their teeth compared to candy. These are also easy to swallow since some candies may choke the child.
9. Most kids will only go trick or treating in the late afternoon or early evening. So you don’t get a knock at 9pm or 10pm, put up a sign that says you will only be giving out candies until a certain time.
10. If your kids are going trick or treating, remind them of a few things like going around the neighborhood with a group, don’t take candies from strangers, only visit homes of people they know, look both ways before crossing the street, come home at a specified time and have the candies checked before eating them.
Nobody wants anything bad to happen during Halloween. By practicing these safety tips, you are sure that kids who will be knocking on your door as well as your own will have a fun filled evening so everyone will sleep soundly that night.
You don’t have to wait till Christmas or someone’s birthday if you want to give a gift. This is because you can also give one during Halloween which you can give when you are invited to a Halloween party.
1. One of the more personalized gifts is the basket. You can order this from an online store or buy this from the grocery. Some retailers who offer this gives 10% of whatever you purchase to a charity of your choice so you don’t only please someone but also help a stranger.
2. But if you want to add a personal touch, why not make it yourself by picking out the items including the basket. These come in different sizes so you are sure to find that can hold candy, fruits and even a bottle of wine.
3. If you find that the basket is too big, go for something smaller like a candy filled mug. Just like picking up all the items for the gift basket, you can surely find the ideal mug at the grocery, fill this up with their favorite chocolate and then wrap this up with cellophane tape and a card attached to it.
For those who don’t like to eat chocolate, perhaps they would love a pack of coffee or tea. Just make sure that the flavor you get is appropriate for the autumn season.
4. Most kids and some adults enjoy wearing a costume during Halloween. So another great idea will be to give out articles of clothing that feature this holiday. Remember, your choices of giving items should not be limited to just the color orange since you can also get olive or tan.
5. There are also stuffed toys which go well for the season. If you look around, you might find something similar to Merlin the Cat, Hocus the Bear, Ghoulianne the Ghost, Pocus the Bear, Shriekers the Ghost or Ghosters the Ghost.
6. For kids who are not interested in cuddling, give them something like an action figure that came from a Halloween movie. You are sure to find some that appeared in movies like the Nightmare Before Christmas, Nightmare on Elm Street or Batman. There are also the classics characters like Frankenstein, the Headless Horseman or a simple skeleton.
7. A lot of countries especially those in Asia celebrate Halloween by lighting a candle so the dead will be able to walk about the earth by seeing what is ahead which is probably why giving candles is also an interesting idea. With aromatherapy being quite popular, give this person a scented candle that they can light and smell.
8. For people you know who love to write, why not get them stationary that also features this holiday. Better give this early so they will be able to use most of it before Christmas.
9. One gift that you can give someone without spending any money is help the host of the party. You can even cook, set up the place and clean up afterward because their hands will be full and they will need all the support available to make the party as successful as possible.
There are a lot of interesting gifts that you can give your friends and loved ones this Halloween. So see what is available and then make or buy it.
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