September 2008

Orange and black are already popping up on store shelves, as are scary stories of monsters, ghouls and … bunnies?

That’s right, one of the cutest Halloween books this year is more hare-y than scary. Boo, Bunny! by Kathryn O. Galbraith and illustrated by Jeff Mack (Harcourt; 36 pages; $16; ages 3-7) follows two scared rabbits - one in bee costume, one in mask and superhero cape - as they trick-or-treat, “paws held tight.” It’s simple and spare as a haiku, but totally engaging, with vibrant art that conveys kiddie fear and friendship.

Another tale of Halloween night is found in Trick or Treat on Monster Street by Danny Schnitzlein and illustrated by Alameda’s Matt Faulkner (Peachtree; 32 pages; $16.95; ages 4-8). This story in verse centers on a boy, the narrator, whose brothers mock him for being a scaredy cat and spook him in the night with monster shadows, then make fun of him on Halloween when he wears a bunny costume instead of something scary. When the siblings get separated, our narrator turns onto Monster Street and ends up losing his fear by becoming friends with the creepy creatures he encounters. “We joked and laughed and sang some songs./ And finally I began to see … /That though we came from different worlds,/Those monster kids were just like me.”

Later, his monster friends settle the score with his brothers by scaring them in the night. It’s a good story with skillful rhymes, exuberant art and lots to look at on every page.

If you’ve got a taste for Halloween poetry, you can get a heaping helping in Frankenstein Takes the Cake by Adam Rex (Harcourt; 40 pages; $16; ages 5-10). This follow-up to “Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich” takes the same approach, featuring funny poems and a lively diversity of illustration styles.

In a mini-graphic novel, the bride of Frankenstein has to deal with her complaining mother as she plans the nuptials. Says Mom, “I’m an open-minded person. I’m not trying to be mean, but I never thought my little girl would marry someone green.”

The book also includes posts from the official blog of the Headless Horseman, intergalactic communications called E.T-Mail,” a Peanuts parody with Charlie Brown as a Dracula Jr., who wants “a big-boy coffin,” and a running gag with Edgar Allen Poe. Rex really outdid himself with this one. It’s a real treat.

Find more books by reading the entire article below!

Kids’ books for Halloween.

Halloween is still more than 30 days away but businessman Paul Merk is already courting customers with tons of holiday costumes and decorations at the Halloween Megastore in Volusia Mall.

“Now is the best time to shop for size and selection,” Merk said during an interview at the store, which opened Labor Day.

Many consumers, however, like to play the waiting game and don’t head out to buy Halloween supplies until about two weeks before Oct. 31.

“Then it’s 15 days of glory. It becomes a madhouse,” said Merk, who operates one of several specialty retailers that have opened in the Volusia-Flagler area.

Just outside the mall, workers this week were putting the finishing decorative touches to the Spirit of Halloween Superstore at 1610 W. International Speedway Blvd. The company, which is a unit of Spencer Gifts, takes over abandoned big-box storefronts for about 60 days every fall.

Company officials did not respond to a telephone call.

Area residents Christina Simonson and co-worker Lisa Tindle were among those who visited Spirit of Halloween this week. “Our job does a big Halloween party each year,” Tindle said.

The theme for this year, according to Simonson, was taken from the movie “Grease.” “We (initially) thought about Gilligans Island but we decided on ‘Grease,’ ” she said.

Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, said Halloween provides the perfect segue for retailers before the larger holiday shopping period.

“Back-to-school shopping is over,” Grannis said in a telephone interview from her Washington, D.C.-based office. “Consumers are ready for fall.”

The trade association will release its annual holiday predictions for Halloween next week. Total spending for Halloween 2007 was expected to reach $5.07 billion, the second-biggest decorating holiday after Christmas.

One thing that could make this Halloween a slam-dunk for retailers is that it falls on a Friday….

Read more if you dare!

Business & Technology - newsjournalonline.com.

Popular Halloween costumes tend to come from characters in popular movies. And the most successful films right now are action hero movies.

“The Dark Knight” has been the biggest blockbuster movie in years, grossing more than $522 million so far. So it’s no surprise that characters in “The Dark Knight” dominates the top 10 most popular Halloween costumes this year.

Whitney Wisdahl, manager of Dottie Mae’s costume store in Kansas City, said The Joker and Batman characters are two of the top picks this year.

“Anything that hits big in the movie theaters usually does great on Halloween,” Wisdahl said.

After consulting with several Halloween stores around the area and several Web sites, here is The Examiner’s Top 10 most popular costumes for the coming season.

10 Uncle Sam - or one of the candidates running for office, such as Sarah Palin, Barack Obama or John McCain

Perhaps one of the most important elections will take place Nov. 4, making this costume more popular than previous years.

9 Sexy dirty cop

Adult costume parties are rising in popularity and the sexy dirty cop costume should be a huge hit and turn heads. Don’t think you’ll have to worry about impersonating a cop here.

8 The red devil

This is a popular costume for women who want to be bad for at least one day a year.

7 Incredible Hulk

You can buy green foam muscles, unless of course you’re a professional bodybuilder. Then all you need is green paint and shredded jeans

6 Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Wishdahl said the Aqua Teen characters are popular and the store gets inquires about characters on the force. The teen force is a cartoon about three anthropomorphic fast food items, along with their next-door neighbor, and their life together in South Jersey.

5 Pirates

“Pirates area always a good seller each year,” Wishdahl said. They can range from costumes from Capt. Jack Sparrow to more elegant pirate outfits.

4 Indiana Jones

You don’t need much to dress up like Dr. Henry Walton Jones, Jr. All you really need is a hat and brown jacket. Probably the most important is a whip, which makes you stand out from an average guy wearing a brown jacket to Indy himself. Again, the return of Indy in May makes this a top-5 costume.

3 Hannah Montana

The Barbie idea has always been a hit with girls and Hannah Montana is this year’s Barbie costume. Finding an adult sized Hannah costume could be a challenge. All you need is a blond wig, a microphone and tacky clothing and you got it.

2 Batman

The Dark Knight himself, played by Christian Bale, will be popular because of the movie. Clearly, however, good is not as popular as evil when it comes to Halloween. Any version of the numerous Batman characters are popular, Wisdahl said.

1 The Joker

The villain for “The Dark Knight” was creepy and disturbing. It’s popular because Heath Ledger, who played the character, died before the movie was released. His death adds mystery and intrigue to The Joker. “That is 100 percent for sure No. 1,” Wisdahl said. “We have been getting asked about it all summer long. It’s just been nonstop being asked for it.”

Joker, Batman big Halloween hits - Independence, MO 64050 - The Examiner.

Once upon a time, Halloween was a one-day event. Then the pumpkins and parties started moving back to the weeks between Columbus Day and Oct. 31.

Now the holiday is morphing into an entire season, at least in the tourism industry, with haunted walks, costume balls and pumpkin-carving events held throughout October.

Salem, Mass., which has the most authentic claim on witchy whoopla of just about any destination in the country, started a Halloween celebration 27 years ago as a one-day event for children. Now the city where witch trials were held in 1692 holds Salem Haunted Happenings from Oct. 2 to Nov. 2 — www.hauntedhappenings.org — and gets 30 percent of its annual tourist visitation in that one month.

Highlights include a costume parade of thousands of children, Oct. 2; a costume ball at the Hawthorne Hotel, Oct. 31; “Festival of the Dead” nighttime parties geared to adults and Harry Potter-themed daytime events for kids. At the House of the Seven Gables mansion and historic site, there are tours and dramatic presentations about the families who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel.

Hotels are embracing the Halloween theme too. The New England Inns and Resorts Association — NewEnglandInnsandResorts.com — started offering “Ghoulish Getaways” in 2004.

Read more below yo:

Halloween Is Now Its Own Season — Courant.com.

Uhm, so my daughter flippin loves the Backyardigans and I found these Backyardigan Halloween costumes over at buycostumes.com, only they’re not available yet.  Seems they have Pablo, Uniqua, Tyrone, but I don’t see any Tasha or Austin yet.  Hmmmm.  Oh and my daughter calls the backyardigans “boxa-veenies” which is the cutest thing you’ve ever heard in your life!

Backyardigans Tyrone EZ-On Romper Infant Costume

“That was an excellent adventure, don’t you think?”

Search: backyardigans - Costumes.

There’s no denying it. Back to school is old news for retailers. It’s all about Halloween now if my grocery store is any indication. Giant cardboard bins out front are filled with pumpkins and gourds of all shapes, colors and sizes. Primo shelf space is packed with more tooth-rotting candy than you can shake a scarecrow at. And of course, the costumes. Racks and racks of imported, cheaply made costumes of witches, ghosts, goblins, firemen, Pokemons, Harry Potters, princesses, Hannah Montanas, and any thing else that is trendy and will sell this year.

I have a simple request: step away from the costume racks. Avoid all contact with Halloween super stores. We are better than that. Let’s save some money this year and be kind to the environment. Even though I have a soft spot for Halloween and go into a frenzy each year making one-of-a-kind costumes for my kids, this year I’m taking on something new: the EnviroMom “Buy Nothing New” Halloween Costume Challenge.

Statueliberty So what does that mean? We’ll be shopping in our own closets looking for things than can be used or reused in creative ways. We’ll be hitting up friends or visiting thrift stores to find those perfect accessories to finish off their looks. We’ll be dumpster diving into our big blue recycling rollcart to find recyclables that might find new life as part of the Halloween outfits. Our costumes this year:

Read more by clicking below!

EnviroMom: Precycle and Reuse: Halloween Costume Challenge!.

The time to carve pumpkins is fast-approaching. This year, think twice before you throw away the seeds and stringy pulp. Instead, set the seeds aside for a culinary treat. They are the best part of this gourd, traditionally grown for its decorative value rather than its cooking possibilities. For recipes calling for pumpkin, it’s best to use the canned variety, which uses mainly sugar pie pumpkins.

Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and fiber, according to the World’s Healthiest Foods Web site. They also contain zinc and other substances that are beneficial to men’s health, in particular. Low in fat, they also make a great snack. Store them up to 2 months in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Autumn pumpkin seeds

The secret to these seeds is to soak them overnight in salt water.

About 11/2 cups pumpkin seeds

3 cups cold water

1/2 cup salt

Coarse red pepper

With a sharp knife, cut out a circle from top of pumpkin. Remove top by the stem and scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Decorate pumpkin as desired.

Fill a sink with warm water. Add seeds and pulp. Some pulp will sink and seeds will float. Transfer seeds to a small bowl, discarding pulp. Add cold water to bowl. Add salt and let sit at room temperature overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Using a sieve over the sink, drain water from seeds. Spread seeds onto a rimmed baking sheet. Season liberally with salt and coarse red pepper.

Cook, stirring often, 4 to 6 hours. Remove seeds from oven, let cool. Place in an airtight container, refrigerate and eat as a snack or in other recipes.

Makes 2 cups

Source: Scott Sommerdorf

Serving ideas for pumpkin seeds

Add to sautéed vegetables.

Sprinkle on top of mixed green salads.

Grind with fresh garlic and parsley. Mix with olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice to make a quick salad dressing.

Add to hot or cold cereal.

Add to a cookie or granola recipe.

Add ground pumpkin seeds to a burger (beef, turkey, vegetables).

Source: www.whfoods.com

Halloween: Pumpkin seeds are a breeze and a healthy addition to salads - Salt Lake Tribune.

Between expensive costumes, gobs of candy for trick-or-treaters and all the requisite spooky decorations, the real fright this Halloween could come when you check your wallet on November 1st.

But with a little resourcefulness and some shopping smarts you can host a fine Halloween shindig without sending your budget to the graveyard.

Start by spreading the party planning joy. Autumn is a great time for potluck events. Set out a limited spread of food and perhaps a few seasonal drinks (such as mulled cider and Oktoberfest beer). Then encourage guests to bring their favorite creepy snacks, or suggest a theme and ask them to play along (such as orange foods).

Dishes that can be prepared ahead in large pots or slow cookers are well suited to this kind of gathering. A big batch of chili, especially an all-bean vegetarian version, is an inexpensive way to feed a lot of people.

Canned pumpkin, which often is on sale this time of year, can be used to make a sweet and tangy dip that goes well with salty pretzel rods. Beat an 8-ounce package of cream cheese with half a cup of maple syrup or honey until smooth. Then beat in a 15-ounce can of pumpkin, half a cup of plain yogurt and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

The self-serve olive bar at many grocers is an excellent place to stock up on a wide variety of appetizer items, such as marinated mushrooms, pickled and marinated peppers, bocconcini (miniature mozzarella balls) and, of course, all kinds of olives. The advantage is that you can buy just the amount needed, usually at one price.

Easy ideas for an on-the-cheap Halloween party

So you’re creating some cool Halloween party invites, decorations or graphics for the web this Halloween and you need some really awesome & Free Halloween Fonts, Clipart and graphics to spruce up your designs… well then head over to dafont.com where you can download tons of free fonts and clipart for free.  They have pretty much every popular font and halloween graphic you can dream up, including cats, pumpkins, ghosts, bats, casper, witches and wicked fonts to boot!  Sahweeeeet!