The weather is turning cooler in some areas, and already the leaves have begun turning.  Soon, it will be Halloween!  Have you ever wondered how Halloween (also spelled Hallowe’en) came to be celebrated as we know it today?   Also known as All Hallows’ Eve and All Saint’s Eve, the holiday is celebrated on October 31^st worldwide.  It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain (meaning “summer’s end”) and the Christian holy day of All Saints.  Today, it is largely a secular celebration, with little regard to the many traditions and rituals of hundreds of years ago.

Activities on Halloween include carving pumpkins (known as Jack-O-Lanterns), dressing up in costume and going door to door trick-or-treating, or attending costume parties.  Games like “bobbing for apples” is also popular, as is visiting “haunted houses”, playing pranks, and even sitting around a bonfire and telling scary stories.

It is thought that the prevalent colors of black and orange are associated with the holiday because of the darkness of night and the colors of fire, autumn leaves, or pumpkins. Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husks, and scarecrows are also popular. Homes are often decorated with these types of symbols around Halloween.  Some towns have annual pumpkin carving contests and house-decorating contests.  Still others hold an annual Halloween parade.

Halloween imagery includes themes of death, evil, the occult, magic, or monsters. Traditional characters include ghosts, witches, vampires, werewolves, bats, skeletons and black cats.  The use of costumes comes from the belief that wearing a costume will ward off evil.  Present day “characters” that can be seen running the streets on the evening of Halloween are any variety of cartoon personalities, superheroes, clowns, animals, politicians (see “cartoon personalities” and “clowns”).  I suspect that this year we’ll be seeing a lot of Vampires, Avatars and Toy Story costumes.     I often think of Halloween as the one day in the year you can dress up and be anything you want, if even just for one day and no one will think you’ve lost your marbles because everyone else is doing it too.

Retailers love Halloween – it has become one of the largest money making holidays ever.  You’ll notice that the Halloween decorations and supplies appear in stores right around (if not before) Labor Day.

Sometimes its hard to tell who is having more fun with Halloween – the kids or the adults.  Whatever you do this Halloween, enjoy yourself, be safe, and most of all, have FUN!!!

Welcome!  Whether you’re planning the ultimate Halloween Fright Frenzy or just want to make the holiday a little more spooky and fun for your little ones, you’ve come to the right place!

You’ll find lots of ideas for Children’s Party Games, and some Adult Games as well, to help make your party a Haunting Success.

Entertain the Goblins on your list by pulling out your cauldron and brewing up a batch of gooey, green Slime!

Need some help decorating the mansion?  Check out our Halloween Props category for lots if eerie effects.

Halloween as become one of the most celebrated holidays of the year, second only to Christmas.  We’ve come a long way from the days when we put a Jack-’o-Lantern on the front porch and sent our kids out Trick-Or-Treating in a sheet with the eyes cut out.

In this blog, you’ll find plenty of decorating, party and costume ideas to help make this Halloween the Scariest Ever!  Have fun!