Get Into The Spirit of Halloween With Our Top Ten To-Do’s!

The arrival of 31st October and Halloween brings out a sense of excitement in all of us. What is it about Halloween and the prospect of dressing up in scary Halloween costumes that makes it so appealing? There’s something magical about Halloween. In America it’s clearly huge and a massive event on the annual calendar, but here in England, it’s still a growing phenomenon.

So to help us Brits get into the swing of things this Halloween, here’s the Shack’s top 10 list of ideas to help you ensure Halloween 2010 is one to remember!

1. Trick or Treating
The perfect tradition to introduce to children. Dress them up in their favourite children’s Halloween costumes and hit your local street, first selecting the houses displaying their little pumpkin candles in the windows, you are sure then your little ghosts and ghouls will receive a treat. The origins of trick or treating actually started in Ireland and Britain, it was initially called ‘souling’, where poor people and children would say prayers and sing for the dead in return for sweet treats.

Best children’s costumes for trick or treating include; Children’s Frankenstein monster – A brilliant costume for your little monster! Children’s Little Devil costume – Ensure your little one stands out from the crowd. Children’s Glow in the Dark Skeleton – Perfect for those dark nights!

2. Throw a Halloween costume party
Why should the kids have all the fun… if you’re too old for trick or treating, than why not throw your own Halloween party at your house! Fancy Dress parties in the UK originated from the 18th century Victorian concept of masked balls. And Halloween costume parties are always popular and you can be guaranteed a great turn-out with everyone really getting into the swing of it.

Some top themes to consider for your party; a) Horror movies – Consider; the Freddy Krueger costume, Predator costume and Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow costume b) Ghosts and Ghouls c) The Victorian era; think Jack the Ripper and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde costume d) The Haunted House… decorate with spider webs, skull candles and hanging skeleton decorations e) The graveyard scene. Imagine zombies and tombstones and use a mist maker to make it truly atmospheric.

To set the scene serve Halloween themed food; peeled grapes as eyeballs. Spider ice cubes, serve blood themed drinks like Bloody Mary’s and serve other drinks in a witches cauldron with dry ice.

3. Attend a Halloween costume party
Now this is an easier one, but you must put your best effort into transforming yourself into the ultimate horror character. Top Halloween outfit choices include; Dracula, King Pin of Vampires. The grimmest of Grim Reaper costumes and the evil clown, Carver the Killer Clown costume, now that’s positively terrifying!

4. Carve a jack-o’-lantern

5. Go on a local ghost tour or make a weekend of it!
Check out your local area to join other ghost hunters on a midnight walk around the oldest part of your city and get totally spooked out with your guide’s tales from your town’s gruesome history

Or, you can make a weekend of it with loved ones… there are companies who provide the ultimate paranormal ghost hunting experience at some of Britains most haunted locations.

6. Go camping, build a bonfire and tell some scary stories
There’s nothing like sharing the great outdoors with your friends, with a crackling bonfire, toasted marshmallows, all rugged up and telling horror stories and scaring the pants of each other. For tips on how to tell a great ghost story… – Darkness is essential. Ensure you make good eye-contact with all your listeners. – Consider your setting. If camping in woods, tell a story about the haunted woods. – Keep your voice calm, but add a mysterious lilt. – Remember it’s your words that fire the imagination. – A torch under the chin can add great effect. – A friend hiding in the shadows and ensuring they jump out at the appropriate time will go down well.

7. Do some apple bobbing
Fill a large bucket with water and put in the apples. The apples being less dense than water, they will float to the surface, and the game is to try and catch on with your teeth with hands tied behind your back. If folks turn their noses up because of the hygiene factor, you can also tie them one by one on a tree using string. Some uninteresting facts about apple bobbing for you; – Girls who place the apple they have bobbed under their pillows are said to dream of their future lover! – On 19th Feb in 2008, Ashrita Furman from New York established a world record by bobbing 33 apples in ONE minute! WOWZERS!

8. Throw your own Halloween slumber party with horror movies
Having your friends around for a slumber party on Halloween and watching three or four horror movies is a great night in. Don’t forget the midnight feast included. The movie list usually should always feature any of the following (my favourites…); Carrie, Evil Dead, Amityville Horror, Nightmare on Elm Street and not forgetting everyone’s favourite from the 80s… Ghostbusters!

9. Organise a séance on Halloween!
Attempt to communicate with the spirit world by setting up a séance with your friends. There are a few important factors to ensure a successful outcome!
1. The medium conducting the proceedings should be experienced and know what they are doing!
2. Consider your setting and ensure it is a darkened room with a round table.
3. Establish the purpose – is it to contact famous people or relatives for instance?
4. Get rid of the sceptics and people filled with fear. They are sappers and will ruin the outcome.

10. Visit your local theme park in Halloween fancy dress!
There are usually events on around Halloween at theme parks across the UK. Why not really get into the spirit of it by getting into a Halloween costume to enjoy the rides! Alton Towers alone has the Gloomy Wood, the Dark Forest and the haunted Towers themselves home to the chilling Hex ride.

So there you go; loads of ideas for Halloween 2010. Come and visit us to ensure you’re the best dressed at your Halloween fancy dress party. Loads of choice for Halloween costumes and brilliantly spooky Halloween accessories to help you set a truly gruesome scene!

Love Halloween Fancy Dress, Love the Shack!