How To Choose Your Halloween Costume

It's common for college students to attend a lot of events during their student's life especially with the large number of friends one has since he/she is in high school. This friend might organize a party during a specific season and even invite you to attend.

Such a time is like Halloween, this is a period where most parties are organized and most people love their invited guests to arrive wearing different costumes so if you want to get a good appealing costume, you can put the following instructions into consideration and see how you will appear.

You can decide to dress like a person who is from a tombstone i.e. a zombie. Zombies are known to be scary so you have to portray this, this will be possible if you dress up like a zombie by wearing old torn clothes to show that you have stayed in a tomb for a good time.

You can apply dirt and red coloring on the clothes to better portray this, remember you will appear like a zombie if you behave like one the costume will assist you to play the role well.

If not you can dress like a hero, a superhero that you can save the lives of distressed people. You can look for a super hero costume that is available for sale at a cheaper price and have one.

If it is not possible you can borrow the costume from some friends, it doesn't matter so long as you behave like a hero.

If you decide to play the role of a doctor, remember doctors have their own mode of dressing look for a white lab coat a stethoscope and a clipboard with some plain papers; this will make you to appear like a real doctor.

They way you dress for this party will not only matter for you but also for your friends, it will make them to appreciate you for coming and encourage them to invite you for future events.

Change your restaurant's restaurant menu covers and try to put a glass top dining table for the table look that you want.

Halloween Costumes - Gene Simmons Anyone?

Halloween is probably the best time to impersonate your favorite stars and look through websites to order all your supplies for the costumes. Probably the one you are looking for may already be sold out, especially if what you are after is a Gene Simmons Halloween costume!

The official Kiss make up kit will help any fan reproduce a Gene Simmons personality well. Halloween is the evening of 31st October, immediately preceding All Saint's day and children dress up in costumes and Masks. 'Trick or treating' house to house, collecting sweets, fruits and money, costumes are decided upon days in advance. School or home projects making your own costumes, thousands of online retailers selling or teaching you to make your 'look' for the evening occupy most children and even adults. From Spiderman to Flintstones, witches to ghosts, medieval costumes and Disney princess clothes, there is no dearth to the options available when you are looking for your costume. One of the most popular and sought after is the Gene Simmons Halloween costume.

A typical Gene Simmons Halloween costume should consist of a black stretch jumpsuit and a cape with silver trimmings and loop to fit around your fingers. A silver colored poly foam chest and shoulder piece with the black cape around the neck brings you closer to looking like your icon. A studded dog collar choker and arm bands with vinyl platform and boots in black with silver accents will make you the enviable Gene Simmons impersonator to the hilt! And of course, you can always use your imagination and make changes to the costume. Add the Gene Simons mask with the ever-famous tongue sticking or if you can really extend your tongue out, well, all the best!

Young boys, adults and girls dress up as members of the Kiss band, playing music and accessorizing to the hilt! Gene Simmons Halloween costumes, wigs and Masks impersonating Gene, axe shaped guitars and some blood spitting - fire breathing make an interesting look for the evening. Thousands of fans dress up as Gene Simmons every year on Halloween and get a kick out of people's repeated reactions. Every tour has bought Kiss thousands of fans, all of whom remember them by all the memorabilia they can get their hands on. Besides, Masks, wigs, t-shirts, Halloween costumes are a favorite.

Be it the music that the band belted out, the ear splitting amplifiers and lyrics that praised sex, the on stage persona of the members; fire breathing, blood spitting antics on the stage, the various business ventures from Gene Simmons, they have all been huge successes. Every year something new is added to the already multi-million businesses from Kiss franchises, authoring a book, featuring in movies and reality TV shows, everything Gene Simmons does is with flair! Of course, the humungous fan following and the amazing business sense that Gene Simmons possesses has stood the tests of time.

So, every time you don that Gene Simmons Halloween costume or mask, remember the persona behind the mask as well!

Christopher Schwebius is an entrepreneur who seeks out sharply defined, specifically focused topics to research. Upon finishing his research he provides relevant, un-biased information to his readers based on his discoveries and/or personal experiences. One of his latest ongoing projects can be viewed at http://www.genesimmonscostume.org

Halloween Gifts - What to Give Away?

Halloween can truly be exciting because it brings out creativeness. On this "frightful" night, we can take the opportunity to give away presents to our loved-ones and friends. The type of gift can be based on the age and personality of the person to whom you will give it.

Below are some of the best Halloween gift ideas for you:

Halloween Masks

They are always part of Halloween celebrations and it seems like this night will not be complete without these stuffs, so why not give them spooky Masks that they will not just use but put on display inside their rooms when the celebration is over.

Horror Films on DVD

Give them something classic like old Dracula films, etc. You may also opt to give them new releases - just anything that they can watch during and after the celebration.

Halloween Cakes and Pies

Those who would normally appreciate these items are ladies. You can buy them from stores which normally put them on sale for the Halloween, or you can make them by yourself.

Halloween Candies

Both adults and kids would surely appreciate them, especially when they are presented in spider bowls, urns, pumpkins, haunted tree stump candy stands, weird candy dishes and others.

Personalized Halloween Photo Frames

You can place your Halloween memories in it and put them on display inside your home or office. You can hang them on your wall or simply place them on your table.

Spooky Candle Holders

Why would stuffs like these be exciting to give away during the Halloween? It's because they do not look ordinary. They can look like pumpkins or resemble a Halloween character of your choice.

Halloween Offers - Halloween Special Offers Running Across the web

Halloween Masks

Clearance Halloween Costumes - Online Discounts Are Waiting

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Nobody has to tell you that things are going so great in the economy right now. All you have to do is turn on the TV, read a news article online or try and find a job these days. It's a little sad because it doesn't seem like prices go down when your paycheck does. It actually only seems like prices ever go up.

But when it comes to shopping for Halloween costumes online then one of the best things you can do is to find a site that offers clearance Halloween costumes so you can get the Halloween party outfit you have been searching for without breaking your credit card into little pieces.

Because things are a bit tight at the moment, financially speaking, there are even more deals on Halloween gear online right now than ever before. A few simple searches and some clicks can help you save a ton of cash.

Some of the internet Halloween stores have all their discount and clearance items in a special part of their website and it might take a little bit of looking around the site before you can find that particular spot where the bargains are located.

But other Halloween sites have a great big banner ad right on the front page directing you to the part of the site where the best deals are.

But no matter what the site's policy is on presenting bargains, the deals are out there, and they are out there in great abundance.

Sometimes, the clearance Halloween costumes and other items like Masks, or haunted house props, or even zombie makeup are listed on the navigation links on the side of the website. And sometimes there is a little search box up at the top of the site where you can simply type in something like cheap Halloween Masks, or bargain zombie contact lenses or words like that.

Then if the site is put together well, you will get back a list of the pages where those terms are mentioned. Sometimes this works out really well, and the items you want are right there without any more searching around. But sometimes you have to go clicking around the links on hose pages in order to get to the part of website where all the bargains are hiding.

Either way, its kind of fun to go on a bargain hunt through a couple of websites. And sometimes you wind up with something even better than the costume or mask you were looking for in the first place. It just takes a little bit of patience but the clearance Halloween costumes are out there just waiting for you to find them.

The internet is ready to serve up a big bunch of bargains on clearance Halloween costumes with just just a little bit of searching online. Visit www.DiscountHalloweenCostumeShop.com for some of the best bargains on discount costumes.

Masks to Wear For Halloween 2008

Every year thousands of new Halloween Masks are produced and sold in American warehouses and stores. So there is really no point in re-using your old ones. But did you know that there are a lot of unique mask on the internet. What you cannot find in the stores are probably available online. Secure payments, fast shipments and a wide variety of Halloween Masks to choose between. Here are a few exceptional and unique Masks not found in many stores.

Since Halloween is one of our today's most celebrated non-religious holidays, you can just imagine the industry that has been created out of the demand of masks, decorations, pumpkins, candy and confetti. But if you are having a hard time picking out a new unique and funny costume for Halloween 2008 in all this cluster, here's a few tips.

1. The Barack Obama Halloween mask - in the political high season with the presidential election just around the corner why not dress up as your favorite candidate, senator, vice president or ex-president?

2. Batman Dark Knight Joker Mask - as a true replica of Heith Ledgers brilliant performance in the latest Batman movie you can roam the streets as the Joker.

3. Vice President candidate Sarah Palin - in all political fairness republican ex-Alaskan governor Sarah Palin is also available for recreation and imitation. This identical mask simply screams traditional values.

All of these mask suggestions and more Halloween props are available at Americans greatest online warehouse - Amazon.com It's cheap, secure and ensures delivery to your doorstep within a couple of days.

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Halloween Fun in Anoka, Minnesota

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Spooky monsters, friendly creatures, aliens, and celebrities all make for great Halloween costumes just in time for this spectacular holiday. If you enjoy a fun-filled Halloween party where you can display your costume, then don't miss the Anoka Halloween festival in Minnesota.

George Green organized the first Halloween parade in Anoka, Minnesota over eighty years ago to keep his city civilized during the Halloween holiday. This grand event encompassed a parade that later established Anoka as the "Halloween Capital of the World". The town of Anoka goes crazy during the Halloween celebration and includes events for people of all ages.

When are the Parades hosted?

The Halloween festival in Anoka, Minnesota hosts three fabulous parades. These three parades include an evening parade on Saturday, October 24th at 7:00pm, a parade for children on Friday, October 30th at 1:15pm, and a Grand Day Parade on Saturday, October 31st at 1:00pm. All three of these parades are located on Main Street in Anoka. If you are someone who enjoys having a good time on Halloween, these longest running Halloween parades are sure to please any crowd.

When is the Ghosts of Anoka Walking Tour?

The highly anticipated ghost tour in Anoka is hosted during the fall and summer seasons at 7:30pm. This event begins at the Anoka County History Center and Library and combines local history with dramatic Halloween styled anecdotes. Due to the popularity of the ghost tour, reservations should be considered. The prices are $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for members, and $5.00 for kids. For tickets and dates, please check out the local website at www.ac-hs.org.

When is the Haunted House conducted?

The Knights of Columbus put on a fun-inducing Halloween haunted house on the following dates and times: October 15-16, 22 & 25 at 7:00-9:00pm- October 17 & 23-24 at 7:00-10:00pm- October 29 at 6:00-9:00pm- October 30 & 31 at 6:00-10:00pm. This event appeals to kids and adults alike and is hosted at the Anoka County Fairgrounds. The cost for this event is: $8.00 for adults and $7.00 for children (10 and under). Some discounts apply so for more details, please visit the website at www.anokahauntedhouse.org.

When is the block party?

The block party is one of the most highly anticipated events of the Anoka Halloween festival and runs from 6:00pm until midnight on Saturday, October 31st. Tied into this grand event is the costume contest. Each of these events has live music with professional bands and requires a $10.00 entry fee. Don't miss out on the thrilling events associated with the Anoka Halloween festival.

Bring Your Halloween and Venetian Costume Masks to Life!

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No matter what kind of mask you choose, it creates a character-portrayal for the one wearing it. Venetian Masks, feather Masks, animal Masks, scary masks, funny masks and the array of Halloween masks set the mood. The mask gets most of the credit to create a character. It sets the stage, as the wearer does not need to add great effort or facial expression to bring to life; Allowing the mask to come alive lets the character come to life. Unleashing a mask's potential can be accomplished by nothing more than a stare or stance, and all masks have the needed quality to garnish smiles or send chills up the spine.

Put on a face mask and instantly it appears to be looking, watching or observing. The character qualities instantly come to life with the unforgettable "gaze.". In order to master the "gaze" the wearer needs to let the mask's character dominate without interjecting individual personal ideas. Once put on, the mask is no longer just a thing, it comes to life and the wearer must allow it to BE. In order to sustain the 'gaze,' the wearer must assume a sort of tunnel vision by imagining the mask has just one eye and that eye is at the end of its nose.

When the 'gaze' has been achieved and you have it down pat, involve the rest of your body by bringing it into play and accentuating the character. For instance, the body's neck can appear independent from the shoulders to create exaggerated movements of the head. However, the stare or gaze must be seen by the audience at all times, otherwise the fixation on the character and facial disguise will be lost. Never bring your hands up to the mask or touch it; the hands are an extension of the character but should not interfere with the 'gaze.'

There are many types of disguises, and each possesses its own character. There are masks suitable for Halloween, Venice carnival celebration, Venetian costumes, Mardi Gras, birthday party, Easter and Christmas, or a fancy dress party.

A mask begs to be animated, so remember:

1. Wear your mask,
2. Master the gaze, and
3. Allow it come to life!

Find hundreds of Halloween and other holiday costumes at http://plussizecostumes.walkinsarewelcome.com. Quality outfits are available for toddlers, kids, teens, adults and plus sizes.

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Update Post: Nov 21, 2010 02:30:20

Easy But Delicious Halloween Treats

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Treats belong to Halloween as turkey belongs to Thanksgiving. it does not matter if you are throwing a party, have created a haunted house or if you are expecting a lot of trick or treaters at your door step, you need Halloween treats. In this article we will show you how to make some of the most tasty but easy treats you can imagine.

Healthy Treats for Halloween?

In this time where a lot of our youngsters are already struggling with weight problems we also need to think about healthy snacking. Halloween is a holiday in particular where treats, snacks and food is important but there really are ways to reduce the amount of sugar and fats we give our children as a treat.

A few yummy ideas for reasonably healthy Halloween treats are:

#1 Caramel Apples

Although caramel apples contain a lot of sugar we can also create a 'light' variation. And because it is one of those Halloween treats most children love you are still giving something they want. Caramel apples are easy to make, just place a Popsicle stick in the center of the apple and melt some squares of caramel in a sauce pan and dip the apple half in the caramels and let the caramel drip around the other half. You can roll the apple in nuts or raisins to create a bit of a chunky feeling. because you only dip half of the apple you use less sugar and create a scary looking apple in the same time.

#2 Halloween Goo

Most people like Jell-O and when you add some small pieces of fruit in the shape of body parts you have created a mystery Halloween Goo that the kids will love. Just cut some fruits in to shape and make the Jell-O according the package. Refrigerate the Jell-O with the fruit for at least two hours. Children will love to pick the body parts out of the Jell-O.

#3 Cut off fingers

Something simple and very spooky are cut off finger treats, you can use some cans of small hot-dogs and create, with ketchup, a nail on the end of the finger. You also need to tear the end of the hot-dog as if the finger was torn off. You can place it in a small box or on top of a bowl of spaghetti to make it more scary to pick out the finger.

As you can see there are many different Halloween ideas for treats, that are easy, fun, tasty and healthy. And you probably will think of many more if you stop and think about it. Look at vegetables, fruits, cheese and other foods and think about what kind of scary stuff you can create with it. Halloween is not about collecting as much junk food as you can, it is about the fun and the scare. Ask your children and they will think the same as they see and taste what kind of scary Halloween treats you have created.

The author of this article, Kristin King, is a real Halloween lover, at here website Ahead Of Halloween.com she likes to write about Halloween recipe ideas but also about, Slipknot Halloween masks and much more.

Halloween Clown Masks

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Throughout history clowns have been the image of fun, to see them clown around at a circus, getting up to all kinds of mischief most people find them at least a little amusing. It's a long history too; they were in the pantomimes of Ancient Greece and probably existed well before then.

But take them out of the circus ring and it all changes...

They seem like they go through a disturbing transformation. Put them in more unusual, darker environments and bring them up closer and they lose their childish comical innocence.

"There is nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight" - actor Lon Chaney, Sr.

Thank you Lon, that kind of sums it up - but you cannot help wondering why on earth would say that in the first place.

Anyway, back to Halloween and some fun...

A Halloween clown mask is an ideal addition. The alternative would possibly be, to slap on the make-up yourself, however the mask has a number of advantages:

• They will not get smudged or run at the site of water. Though possibly this could add a chance and unique image all by itself most of the time it isn't going to be pretty.


• They are a cleaner alternative, not requiring heavy make-up removal at the end of the day. Saying that for some Masks, it is up to you to decide whether a mask that is showing smatterings of blood and gore over the face could be defined as clean...


• They are really quick to prepare, no other facial preparation is needed.


• There may be one disadvantage...

You maybe will want a brightly coloured costume to go with it, though the mask itself is probably surreal enough to look fascinating in a pin stripe suit.

OK - Maybe another disadvantage...

There is a chance that someone else may wear the same mask as you!

The more unusual or rarer the mask you find, the less chance of this ever happening, of course. But if you do find yourself akin to two women at a party in the same dress, you might consider the following.

• Leave the Party! What? No, it's not that bad is it?


• Clown Stand Off. Now is the chance to be the best and think of ways to look the scariest. You might find some cool killer clown like moves that make you stand out.


• Join Forces. Clowns do like their own company, even if they are scary. Having two clowns acting similarly will certainly double the spookiness.


• Confuse the Crowd. Maybe swap a few bits of the other person's costume and pretend to be them. A good time to find out what people really think of you?

So why not share or get some great ideas for a better Halloween this year from BetterHalloween.com and if the Halloween clown masks sounds like a great idea you'll find more information at Halloween Clown Masks

Come on in.... We won't Bite!...

Haha... HahaHaha... HAHAHAHa... ahem... Uh! Excuse me. Got carried away a bit there...
Anyway, like I was saying......

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Update Post: Nov 16, 2010 22:00:31

Venetian Masquerade Masks - History and Uses

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The use of Venetian masquerade Masks originated from Venice, Italy for their festival. This kind of mask was worn during the Carnival that was first documented use was shown as far back as the 13th century.

During the carnival in Venice, people used Masks to hide their true faces and be able to mingle with people of different social standings. This way their identity and social status are kept hidden. This is also true for today's masquerade parties where Venetian masquerade Masks are worn. Wearing of Venetian masks was more favoured by the upper classes during the past centuries.

Aside from hiding the identity of the wearers, men and women are able to experiment sexually without the fear of being recognized. Anyone who admires somebody is able to express his or her love or affection without having to show his or her face. People tend to say more and become more honest when they wear masks. They can do what they want more freely and inhibitions are released.

The modern Venetian masks, just like the Venetian masks worn back in 13th century are characterized by their complex designs. They are featured with bright colors accented with gold or silver. Most of the designs of the Venetians are adopted from Commedia dell'arte. These masks are of different shapes and they can also be full-face masks such as Bauta or eye masks such as Columbina.

Venetian masquerade masks can be made from several materials such as plasters, leather and paper mache. They are usually hand painted that have fabric trims, jewels and other materials to enhance them.

Aside from the examples of Venetian masquerade masks that were mentioned, other kinds of these masks are Volto or Larva, Moretta, Medico Della Peste or "The Plague Doctor" and others. The classical long nose style of masks is still a popular kind of Venetian masquerade masks that are worn at many events.

These kinds of masks have been used and are famous in the Hollywood. They were used in the film Eyes Wide Shut where Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are the lead actor and actress.

Venetian masquerade masks are still being worn by many people who attend masquerade balls to bring elegance and beauty to the ones who wear them.

Serena Mason is a masquerade masks expert with years of experience in the industry. Check out her sites on masquerade ball masks by clicking the links now!

Low-Cost Halloween Decorating Ideas for Fun

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Halloween is a uniquely special time of year, regardless of whether you're a kid or just a kid at heart. It's a holiday time that offers lots of wonderful opportunities to decorate your home creatively, since the subject matter is different from any other holiday. If you're thinking about decorating your porch and yard for the spookiest night of the year, you can do it without having to spend a lot of money. Here are a few low-cost ideas for showing your Halloween spirit to the world:

Crime Scene to Fright Scene

You can get rolls of yellow Caution tape (the type you see at crime or disaster scenes to keep people out of certain areas) fairly inexpensively at most hardware stores, and if you put it up around the perimeter of your yard, accompanied by a sign that says something like "Fright Scene: Enter at Your Own Risk," it can give an eerily spooky ambience while also offering guests a wary smile.

You can enhance that spookiness either more by replacing your regular porch light with a black light bulb. Adding a few Halloween-oriented items like skulls and ghost figures that glow in the dark will be even more effective.

Pumpkins and Paint Fun

If you want your pumpkins to last longer (and even to be reusable when you scrap your Halloween decorations and begin decorating for Thanksgiving), don't carve them. Paint them with acrylic paint. You can create an infinite variety of faces or scenes, and your pumpkins will last much longer. There's also none of the mess involved with carving them. Place your pumpkins in groups of three to five of varying sizes and shapes. It makes for a much more effective display.

Graveyard Fun

A little paint can go a long way in creating great-looking tombstones, too. You can paint simple boards gray and then use black paint to add silly or scary epitaphs that will delight visitors. Things like: "See? I Told You I Was Sick" can bring smiles, but you can also create scarier epitaphs to bring out the more ghoulish side of your nature.

Craft Fun for Children

Children love this craft. You can create some wonderfully spooky scenes in your windows by cutting out silhouettes of the various Halloween icons, such as black cats, witches, and skeletons, out of construction paper. When it gets dark, your windows will take on a lovely macabre look when the light is blocked out by those eerie objects.

Simple scarecrow-type figures, topped with rubber Halloween Masks, can also be effective in adding some scare factor to your front porch and lawn. Just stuff a shirt and pair of pants with straw or leaves, add the mask, and you've got an instant horror figure for just a little time, imagination, and very little money.

Jeanette Fisher helps home makers have fun decorating their homes. Free holiday decorating tips at http://joyholidays.com

Home Decorating Interior Design Ideas

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Halloween Costume Party! Try Your Local Newspaper for Ideas!

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I've just been invited to a Halloween costume party. Where do I start? Hmmm...A great source might be my local newspaper (or the internet news like CNN or MSNBC).

Why?

Because not all costumes are Pirates, or Sexy Witches or one of the multitude of super heroes. Some of the best costumes originate with your own creativity.

Remember 'Octomom' from a year or so back? All it took was a maternity dress and eight dolls and you had a topical, unique and humorous costume. It started with the media and ended up with your imagination at work.

As I peruse today's newspaper, let me see what ideas arise from the news. Today's front page reports on the Mexican mudslide; and although it was a tragedy; it reminds me that I can wear a costume that represents the garb from a foreign country. A Sari, a serape and sombrero, kilts and a bagpipe (props are helpful, too) or a pair of lederhosen and a beer stein.

And there is a story about President Obama. I know they sell Masks of the President (and many Presidents before him) at my local costume shop. And I can buy one of Michelle, as well, for my lady friend.

Further back in the front section is a story about Toys R Us. That opens a lot of possibilities such as a Rag Doll, or a cowboy, or a robot or a futuristic astronaut. Do a couple of those sound like they are characters from a movie? These ideas came from a news story.

And what's in the next section of the paper?

Local news can take many forms, but among today's stories featured the police and fire departments. That might open the possibility of occupational and career costumes such as policemen, firemen, doctors, nurses, construction workers, soldiers and sailors.

Our third section is the Sports pages and the classifieds. Frankly, because of the proliferation of athletic shirts and caps, a costume might be conjured up. But is a costume a costume if it is everyday wear?

And finally, the Art and Recreation section. The comic strips alone will open up many possibilities. Do you want to be Blondie, the cartoon character? Do you want to be Blondie, the singer? Perhaps a soldier like Beetle Bailey or a Viking like Hagar the Horrible?

The very last page features celebrities, both famous and the infamous. Do you want to spoof Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan? Willie Nelson or Nelson Mandela? Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt or perhaps a role they played?

This exercise is all about letting your creative juices flow and gush forth.

As for my Halloween costume, I'll wait and see what tomorrows newspaper will bring.

The author, Russ, is a longtime owner and operator of a theatrical, masquerade and Halloween costume shop. He presently is the owner-manager-chief bottle washer of a costume informational and education blogsite. For Halloween costume ideas, visit: http://www.costumescostumescostumes.net

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Update Post: Nov 12, 2010 19:10:13

How to Make Halloween Masks Out of Paper Bags

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This project is a great way to make Halloween Masks for your kids without spending a fortune! I don't know about you but my child always yanked his mask off, so even if this occurs you are not losing a lot of money! These creative Masks are all made from large paper bags, either from the grocery store, craft store, or dollar store and the bag has side gussets.

Materials:
Large paper bag with gussets: for the mask.
Colored thin card or colored construction paper: to make cats ears or flower petals.
Thick nibbed black felt pen: to outline features.
Various decorations: for individual masks.
Scissors: to cut ears and eyes, and any other shapes you desire.
Pencil: to create marks.
Glue: to adhere all of you features and decorations.

Basic Method:

For All Masks:
When creating any of these masks, first pull the paper bag over the head until it sits comfortably on the shoulders. Press the bag gently against the face of your child or whomever you are making the mask for. Mark lightly in soft pencil where nose and eyes go. Remove the bag and cut out a small pear shaped flap for the nose and two small slits for the eyes. If you cut correctly a child or spouse should be able to see out of them. Cut a slit or small opening for the mouth as well. You can now create any mask you want, make your own design and use your black felt pen to create lines, whiskers. Design different facial features on colored construction paper and glue onto your mask. For example if you decide to make a cat mask then you would draw, cat ears, eyes, and mouth on separate colored papers , cut them out and adhere them to your mask. You can now add pieces of fun fur and absolutely anything else you want.

Happy Halloween!

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art . Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at http://www.labedzki-art.com

Halloween Masks and the History of Halloween

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By far and away the most popular use of Masks today, loosely but definitely within the drama arena, is for the annual ritual of Halloween, and most of all within the US.

The evening of the 31st October has long been celebrated in Church circles as the eve of All Saints' Day and is properly known as All-hallow-even. Originally, in pre-Christian Britain, this was New year's Eve. Basically it's a Vigil for the morrow's Feast commemorating all the saints and martyrs, who originally had no specific public recognition in the form of their own feast day, and was finally instituted in its current form in the 9th century. Subsequently the 2nd November was dedicated to all the other holy souls who have made it to Heaven, but not been canonised as saints - All Souls Day.

All-hallow-even or All Hallows Eve became in addition the secularised Halloween, deriving from its Celtic and Gaelic roots in Britain. This now includes a tradition permitting children a chance to "trick or treat" - to visit houses, carrying a jack-o-lantern (a pumpkin carved to resemble a diabolical face and having a lit candle within it), to demand a treat. If the treat is not forthcoming, tradition allows the children to play a trick on the householder.

In Scotland Halloween acquired a special significance partly due to the poem of that name by Robert Burns. Young lads and lasses, who observe certain rites, are supposed on this night to have their future wives and husbands revealed to them.

Ireland is quoted as being the origin of the modern secular or pagan feast and Irish emigrants for taking their superstitions with them to the US.

Modern popularity will have been greatly boosted by the Halloween series of horror movies, where a mask is used to conceal the identity of the very scary killer. Today popular Masks for Halloween include the Slipknot range, Homer Simpson masks and gorilla masks. The Slipknot masks, created by the heavy metal band of that name, rely on a wide range of influences, not least S&M, as well as maggots, clowns and skulls.

The lead characters in the popular adult US cartoon series have all spawned commercially-available masks, with Homer Simpson's mask in particular rating high in demand.

Gorilla masks likewise rate highly for Halloween, joined by all sorts of other devilish creatures such as hell-hounds, werewolves, bats, sharks, and dangerous or even mutant beasts of every kind.

As with so many Christian feasts deriving from earlier pagan celebrations, there sometimes seems to be a vast gulf between the Christian devotion on the one hand and the modern version of the pagan ritual on the other. If there is a link, I can't help feeling it lies in the common cause of trying to put the fear of God into us (come Hell or High Water, probably the former!).

Michael Barry

Editor of ebook on "The Role of Masks in Drama and in Life" http://masks-ebook.perceptivecreation.co.uk

A lifelong director, writer and producer in theatre, film and TV.

Learn About Halloween Traditions

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When you and your family celebrate Halloween together, you are taking part in a tradition that stretches back for centuries. Many of the activities and customs that we participate in every October are borrowed from medieval rituals and festivals. Let's take a look at some of the things that make Halloween such a special holiday.

Trick Or Treating

The most widely recognized part of Halloween, of course, is getting the kids all dressed up as their favorite animals, superheroes, or cartoon characters, and hitting the neighborhood for an evening of trick or treating. The roots of this Halloween tradition go back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, in which villagers wore costumes and Masks in an effort to scare off evil spirits during a time of year when they were considered to be especially dangerous.

Although we are no longer trying to scare away harmful spirits, trick or treating still plays a fundamental role in any Halloween celebration. From parents escorting their children around the neighborhood for the first time, to neighbors handing out candy to the children who bring happiness and playfulness to the community, trick or treating is a tradition that everyone can enjoy.

Halloween Hayrides

Although a relatively new tradition in the folklore of Halloween, gathering up the kids for a Halloween hayride is still an exciting event for everyone who participates. Hayrides provide something different for the children of the neighborhood to enjoy, and brings with it a spirit of community togetherness. Some communities combine trick or treating with their hayride, which brings a unique set of benefits to the neighborhood. Children get to share their Halloween experience with all of the children in the neighborhood, and neighborhood residents get to see all of the kids at one time rather than being interrupted all evening long by ringing doorbells. Hayrides typically require a tractor (and a responsible adult to drive it), a trailer, some hay, and some adults to volunteer to ride or walk along the side of the trailer to keep the kids inside safe.

Costume Parties

Trick or treating isn't the only reason to put on a costume, either. Costume parties are also a fun reason to get dressed up. Halloween is a great time to throw a costume party, an idea that combines the fun of Halloween with the mystery of a masquerade ball. It allows adults and teenagers who have gotten too old for trick-or-treating the opportunity to put on their own costumes and have a good time with their friends. Costume parties can be as varied in style and activity as any other party. Some costume parties are family friendly and are meant for everyone to enjoy, while other parties may be thrown with adult tastes in mind, such as the inclusion of adult beverages or dance floors.

No matter what you do to celebrate Halloween this year, from putting on a costume for a party to taking part in a Halloween hayride, you will be doing your part to celebrate the traditions that make Halloween the unique holiday that it has been for generations.

Cassie Jilari has loved Halloween for as long as she can remember. She has studied the holiday and come to appreciate the history behind it. But, she admits that dressing up is her favorite aspect of Halloween. Possible costume ideas include a Power Ranger costume or a soldier Halloween costume.

Halloween Make Up Ideas for You to Try This Year

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Having the perfect Halloween costume is more than just clothes, Masks, etc. You can really spice up a costume with a hue change to your skin, and a few changes to the focus with some makeup. Often Halloween makeup is what makes or breaks a costumer. The following are some great Halloween makeup ideas:

Clown Makeup: For the clown Halloween costume you can use Halloween makeup to enhance the costume and make your clown seem more realistic. First, you will want to paint your face white. Then, take some red and create some big red cheeks on your face. You will want to take a few colors that are bright, like green, yellow, etc. Take a sponge and paint a diamond around one eye. Then, take a black stick makeup and outline the shape around the eyes to make it look bolder. You can create a shape around the other eye, or add some extra color to the one you already painted. You can add glitter, gems, or other things using spirit gum to make the extra things stick.

Witch: For Halloween witch makeup ideas you will want to find a matte makeup that is cream based and green tinted. You will want to create some fake warts. You will want to use some black makeup to highlight areas and make your cheeks look sunken in, etc. Raisins attached to the face with gum spirit, and covered with makeup will look just like a wart. You can add hair to the wart by cutting out hairbrush bristles, and use super glue to attach them to the raisin.

Hobo: The next Halloween makeup idea is that of a hobo. For this you are going to use makeup to create bruises, dirt, etc. So, start by applying a matte makeup that will discolor the face some anyway. Then add some darker makeup, browns, blacks, some blues and greens. This will help make the bruises and dirt streaks that you apply look more realistic, aged, and right. You can add makeup junk into the hair and leaves, etc. to make you look more hobo-ish.

Dead biker zombie: For this Halloween makeup idea you are going to want to get some fake scars, some scabs and road rash supplies. What you want to do to create road rash is make a mix of gelatin or jello. You will want grape and cranberry to get the right colors. You will want to mix it and put it on your body so that it can dry on you, and appear to be the real thing. Paint your face white so you look like a zombie, use gum spirit and makeup to create scars and pus, and red irritated festering wounds.

If you need other Halloween makeup ideas you can go online and look for them, you can decide on your costume, and look for makeup ideas to help you enhance the costume.

Visit BirthdayPartyCentral.com for more birthday party ideas, including a large selection of birthday games, birthday coloring pages, and birthday party supplies.

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Update Post: Nov 07, 2010 15:30:12

Flavor of Halloween in United States

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What is Halloween?

Halloween is an international festival, usually celebrated on 31 October every year in the United States, Canada, Ireland, and Scotland. The festival dates back to ancient Celt period, when a festival to welcome the new season of harvesting was celebrated on a large scale. To honor their gods, Celts used to burn big bonfires of foods, animals, and fruits and dedicate it to their ancestors to provide them their blessings. It was also believed that on this day, dead ones visit their land and converse with the people. People used to wear Masks and costumes to scare evil spirits that later became a trademark of this festival.

Halloween in United States

Halloween festival is a great celebration time in the United States. On every 31 October, Halloween is celebrated with great excitement and fun. Children as well as adults take part and enjoy with various elaborate homemade and store-bought decorations. In this day, since morning people start decorating their homes and streets to gives it a new look. People invite each other on this day and make different delicious recipes and food items to lure their guests and invitees. The festival of Halloween is considered as the second important festival of the country only after the Christmas. Commercially also, Halloween generates good revenues and involves money transactions.

Generally, a week before the festival, people start doing their preparation for making it a grand day. They plan out their dresses and normally wear a different styled cloth to earn appreciations. For school and college students, this festival has a special meaning. These people generally decorate their place with lots of pumpkins and lightings to create a version of heaven on the earth. Devil, hospital patient, black weirdo are some of the popular costumes fro Halloween. However, people have started mixing up the ideas and dressing pattern a lot.

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Masks in Their Old and New Roles

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Masks have been around since the ancient times. Ancient theatre was greatly dependent on them. The now famous image of two Masks, one joyful and the other sorrowful, was once the symbol of ancient Greek theatre, back in the times of playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides. In those times, Masks were used to differentiate the good from the evil, the hero from the villain. However, as time went on, masks moved away from the stage. Later, playwrights such as Brecht and Cocteau did make use of masks on stage. Yet, masks had by now moved away from the world of performances and had begun to make inroads into ordinary life.

Today, masks have taken on a whole new role. Nowadays, they are used entirely for entertainment. Birthday parties for young children are no longer complete without the whistles, the party hats, and the many kinds of masks. And even adults are not left far behind when it comes to masks. People wear masks at costume parties, particularly around Halloween, and move around pretending to be someone they are not. Masks provide us the opportunity to move around the world incognito. Even though we are aware that we will have to go back to being ourselves the moment the party is over, there is great joy in temporarily being somebody else.

Perhaps that is the reason why Halloween has become one of the most popular events in the calendar year as far as adults are concerned. People today are very keen to make a splash at the next Halloween party. As a result, they start planning their gory and gruesome costumes several months in advance. Costume shops start stocking the outfits from even before that. And which costumes seem to be in greatest demand? Scary clowns, vampires, and zombies top the list.

Of course, costumes are only one aspect of the Halloween party drama. One cannot forget about the masks. These days, the emphasis is on finding a realistic Halloween mask -- no longer a difficult task. This is because the masks of today are being crafted out of silicon. As a result today's silicon Halloween masks are a lot more lifelike. For instance, the zombie Halloween masks that are available these days appear a lot more gruesome. The flesh appears real, and the fake blood looks much less fake. Masks have come a long way since their days on the stage. If anything, in their new incarnation, they have gained in popularity.

Be a hit at Halloween parties with silicon Halloween masks and zombie Halloween masks. Nothing goes better than a realistic Halloween mask.

Seven Awesome Halloween Costumes For Couples

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The modern concept of Halloween costumes that couples have taken to wearing at Halloween parties have drawn a lot of flack these days for being unimaginative and failing to live up to the hype and hoopla that Halloween is all about. They barely arouse any interest and fail to add much to entertainment other than just couple identification.

After all, it's not everyday that we get to celebrate Halloween. Also, no other festival gives you the liberty to go for self-indulgence as Halloween does. In fact, where else will you get the chance to get into the shoes of a famous persona? So why not make the most of it and add a touch of drama to the entire thing. The ball and chain costume involves just that, the ball and chain. Though mimicking celebrity couples might not always be easy, especially if it's a Branjelina costume or a Brad Pitt and Angelina that you are trying to depict, a gentle satirical imitation might well do the job. Presented here are seven Halloween costume ideas for couples to try and make for a truly extravagant Halloween party.

• The classic movie, 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' presents some truly remarkable opportunities. While on one hand there's the devoted scientist Dr. Jekyll, known for his gentle manners, on the other end is his chemically induced alter ego Mr. Hyde. Both the characters are equally tempting and once it's decided who becomes who, you can train your focus on infusing life into the character. You'll require lots of face paint and some truly distorting special effects for depicting Mr. Hyde while for Dr. Jekyll, a 19th century equivalent of a classy nerd will can be enough. A net research will provide you with a wealth of information like pictures from the movie that will help you to perfect your Halloween costume.



• Then there's the legendary creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and his buddy, Dr. Watson, which can make a great Halloween costume fit for the couples concept. And finding detailed images showing their dressing style and deportment is never a tough job.



• Those who appreciate history will surely love the fun and ostentatious display that a Napoleon Bonaparte and his love Josephine look-alike can bring to the Halloween party. Think of those curling wigs, lavish attires and great accessories, and you'll be able to carry an air of greatness into the party, something that is so befitting the occasion.



• King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are also worth a try. That they met with a truly calamitous ending actually allows you to portray these Halloween costumes for couples idea in two ways - one illustrating them in all their splendor during the pre-revolutionary period and another showing the guillotine part. So it can be either a stately display of the king and the queen or something that is morbid and grisly, the choice is yours.



• For the romantic minded, depicting Guinevere and Lancelot will be the ideal choice. Guinevere, with long flowing hair dressed in a delicate gown and Lancelot in shining armor makes for an excellent costume idea.



• Romeo and Juliet, the ultimate romantic couple, is however the first choice for those with a romantic bent of mind. Juliet with her elaborate clothing, lavish silk embroidery, gold lace trims and velvets along with Romeo, with his more manly wear against the backdrop of the Renaissance makes for, what can be termed as, the supreme display of romanticism.



• Cleopatra and Marc Anthony are another great idea for couples, one that is perhaps the most easily recognizable. It might also be the easiest, going by the fact that clothing used to be simple in those days, though Cleopatra is known to be an avid user of makeup and jewelry.

And lastly, the thing that can make these Halloween costume ideas for couples to truly make an affect is the willingness to go for things authentic and a keen attention to detail. And with an abundance of good quality images easily available, this by no means is an impossible task. All that is required is some genuine effort and portraying someone else for a night can be easy.

To learn more about Halloween costumes check out also Halloween costume ideas for groups, where you'll find this and a lot more tips and advice including Halloween costume ideas for kids.

Use Halloween Masks Over Face Painting

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The festival of Halloween has roots in the old Christian world and the Celtic culture. The Celtic culture was spread across Europe and Asia Minor in the pre-Roman times. The people of that culture had this belief that the dead ancestors descend on Earth on this day and so do the evil spirits. The people would pay their tribute to the dead and pray to them to keep them safe from the evil. They would light bonfires and walk or dance around them wearing Halloween Masks in an effort to scare them away from their families and cattle. The Masks were meant to impart a mean and scary look to help ward off the dark forces. The nervous and self-effacing man finds the mask to be an article that helps him hide his inefficiencies and infuses in him momentary confidence to enable him to emerge stronger.

Halloween Masks have evolved over the years and today it has blended with the Halloween costume. Every Halloween that is hosted in any part of the world witness active participation by people across the cultures. People come ornately dressed in Halloween costumes as superheroes, villains, vampires and werewolves as per the stretch of their imagination. According to traditions, people on this day put on scary masks to resemble frightful characters such witches, monsters and demons. The idea is to scare off the evil spirits and keep them at bay. Kids and youngsters especially get fascinated with the thought of dressing up as Zombies. Also popular is the 'scream' mask portrayed in the movies of the Scream series.

Halloween masks provide an alternative to the Halloween face painting. Painting the face requires one to be very careful. A practiced hand is must if you wish to bring out good results. But since not every hand is god with brushes therefore, you can opt for masks as they are easy to wear and hassle free. But you should be very cautious while purchasing a mask. Since it will be in constant contact with your skin so make sure that the mask that you chose to wear is made of skin friendly material. Also do not be lured into buying cheap masks available in abundance. You should never fall for all those ads enticing you into buying masks made of sub-standard material. A healthy alternative to these masks is a paper mask so that you may enjoy your party and stay healthy.

Kelly Lane, regular contributor and writer to www.greenhornetkatocostumes.com, a website that specializes in fun and unique Green Hornet Costumes at incredible savings.

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Update Post: Nov 02, 2010 13:50:29