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10 Things Iโ€™d Love to Do for Halloween (But Probably Wonโ€™t)

By October 18, 2012October 2nd, 201331 Comments

I tend to be very ambitious for Halloween โ€” thinking about Halloween that isโ€ฆtwo months before itโ€™s an actual reality. But because the holiday falls so close to Abbyโ€™s birthday, I end up having very little energy left in the inspiration bank once its time to dig out the hanging ghost for the front door. To look at my facebook feed and Pinterest page, however, this does not seem to be a problem for the rest of the world โ€” or at least the virtual world that I travel in. So in order to not leave you completely in the (creepy, scary) dark, I thought Iโ€™d present a quick Halloween inspiration hit list (what to read, bake, dress up as, play on the iPod) based mostly on other peopleโ€™s ambitious ideas.

1) One thing I know for sure I wonโ€™t have to do this year is scramble to find treat bags, because theย personalized ones you see above,ย whichย I ordered for each of the girls on their first Halloweens, are still going strong. Crushing to think that theyโ€™ve been around for nine and ten years respectively.

2) I found these Owl Cupcakes via Pinterest, traced it back to a site called Karaโ€™s Party Ideas, but couldnโ€™t find the specific post itself. No matter, the reason I love it so much is because looks like the baking-challenged among us (me) would figure it out without written instructions. Looks like all you need is your favorite cupcake mix, chocolate icing, M&Ms and Oreos.

3) How funny is thisย Awkward School Photoย costume?ย (Viaย Cup of Jo.)ย My kids are going as Medusa (any leads on a snake headdress that doesnโ€™t cost $35 are welcome) and a Detective (badge, hat, magnifying glass, my old trench coat, done). I really love seeing creative kidsโ€™ costumes, so pleaseย send them my way or share them on theย DALS facebook page. You never know, I might be in my random-prize-awarding mood when I see something I go crazy for.

4) Costume ideas for Siblings (photo credit: imgur) I canโ€™t imagine my two hyper individualistic little monsters agreeing on a theme costume idea (they each eat different salsas, for crying out loud), but you might have better luck.

5) A Zombie playlist to blare from behind the bushes. One thing I DO get around to is downloading creepy sounds from iTunes (you can literally search โ€” and find โ€” anything: creaky door, howling wind, witchโ€™s cackle, creepy scream). I play them on repeat from an old CD player strategically planted near my front door.

6) Naturally, it would feel wrong to have a post about Halloween that didnโ€™t include Martha. I like the Milano tombstone part on this Graveyard Pie the most. You can probably steal that idea on any pie or chocolate cake or a cupcake youโ€™re making for the School Halloween Fair.

7) Inchmarkโ€™s Brooke is back from an excruciatingly long maternity leave! (Well, excruciatingly long for me at least.) She hasnโ€™t logged any Halloween posts for this year yet, but a quick search unveiled some gems: A coolย tip for lighting jack-o-lanterns,ย potted pumpkin pies, a seemingly easyย Luke Skywalker costume.

8ย Saraโ€™s Eyeball Cupcakes, from last Halloween, of course. Iโ€™ve used this red velvet cake recipe for the rest of year, too and itโ€™s a winner.

9) The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Book/CD. To quote George Saunders from an earlier DALS interview: โ€œFeaturing scary-as-heck music, great moody illustrations by Robert Van Nutt, and a masterful reading by Glenn Closeโ€ฆIf you want to terrify your kids so much that they will never leave home or go outside in autumn and will totally forevermore avoid the Catskills. And pumpkins. And Glenn Close.โ€ We live only a few towns over from Sleepy Hollow and itโ€™s an abomination that I havenโ€™t played this for my kids yet โ€” happy to say I just one-clicked the CD. (For younger kids, check out Design Momโ€™s round-up ofย Ten Halloween Books.)

10) For ambitious carvers in the New York area, itโ€™s absolutely mandatory to take a field trip to the Great Pumpkin Blaze in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Five thousand individually carved illuminated pumpkins. Thatโ€™s all I need to say on that one, I think. Oh, except one more thing: tickets go fast, so act sooner rather than later.

Please head over to Dinner: A Love Storyโ€™sย facebook pageย to share your own photos and ideas. Or do it right here in this post. Iโ€™m sure the DALS community would appreciate it. I certainly will.

31 Comments

  • Avatar 654carroll says:

    i went to a costume wedding this weekend, and there was a woman dressed as Static Cling, and her hair was all crazy like Medusaโ€™s, and she said she got it done at a salon for $15 and the stylist was so excited to do something fun like that. Maybe a salon trip would be fun pre-trick-or-treating (because isnโ€™t trick-or-treating the 4th and 5th grade equivalent of the prom?)

  • Avatar Brooke Reynolds says:

    Guess I better put up some Halloween ideas pronto!

  • Avatar SophieH says:

    Oooh โ€” my kids are still a little too young to get Halloween (though Iโ€™m sure the eyeball cupcakes will get the one whoโ€™s old enough for solid food in the spirit), but Iโ€™m so digging the design ideas that Iโ€™ll practice on my coworkers (and take home the baking contest gold) this year, refine my techniques, and blow it out of the water next year.

  • Avatar Michele says:

    Hi Jenny,
    This is a post for the Barilla pasta Celebrate Pasta Day. My family and I will have our favorite Shrimp and Black olive pasta made with red sauce, a bit of cream, and crushed red pepper. I usually saute red onion and garlic, then do the shrimp, hit it with a little white wine, add the olives, reserved pasta water if necessary and toss it all with penne, or some similarly shaped pasta. Yum. Plate then top with shredded parm. Thanks!

  • Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says:

    I absolutely LOVE the pumpkin treat baskets! But they are currently not available. Iโ€™ll try again for next year! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for the reco!

  • Avatar Caron says:

    I did a Medusa costume and for the โ€œheaddressโ€ used a basic headband with rubber snakes from the Dollar Tree hot glue gun and you can put as many as you need โ€“ green food color in the hair (washes out quickly!)

    If you use the rubber snakes with wire in them, you can make them stand up

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