Countdown to Halloween

Why should your jack-o’-lantern
always be deprived of a body? 

When one speaks of the month of October, thoughts focus on pumpkins, autumn leaves and Halloween. First, hand-carved pumpkins lend themselves to family time as each member tries to pick the perfect pumpkin to carve and outwit the other with scary designs. Tension mounts as imagination soars with competitions arising to see who is the most creative from spooky to elegant to funny. Get your carving tools ready. Pumpkins, knives, action! Just be careful, those knives are sharp! Don't need any real blood on the scene.

Falling Leaves of Autumn

Then, the falling leaves of autumn call forth the yard rake. This brings out the child in each of us with memories reflecting upon the back and forth rhythmic motion as leaves cling to the 'fingers' of the rake before being deposited in a pile. The pile, of course, offering an open invitation to jump right smack dab in the middle!

Halloween should be a fun time big on family time. Halloween Happenings include The Witching Hours where the origins of this spooky holiday can be learned from olden times to present day. Stories of ghosts, goblins and ghouls begin to monopolize the setting as family members try to decide which of the movie makers outdid the other with scenes of blood and gore. Of course, all horror movies do not necessarily feed upon blood and some actually bring about laughter, rather than shrills and chills. Which do you enjoy - Monsters: Laughter or Shivers?

Have you seen Young Frankenstein?
GREAT B&W released in December, 1974

Most enjoyable are probably the times in the kitchen. Gearing up for Halloween means plan and prep of scary goodies with black and orange being a prominent sign of the times. Of course, other colors add slime and blood to the scene. From breakfast Halloween Pumpkin Pancakes to "hairy" green spider cookies to little monster cupcakes to ug-g-gly witch faces to whatever...

Daddy, the Monster, 1984

Last, but not by any means least, are the Halloween costumes. The decision must be made...who or what will I be this year? Do I glance back into the past for a repeat performance or go toward something entirely new and different, cool or bizarre? Zombies seem to be the craze this year but I just might meet myself along the street. Ideas can be gleaned from DIY to what's trending on the runway to ideas No One Else Will Have [hopefully no one at all] to Letting Celebrities Be Your Guide to Over-the-Top Halloween Costumes! The possibilities are limitless with a little creativity and a lot of imagination. Get to work and let your imagination soar!

Mummies are in!

With Halloween only two days away, are you ready? Do you buy or are you into homemade Halloween treats? Buying from the store may be the quickest but not necessarily the most fun. You can actually plan your own 'tricks' while enjoying time with family and friends in the kitchen! If you don't want to take the time to bake from scratch, the simplest store-bought cookies can be dressed to kill...or should I say scare!

Quick Halloween Treats: #Recipe

Of course, stocking up on candy is a must for the surprise trick-or-treaters. There are the all-time favorites along with many taste-tested newbies. One of the most common Halloween candies is candy corn, which by the way will be in the spotlight for celebration tomorrow, October 30. While you wait in anticipation to learn more about this special day, check out the latest varieties provided by Brach's. Candy corn is still a classic but oh-h-h so many more flavors: Sea Salt Chocolate, Autumn Mix, Indian Corn, Caramel Macchiato, S'Mores and Apple Pie.