Trick or Treat

Ghoulish Blaze Mancillas

October 2011:
Halloween to me means the beginning of the holiday shopping, partying and travel season.  I try to add one piece to my collection of Halloween spirit every year. My favorite oldie is still the screaming door mat (click), gotta remember my fresh supply of AA  batteries this year. Pottery Barn (click) has an elegant or chic selection of goodies for your home. Z Gallerie (click) and Horchow (click) has fun stuff too. My friend Shirley who is a self-proclaimed "Bad Witch" will likely buy the Witch Hat Headband at Z Gallerie thanks to her she brought my attention to their Halloween wears.

Trick or Treats was a lot more fun when I was a kid (1960's-70's) ransacking every house for ever-so-good-tooth-rotting candy as long as porch lights were on...we were there!. My most memorable Halloween was when I was 8 years old dressed as a Spanish dancer in fuscia and purple. I knocked on the door of a woman who spoke no english and did not know the custom.  She walked to a closet that was lined with handbags, opened one and handed me a $20 bill. I suppose she thought I was a little orphan.The worst stories I heard back then were razor blades inserted in apples, but who cares, do you know a kid who wants an apple for Halloween?? Today you have House-parties so you gotta go shopping and dress up the house too.

Watching movies on Halloween night is always a great choice while staying up for the little costumed tricksters to knock on the front door. iTunes Horror Movies (click) are available for rent or purchase and Netflix has Thriller and Horror dvd/Instant watch selections in their movie line up to peruse. By the way, this year October 31st is on a Monday that means BEWARE of inevitable traffic nightmares driving home from work. LIFE-StyleMe highly recommends ducking out early.

Take pictures of your "hunt"

I love pumpkin carving (click); and you must visit your neighborhood pumpkin patch and not the grocery store to find your perfect blank orange canvas. Use your own original ideas for a pumpkin carving, they do not have to be traditional themes, some are beautiful (click), show you are a fan (click) and  some are simply not for the faint of heart (click).  Visiting an art supply store such as Michael's will offer "accessories" (click) to your whole theme planning.
Then there are costumes and the field is always wide open. Do anything, be anything, be anyone, wear anything but for goodness sake, please, no lingerie in the office. Believe me, this happens more often then you think!  Make this your new annual tradition: Bake a Pumpkin Cheesecake (click)
Oh and by the way- I mentioned it's Holiday Season....you have 71 more shopping days until December 25th.