There’s a spooky new soda in the city… Halloween Crush: Eerie Orange! Check out that vicious vampire and that happening haunted house.
And Pringles is getting in on the frightful fun! Check out this box of Pringles Singles complete with tombstones. With 24 single-serving sized containers in each box, these would be great for Trick or Treaters.
Halloween Pringles
Thank you for checking in with us during our 2015 Countdown to Halloween! We shall see you all next year… Until then…
Mothers have a holiday. Fathers do too. Veterans, the United States of America, laborers, pilgrims, grandparents, and Jesus all have holidays. But do the children have one, a day that is all their own? Yes. Yes, they do.
There exists one night each year when the children make the rules, when they use their imaginations to the fullest, when they are given free reign of their worlds, when every door opened offers the opportunity for reward. That night is Halloween.
Halloween is the one day out of the year that truly belongs to the children, the ones ages two to twelve, and the ones ages thirteen to 102 who refuse to grow up. Halloween is the one night of the year when it is all right for each of us to return to the fantastic world of childhood, when we can allow make-believe things to scare us, and when we can dress up, be silly, and be ourselves – just as the children do.
So, here is to the children, both young and old, to the fantasies of youth, and to the one night when imagination knows no boundaries. Here is to our holiday. Here is to Halloween.
Happy Halloween!
A Haunted Hello! Today, the Big Scare continues to highlight this year’s awfully awesome Halloween treats that you can find in retailers near you.
Nabisco Halloween
Many folks are getting away from giving out candy to the Treaters. The creeps at the Big Scare have divided opinions with regard to this. After all, there is such a thing as a candy overload. Plus, some people just don’t give out “good” candy. However, if you are going to refrain from handing out candy, you’d better come up with something equally as awesome. Below are some of the treats we have been able to locate that aren’t chocolate-covered, but would still be very welcome in our treat pails on Halloween night.
From Halloween Goldfish to seasonal Gushers to Halloween-shaped Pretzels to the Nabisco Classic Mix – Spooky Edition, there are plenty of non-candy options out there that aren’t boring or tasteless. Plus, how can you beat this amazing packaging! These are worth buying for the boxes alone!
Let us know what you’re dishing out at the door this year!
We hope you are enjoying our Countdown to Halloween. As always, we’d love to hear your freaky feedback. Please be certain to share your thoughts with us in the comments section. We love hearing from our ghastly guests!
When it comes to Halloween Treats, this is an exceptional year! Not only is there a wide array of Halloween candy available this year, but many retailers are stocking up on candy assortments in special Halloween packaging. Target has a variety of Halloween-themed bags, while Walmart has awfully awesome boxes in which it is displaying the candy. Today, we’re featuring some of the best candy assortments of the season.
One of the best assortments is available at Target. The Hershey’s Halloween shapes, four-candy assortment features Hershey’s Chocolate Tombstones, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n Creme Tombstones, Reese’s Pumpkins, and York Peppermint Pumpkins. This classic combination will create a smile on even the most forlorn of fiends.
Hershey’s Candy
Meanwhile, Hershey’s Miniatures, featuring Hershey’s Chocolate, Special Dark Chocolate, Mr. Goodbar, and Krackle, have had an autumnal facelift. These classic candies, which have come in special fall wrappers for many years, now feature forest friends like squirrels and owls. Nestle Crunch has partnered with the Peanuts. The chocolate bars now showcase various Peanuts characters on the packaging and the chocolate itself. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” is the centerpiece of a larger, individually-packaged Crunch bar. And Snickers has a spooky new fun-size bar: the X-Scream bar. Palmer has a terrific Trick or Treat assortment, featuring Double-Crisp Witches, Fudge-Filled Skulls, and Peanut Butter Pumpkins. You can see the detail in the gallery below. Plus, Kit Kat is back with its Halloween-themed bars. Check out all of these great chocolate concoctions and share your favorites below!
Our friend, Eek the Owl, has shared with us some frighteningly fun ideas to make the Halloween season even more enjoyable. He has the whole family covered: chefs, crafters, adventurers, and board game aficionados! There’s something for everyone in our Halloween Family Activities Guide! Feel free to take a gander and try out some of these activities with your family this Halloween season! And be sure to subscribe to The Big Scare for even more ideas!
Our first wise idea involves everyone’s favorite holiday activity — baking. And, as Eek points out, it’s not just for wintertime. Halloween provides the opportunity to create all kind of creepy concoctions. From cut-out cookies to brownies, they all make perfect October baking projects.
While brownies are devilishly delicious by themselves, there’s just something even more appealing about a Halloween Brownie. Making Halloween Brownies is just as easy as baking regular brownies. You do exactly what your favorite recipe (or box) tells you to do, but you change up a few things before putting the batter in to bake. Rather than just pouring the batter into a pan, you want to line the pan with greased aluminum foil. Basically what you want to do is rip out a piece of baking foil and place it in your baking pan, pushing it up against the sides, making sure the whole thing (meaning the entire bottom and all the sides) is well covered. Press the tin foil against the sides of the glass or metal pan so that it hugs it and assumes the pan’s shape. Ensure that there is enough room left to lift the foil up out of the pan when the brownies have baked. Then proceed to grease (and flour) it as you normally would or as you are instructed to in the baking directions, so as to prevent the brownies from sticking. Bake the batter as directed. Remove from the oven and let set until cool.
Rather than cut the brownies in the pan, you are going to remove the entire brownie cake, hence the foil. Once cooled, you can remove the brownie cake by lifting the sides of the aluminum foil or turning the pan upside down, a method preferable in cases of wide pans. Place the brownies on a clean surface covered in powdered sugar and remove the foil lining. Your brownie cake should have maintained its shape. (If at anytime it appears that your brownie cake may be breaking, consider cutting the brownie cake in the pan and removing it in smaller portions.)
Now comes the fun part. Take some open Halloween cookie cutters (meaning ones that are just outlines that do not have tops which would prevent the cutter from cutting through thick brownies) and cover them in powdered sugar. (Make sure your cookie cutters are deep enough to cut through the thick brownie cake. You can buy these cookie cutters at a number of major retailers. They usually come in “tubs.”) Press each cookie cutter all the way through the brownie cake, just as you would with cookie cutters in cookie dough. Carefully remove your brownie shape and place it aside. Continue to press cutters into the remaining brownie cake until the area of usable brownie cake has been cut. Take the cutout shapes and decorate them with frosting, powdered sugar and candies. Use the “scrap” brownies, the unused edges that are leftover, to add layering and detail to your treats — or just eat them!
In a world seemingly run by electronic entertainment, it’s sometimes hard to remember that other forms of fun exist., like board games! And when those board games have a Halloween theme, their fun level quadruples.
There are a number of Halloween-themed board games available on the market, and plenty more that can be purchased secondhand. One of the easiest games to track down is Halloween Boo-Opoly. Much like the game from which it derives its objective, Boo-Opoly allows players to buy properties, many of which will be familiar (like Elm Street) and many of which will be new (Gourd Walk). The old railroads are now different creatures of the night, and the utilities consist of Jack-O’-Lanterns and Witch’s Brew. Instead of houses and hotels, players may buy Haunted Houses and Full Moons. The gameplay is quite similar to Monopoly, but there are some slight differences. Overall, it’s a fun game with a nice design. The only thing that would make it better would be if the playing pieces weren’t just plain plastic pawns, and instead were shaped in the forms of Halloween characters.
And if Boo-Opoly isn’t quite your game, there are plenty of other options. From vampire games to zombie games, a trip to the local toy store is certain to reap a nice harvest of spooky entertainment — especially at Halloween.
Most families pick up pumpkins from their local grocer (or the super-center which has invaded their neighborhood). And while it is great to have access to affordably-priced pumpkins, there is just something missing from the experience.
So, while you may opt to get your larger carving-friendly produce from the grocery store, a trip to the local (or not-so-local) pumpkin patch should be in order for your family this year, even if you don’t make your big pumpkin purchase there. Not only do many patches provide fresh, right-off-the-vine pumpkins, they also provide a ton of activities for your family. The experience that pumpkin patches provide is unprecedented. Many of them have games, hayrides, corn mazes, and photo opportunities that the grocery store can’t possibly match.
So, even if you can’t afford a large pumpkin from the patch, your family should still make a visit, maybe pick up some Indian Corn or smaller pumpkins, and take advantage of everything that is offered. It will be a memory your family will never forget.
Now that you have found the perfect pumpkin and are already to carve it, you probably are wondering what to do with all of those insides! We have the perfect solution — for the seeds at least!
Here is our recipe for delicious baked pumpkin seeds…
1. Immediately after carving your pumpkin, remove the seeds and rinse them thoroughly. After they have been cleaned, pad them dry and let them sit for several hours in a warm place.
2. Preheat oven to 300 F. Once the pumpkin seeds are completely dry, place them in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon melted butter for every one cup of seeds. Mix the seeds so that they are completely coated.
3. Sprinkle in garlic powder and salt, enough to taste. Mix until every seed has a light covering.
4. Pour the seeds onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread the seeds so that they form a single layer. It is important not to have them overlapping.
5. Place the seeds in the oven and let bake 50 minutes, mixing them every 15 minutes or so.
6. Add additional seasoning as desired and enjoy!
FRIGHTENING FOAM
If you have ever wandered into an arts and crafts store in the fall, you have undoubtedly seen a variety of pre-packaged art projects that can be used to dreary up any bright October day.
Kid-friendly foam kits, which let you and your family create haunted scenes out of small pieces of pre-cut foam, are just one example. The variety of these kits has really expanded in recent years, and now you can create all kinds of things: graveyards, haunted houses, masks, monster boxes, cars, and more!
A lot of these kits don’t actually require much skill. Some come with foam stickers, meaning you don’t even have to glue anything! That is why they are good for the younger set as well as the older crowd. But each kit is different, so be sure to read the box for details before considering a purchase.
One of the nice things about these kits is that they allow for a lot of customization and personalization. You have the freedom and ability to place characters and other scene-setters in a variety of places on the foam bases, while still maintaining the same structure suggested by the manufacturer. You can even add your own foam pieces or mix pieces among a number of kits.
These kits get the whole family involved in the building process and make great decorations when finished. And there are a variety of ways you can incorporate the kits into your Halloween festivities. You can buy one to assemble with the kids on a stormy evening, you can buy a number and have a family foam-building contest, or you can have a variety available at a kids’ Halloween party, set up tables, and have the party-goers bring their own creations to life.
CREEPY COOKIES
Another great option is the Cookie Decorating Kit. We all know the classic Gingerbread House kits that come out at Christmas. In recent years, many manufacturers have introduced Halloween-themed kits. Take for example, the Cookie Graveyard kit from Target. It is easier to assemble than a house, but just as fun. The kit contains a cookie base, cookie tombstones, icing, as well as bat, bone, and ghost decorations, in addition to other candies that can be used to help decorate the edible display. If you can’t track down this particular kit, check for alternate versions at other retailers. There are a ton to choose from!
CHOCOLATE CHILLS
While you may already have enough chocolate in your house during the Halloween season, you may still be tempted to get some more, especially when you can create your own candy concoctions! Companies like Wilton produce a lot of chocolate molds and kits that function as great activities for the whole family. Spooky Chocolate Dipped Pretzels are just one example.
The kit includes everything you need to decorate your pretzel rods: 6 fun-shaped mold designs (4 Rat molds, 3 pumpkins, 3 bats, 3 spiders, and 3 skeleton molds), 16 oz. Wilton Candy Melts brand confectionery coating, 4 disposable decorating bags, 1 decorating brush, 20 pretzel bags with ties. The only thing you will need to supply is the bag of jumbo pretzel rods. (You may also want to buy some additional chocolate.)
All you need to do is stick the chocolate in a bag, put it in the microwave, squish the bag with your hands, and then pour into the molds. Stick them in the fridge for about 30 minutes. And voila; you have some awesome Halloween treats for all those special little boys and ghouls in your life! What a terrific idea for parties! And these would make great gifts for the office staff on Halloween day!
The best molds are definitely the rats. These things are huge – and you get 4 rat molds, so you can make a whole family at one time. The second best molds are the skeletons, followed the pumpkins. The bats and spiders are fun, but my final versions didn’t turn out as great as the previously mentioned molds – though they are still pretty nifty. Regardless, this kit is well worth the affordable price. It makes for a great weekend activity to do with the kids or with yourself. Plus, how can you beat the spooky, edible payoff? The product is available to purchase at various locations: craft stores and other retailers. And if you aren’t a fan of homemade chocolate creatures, there are plenty of other food craft kits out there – like the JELL-O Jigglers and the Rice Krispy Treat Pumpkins.
But not all craft projects come out of boxes, and Eek always wants to foster as much creativity as possible, so he suggests you head out to your local retailer to find materials for your next project. Some craft shops sell Paper Mache. Recently, Michael’s offered up miniature Paper Mache skulls. Eek had a lot of fun with these and wanted to share some paint-scheme ideas to get you started:
1. Paint the skulls the colors of your favorite sports teams. Even consider painting a logo on the top!
2. Paint your skull with a base color and then add “metalic” coloring for a shiny look.
3. Give your skulls a classic Halloween treatment by painting them orange and black.
4. Give your skulls a tie-dye look.
5. Use stencils to add images to the top and back of the skulls.
Once you’re done, consider adding them to your current Halloween decor. Or how about using them as table toppers or as party favors? The possibilities are endless.
We will be adding to this page as we think of more activities, so why not subscribe to The Big Scare for the latest undead updates?
Mothers have a holiday. Fathers do too. Veterans, the United States of America, laborers, pilgrims, grandparents, and Jesus all have holidays. But do the children have one, a day that is all their own? Yes. Yes, they do.
There exists one night each year when the children make the rules, when they use their imaginations to the fullest, when they are given free reign of their worlds, when every door opened offers the opportunity for reward. That night is Halloween.
Halloween is the one day out of the year that truly belongs to the children, the ones ages two to twelve, and the ones ages thirteen to 102 who refuse to grow up. Halloween is the one night of the year when it is alright for each of us to return to the fantastic world of childhood, when we can allow make-believe things to scare us, and when we can dress up, be silly, and be ourselves – just as the children do.
So, here is to the children, both young and old, to the fantasies of youth, and to the one night when imagination knows no boundaries. Here is to our holiday. Here is to Halloween.
The only authentic Halloween decoration featuring the Universal Monsters this year is a pretty nifty WOWindows poster featuring Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein Monster. But — have no fear — there are plenty of other Universal Monster items out there this season. So, hold on to your electrodes, as we recap the shocking offerings.
Diamond Select Toys is supposedly wrapping up its Universal Monsters line of toys, ending on a disappointing note with a non-likeness, no-need-to-be-licensed Van Helsing figure. Although Diamond is coming out with an amazing Creature from the Black Lagoon figure next year, as well as a nice Son of Frankenstein, without any signs of Dracula’s Daughter, Son of Dracula, Werewolf of London, Kharis, or any supporting characters, it’s time to turn to other toymakers for our fill of Monster goodness. And it looks as if Mezco is slowly taking away Diamond’s luster with its expansive offerings: Universal Monsters Living Dead Dolls and stylized figures. This October saw the release of the amazing Dracula Living Dead Doll. The Mummy stylized figure, which follows the ghastly Monster and Creature figures released earlier this year, will come to life soon.
However, the grandest of this year’s Universal Monster items are not even officially licensed by Universal Studios. Nope. Instead, they are licensed through the estates of the individual actors. Trick or Treat Studios, the up-and-coming leader of the Halloween mask-making world, has unleashed two great masks: The Bela Lugosi Mask (based upon Lugosi in the DRACULA play) and the Phantom of the Opera Mask featuring the likeness of the Man of a Thousand Faces, Lon Chaney, Sr. These two incredible masks deserve to the be the first in a long line of masks based upon the actors who invented the monsters. Unfortunately with Universal involved, one never knows if “what should be” will be, but we’ll see…
If you have not already bought the candy for 2013’s batch of Treaters, you’re in luck. Today, we are going to hand out 2013’s Best of Halloween awards, with this year’s emphasis on Treats. The Big Scare is run by some very scrupulous candy connoisseurs, and we are proud to share with you our picks for the Best Halloween Treats of 2013.
First up, our pick for…
Our pick for best artwork goes to Nestle’s Ultimate Scream fun-size candy pack. This 45-piece bag of goodies is filled with Nestle’s top sellers, like Crunch and Butterfinger. But, as with our last post, it’s really what’s on the outside that counts for this award. Clearly, this bag was created by a Monster-lover. It’s true that this package has been around for a while, but it still has yet to be beat, except by Nestle’s now hard-to-find companion pack, Classic Scream. The image of the Frankenstein Monster and the “scream queen” is simply iconic. Too bad the Dracula bag is no longer widely available, as it would have easily tied for this award. Better than any officially licensed food-product from Universal Studios, this bag scares up first place in the art department.
Our winner for the Best Halloween Assortment award is one that will be familiar to seasonal enthusiasts. Anyone who has been reading the Big Scare since its launch will know that we are huge on themed-treats. The bland, boring fun-sized candy like the treats in the bag above do very little for us. It’s Halloween, and that means we have high-expectations for the fun-level of our candy. In terms of fun, it’s hard to beat the Hershey’s Halloween Shapes Assortment. This package of treats is the ultimate combination of taste and terror. Between the York Peppermint Pumpkins, the Hershey’s tombstones, and the Reese’s pumpkins, the taste quality is hard to beat… and so are the shapes!
The award for Best Halloween Candy is not given lightly. A lot has to be considered before the award is bestowed upon a creepy candy-maker. That being said, this year’s winner is Palmer and its 3-pound bag of Monster Munch chocolate candy. For decades, Palmer has been one of the staunchest supporters of themed Halloween candy. From the old-time Witch Pops to the classic Monster Munny (Money), Palmer has been the mastermind behind many a child’s Halloween memories. So, it seems only fitting that a giant bag of Palmer monster-shaped candy should be the winner of 2013’s Best Halloween Candy award. In this massive package, you will find 3-pounds of chocolate treats — all appropriately themed and decorated. First is the Monster Munny (Money), an item which has been around for decades. Featuring the cartoon likenesses of Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Witch, and a Great Pumpkin, the Monster Munny (Money) is a very special treat. Split up into demonic denominations and made of Palmer’s fantastic double-crisp, it could only be beat if the chocolate were molded to look like the tinfoil wrappers… Also included in the Monster Munch are two-tone Peanut Butter Pumpkins, which do come shaped like jack-o’-lanterns, yummy, soft fudge-filled Boos, and the most creative of the lot: milk-chocolate zombies (white chocolate corpses in chocolate coffins). This set can simply not be beat. Not only is it tasty, but it has all of the heart that Halloween candy should have. Congratulations to Palmer and its Monster Munch!
To get the hearse wheels spinning, we’ll share with you one of the coolest indoor decorations we’ve seen: The Hallmark Haunted House Shadowcaster. Part tabletop display, part light show, this Hallmark creation is one-of-a-kind. The display looks great during the day, but really comes to life at night. Each window features a spooky silhouette that only appears when the display is activated. An evil enchantress cooks up a crazy concoction in the doorway, while jack-o’-lanterns stand guard on the porch. Cats, spiders, and skeleton-men haunt the windows, and a ghost hangs out in the rafters. Each characters appears with the help of a flickering LED light strategically placed behind the facade.
However, the real treat is what’s behind the mansion: a flock of frightening fanged-beasts! Through the magic of modern technology, dozens of bats, of all shapes and sizes, are projected onto whatever is directly behind the house. Illuminated in orange and purple, the light show shifts between two basic positions (plus a third transitioning scene) and lasts anywhere from half-a-minute in “try-me” mode to an hour when the button is held down for several seconds.
Although the house itself doesn’t seem too sturdy and the plastic it is molded in could be thicker, this is still a great little decoration that really captures the essence of Halloween and the magic of the season. It can be purchased for $19.99 at participating Hallmark retailers.
This Halloween season is not unusual in the fact that the best products are not found in the traditional retail stores, but at the discounters. The TJX group (T.J.MAXX, Home Goods, and Marshall’s) has some of the most interesting offerings. In addition to the traditional devilish dinnerware and lethal linen, they are offering up both vintage-inspired designs and classic Gothic elegance.
The most unique pieces at HomeGoods and Marshall’s, though T.J.Maxx does end up with some of the overstock. If you love to keep things dim and grim, you may be interested in some of the faux-stone busts and statues. Or perhaps creepy candelabras are more your thing. They have plenty to choose from, including this one that comes complete with LED candles. Battery-operated, it retails at $24.99. The light is that harsh, cold, traditional (almost blue) LED style, but it’s ghostly in its own undead way.
The next offerings come from Christopher Radko. HomeGoods usually carries his vintage-reproduction line of ornaments named after the famous “Shiny Brite” Christmas ornament company. This year, they serve up some Halloween-themed bulbs that would be perfect for any vintage display or Halloween tree. In addition, they also have several wooden tabletop and wall pieces with artwork taken right off of early 20th century postcards, like this lovely little witch pictured above.
The main rivals of the TJX group, Ross and Tuesday Morning, have fewer options for the season of the witch, but — every now and then — a spooktacular find materializes.
Such is the case with Tuesday Morning’s Original WoWindow Posters. Usually only found at the big name Halloween stores, Tuesday Morning is offering up two discontinued designs. The creepiest of which is the “Vince the Vampire” two-poster set. When they put “Wow” in the name, they aren’t kidding. One of the posters in this set could almost cover an entire door. Now imagine two of them at that size! These massive decorations really fill out and (fill up) any window, wall, or door. The first poster features the vampire’s giant face. The second is a continuation of his body, with his hand taking up the majority of the second display.
What is most notable about this poster is that it is not made with the same cheap plastic you used to find in this type of decoration. This is made of a thicker, heavier film, which makes it great for use year-after-year. The best thing about it is also the biggest drawback: the size. Unless you have giant windows, it will be hard to place this set. Fortunately, you can put up the one poster with the vampire’s face and get a decent effect. At $4.99, it’s hard to pass up.
While the regular retail offerings have been rather lackluster this year with Target, Walmart, and Spirit all failing to deliver on any noteworthy level (not to mention their tardiness in actually putting anything up in their brick and mortar stores), the dollar spots have not disappointed. Usually, Dollar Tree has some of the greatest “cheap” decorations. While they do have a few really awesome things that we will be highlighting in two days, 99 Cents Only is this year’s ultimate creep spot. From outdoors to indoors, they provide wall-to-wall creeps and plenty of hot-and-cold running chills.
Dollar Tree used to be the king of cardboard tabletop decorations. Now, 99 Cents Only has taken that honor and added some ghoulish delights that are certain to bring death to the liveliest of tables.
The most notable table centerpiece is the one you see pictured above. Bats, black cats, and ravens surround a classically-designed haunted house. Unlike some of the Dollar Tree decorations and the previous 99 Cents Only decorations, this piece solves the problem of folding edges and unaligned pieces by having a multitude of supports. There are basically three layers to this piece, all adding to the spookiness of it, but also supporting the thin cardboard structure — an ingenious evolution of the dollar centerpiece. It retails at 49 cents, but prices may vary by location.
99 Cents only also has some cool outdoor decorations, from window posters to door-covers to these Halloween yard stakes. They are fairly sturdy — especially for a buck — but they won’t last in the ground if you live in a blustery area. They are large enough, however, to make good wall signs. Made of a coated plastic that is more weather-resistant than some of the other outdoor signs around, these are pretty nifty. They come in four designs: vampire, witch, devil, skeleton; and they retail at 99 cents each.
These Frankenstein decorations are now available at 99 Cents Only. One is a jointed tabletop figure that is being sold at closeout. The other is a plastic wall poster that retails for 99 cents. We’d say more, but we think we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Dollar Tree has a wide variety of window clings, plastic toys, and cardboard characters, as well as some interesting 3-D decorations made out of wire and tinsel. They have felt cutouts, plastic skulls, and foam tombstones — basically all of the usual suspects. So what are the standout items at the one-dollar-retailer this Halloween?
Surprisingly, napkins. Napkins and paper plates. For years, it seems, Dollar Tree has been pitching the same basic pumpkin party plates. This year, that has all changed. They not only have these great ’80s-inspired Haunted House napkins (pictured below), they also have a full set of paper tablewear (featuring a raven and a rat) that is far superior to any party goods in the big box stores.
In addition, Dollar Tree is offering up massive window posters, much like the ones from Tuesday Morning, only less durable and… busier. In the case of the Bates Mansion poster, however, busy is somewhat acceptable, Wait… Yes… You heard correctly: BATES MANSION window poster.
No, it’s not licensed, but the house pictured on the poster is clearly inspired by the one Norman and Mother call home, or maybe even Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris. While the house is the centerpiece, it is surrounded by giant tarantulas, jack-o’-lanterns, candelabras, and lightning — virtually every spooky thing they could fit So, no. It’s not going to win any art awards, but it has a creepy haunted house on it! How can you beat that for a buck? More than anything, it’s reminiscent of a somewhat garish store display for soda, chips, or some other Halloween-themed party treat… and this is really why we love it. Also, did we mention how massive this thing is? It’s huge. Turned on it’s side, it could easily fill a doorway. If you do pick one up, good luck placing it!
Our friend, Eek the Owl, has shared with us some frighteningly fun ideas to make the Halloween season even more enjoyable. He has the whole family covered: chefs, crafters, adventurers, and board game aficionados! There’s something for everyone in our Halloween Family Activities Guide! Feel free to take a gander and try out some of these activities with your family this Halloween season! And be sure to subscribe to The Big Scare for even more ideas!
BEWITCHING BAKINGOur first wise idea involves everyone’s favorite holiday activity — baking. And, as Eek points out, it’s not just for wintertime. Halloween provides the opportunity to create all kind of creepy concoctions. From cut-out cookies to brownies, they all make perfect October baking projects.
While brownies are devilishly delicious by themselves, there’s just something even more appealing about a Halloween Brownie. Making Halloween Brownies is just as easy as baking regular brownies. You do exactly what your favorite recipe (or box) tells you to do, but you change up a few things before putting the batter in to bake. Rather than just pouring the batter into a pan, you want to line the pan with greased aluminum foil. Basically what you want to do is rip out a piece of baking foil and place it in your baking pan, pushing it up against the sides, making sure the whole thing (meaning the entire bottom and all the sides) is well covered. Press the tin foil against the sides of the glass or metal pan so that it hugs it and assumes the pan’s shape. Ensure that there is enough room left to lift the foil up out of the pan when the brownies have baked. Then proceed to grease (and flour) it as you normally would or as you are instructed to in the baking directions, so as to prevent the brownies from sticking. Bake the batter as directed. Remove from the oven and let set until cool.
Rather than cut the brownies in the pan, you are going to remove the entire brownie cake, hence the foil. Once cooled, you can remove the brownie cake by lifting the sides of the aluminum foil or turning the pan upside down, a method preferable in cases of wide pans. Place the brownies on a clean surface covered in powdered sugar and remove the foil lining. Your brownie cake should have maintained its shape. (If at anytime it appears that your brownie cake may be breaking, consider cutting the brownie cake in the pan and removing it in smaller portions.)
Now comes the fun part. Take some open Halloween cookie cutters (meaning ones that are just outlines that do not have tops which would prevent the cutter from cutting through thick brownies) and cover them in powdered sugar. (Make sure your cookie cutters are deep enough to cut through the thick brownie cake. You can buy these cookie cutters at a number of major retailers. They usually come in “tubs.”) Press each cookie cutter all the way through the brownie cake, just as you would with cookie cutters in cookie dough. Carefully remove your brownie shape and place it aside. Continue to press cutters into the remaining brownie cake until the area of usable brownie cake has been cut. Take the cutout shapes and decorate them with frosting, powdered sugar and candies. Use the “scrap” brownies, the unused edges that are leftover, to add layering and detail to your treats — or just eat them!
In a world seemingly run by electronic entertainment, it’s sometimes hard to remember that other forms of fun exist., like board games! And when those board games have a Halloween theme, their fun level quadruples.
There are a number of Halloween-themed board games available on the market, and plenty more that can be purchased secondhand. One of the easiest games to track down is Halloween Boo-Opoly. Much like the game from which it derives its objective, Boo-Opoly allows players to buy properties, many of which will be familiar (like Elm Street) and many of which will be new (Gourd Walk). The old railroads are now different creatures of the night, and the utilities consist of Jack-O’-Lanterns and Witch’s Brew. Instead of houses and hotels, players may buy Haunted Houses and Full Moons. The gameplay is quite similar to Monopoly, but there are some slight differences. Overall, it’s a fun game with a nice design. The only thing that would make it better would be if the playing pieces weren’t just plain plastic pawns, and instead were shaped in the forms of Halloween characters.
And if Boo-Opoly isn’t quite your game, there are plenty of other options. From vampire games to zombie games, a trip to the local toy store is certain to reap a nice harvest of spooky entertainment — especially at Halloween.
Most families pick up pumpkins from their local grocer (or the super-center which has invaded their neighborhood). And while it is great to have access to affordably-priced pumpkins, there is just something missing from the experience.
So, while you may opt to get your larger carving-friendly produce from the grocery store, a trip to the local (or not-so-local) pumpkin patch should be in order for your family this year, even if you don’t make your big pumpkin purchase there. Not only do many patches provide fresh, right-off-the-vine pumpkins, they also provide a ton of activities for your family. The experience that pumpkin patches provide is unprecedented. Many of them have games, hayrides, corn mazes, and photo opportunities that the grocery store can’t possibly match.
So, even if you can’t afford a large pumpkin from the patch, your family should still make a visit, maybe pick up some Indian Corn or smaller pumpkins, and take advantage of everything that is offered. It will be a memory your family will never forget.
Now that you have found the perfect pumpkin and are already to carve it, you probably are wondering what to do with all of those insides! We have the perfect solution — for the seeds at least!
Here is our recipe for delicious baked pumpkin seeds…
1. Immediately after carving your pumpkin, remove the seeds and rinse them thoroughly. After they have been cleaned, pad them dry and let them sit for several hours in a warm place.
2. Preheat oven to 300 F. Once the pumpkin seeds are completely dry, place them in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon melted butter for every one cup of seeds. Mix the seeds so that they are completely coated.
3. Sprinkle in garlic powder and salt, enough to taste. Mix until every seed has a light covering.
4. Pour the seeds onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread the seeds so that they form a single layer. It is important not to have them overlapping.
5. Place the seeds in the oven and let bake 50 minutes, mixing them every 15 minutes or so.
6. Add additional seasoning as desired and enjoy!
FRIGHTENING FOAM
If you have ever wandered into an arts and crafts store in the fall, you have undoubtedly seen a variety of pre-packaged art projects that can be used to dreary up any bright October day.
Kid-friendly foam kits, which let you and your family create haunted scenes out of small pieces of pre-cut foam, are just one example. The variety of these kits has really expanded in recent years, and now you can create all kinds of things: graveyards, haunted houses, masks, monster boxes, cars, and more!
A lot of these kits don’t actually require much skill. Some come with foam stickers, meaning you don’t even have to glue anything! That is why they are good for the younger set as well as the older crowd. But each kit is different, so be sure to read the box for details before considering a purchase.
One of the nice things about these kits is that they allow for a lot of customization and personalization. You have the freedom and ability to place characters and other scene-setters in a variety of places on the foam bases, while still maintaining the same structure suggested by the manufacturer. You can even add your own foam pieces or mix pieces among a number of kits.
These kits get the whole family involved in the building process and make great decorations when finished. And there are a variety of ways you can incorporate the kits into your Halloween festivities. You can buy one to assemble with the kids on a stormy evening, you can buy a number and have a family foam-building contest, or you can have a variety available at a kids’ Halloween party, set up tables, and have the party-goers bring their own creations to life.
CREEPY COOKIES
Another great option is the Cookie Decorating Kit. We all know the classic Gingerbread House kits that come out at Christmas. In recent years, many manufacturers have introduced Halloween-themed kits. Take for example, the Cookie Graveyard kit from Target. It is easier to assemble than a house, but just as fun. The kit contains a cookie base, cookie tombstones, icing, as well as bat, bone, and ghost decorations, in addition to other candies that can be used to help decorate the edible display. If you can’t track down this particular kit, check for alternate versions at other retailers. There are a ton to choose from!
CHOCOLATE CHILLS
While you may already have enough chocolate in your house during the Halloween season, you may still be tempted to get some more, especially when you can create your own candy concoctions! Companies like Wilton produce a lot of chocolate molds and kits that function as great activities for the whole family. Spooky Chocolate Dipped Pretzels are just one example.
The kit includes everything you need to decorate your pretzel rods: 6 fun-shaped mold designs (4 Rat molds, 3 pumpkins, 3 bats, 3 spiders, and 3 skeleton molds), 16 oz. Wilton Candy Melts brand confectionery coating, 4 disposable decorating bags, 1 decorating brush, 20 pretzel bags with ties. The only thing you will need to supply is the bag of jumbo pretzel rods. (You may also want to buy some additional chocolate.)
All you need to do is stick the chocolate in a bag, put it in the microwave, squish the bag with your hands, and then pour into the molds. Stick them in the fridge for about 30 minutes. And voila; you have some awesome Halloween treats for all those special little boys and ghouls in your life! What a terrific idea for parties! And these would make great gifts for the office staff on Halloween day!
The best molds are definitely the rats. These things are huge – and you get 4 rat molds, so you can make a whole family at one time. The second best molds are the skeletons, followed the pumpkins. The bats and spiders are fun, but my final versions didn’t turn out as great as the previously mentioned molds – though they are still pretty nifty. Regardless, this kit is well worth the affordable price. It makes for a great weekend activity to do with the kids or with yourself. Plus, how can you beat the spooky, edible payoff? The product is available to purchase at various locations: craft stores and other retailers. And if you aren’t a fan of homemade chocolate creatures, there are plenty of other food craft kits out there – like the JELL-O Jigglers and the Rice Krispy Treat Pumpkins.
But not all craft projects come out of boxes, and Eek always wants to foster as much creativity as possible, so he suggests you head out to your local retailer to find materials for your next project. Some craft shops sell Paper Mache. Recently, Michael’s offered up miniature Paper Mache skulls. Eek had a lot of fun with these and wanted to share some paint-scheme ideas to get you started:
1. Paint the skulls the colors of your favorite sports teams. Even consider painting a logo on the top!
2. Paint your skull with a base color and then add “metalic” coloring for a shiny look.
3. Give your skulls a classic Halloween treatment by painting them orange and black.
4. Give your skulls a tie-dye look.
5. Use stencils to add images to the top and back of the skulls.
Once you’re done, consider adding them to your current Halloween decor. Or how about using them as table toppers or as party favors? The possibilities are endless.
We will be adding to this page as we think of more activities, so why not subscribe to The Big Scare for the latest undead updates?
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