Here's to A Spooktacular Halloween Idea 

Halloween Origin - Where It All Began

The Halloween idea origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.  

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.

In the area now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, the Celts celebrated their new year on November 1st. The harvest and the summer were finished and the start of the bleak and cold winter was about to descend. Unfortunately the time was also associated with death.

On the night before Samhain the Celts believed that the dead returned to earth to damage crops and cause problems. Bonfires were lit and sacrifices were made to make sure they were protected through the coming winter. By the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands.

The Christian's All Souls day was celebrated In 1000 A.D. on November 2 that being the chosen to be the day to honor the dead. Celebrated in ways similar to Samhain with bonfires and parades of costumed folk dressed up to depict saints, angels and demons.

This celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas

The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

Since these early years the celebration of the Halloween idea has been passed on down through the generations and from country to country, with each country adding their own flavor to the mix.

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Halloween Traditions

Jack-o-Lantern

The tradition of carving faces into vegetables dates to the Celts.

As part of their autumnal celebration, they wanted to light the way to their homes for the good spirits, so they carved faces into vegetables such as turnips and squash.

Halloween Idea - Best Halloween Costumes

Halloween costumes are traditionally based on frightening supernatural or folkloric beings and it is believed that the idea comes from the Celtic festivals of Samhain. Guising at Halloween became popular in North America in 1911, it was reported that children were seen guising the streets and from there the tradition grew.

Halloween costumes are often designed to imitate supernatural and scary beings. Halloween costumes, made to imitate scary and supernatural beings, are traditionally those of monsters such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, ghosts,skeletons, witches, goblins, trolls, devils, etc.

In recent years science fiction-inspired characters such as aliens and superheroes have entered the scene. Halloween costumes of pop culture figures like presidents, athletes, celebrities, or characters in film, television and literature can now be found on Halloween night wandering the streets of Melbourne.

Halloween Trick or Treat Game

When considering shopping for Halloween treats, a great Halloween idea is to start early. Look for Halloween candy specials throughout the year, Halloween lollies that you can either offer individually in a big hand made Halloween cauldron or as Halloween treat bags made up to hand out to the 'guisers' who come door knocking.

As you can see from the picture above I don't skimp when it comes to treats and in this day and age of mobile phones, it doesn't take long for the message to get around that the 'witch' at number 13 gives out great 'stuff'! Makes for a fun night just watching the little eyes lighten up.

Nothing worse as far as a kid goes to get an 'apple' or a box of sultanas, it's ALL ABOUT THE SUGAR!

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Halloween Decoration Ideas

31st October is getting close and it's time to get those Halloween yard decorations up and some of Melbourne's houses are really getting into the swing of things. 

Here's a great Halloween idea - you can find cheap Halloween decorations at Thrift shops, $2.00 shops, Reject Shops and supermarkets, great Halloween outdoor decorations to decorate the garden, the front yard, the door, in fact the whole house!

As far as Halloween house decor, a top Halloween idea is to purchase several packets of cheap plastic Halloween spiders and attach them to the walls of the house, especially by the front door. They look so real!

Purchase some battery operated glowing lights and if you have a screen door make a spider web and attach the little spiders to it, makes for a spooky Halloween door decoration.

Why not invest in a Halloween door chime. You can usually find these around Halloween time at major hardware stores. Some have spooky music and red,scary eyes. These are battery operated so easy to put up and use.

Other decorations for a great Halloween idea are ...

• Halloween skeleton
• Halloween monsters
• Halloween bats
• Halloween graveyard in your front garden complete with Halloween tombstones and Halloween ghosts and Halloween skulls with candles in them
• Halloween witches
• Halloween spider
  
• Burning torches. Just watch the kids though and don't let them play too close to them

Thing to remember when you are creating a Halloween haunted house is to use the traditional Halloween colors, Black, Orange and Purple. Typical Autumn harvest colors.

Another Halloween idea is that on the internet you will find free Halloween music to play to add to the haunting Halloween display. Just download it and have it playing for when the 'guisers' arrive to play trick or treat, it adds to the atmosphere.

The locals around where I live have started a great tradition.

So that the 'guisers' roaming the streets on the 31st October don't happen to knock on someone's door who doesn't want to play the Halloween game, the homes that do will display an orange balloon, or bunch of them, to alert the kids that 'treats' are available. 

I believe that as each year passes more and more folk will get into the Halloween festive spirit and start to create their own Halloween haunted house. All adding to the community spirit and light hearted fun and games.

For those who wish to enjoy being scared out of their wits there is the opportunity to pop into the city for a Halloween tour or here is another Halloween idea, drop into Luna Park and play with the Zombies!

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