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HALLOWEEN
HALLOWEEN
MALL
MALL
ebook 2013
Make Halloween Fun
with these Games
and Costume Ideas
By: HalloweenMall.com
Table of Contents
The Best Halloween Games
Costume contest
Fear factor
Bloody bob
The ghost and the witch
Mummy wrap
Pumpkin bowling
Halloween Treasure Hunt
Pin the tail on the black cat
Balloon sweep
Trick-or-treat
Pumpkin bean bag toss
The Best Halloween Apps
Trick or tracker
Zombie booth
Carve It!
Haunted house finder
Ghost radar
True Ghost Stories from Around the World
Fright Factory
Pumpkin Pops
Halloween Planner
The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin
I SPY Spooky Mansion
Plants vs. Zombies
Homemade Halloween Costumes
The Hulk
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Table of Contents
The Black Widow
Hawkeye
The Mummy
The Aerobics Instructor
Little Lion
Superman
Ninja
Quarterback
Fun Family Halloween Activities
Witch hats
Halloween concentration
Handprint ghosts
Hide the pumpkins
Leave a treat
Visit a pumpkin farm
Halloween movies
Monster mash
Painting pumpkins
Scary monster or a scarecrow
How to Carve Pumpkins
Tips for picking out the perfect pumpkin
Preparing the pumpkin for carving
Carving
Making your own pattern
Free online patterns
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Cheap Halloween Decorating Ideas
Ghostly lanterns
Egg carton bats
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Table of Contents
String of Jack-o’-Lanterns
Hanging ghosts
Monster footprints
Haunted room
Halloween tree
Painted pumpkins on a haystack
Flying bats
Halloween costume ideas
Take a typical costume and give it a twist
Blockbuster films
Cartoon characters
Children’s television
Children’s books
Different eras
Current celebrities
Famous people from the past
Rock stars
Careers
Halloween coupons and bargains
Sunday paper
Coupon codes
Halloween sites
Trading coupons
Write manufacturers and online companies who specialize in Halloween items
Schools
Dollar store
Thrift stores
List of sites with coupon codes
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Table of Contents
Halloween Recipes
Ghoulish Shaped Sugar Cookies
Super Easy Chocolate Witch Hats
Sweet Pumpkin Bread
Halloween Tips and Treats
Buying costumes
Major Halloween costume sites
Taking good Halloween pictures
Halloween safety tips
Keeping pets safe
Keeping children safe
Conclusions
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The Best Halloween Games
All fun Halloween parties must have some spooky yet silly games to play to delight guests and perhaps elicit screams of joy
instead of dreaded looks of boredom. Here are the best Halloween games to play that are sure to make your party a hit!
Costume contest
A costume contest is a must for any Halloween party. Kids love to show off their costumes, and it’s also fun for the adults to see
what cute ideas other parents have come up with. If your guests are kids of all ages, you might divide the contest into age
groups. Or, you can come up with a variety of categories such as scariest, funniest, most original, etc.
Fear factor
For older kids, consider some fun fear factor games, based on the former reality TV show. Tweens especially love this! Some of
the games might include filling a baby diaper with instant chocolate pudding and see who can clean the diaper the fastest by
devouring the pudding – you’ll hear lots of “ews” and “oh, gross,” etc.
You might also try a disgusting food challenge using baby food like peas, or food that looks like an insect, etc.
Bloody bob
For a spooky Halloween twist on bobbing for apples, set up large buckets of water with red food coloring and place a food item
inside. Children then need to “bob” for a few seconds in the “blood,” and whoever comes up with the most items wins.
The ghost and the witch
Kids take turns being the witch, who must leave the room while the other kids hide the ghost. The ghost can be made of paper,
or you might use a decorative item from the dollar store. The witch returns after the ghost has been hidden, and the children
moan like a ghost as the witch gets closer to finding it, getting louder as the witch gets closer.
Mummy wrap
Pair kids up into groups of two. Using toilet paper, who can wrap up “the mummy” the fastest?
Pumpkin bowling
Remove the stem from the pumpkin to use as a bowling ball and set up bowling pins using empty soda bottles filled with water.
Set up the pins as you would in regular bowling, and have the kids stand back about 20 feet (or closer if they are young children).
See who can get the most pins to fall down.
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The Best Halloween Games
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
The Best Halloween Games
Halloween Treasure Hunt
The Halloween version is a twist on the traditional treasure hunt. You’ll need little stuffed black cats, bats, or any object that
represents that spooky holiday – buy enough so that you have one for each guest. Before the party begins, think of a series of
clues that will take your guests from one place to the next.
Write your clues on slips of paper – or you can be more creative and write them on construction paper made into pumpkins, or
little bats, etc. Tie them to the back of the stuffed animals and hide the clues in the appropriate spots. The animals will also
serve as party favors.
To begin, give your guests the first set of clues which will lead them to the next, all the way until they find the prize – a Halloween candy bag (or other treasure).
Pin the tail on the black cat
This game is just like pin the tail on the donkey, but you’ll pin the tail on the black cat. FamilyCrafts.com offers several different
frightastic spins on this game, including pin the nose on the jack-o’-lantern and pin the spider on the web. You’ll even find a free
template that you can download and print out.
Balloon sweep
For this game you’ll need one broom and one balloon for each team. Divide children into teams and set up a course for them to
race on. Have the children run relays sweeping the balloon along the course and back to their team. The first team to make it all
the way through the course with their balloon wins.
Trick-or-treat
Fill a plastic pumpkin with papers with the words “trick” or “treat” written on each one – to make it a little more fun include
more that read “trick” rather than “treat.” Each child picks out a piece of paper, and if the paper says “treat,” the child gets a treat
out of a bag filled with treats. If the paper says “trick,” the child will need to do a trick such as rubbing their head and patting
their stomach at the same time or a funny dance, etc. in order to get the treat.
Pumpkin bean bag toss
If you have enough room in the house, or want to take the kids outside on a nice autumn day, the pumpkin bean bag toss is a lot
of fun. You’ll need about five plastic pumpkins set up at varying distances from the throw line. Add a little weight at the bottom
so they don’t easily tip over.
Add point values to each pumpkin with the further pumpkins getting the higher point value. Each child gets 3 bean bags per
turn, throwing the bean bags at the pumpkins. After the throw, total the points and the first child to get to 25 (or any number you
decide before starting) points wins.
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The Best Halloween Games
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
The Best Halloween Apps
Halloween is fun for people of all ages, and the holiday seems to give adults a great excuse to be a kid again too. Here are a few
of the best Halloween apps from the creepy and creative to keeping your family safe this spooky holiday season.
Trick or tracker
Halloween is meant to be fun scary, not dangerous scary. On that note, a new Smartphone app was released last season that
enables parents to know the exact whereabouts of their kids who are out trick-or-treating without them. The app installs easily
on both the parent’s and the child’s phone and allows the trick-or-treater to be located with a touch of a single button.
The child’s phone must be an Android OS phone, but the parent can use any Google maps loaded phone such as iPhone or
Blackberry.
Zombie booth
Zombie booth offers freaky fun and is available on iOS and Android. Take a picture of yourself or a friend and instantly turn your
face into a spooky 3D animated zombie. It makes any 2D portrait fully 3D.
Carve It!
Carve It! Is a super fun way to do some pumpkin carving without the dangers of using sharp knife. For 99 cents, the virtual
pumpkin carving app is available for download on the iPhone. Users can draw desgins with their finger and even light up the
inside with a candle. This app is perfect practice for designing a real life jack-o’-lantern.
Haunted house finder
For the serious ghost lover, try iPhone’s Haunted House Finder app from the popular TV show, Ghost Hunters. This app might be
better for the older kids and courageous adults as it highlights more than 100 haunted locations around the country and will
pinpoint the most haunted near you based on your phone’s GPS location.
Ghost radar
The ghost radar app is designed to detect paranormal activity for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPads. After you’ve used the haunted
house finder, this app is perfect to determine if the location is truly haunted! It works by detecting paranormal activity by using
various sensors, measuring electromagnetic fields, vibrations and sounds.
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The Best Halloween Apps
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
The Best Halloween Apps
True Ghost Stories from Around the World
If you’d rather hear ghost stories than experience them for yourself, this app for the iPhone, True Ghost Stories from Around the
World, should do the trick. You can read stories or even submit your own ghostly tales.
Fright Factory
Fright Factory is a great iPhone app that provides a fun way to scare friends and family. It’s billed as “having 4 Fright apps in 1!”
Users can choose between the horrific Fright FX soundboard, an optical illusion that is sure to scare, a sound activated scare, or a
strobe light with a background. That might also be helpful on dark Halloween nights!
Pumpkin Pops
Pumpkin pops is a Halloween-themed version of Tetris and a free download for Apple and the iPhone.
Halloween Planner
Halloween Planner is perfect for those who will be throwing a big Halloween bash but don’t know where to start. It’s a top
download for Android and can organize everything that needs to be done for the party and even reminds you of items you might
forget.
The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin
The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin is a fun and educational app (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) for young children ages
5 and up. It helps beginning readers learn to read by highlighting words as they are read. Kids who are too young to read can
watch and listen as the book reads itself!
I SPY Spooky Mansion
I SPY Spooky Mansion is for kids ages 6 and up (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) and is said to be a “mildly creepy” search-and-find
game. Each screen presents a riddle with a handful of objects to find. Kids can zoom in to get a closer look and touch the object
when it’s found. The objects include things like skeletons, bats and other Halloween type objects but there is nothing frightening
about the game. The clues are read out loud and can easily be repeated in part of their entirety so that kids who are just learning
to read can have fun with this too.
Plants vs. Zombies
For older kids, ages 11 and up (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android), Plants vs. Zombies is a “cartoony” strategy game with farcical
violence. The undead invaders are destroyed in creatively wacky ways (similar to “The Simpsons”) and without any blood.
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The Best Halloween Apps
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Homemade Halloween Costumes
With Halloween costumes costing almost an arm and a leg these days, many moms (and dads) are turning to homemade Halloween costumes for their kids. Making your own costume doesn’t have to be a frightening task, in fact you don’t have to have
extraordinary sewing skills or be a super mom either.
With this year’s blockbuster film, “The Avengers,” there are plenty of great super hero costumes that can be made simply.
The Hulk
There may be quite a few “Hulk” costumes running around the neighborhood this year, but by making a homemade costume, you
can make it a little more unique.
Use green body paint and cover the face, ears, chest, stomach, neck, hands and part of the legs. The clothing can be distressed
grey jeans, a tight white t-shirt and beat up sneakers – all items easily found at most thrift stores.
Inexpensive Halloween face makeup can be found at most drug stores. Be creative using a dark purple crayon to create veins and
darker eyeliner to highlight the eyes. Temporary green hair dye can be used on the hair. Make it as messy as possible and use
hair gel to hold the style together.
The Black Widow
The Black Widow is a great costume for girls. All you need is a black catsuit, or a black leotard and tights. In the movie, Natasha
Romanov is played by Scarlett Johanson, and her outfit has a buckle with red detail. You don’t have to be exact and it might be
fun to get creative and search for a belt with a spider emblem – easily found near Halloween. Spider earrings and bracelets
make great accessories, and pink lipstick with long eyelashes will make her stand out as Natasha the Black Widow at any party.
Hawkeye
Hawkeye is another great option for a boy’s costume. This one may take a little more advance planning but can be put together
fairly easy and cheaply. Start with a black vest and sew on a shield patch. The Homeland Enforcement Shield patch can be found
on Amazon and other sites for about $6. Hawkeye also wears a pair of “cool dark shades.” You can find an inexpensive pair at most
discount or drug stores.
Hawkeye also carries his spare arrows on a quiver on his back, found at many toy stores or discount stores. Add a dog tag necklace found at many Halloween stores for a perfect finishing touch.
The Mummy
A mummy costume is always a hit and it’s also one of the easiest Halloween costumes to make. All you need is a white t-shirt
and white pajama pants or sweats, and some white strips of material (old white pillowcases work great).
Cut the white fabric into strips about 2 inches in width and 4 feet in length. Start at the waist and wrap upwards, and then finish
at the feet, tacking the strips with tacky glue. For an extra creepy look, at fake blood, easily found at most drug stores. Drip it
strategically across the white strips. You might even use scary Halloween face makeup for a Zombie look.
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Homemade Halloween Costumes
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Homemade Halloween Costumes
The Aerobics Instructor
For a super simple Halloween costume for baby, turn her (or him) into an aerobics instructor. All you need is a onesie, leggings,
leg warmers and a knit headband. Layer the onesie over the leggings and throw on a cool headband to complete the look –
preferably in ‘80s style with bright colors.
Little Lion
The little lion is a super cute and easy baby costume. All you need is some gold or orange colored pajamas, a knit hat and some
orange and gold colored yarn. Cut the yarn into 3 inch pieces and tie them onto the hat to create a mane.
Superman
The basic piece of a Superman costume is the red cape. A piece of red material or even a red sweater will work just fine, as long
as you can tie the ends of the material into a cape. Inexpensive capes can be found at many Halloween shops or discounts stores
as well. Add a light blue t-shirt and matching pants. Using the red material, cut out a large letter S and sew or super glue it to the
shirt.
Ninja
Making a Ninja costume is simple. All you need is a black fleece or knit mask that covers everything on the face except the eyes.
Pair it with black jeans and a black t-shirt, and you’ve got the look! You can use a piece of scrap fabric for the belt and a toy
sword to perfect your Ninja costume.
Quarterback
For a funny and incredibly simple costume, photocopy a quarter (enlarging it) and fit it onto a piece of cardboard that will be
glued on to the back of a shirt. Voila! You’ve got your quarterback.
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Homemade Halloween Costumes
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Fun Family Halloween Activities
If you’re looking for some fun activities to keep the kids busy this October, here are some silly and spooky ideas that will keep
the whole family entertained.
Witch hats
Witch hats are easy but are a great way to get the kids to come up with something super creative and unique. All you need is a
few sheets of black construction paper, any colored sheet of felt (orange or purple give it a nice Halloween look), glue, scissors
and tape.
Roll the black paper into a cone and secure with tape. You’ll want to trim the bottom of the cone so that it will stand upright. Cut
out a circle from the black paper that’s large enough for the brim (use a cup as a guide to make it easier). Glue the cone to the
circle and let it dry. Cut ¼” to ½” strips of felt and glue them around the cone and then cut a strip of black felt to go around the
base of the cone.
This is where the kids (and parents) can get really creative. Add stars or moons to the hat with felt or stickers – or perhaps cut
little bats out of the felt. Anything goes!
Halloween concentration
Halloween concentration can be both a fun arts and crafts project and a game. Using construction paper or blank index cards
draw Halloween pictures making an exact copy of each card. You can make them simple by just drawing with markers, or get
more creative and add glitter.
After you’ve made 24 cards, mix them up and lay them out upside down. Play as you would a game of concentration, finding all
the pairs. Whoever finds the most wins!
Handprint ghosts
This one is a little messy, but lots of fun. All you need is black construction paper and white paint. Have the kids dip the palm of
their hands into the paint and press onto the paper. When they’re dried, turn the picture upside down and add faces to look like a
ghost.
Hide the pumpkins
Cut out pumpkins using orange construction paper and number them on the back. Hide the pumpkins throughout the house or in
a room. As each is found, match the pumpkin to a prize based on the number.
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Fun Family Halloween Activities
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Fun Family Halloween Activities
Leave a treat
While trick-or-treating is always fun, teach the kids that giving is fun too! Purchase inexpensive Halloween paper bags or make
your own and fill them with candy or other treats to surprise your neighbors.
Visit a pumpkin farm
Instead of picking up your pumpkins at the local grocery store this year, head out to a pumpkin farm! It’s a perfect setting for
wonderful Halloween pictures of the family and they often have a variety of fun activities like hayrides and even petting zoos.
There is nothing like picking your own pumpkin right from the vine, and it might just become an annual family tradition.
Halloween movies
While older teens might prefer horror, most kids and even many adults still love the movie “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie
Brown.” Have a fun movie night featuring your favorite Halloween film and pair it with popcorn.
Monster mash
With so many fun Halloween CDs, you can have lots of fun with this one. Just put on a CD and get everyone dancing, or use them
to play a Halloween version of musical chairs.
Painting pumpkins
If you don’t want to deal with the mess and potential dangers of pumpkin carving, consider painting pumpkins instead. Just lay
out lots of newspapers and set out liquid tempera paints, paintbrushes, and plastic yogurt containers (or something similar) filled
with water for rinsing the brushes.
Scary monster or a scarecrow
The whole family can get involved in making a scary monster. It’s lots of fun, easy and makes a perfect yard decoration. All you
need are a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, hat, a pillow case, safety pins and lots of newspaper or straw.
Stuff the clothes tightly with crumpled up newspaper or straw and pin together with a safety pin. Draw a scary face or a happy
face on the pillowcase for the head and stuff into the neck of the shirt. For a super spooky yard decoration add fake blood or
spider webs. Be creative!
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Fun Family Halloween Activities
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
How to Carve Pumpkins
Carving pumpkins is an annual tradition for many families. While some have turned to painting pumpkins as a safer and less
messy alternative, many feel Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without an old-fashioned jack-o’-lantern.
Tips for picking out the perfect pumpkin
Picking out the right pumpkin is crucial for a good carving experience.
•Choose a large pumpkin, the larger the easier it is to carve, and typically it will not be as messy either.
•Avoid pumpkins that have bruises or moldy stems.
•Pumpkins that are lighter in color tend to be softer and easier to carve.
•Choose a pumpkin that is smooth and evenly colored.
•Make sure the pumpkin has a flat bottom so that it can sit upright.
Preparing the pumpkin for carving
•The first step is to cut the top off the pumpkin. Be sure to place the knife at a 45 degree angle so that the lid will sit on
top when it’s replaced. If you cut straight down, the lid will fall through the hole.
•Once you’ve cut the top off you can begin to clean out the pumpkin. Scoop out the flesh, pulp and the seeds with a
plaster scrape or fleshing tool, or a large metal spoon.
•Be sure to scrape the back wall of the pumpkin as much as possible if you plan on lighting it.
•Save the seeds for a healthy and delicious treat!
Carving
If you’re carving a pumpkin for the first time, you might want to choose a basic pattern. You can simply draw the face on with an
erasable marker, or search online for a free pumpkin carving pattern. There are hundreds of sites that offer free basic to the most
intricate designs, and we’ve included a list of some of them below.
•Print out the pattern and tape it onto the pumpkin.
•Trace the design by poking holes with a needle or large push pin.
•Remove the pattern and carve along the holes with a miniature saw, long serrated knife or a pumpkin-carving knife
with teeth. Use a sawing motion and slowly cut along the holes.
For lighting, use a small votive candle in a glass holder or use tea lights in a metal case. If you want to leave the lid on, be sure
to carve a hole in the back that will act as a chimney. Never leave the jack-o’-lantern lit unattended for any length of time.
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How to Carve Pumpkins
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
How to Carve Pumpkins
Making your own pattern
You don’t have to use someone else’s pattern. In fact, it can be fun to design your own. If you’re a decent artist, you can draw one
by hand. Keep in mind, whatever you cut will be illuminated (of course), and that your pattern will always be the negative of the
image you want to produce.
One of the easiest ways to make your own pattern is using Microsoft Word or Paint on your computer. You can even use one of
your own photos.
•Choose a photo that has good contrast and paste it into a Word document.
•Crop your photo down to just the part you want to carve.
•Select the photo and then click the Format tab. Click Recolor and select the Black and White option. Save the photo.
•Now open the new black and white version of the photo in paint. The black parts are what you’ll cut out of the
pumpkin.
Free online patterns
•http://www.pumpkinmasters.com/free-patterns.asp
•http://www.zombiepumpkins.com/
•http://www.history.com/interactives/pumpkin-carving-patterns
•http://www.rd.com/slideshows/12-free-printable-pumpkin-carving-stencils/
•http://www.pumpkinlady.com/
•http://family.go.com/disney/pkg-disney-parties-and-holidays/pkg-pumpkin-templates/
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t waste all of those pumpkin seeds, they make a wonderful and nutritious snack. Rinse them well, making sure to clean off
all of the pulp. Lay out on a cookie sheet to dry overnight. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and toss the seeds with olive oil or
melted butter.
Sprinkle seeds with salt, garlic powder, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper or your choice of seasonings and toss to coat. Bake for
about one hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
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How to Carve Pumpkins
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Cheap Halloween Decorating Ideas
Halloween decorating is just one of the reasons many people get excited for autumn to arrive. Turning holiday decorating into a
fun family activity is easy, and kids of all ages can get involved in creating some wonderful and spooky Halloween decorations.
Ghostly lanterns
All you need for this cute outdoor decoration is empty plastic gallon milk jugs – enough to line your walkway or porch, a black
marker, clear holiday lights and a knife.
Draw a ghost face on the jugs with the marker leaving the caps on so that the plastic doesn’t cave in. Cut a whole (about a half
dollar size) into the back of each jug. Arrange the ghosts near each other so that you can string the lights between them and
stuff several into each jug.
Egg carton bats
Egg carton bats are a great indoor decoration. You’ll just need empty egg carton containers, some string or rubber bands and
crayons or markers.
Separate three cups from an egg carton and cut out part of the bottoms of the two outside cups so that they look like bat wings.
Add eyes, a mouth, and decorate. Hang them from a string or a rubber band.
String of Jack-o’-Lanterns
For this project you’ll need orange and black construction paper, crayons or markers, glue or tape and a long piece of green yarn
or string.
Draw the jack-o’-lantern’s face on a piece of the orange paper, including a long stem on the top which your pumpkin will hang
from. Cut out the pumpkin and make eyes, a nose and a mouth out of the black paper – or use a crayon or marker. Attach the
pumpkin to a long strand of the green yarn or string and attach using tape or glue. Hang the strand of pumpkins in the corner of
a room or attached to the top of a window.
Hanging ghosts
Form a ball about the size of a golf ball using toilet paper and place it into the middle of a large white tissue, gathering the
tissue around the ball. Tie a string around it to hold. Turn it upside down and it becomes a ghost! Use black marker to draw the
face and attach a string or ribbon to hang your ghost.
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Cheap Halloween Decorating Ideas
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Cheap Halloween Decorating Ideas
Monster footprints
For some frightening footprints (these go great with a spooky story about Big Foot!), all you need is a magic marker, a big sponge
and some washable paint.
Take the marker and draw a footprint in a big sponge. Pour the washable paint into an aluminum pan or other large container.
Cut out the footprint and press into the paint. Sponge the footsteps up your sidewalk or driveway to your front door for trick-ortreaters to follow. The flip side of the sponge can be used to stamp the other foot.
Haunted room
Turn any room in your house into a creepy haunted room using white sheets, gauze and a small desk fan. Cover all of the furniture with the sheets and hang gauze in the windows and from the ceilings. Use the fan to create an eerie breeze. Little plastic
spiders can also be used for an extra spooky effect.
Halloween tree
Place bare branches into a vase creating a tree. Paint Christmas ornament balls black and orange and draw Halloween figures on
them. Get as creative as you like! You might make some hanging ghosts, bats or jack-o’-lanterns out of cardboard to hang on your
tree as well. Garland can also be made by painting strands of popcorn orange and black.
Painted pumpkins on a haystack
Painted pumpkins on a haystack make a really nice porch decoration at Halloween. Even if you don’t live near a farm where hay
can be purchased, you can often find it at a local craft store in the fall. You can get really creative with this- draw faces on the
pumpkins, add straw hats and even jewelry. Add cornstalks, maize or other gourds and strategically place them between the
pumpkins to finish the autumn look.
Flying bats
Create lots of these little bats and place them throughout the house! To make, just cut out the body and wings from black
construction paper or black foam. Make sure it’s large enough to fit onto a clothes pin. First glue the wings and then the body to
the clothes pin. Add “googly eyes” (found at many craft stores) for a super spooky look!
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Cheap Halloween Decorating Ideas
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween costume ideas
Coming up with a unique Halloween costume idea can seem like quite a challenge but there are a number of ways to come up
with a super fun costume.
Take a typical costume and give it a twist
If you got access to an old bridesmaid’s gown or even an old wedding dress, turn it into a frightening zombie costume by using
scary Halloween face makeup and adding lots of fake blood. Almost anything can be turned into a zombie- a football player
zombie, police officer zombie, a maid zombie, the list is endless!
Blockbuster films
Characters from any blockbuster film always make a great Halloween costume. This year’s popular costumes will include
anything from “The Avengers,” “Men in Black,” “Snow White & the Huntsman,” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
It’s easy to go back in time and borrow from old classics too. “Psycho,” “Night of the Living Dead,” “Motel Hell,” or “Rocky Horror
Picture Show,” all have characters that can be used as costumes. Horror films aren’t the only movies that can be considered for a
costume. “Indiana Jones,” “Wizard of Oz,” “Gone with the Wind” all include interesting characters. Look through a list of top 100
movies of all time for more ideas.
Cartoon characters
Cartoon characters from past or present make excellent Halloween costumes for kids of all ages. If you want a classic, think of
The Peanuts, The Jetsons or The Flintstones. Of course, super hero costumes always work too. You might use Wonder Woman,
Spider Man or Captain America. Speed racer, Looney Tunes and Sponge Bob are just a few of the others.
Children’s television
Both old and new children’s TV shows offer a wealth of fun characters for kids. You might choose Clifford the Big Red Dog, Care
Bears, or the many wonderful Sesame Street characters like Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.
Children’s books
Dr. Seuss books also provide a wealth of incredible characters that would make a good Halloween costume. From “The Cat in the
Hat,” to “The Sneeches,” and “The Lorax,” Dr. Seuss makes it easy. Other books you might use are “Where the Wild Things Are,”
“Berenstain Bears,” “Little Bear,” “Frog and Toad Together,” and “Winnie the Pooh.”
Different eras
An outfit from another time period makes a great costume. Think of the 1920s flappers, the 1950s sock hop or carhop outfits, the
classic ‘60s Go-Go dancer or hippie, ‘70s disco, etc.
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Halloween costume ideas
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween costume ideas
Current celebrities
There are so many great costumes you can come with using current celebrities. Just think of the many Hollywood stars who dress
to stand out on an everyday basis such as Lady Gaga, Madonna, Katy Perry, Beyonce’, etc.
Famous people from the past
Famous people from the past also make good costumes - think of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Twiggy, Lucille Ball or go further
back to people like Abraham Lincoln and even Cleopatra.
Rock stars
Rock stars are another good choice. The band KISS dresses like Halloween every day. Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson are both good
character costumes. If you want something more unique you might go with Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love or even Kurt Cobain.
Careers
How many different careers can you think of off the top of your head? This category also presents nearly an endless list of
costumes to choose from, including doctor, nurse, maid, zookeeper, librarian, mad scientist, etc.
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Halloween costume ideas
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween coupons and bargains
Who wants to pay full price when you can get a discount? That’s true any time of year, including Halloween. Everyone should use
coupons. Even if you have plenty to money to buy everything you could ever need or want, you could use the money saved to
donate to a charity or to a family that needs it. But where do you find Halloween coupons?
Sunday paper
Just before the beginning of the fall season, your Sunday paper is likely to include many great coupons that can be used for
Halloween. If you don’t already subscribe to your local newspaper, you might ask a neighbor to save the coupon sections for you
if it isn’t being used in their household. If you work in an office that subscribes to the paper, chances are the coupons are all
thrown in the recycling bin. Don’t let them go to waste!
You can also find newspaper that people have left behind at restaurants or cafés such as Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.
Coupon codes
Before buying anything on Google, you should do a search for coupon codes. There are a variety of searches you might try,
including: “BuyCostumes.com coupon codes,” or insert any site you are interested in purchasing from in place of
“BuyCostumes.com.”
Halloween sites
Sign up with all of the major Halloween sites for discounts and coupon codes. While getting on an email list can create more
spam, the hassle is often worth the money you’ll save.
Trading coupons
Trading coupons is another great way to get the Halloween coupons you need in exchange for giving away coupons you won’t
use. You can trade with people you know or join coupon trading forums online and trade with people from all over the country.
Write manufacturers and online companies who specialize in Halloween items
Often, by writing to a manufacturer or company and telling them how much you like their product, and politely asking for any
coupons they might have you’ll have some success at getting coupons and all kinds of discounts.
Schools
Your local area school might offer a coupon book to use locally at all types of stores, including discount and Halloween shops.
Sometimes you’ll even find admission discounts to haunted houses and other fun Halloween related activities such as hay rides
and corn mazes.
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Halloween coupons and bargains
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween coupons and bargains
Dollar store
The dollar store is a great place to get your trick-or-treat candy, Halloween decorative items, costume accessories and much
more.
Thrift stores
Thrift stores are a great place to find Halloween accessories and decorative items. Many thrift stores have entire sections
devoted to Halloween that open up just after Labor Day.
List of sites with coupon codes
A few of the sites you might check for Halloween coupon codes include:
•Halloween Horror Nights
•Spirit Halloween
•Halloween coupons
When that ghost and ghoul time of year arrives, the air turns crisp and cool, and pumpkins seem to be everywhere you look, the
Halloween holiday means lots of fun but it doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to have a good time!
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Halloween coupons and bargains
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween Recipes
Special Halloween treats are sure to put a smile on the face of ghosts and goblins of all sizes. These recipes are fairly easy to
make and especially fun to taste!
Ghoulish Shaped Sugar Cookies
There are so many varieties of Halloween sugar cookies that can be made, all you need is a basic sugar cookie recipe and some
fun Halloween shaped cookie cutters, such as pumpkins, ghosts and bats. One of the best recipes for sugar cookies to use is the
following:
Ingredients
•1 ½ cups butter, softened
•2 cups white sugar
•4 eggs
•1 teaspoon vanilla extra
•5 cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
•In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder
and salt. Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour, or overnight.
•Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface until it’s about ¼” to 1/2” thick. Cut into shapes with
the Halloween shaped cookie cutters. Place cookies one inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes
in the preheated oven. Cool completely before decorating.
•You can leave them as is, or decorate with frosting and sparkles!
Super Easy Chocolate Witch Hats
Most of the recipe calls for pre-made items making this super easy and yumilicious! Using chocolate ice cream cones for the
cone of the hat and cookies for the brim, “glue” everything together using frosting. Use frosting bags with decorative tips to
create a unique witch hat.
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Halloween Recipes
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween Recipes
Sweet Pumpkin Bread
This is a great recipe to make good use of any leftover pumpkin you might have! It’s sweet and spicy as well as low-fat for those
trying to watch their weight.
Ingredients:
•1- 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (or about 2 cups fresh mashed pumpkin)
•2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites
•½ cup vegetable oil
•½ cup apple sauce
•2/3 cup water
•3 cups white sugar
•3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking soda
•1 ½ teaspoons salt
•1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
•1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
•¾ teaspoon ground cloves
•½ teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
•Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Spray baking sheet with non-stick oil.
•In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, apple sauce, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate
bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin
mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pan.
•Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Pumpkin bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean.
•After bread has cooled completely, frost with a cream cheese frosting, or glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice.
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Halloween Recipes
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween Tips and Treats
Here are a few tips and treats to help you make the most of this Halloween season.
Buying costumes
•Proper sizing is a must when it comes to buying costumes online. It is very important to know your child’s size before
purchasing in order to avoid disappointment. Our sizing guide will help you determine the correct size and can be found here:
http://www.halloweenmall.com/costumes-sizing-guide/
•Don’t wait until the last minute to buy your costume. Allow at least two months prior to Halloween in case of shipping
issues or sizing problems. Remember, you can always return the costume in exchange for the correct size.
•Buy costumes only from the major Halloween sites to eliminate the risk of fraud or poor quality. A list of sites is
included below.
•Remember, in the month of October many of the costumes will already be sold out. If possible, purchase your costume
in August or September to avoid inventory problems.
•After Halloween is over, you can get great deals on Halloween costumes. All the major companies offer great prices in
order to get rid of their inventory. If you want to save a lot of money on next year’s costume, take advantage and buy the year
before.
Major Halloween costume sites
•HalloweenExpress.com
•HalloweenCostumes.com
•BuyCostumes.com
•HalloweenSpirit.com
Taking good Halloween pictures
Halloween presents a perfect opportunity for some outstanding pictures that you’ll want to cherish forever. Here are some tips
for taking good photos at Halloween.
•Have a good focal point- good images should have something that holds the viewer’s attention.
•Fill your frame. Add to Halloween drama by getting in nice and close to your subject.
•Find fresh angles and pay attention to details. In addition to the standard kid in the costume photo, take some of the
kids getting ready. Don’t just take a picture of the carved pumpkin. Take a pic of the fun, and messy, part of carving the pumpkin!
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Halloween Tips and Treats
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com
Halloween safety tips
When it comes to Halloween fun, you want to make sure every member of your family is safe, including both the kids and the
pets. Here are some important safety tips to remember at Halloween.
Keeping pets safe
•Candy is not a treat your pet should have. Chocolate in all forms can be very dangerous for both dogs and cats. Artificial
sweeteners can also be toxic.
•Don’t allow pets to nibble on pumpkins, they can cause stomach upset.
•Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach to avoid electric shock.
•Exercise caution when pets are around a candlelit jack-o’-lantern.
•When opening the door to trick-or-treaters make sure your pet doesn’t bolt outside.
•If you dress up your pet, make sure it isn’t too annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict your pet’s movement or
hearing or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow.
Keeping children safe
•Don’t allow your children to trick-or-treat without adult supervision unless you feel they are old enough. Even without
adult supervision, they should always go out in a group, or at least in pairs.
•Designate a trick-or-treat route beforehand and make sure the kids stick to the plan.
•Make sure the kids only ring the bell of homes that have lights on and advise them to never go inside.
•Make sure the kids are visible. If they aren’t wearing costumes that glow in the dark, flashlights or reflective strips are a
necessity.
•Always check their candy before allowing them to eat it. Throw out anything that isn’t in an original wrapper.
•Remind them, as always, to never accept a ride from a stranger.
•If possible, give one of the kids a cell phone so you can get in touch with them and they can reach you in an emergency.
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Halloween safety tips
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Conclusions
Now you have loads of new tips and ideas for Halloween costumes, parties and more. This is a fun and exciting time of year and
no matter what the age of your children or who will be participating in your holiday festivities, you can find lots of ways to make
it fun with these tips.
Happy Halloween!
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Conclusions
Halloween Mall eBook 2013 by HalloweenMall.com