About 2000 years ago, people called Celts lived in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Their new year didn't begin on January 1, it began on November 1. So October 31 was New Year's Eve.

The Celts believed that ghosts and goblins and witches walked the earth on October 31. These spirits terrified the Celts, so the people dressed up in costumes so the spirits wouldn't recognize them.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, the traditions of the two different people were brought together, and some of them were combined.

For the Romans, November 1 was an important holy day called All Hallows.

Eventually October 31, the day before All Hallows, became known as All Hallows E'en (evening). And that is the day we celebrate as Halloween.

  See My Halloween Cards!

Halloween Crafts

  Walnut Spiders:  Halve a walnut and remove the nut. Be careful to not crack or damage the shelled halves. Either leave shell brown or paint black. Allow to dry completely if painted. Attach pipe cleaners to sides of shell for spider legs. They can be attached with glue or tape, or for a more permanent attachment have an adult drill small holes in each side of the shell and poke pipe cleaner through. Decorate body with eyes using stickers or hole reinforcements. These make great table ornaments at Halloween parties!!

Paper Mache Ghost:   Take strips of newspaper and soak in paper mache. Cover entire balloon and allow to dry over night. You may cover entire balloon in large sheets of paper or instead hang white streamers from the underside of the balloon. Paint the balloon white and draw on eyes or paint eyes. Attach string to top for hanging.

Paper Bag Pumpkin: For smaller pumpkins use lunch bags with flat bottoms, for larger pumpkins use grocery bags. Stuff the bag 3/4 full with scrunched up newspaper. Gather top of bag and tie with string or yarn to form stem of pumpkin. Shape bag to look like pumpkin using your hands. Decorate pumpkin with paints, markers or crayons as you desire.

Halloween Recipes

Witches Fingers

1 cup butter, softened   1 cup icing sugar   1 egg   1 tsp. almond extract

3/4 cup whole blanched almonds   1 tube red decorator gel

In bowl beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla; beat in flour; baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Working with one-quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remaining dough refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoons full of dough into finger shape for each cookie. Press almond firmly into one end for nail.
Squeeze in center to create knuckle shape. Using a paring knife make slashes in several places to form knuckle. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet in 325 degree over for 20-25 minutes or until pale or golden. Let cool for three minutes.
Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back in place so gel oozes out from underneath. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 5 doz. fingers!

Chocolate Spiders

4 cups semisweet chocolate baking chips

Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler. Let stand over the water until water is cool, about 10 minutes. Place wax paper on cookie sheet. Pour chocolate into a pastry bag that is fitted with a 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch tip. Squeeze chocolate onto wax paper in the shape of spiders. If chocolate is runny it needs to be cooled longer. Chill the spiders for about 10 minutes. When hard peel off wax paper. Store in refrigerator laid flat. 

Mystic Punch

Make ice cubes with raisins in them   4 1-pint bottles cranberry juice

2 ˝ cups peach juice     1 cup fresh lime juice   2 cups orange juice  Sugar to taste

In a punch bowl mix all juices. Add the ice cubes (with "insects" in them)!  

Meet Our Adopted Candy Corn Critter!

This is "Wart Witchie!"

Halloween Safety For Kids

Always use common sense.

Young children should always go trick-or-treating with an adult.

Never trick-or-treat alone. Have at least 2 buddies go with you.

Plan your entire route and make sure your family knows what it is.

Wait until you get home and your parents check your candy before you eat it.

Be very cautious of strangers.

Accept treats only in the doorway. Never go inside a house.

Be sure and say thank you for your treats.  :)

Don't play near lit jack-o-lanterns.

Visit only houses where the lights are on.

Walk, Do not run.

Walk on sidewalks and driveways.

Cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk.

Take a cellular phone with you if possible.

Carry a flashlight.

HAVE FUN!  :)

  Fun Halloween Links

Billy Bear's Halloween Page

Gamekids Halloween Games and Activities

Create a Halloween Story

Read a scary Halloween story (for kids!)

Halloween Tricks and Treats

Halloween Magazine.com

Have a Safe and Happy

Halloween!!

You are listening to "Tales of the Crypt" provided by The Halloween Midi page