A couple years ago a some great jack-o-lantern carvings showed up on the world wide web. A finely carved pumpkin but nothing too had to do. Two eyes, a nose, and a wide, gaping mouth that was in most ways unextraordinary.

What made this the best pumpkin carving was that whoever did it took the scooped out innards of the pumpkin and arranged them in a way that made it seem that the jack-o-lantern was caught in mid-vomit. Some times too much punch from a holiday party can make one feel this way. Every time I see this image in my head I have to laugh out loud.

Another of the best pumpkin carving ideas I can remember is in the same vein. Cut your jack-o-lantern with a scary looking face. He should have pointed fangs in his large mouth, to go with angry slim eyes.,. Then, in one side of the mouth stick a smaller pumpkin with a frightened, horrified look on its face. Done properly this should look like the larger jack-o-lantern is eating the smaller one, a bit of malicious delight on All Hallow’s Eve.

And it’s important to note that jack-o-lanterns are an important part of the Halloween tradition, and have been for centuries. According to wikipedia, the origin of the jack-o-lantern is as follows:

Another version of the myth says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. This seemed like a good plan to the Devil. The devil changed into a coin of silver and leaped into Jacks open wallet. It happened so fast he did not see the cross also in the wallet. The devil was trapped and his powers gone, once the wallet with the cross inside, closed. In both myths, Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. With no home, where was Jack to go. From the flames of hell, the Devil gave Jack an ever glowing ember to light his way. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. From then on he was known as Jack-o’-Lantern – Jack of the Lantern.

So don’t forget that when looking for the best pumpkin carving ideas, either!

Halloween Dinner Party – A grown up dinner party is perfect for an intimate gathering. Choose a theme such as Gothic, old horror films (Dracula, Frankenstein) etc. Send out handmade spooky invitations, asking your guests to come in costumes that relate to the theme. Intimate gatherings are a very grown up way to still enjoy Halloween with style. You could also have a theme for your party, such as Wizard of Oz, and invite each guest to come as their favorite character. There’s a brand new line of costumes from the land of Oz this year, including a Flying Monkey Costume that is very scary looking.

Halloween Cocktail Party – If you don’t want to do a formal dinner or a big blow out costume party, why not have a cocktail party? If you aren’t interested in getting dressed up and going out to a huge bash, you can make some festive treats and drinks and spend. Schedule your party as the first event of the evening for guests that do. Come up with a fun signature drink that you can make up in a batch before the party. Don’t forget to test it out before serving!

Halloween Tea – A Halloween afternoon tea is perfect if you are looking for something a little more on the formal side. Use black tablecloths, candelabras with black or orange candles, spider webs and dead flowers as the centerpiece. Serve some Halloween themed food items such as pumpkin cookies, or cupcakes, witches finger sandwiches, etc. For a striking table, order all black plates and napkins to create a very Gothic mood.

Halloween Scrap Booking Party – Purchase Halloween themed scrapbooking supplies and invite your crafty friends over for a crop. This is a great way to have a low key get together, and accomplish something at the same time. This party is great for both experienced scrapbookers as well as friends who are new to the idea. You can ask guests to bring their potluck supplies and you provide the Halloween themed goods. Bring out some treats and wine, and you’ve got yourself a fun crop party!

Seance – This is great for an older teen sleepover or an adult dinner party. Decorate with lots of candles and set up a spooky graveyard scene with Styrofoam tombstones. A Ouija board should definitely make an appearance at this party. Keep the focus lighthearted by only calling on the famously dearly departed such as Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Elvis etc. Super spooky or fall off your chair hilarious, it all depends on the group of people (and how many bottles of wine are involved).

Ensure the success of your party with a little bit of advance thought and preparation. Determine the type of friends to invite and what works best for that group. A Halloween Afternoon Tea Party is a fun mother daughter event. Dinner parties are perfect for a smaller group of friends, and you can focus on pampering them with amazing handmade invitations and menu creations. Cocktail parties are ideal in big cities where your guests may have several social events to attend. Pick what works best for you. Most importantly, determine your costume and order it right now online. Visit the Monkey Costume site to see the Flying Monkey Costume or thousands of other costume choices. Happy Halloween!

Dark and Lovely Gothic – A simple, chic way to create a Gothic look is by using a few key pieces such black tablecloths, some dead flowers in a vase, candelabras with wax drippings and black ravens perched on light fixtures or hung frames. Read your favorite family and decorating magazines for more tips and ideas on Gothic style decorating. You can pick up lots of items at a thrift store that will enhance your theme. Be on the lookout for things like black sheets and tablecloths, vases, candelabras and even Halloween decorations.

Spooky Graveyard – For a great entrance, create a spooky graveyard scene to greet your guests as they arrive. a fog machine, coffin and headstones are all you need to create a very spooky scene. You can make your own gravestones with Styrofoam and spray paint from a craft store. Having a stuffed body or ghost from a tree limb will add to the scary effect.

Thrift Store Delights – Head to a thrift store in October for lots of great deals on spooky finds. Black sheets, candelabras, and assorted items can be spray painted black to give it a spooky look. Many thrift stores have a wide range of Halloween props and decorations for your home. If you are short on storage space, just donate everything back to the thrift store after Halloween!

Disney’s Nightmare Before Christmas – The Nightmare Before Christmas is a popular theme for Halloween, and it works well for children and adults. You could also expand the theme to encompass Disney in general, and invite guests to come as their favorite Disney character. This concept is perfect for couples as there are many famous Disney couples to portray. Mickey & Minnie Mouse Costume, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, and of course Jack Skellington and Sally.

Use these tips as inspiration to get your own creative ideas flowing. Most importantly, don’t forget to plan your Halloween costume. You can order a Mouse Costume, Minnie Mouse Costume or choose from thousands of other costumes and party supplies online, but do it soon. Halloween is only days away!

Wizard of Oz – Flying Monkey & The Wicked Witch of the West – This is one of my favorite ideas for this year because the flying monkey costume is brand new for 2009. I’m really excited that the flying monkey costume is now available, as I’m a big Wizard of Oz fan! This idea easily expands to a group, using other favorite characters from the movie, including Dorothy, The Tin Man, Glenda the Good Witch, or your favorite character.

Michael Jackson and his Pet Monkey Bubbles – There is a lot of interest in Michael Jackson Costumes this year due to his passing earlier this year. You can turn that into a couples costume by adding Bubbles, his pet monkey. You could also dress up in two different Michael Jackson costumes. If you have a group you can go as the Jackson Five.

Monkey See and Monkey Do – A cute idea for a pair of kids. Use two identical kids Monkey Costume sets and make 2 signs for them to wear-one is Monkey See and the other sign should say Monkey Do. Your kids will have a great time hamming it up.

Barrel of Monkeys – A lot of fun for a group. The more monkeys the better, so any size group can be accomodated with this idea. Put the “adult” of the group into the “Barrel of Monkeys” costume, surrounded by everyone else in various monkey costumes. An Infant Monkey Costume with a cute little monkey tail is my favorite. This costume idea really brings a group together for a barrel of laughs all night long. Accessorize with some fun inflatable bananas!

Go with one of these ideas or use them to get your creativity started. If you are crafty you can take a stab at making your own costumes, or you can purchase them online. Either way you’ll have a barrel of fun this Halloween!

For fans of Disney, the Mickey Mouse Costume is the ultimate choice for Halloween. What better way to capture the spirit of Disney than to celebrate Halloween in a Mickey Mouse Costume?. There are several options to choose from.

Infant Mickey Mouse Costume – This is so adorable for babies!! Many of these versions are made from terrycloth, making it an extremely soft and snuggly option. A one-piece zippered pajama with diaper snaps, it can be worn alone or with another layer of clothing underneath for added warmth. This one has great details and is really well made.

Disney Mickey Mouse Costume for kids – a friend of mine told me that her son likes to wear his Mickey Mouse Costume throughout the year, and believes he is the real Mickey Mouse! This officially licensed Disney Mickey Mouse Costume is very well made, with a white shirt with sequined bow tie and a black jacket, and red pants. Includes mouse ears, of course!. Paired with black shoes, your Mousketeer is ready for Trick-or-Treating!

The Minnie Mouse Costume for girls – No matter if you are a little girl, big girl, toddler or baby, there is a Minnie Mouse Costume available for you. What fun to put your son in a Mickey Mouse Costume while you go as Minnie?

Mouse Costume – Perhaps you are looking for something non-Disney? There are numerous great Mouse Costume choices available, ranging from a sweet mouse to a scary mouse costume. Differentiate yourself from all the other mice this Halloween!

Looking for a family theme? How about dressing as your favorite Disney characters? Mom could go in a Minnie Mouse Costume, dad in a Goofy costume, and the kids in a favorite character. Little girls can choose from Ariel, Snow White, Cinderella, Jasmine or even Tinkerbell.

The Halloween season is quickly approaching, so get your costume now. Happy Halloween!

The Ladybug Costume is available in a variety of options and sizes, so you can find the perfect ladybug costume for your baby, toddler, young girl or yourself. In terms of styles, there are classic looks and sexy ladybug costumes, tutus for the little ones, and warm and cozy bunting for the babies. Basically, there is a ladybug costume to suit any need.

If you are considering wearing a ladybug costume this Halloween, then you’ll want to get the basic outfit and then accessorize it. As an example, Infant or Toddler Ladybug Costumes can be matched with black leggings and a long sleeve shirt to keep your little bug warm throughout the evening. For ladies, a pair of sexy black shoes and some fun stockings will complete the look.

Infant Ladybug Costumes come in several different options. There is a bunting for infants, designed to keep your baby nice and warm all evening. There’s also an adorable cape style ladybug costume that works well over simple black clothes, and black mittens and booties are included. There’s also a hat with red pompoms that will not bother your baby the way a headband might. It’s very sweet!

The Toddler Ladybug Costumes are available in several adorable styles to choose among, including a number of different dress styles, some with tutus, and also a very sweet pajama zip up version with booties. Depending on whether you are looking for total comfort or pure cuteness, you can find something that works perfectly for your little bug. Complete the look with wings, leggings and antennae.

Girls Ladybug Costume options are plenty. Dress styles range from classic to flirty, some being very sweet and innocent, or a sexy style better suited to young women. There are some great accessories available, including leg warmers or stockings in a ladybug pattern, different styles of wings and antennae. Black shoes or high heels complete the look.

This Halloween, there are some really great looks available for a Plus Size Ladybug Costume. Depending on your personality, you can go with a classy or vixen look. With the classic style ladybug costume you get an a-line dress with elbow length black gloves and a square pill box hat. Then there’s the option of the sexy ladybug costume with a tight dress made for showing off curves. Accessorize with some bad girl black boots or platform heels and stockings.

The Ladybug Costume is a great look for this Halloween, especially if you are looking for something unique and yet adorable at the same time. Happy Trick or Treating!

When it comes to All Hallow’s Eve….there is no lack of variety in what is available. From trick or treating to hosting a scary movie marathon, finding something not to do would actually be more of a challenge! Here are some frightfully good ideas that will make for an interesting evening.

If you live in a friendly neighbourhood, you could consider trick or treating. This works especially well if you fore-warn your neighbours of your intentions by leaving a note on their doorstep a few days before Halloween. Certain neighbourhoods, appartment blocks and gated communities really make an effort to be prepared with treats and some even decorate their front gardens. My children still remember the guy who turned his whole front yard into a dark catacomb and who then sat quietly in the dark as we walked up the path before scaring us all half to death!

If Halloween falls on a school night this year, young children who need an early night will still feel as though they celebrated if you set up a few special treats, some arts and crafts and perhaps a fun movie before bedtime.

Print a few coloring pages and activities for them based on their favourite characters, for instance little boys love Spongebob and Pokemon and at sites like Pokemon Coloring Pages you’ll find the best Pokeom coloring pages meanwhile at Spongebob Squarepants Coloring Pages you’ll find heaps of coloring pages of Bikini Bottom’s most absorbent dweller!

Halloween fancy dress parties are great to both host and attend and if you are stuck for costume ideas, again – head for Google and do an image search! If you have teenagers, they may scoff at the thought of having a Halloween party but may like the thought of a night of terror and suspense. Depending on their age, you could arrange to rent DVDs of movies such as Hocus Pocus, Psycho or the Blair Witch Project. Just add friends, popcorn, soda and a pizza delivery for instant teenage heaven.

Scour the net elsewhere too for a variety of activities including paper plate pumpkins and pipe cleaner spiders. Older children may enjoy making slime with two cups of water, half a cup of cornstarch and a few drops of red or green food colouring.

Murder mystery dinner parties are great fun and if you pick one with a Chinese, Indian or Italian theme you don’t even have to cook – you can just order a home delivery from your local Chinese or Indian take-away or from your favourite pizza place. Choose fun guest with a sense of humour and who will get into the spirit of the evening by dressing up and taking on the mannerisms and accent of the character you have chosen for them and you are in for a memorable evening.

To spend the evening playing games with family is also a great way to pass the time. Board games such as Cluedo or the types of jigsaw puzzles that involve solving riddles are just perfect. Prepare some themed nibbles and a few drinks and you will have spent some true Halloween quality time together.

These are just a handfull of ideas that will keep you occupied this eerie evening – happy howling!

Have you ever seen Halloween contact lenses?  These babies are the bomb.  I just get all stoked when I ponder the variety of accessories we have for Halloween nowadays.  From practical costumes, to fake blood and gore, to precise fangs, to Halloween contact lenses, there’s simply no end.  I adore it because there are just so many things you can do with it all.  This year I plan to go as a werewolf.  Once I have found the perfect set of teeth and a set of deep red Halloween contact lenses, I’ll be set to scare all of the little children who cross my path.  Now does not that sound amazing? 

Perhaps you too are in the market for excellent Halloween contact lenses and costumes.  Well, let me give you a little hint on where to begin.  First off, go on and begin looking now.  If you wait until October, tons of the great costumes, props, and Halloween contact lenses are gone.  Folk are planning ahead nowadays.  It’s up to you to get the jump on them.  Don’t be that individual, who is left with no cool costume.  That is a major drag on Halloween night.  Instead, hop on the World-Wide-Web now.  This is the best place to search for that ideal costume and those practical Halloween contact lenses and fangs.  Whatever you do, don’t wait for that tacky Halloween superstore to come to the city.  Those places are always so picked over.  Online you will find exactly what you’re on the lookout for.

For a selection of crazy Halloween lenses visit the Coloured Contact website.