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Decorating Ideas:

How to Select and Carve a Pumpkin:
Picking the Pumpkin: Look for an unbruised pumpkin with firm, smooth skin and even coloring. 
Lighter-colored pumpkins tend to have softer shells and are easier for children to carve, but they 
deteriorate sooner. If two pumpkins are about the same size but one is noticeably heavier, choose
the one that weighs less; it's likely to have a thinner shell and be easier to carve.
Deciding on a Design: Whether you're using a pattern from a kit or following your imagination, 
choose a design suited to your squash's size and shape. A long morose face won't work best on a 
chubby dude. If your design is the wrong size, use a photocopier to enlarge or reduce it to fit. 
Edible squash such as pumpkins are softer and easier to carve than the smaller decorative gourds,
the shells of which can be thick and prone to crack. For these tough little squash, you might need 
to plug in the electric drill and create your designs with patterns of small holes.
Making the First Cut: The first hurdle is getting inside. Going in from the top is more 
traditional, but cutting off the bottom helps a tippy pumpkin sit straight, and after it's carved, 
it can be set right over the candle -- on a plate, never directly on furniture. Either way, the 
larger the opening, the easier it is to scoop out the innards. If you go in from the top, cut at 
an angle so the outside of the lid is bigger than the inside; this will keep it from falling in. 
And cutting a notch in the lid makes it easier to fit the piece back on snugly.
Digging In: Scoop out seeds and strings, but don't stop there. The thinner the wall, the 
easier it will be to cut, so scrape away until the side you plan to carve is an inch thick or less. 
You can go for special effects by scraping until some areas become translucent, but don't go too 
far or you'll weaken the shell. Check the thickness by pushing a straight pin through the wall.
Using a Pattern: If you're using a pattern from a kit or your own drawing, tack the design
to the pumpkin with straight pins. Transfer the design to the gourd by poking pin holes along the
lines. You can also draw directly on the pumpkin. Pens or pencils are best but press gently; they
make dents. Many felt-tip markers tend to smear and are hard to clean off.
Start Small: Begin by cutting small areas first.  "Pumpkin Masters" (the people who make 
all those wonderful tools and designs) suggest you start at the center) Once you've taken out big 
pieces, the shell cracks more easily. The first cut is the most important because it's the starting 
place for the rest of the design. If you're designing a face without using a pattern, Cherkasky 
recommends beginning with the mouth.
Making Repairs: If a piece breaks off, it can be reattached with a toothpick when you're 
finished carving. Toothpicks are also good for adding extra features like triangle-shaped cats' 
ears or prominent noses.
Making It Last: A cut pumpkin will start to dry out in about four days. There are several 
tricks to prolong its life. Anchor a candle inside (tinfoil makes a good candle holder) and light 
it. See where the smoke blackens a spot on the lid, and cut a hole there, so heat can escape; 
this keeps the fruit from drying out so fast. Washing the inside with a mild bleach solution will 
slow the process of decay. And covering cut surfaces with petroleum jelly keeps them fresher.  If 
you really want your carved pumpkin to last a while, put it in a plastic bag and store it in the 
refrigerator. As a last resort, you can revive a withering pumpkin by soaking it in water for a 
few hours, but be careful because soaking too long can crack the shell. Drain and dry well before
lighting again.
Alternative Lighting: Electric lights work well instead of candles. "Pumpkin Masters" suggest 
using a 25-watt candelabra bulb for maximum brightness, lower wattage if they're going to be left
on a long time.
Keeping Critters Away: Experts we consulted had a few suggestions for protecting pumpkins 
destined for the doorstep. Discourage squirrels and other nibbling critters from making a meal of
your creation by sprinkling it with Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper. That should do for all but 
the most adventurous eaters.

Cheesecloth Ghosts
What you need for those are lots of cheesecloth, fabric stiffener or white glue, googly eyes 
(available in craft stores), balloons, drinking glasses, and nylon thread or fishing line 
(optional). First, blow up the balloons and set them in the drinking glasses; this will provide 
a form for you to mold the ghosts around. Cut squares about 12-14" of double layers of 
cheesecloth. Dilute the fabric stiffener or white glue 1:1 with water, dip the cheesecloth 
squares in the glue mixture and wring out the excess. Drape the cheesecloth on the balloon in a 
ghostly shape. You can have the ghost's hemline trail the table for a standup ghost, or you can 
have a sheer drop for a flying ghost. Let dry overnight. When dry, remove the balloons, glue on 
the googly eyes and attach nylon thread to the beads of any ghosts you want to fly through the 
air. Hang the flying ghosts wherever appropriate! The standup ghosts can stand on a table. 

Ghost Suckers 
Take a round-headed lollipop.  Lay the head in the center of a white handkerchief (disposable 
tissue or cloth depending on how classy/expensive you want).  Fold and gather the handkerchief 
down around the stick and tie just below the head with a thread/ribbon/rubber band.  Add 2 black 
dots for eyes. Voila - a ghost.  These make good party favors.  I've got a book that suggests 
writing the invitation around the outside of the handkerchief before assembling and mailing them 
in padded envelopes. 

Haunted House
Decorations: Go the whole nine yards--put up cobwebs, play chilling organ music, and turn on a 
few black lights. Add surprises in dark corners, and you have a maze of shocking fun. A strobe 
light can help create confusion for one of your scary tricks. You also may want to use dry ice 
for a curling mist. I know, it's a little tacky, but it never fails to produce an eerie atmosphere. 
Here's another idea, spread some moth balls around the house the day before your party. On 
Halloween your haunted house will reek with the old, musty odor of dank rooms and rundown buildings.

Funeral Parlor
Decorations: I know it's cliché, but a coffin in the room adds such atmosphere. But, instead of 
the same old open-coffin, jump-out-and-scare routine, use it as your buffet table or picture spot. 
Have some fun with it! And cover the inside of your lamps with red material. This creates a garish
glow of B horror films and creepy funeral homes. Ask all your guests to wear cheap black suits and
dresses. And what about scalpels to cut the food? 

Graveyard
Decorations: Gravestones all over the front yard with your guests names above the R.I.P., and 
eerie epitaphs to make them shiver. Here's an interesting suggestion: place some dry twigs, dirt,
and leaves on the floor. It may get a little messy, but the sound of cracking branches will 
create the perfect outdoor atmosphere. For props, I suggest shovels, pickaxes, and skeletons. 
Take apart the skeletons if you can and strew the bones around. Tripping over fingers and legs 
will put everybody on edge. Turn off all the lights except for one covered with blue gel paper. 
It will seem like moonlight! 

Headstones
Quick and easy gravestones can be made of cardboard decorated with poster paint and marking pens.
(You can also use the spray paint that ends up looking like marble if you want a more realistic 
looking headstone)  Paint the tombstones gray and write on them with black marker. You can also 
use styrofoam slabs instead of cardboard. More permanent ones can by made of wood in the shape of
crosses, and plywood cut out with a jigsaw, makes interesting shapes. Make them longer than needed 
and partially bury them with a few dead leaves up against them, or put stakes on the backs.  
Place some of them at weird angles and place a shovel near one of them for effect. 

Webbing
Webbing is one of the most essential parts of decorating you home for Halloween.  You can pick up 
bags of spider webbing practically anywhere, and to make it look like real spider webs you have 
to remember to stretch it out as far as you can.  One small bag can cover the front of a two-story 
house if you just keep stretching.  (Just remember to set up creepy stuff under the webbing before
you start pulling.) Indoors, a little goes a LONG way.  Fill corners and doorways, lampshades and
ceiling fans (stationary), bookcases and banisters, and anywhere else you can think of. 

Moving Monster Eyes
Are those roving ghoulie eyes following everyone from that tree? No, they are just a couple of 
penlight flashlights with lenses painted red with thinned nail polish, snuggled together with 
electrical tape, and suspended on broken rubber bands. Wrapped in white cloth, the bobbing eyes 
make perfect monsters. 
Another creepy effect can be made with regular flashlights. Spray paint the bodies black, but 
leave the colored collars. With the flashlight disassembled, cover the center of the glass lens 
with an elongated diamond of yellow cellophane - the slit of a cat's eye. Cover the rest of the 
glass with green cellophane, leaving an opening for the slit.  Reassemble the flashlights, then 
join them just as the little monsters above.

Jack-o-lantern monster
Very easy to assemble! Make a wig from a mop whose handle has been sawed off. Dip mop in a 
stiffening solution (available at fabric stores), spread out and allow to dry. Smoke tumbling 
from the eyes and mouth comes from dry ice spritzed with water from a spray bottle. Add the swamp
green glow is provided by a light stick (camping ware departments) that, unlike a candle, is 
unaffected by the dry ice.  Hook a heavy-duty hanger through the bottom of the pumpkin and hang 
either a long sleeved work shirt or nightgown on it, lightly stuffing with newspaper or batting. 
Gloves, also stuffed, pinned to the end to make convincing hands that can be manipulated to carry
chains (the light plastic kind that garden shops sell, spray painted black or gray). Hung from a 
tree, the beastie sways with the breeze. Or bury one end of the mop handle in the ground and 
stick Jack (or Jacqueline!) on top of it. If the head leans to one side, all the better. 

Flying spiders
Tumbling or flying spiders can be achieved with novelty shop spiders tied to monofilament. Thread
line through eyehooks or eyebolts attached to the porch ceiling, then run over the top of your 
front door.  Staple monofilament in place. If the door opens out, the spiders fall. If it opens 
in, the spiders fly. 
**Monofilament is also handy for creating rocking chairs inhabited by invisible specters when 
tugged on by an unseen conspirator in a bush or behind a door. 

Dilapidated effect
"Dilapidated effect" can intensify your haunted house atmosphere. Brown packing paper that's been 
wrinkled and attached to the walls, bunched up in places then painted with bold stripes of gray 
and black gives a run down appearance. OR… Get some large appliance boxes from a nearby store. 
Line your hallways with the cardboard.  Paint it black or midnight blue.  Some boards placed over
 windows adds to the effect.  Flats used to stack cargo are a good source of wood.  Check with 
home improvement stores. 
**Spanish moss hanging from around the eves of the house also adds to the eerie dilapidated effect.
*** Make scary trees. Twist trashbags (dark colored) and staple them to the
cardboard. Use many for the trunk, singles for limbs and branches. 

Following eyes in the windows 
Get some water based (or acrylic) paint, and paint a portrait on the outside of your window. 
Paint eyes on the inside. The slight difference in the depth will make the eyes seem to follow 
passerby's, but be sure to have light from behind the eyes, with tiny clear holes in the pupils. 
*** Clean up is easy with hot soapy water ***

Coat Hanger Bat:
Wire coat hanger
Black plastic garbage bag, (1 garbage bag will make 4 bats)
Black electrical tape
Newspaper or polyester batting
Reflective tape
Bend the wire coat hanger to resemble bat wings. Lay the plastic garbage bag on a flat surface 
and place the hanger on top. Using black electrical tape, tape the hanger to the bag, leaving the
hanger and form bat wings.  Cut an 18" circle from the plastic garbage bag for the body and head.
Wad batting or newspaper to make a ball about the size of a small fist. Place in the center of the 
plastic circle. Wrap the plastic around the ball and tape it to form the body. Make another ball 
of batting or newspaper and place on top of the body. Wind tape around the ball, forming the head. 
Cut ears from a portion of the leftover plastic bag.  Cut eyes, and fangs from the reflective 
tape. Tape the body and head to the wings. Wrap black electrical tape around the hook. 

Dead man in a chair 
Buy one of the ugliest masks you can find. Also buy a black balloon. Inflate balloon until the 
mask fits just over the front of the balloon. An old wig can be used for hair, or just tilt a hat
over the back of the balloon. Using old clothing, stuffed with newspaper, create the body and prop
it in the chair. Even stuff shoes and stick the ends of the pants in the top part of shoes. Stuff
old yard work gloves for the hands, and attach with safety pins to end of long sleeved shirt. 
Attach head (balloon), to the top of shirt; hide by raising the collar of the shirt. Use an axe 
or knife and stab stuffed body in the chest area. Use bright red nail polish to paint blood on 
the shirt around the knife. 

Headless body
Make a headless body, holding it's head, by using the same method as above, but just place the 
head in the lap of the victim! Let some newspaper stick out of the top of the shirt - spray paint
it red, allowing some of the paint to get on top edges of shirt. Stuff some paper between mask 
and balloon, letting it hang down, and spray paint it red also. If desired, drape arm over arm 
rest of chair, and attach head to glove.  To do this, wig or hat will have to be glued to the 
balloon. Use safety pins to pin wig to glove. This will look like victim is carrying head!  

Ghosts hanging from trees 
Use some old sheets and heavy hangers and some white balloons. Attach balloon to bottom of hooked
part of hanger. Shape hanger so that it is more elongated than wide. Drape sheet over hanger and 
balloon. Tie a string loosely around base of balloon to somewhat form head. Hang a few of these 
in trees. 

Black Rats
Stuff black socks with fiber-fill stuffing. Tie a black thread around a section for the separation
between head and body. Cut the remainder of the sock off, Gather the opening with a needle and 
thread, and stick a long black pipe cleaner in the hole. Finish pulling the gather tight and sew 
opening closed with pipe cleaner tail hanging out.  Fold black pipe cleaners to form legs and 
attach to body.  Cut out black felt for ears and sew it to the head. Sew on buttons for eyes, or 
glue googly eyes on. 

Cockroaches
As your guests pass through a darkened room, tell them to be careful not to step on the cockroaches
because they squish when stepped on. Don't tell them that you've sprinkled a few peanut shells 
around the floor. Your guests will swear the place is alive with crunchy, creepy crawlers. 

Fake Fire
Cut or tear strips of orange and/or yellow chiffon fabric, in about 16" lengths, to make them 
ragged.  Build your fake fire by attaching the ragged strips to the edge of a large pot or tub 
using duct tape. Place a hair dryer inside the pot and tape it so that it blows upward, causing 
the chiffon to flutter like flames. Position a string of red Christmas lights so that they shine 
up on the chiffon as it flutters. The effect will look like large flames dancing in the pot. 

Bed of Spikes
Paint a large piece of corrugated cardboard or slab of foam with black poster paint. With a ruler
and pencil, mark the places for the "spikes"--4 rows of nine spikes. running the length of the 
board works well.  Tear off the aluminum foil about eight inches long and wrap them around pointed
ice cram cones. Smooth out the wrinkles so the cones look like metal and tuck the extra foil 
inside the cones so it sits flat when placed on the open end. Use a glue gun to attach the cones 
to the board. You can't have anyone lie on it as it would break, but you can prop it up against a
wall or suspend it from a ceiling. 

Ectoplasm
Combine 2 cups cornstarch, 1 cup water and a few drops of green food color together in a bowl. It
has a wonderful slimy texture. It can stain fabric so make sure you have the bowl on a plastic 
tablecloth. As your friends walk through your haunted house, invite them to touch the ectoplasm 
you have in a bowl. As they squeeze the gooey mess, it will change from liquid to solid, and to 
them liquid again. Always provide a slime towel for them to wipe excess ectoplasm from their hands. 

Dead Flowers
Ask your florist or local grocery store (with a floral department) to save you the dead unsold 
flowers or/or wreaths that would ordinarily be thrown away.  They may give them to you or charge 
a token amount.  You can place these around the inside of your home as well as in front of the 
tombstones on the front yard.  You want them to look old and weathered. 

Paint your windows
Tape pictures on the outside of the windows, paint on the inside using water-base paint.
Any mistakes you make are easily scratched off, details can be etched into the paint
using a needle or some other small sharp object.  Write Happy Halloween (just remember 
to do it backwards!) I paint witches, pumpkins, messages, and my favorite... an executioner! 
(complete with black hood and axe.) The paint washes off very easily with hot soapy water.
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Costumes:

Dalmatian Puppy (best for toddlers)
Items Needed: 
White Sweat Pants
White Hooded Sweatshirt
White Felt
Black Felt
Pink Felt
Cardboard
Hot Glue Gun
Cut the black felt into spots, be creative.  Cut the white felt into two floppy ears, leaving 
about an extra 3/4 inch at the top to glue onto the hood.  Cut out two pink insides for the ears 
and glue them just above the 3/4 inch allowance.  Glue the ears to the hood.  Cut the cardboard 
into two identical triangles (for a pointy little puppy tail) and glue them together except for 
3/4 inch on the smallest side, those you fold back.  Cuts out two pieces of white felt to cover 
both sides of the 'tail' then add some spots.  Glue the tail to the backside of the pants.  You 
may want to have the child try the pants on first and mark where you think the tail would look 
best, but remember to make it high enough that they can still sit down.  Glue the spots all over!
If you live in colder regions, little white mittens with spots look great, and keep the little 
ones hands warm.  Make-up is optional, some children just wont stand still long enough to put it 
on, others just don't like it. 
**The same basic steps will work to make just about any animal costume, just change the colors 
and shapes.  For example, brown and orange spots would work for a calico cat, same pointy tail, 
and make the ears the same way as the tail and your done! 

Home-made Vampire Fangs
It's dirt cheap, and with a very little experimentation you can make some quite realistic-looking
fangs that are comfortable to wear.  Materials: You'll need to acquire some "friendly plastic." 
I got mine at a local costume shop last year. It cost about a dollar fifty per pack, and one small
packet contained enough plastic for several sets of fangs. Friendly plastic is available at craft
stores for (I think) even less than that. The stuff I bought was in the form of small pellets, 
about 3mm in diameter. I think craft stores usually sell it in small sheets about the size of a 
business card, but it's the same stuff. Make sure to get white unless you want some really 
weird-looking fangs, although I've seen it in glow-in-the-dark as well, which might be interesting.
Once you have your plastic, you'll need to shape it into fangs. Friendly plastic melts quite 
easily in boiling water. Put a little chunk of plastic into a small bowl or cup and pour in 
enough hot water to melt it. The plastic becomes clear as it softens, so you'll be able to see 
when it's pliable. Take the plastic out with a spoon, divide it in half, and shape half of it 
into a teardrop shape, as large or small as you want the fang to be. Press the blunt end of the 
teardrop against your canine tooth, fitting the plastic over your tooth until it stays. You have 
a couple of minutes before it cools and hardens again.  Shape the fang until it looks the way you
want it to.  Try biting down, very gently so as not to distort the plastic too much, t o make 
sure the fang will fit with your teeth closed. Repeat for the other side. It might take a couple
of tries to get the fangs just right. The nice part is that friendly plastic can be re-melted any
number of times, so it's easy enough to start over if you don't like the results. You may have to
add more hot water to keep the rest of the plastic soft if it cools too much while you're working. 
I've been told that you can stain the plastic a more natural tooth color by soaking it in tea 
-- not too hot, or you'll melt your fangs back down -- but I've never tried it myself, so can't 
say how well it works. The original white has always looked fine to me. My fangs have always 
turned out so that they stay in just fine just by adhering to my teeth. If you've got anything 
really big or fancy in mind, or your teeth are shaped so that they won't stay in, denture 
adhesive works. 

HALLOWEEN GREASE PAINT!
White Formula (base for making all colors except brown):
2 tsp. white shortening
5 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. white flour
3 to 4 drops glycerin
food color (a drop or two at a
time until you have desired
shade)
Brown Formula:
1 tsp. white shortening
2 1/2 tsp. unsugared cocoa
This can be used to paint lines on the face, over the other colors. 
Note: A spatula works best for mixing.
To use: Lightly coat the face with shortening or cold cream. Remove excess with tissue, leaving a
mere film as a base for make up. Use fingers and stroke in one direction to apply. For white use 
undereye makeup. Lipstick can be used for red details.

Mother Nature
I made this costume with those fake flowers and leaves you can pick up in any craft department.  
I trimmed the leaves off their stems then started sewing them onto a green shirt (you can use hot
glue too but they wont rustle as much when you walk.) I tacked on ivy to the sleeves of the shirt.
I wore brown stirrup pants, green slippers, and green gloves with the fingertips cut off.  I braided 
flowers into my hair and wore an ivy wreath on my head and another around my neck. I bought some 
cheep green eye shadow that I used to color my face a light green and I colored my lips green with
a green eye liner pencil. 

Birthday / Christmas Present
Just get a cardboard box and cut a hole in the top for the head, and in the sides for the arms.  
Leave the bottom open.  Wrap in Birthday or Christmas paper, and top the child off with a bow. 

Freakazoid!
This one is easy.  Take red long underwear and paint a big yellow or gold F! on the front with a 
black oval behind it.  Take silver hair spray (you can find it easier closer to Halloween) and 
spray lightning bolts on each side of the hair.  Take black lipstick (also easiest to find near 
Halloween) and paint a mask around the eyes (kind of a sideways figure 8) put the black lipstick 
on the lips and color the rest of the face in blue. 
**Don't forget about Freakazoid's alter ego Dexter Douglas (major nerd) he's easy to do too.  
Short pants, dorky button up shirt, pocket protector, and ugly black rim glasses. 

Tornado
Use wire to wrap around the wearer, starting at the waist and going up past the head, in a 
tornado shape.  Tie in toy animals (such as cows or horses) or small toy barns, anything that a 
typical tornado would pick up.  Caution: don't use this costume for small children. 
Courtesy of Peggy Idrogo. 

Mummy
There are several ways to make a mummy costume.  But beneath each of the wrappings remember to 
dress in all white, and if it's a child, dress appropriate to the weather.  The first and cheapest
is to use bathroom tissue, but wrapping it around the head can be difficult.  The second is to 
cut up an old white (yellow, beige, or off white) sheet into strips.  Tack small strips together 
to make a head piece (you must have the wearer try it on as you piece it together.  All of the 
other strips can just be pinned together with safety pins. (Just be careful where you stick them)
Or if your handy with a sewing machine,(and don't plan on using the clothes again) pin all of the
strips into place then sew up the inseam of the pants, and the arms and sides of the shirt. The 
third is to use gauze.  Here are some suggestions for 'aging' the wrapping.  Soak the gauze in 
tea for a short time to make it look grayish brown, make sure you do this a couple of days ahead 
of time so it will be dry.  (I'm not sure if you're supposed to wash it after that, and if it 
will hold the color, no one has mentioned it)  Another aging technique is to put baby powder on 
the wrappings so it acts like dust.  A caution about that though, sometimes baby powder can 
cause respiratory problems if inhaled. 
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Games

Feed the Monsters
Make a haunted house out of a cardboard box, put a hole for a doorway in the front.  Each person 
stands away from the house and tosses beanbags (or better yet beanie babies) into the house to 
feed the monsters.  You can play two ways. 
One, stand close at first and toss one in, then if you make it, take a step backward and toss 
another.  Continue to step back so long as you make it, and once you miss, have a seat to mark 
your position.  Then whoever goes back the farthest wins! 
Two, mark certain positions, for younger kids make it closer to the house, older kids, farther 
back, and toss as many beanies in as you can, when you miss your turn is over.  Have an adult 
keep track of the number of beanies eaten. 

Doughnuts on a String 
String a string between two walls (or trees if its outdoors).  Tie strings to doughnuts and tie 
them to the main string, adjusting the length to be just about eye level for each child.  The 
child holds their hands behind their backs and on the count of three, tries to eat their doughnuts
first.  Allow at least 2 feet between doughnuts, and the longer the dangling string, the more 
difficult it is to eat it.  (And if the doughnut hits the ground you're out)

Pick-a-Bone
Needed: 
1 dangly skeleton (that you can take apart) per child
1 die (dice) 
Take apart all of the skeletons, till you have six pieces, head, body, left arm, right arm, left 
leg, and right leg.  Number the backs of each piece: 
1 - Head
2 - Body
3 - Left Arm
4 - Right Arm
5 - Left Leg
6 - Right Leg
Each player takes a turn rolling the die and gets to take the corresponding skeleton part.  
If you roll the number for a piece you already have, you do nothing.  
You only get one of each piece.  The first one to build a complete skeleton wins. 

REVERSE TRICK OR TREAT:
Give each of the players a bag with 10 pieces of wrapped candy in it. have the players write 
their names on their bags so that the bags don't get mixed up. Decide on a time limit. If you 
are giving a party, you could keep the game going the entire time, even while you are doing 
other things. The object of the game is to catch people saying one of the following words:
HALLOWEEN, CANDY, WITCH, PARTY, GHOST, PUMPKIN
It might be helpful to write the words in large letters on a piece of paper and tape the paper 
up where everyone can see it. If you catch someone saying one of the words on the list, that 
person has to give you a piece of candy from their bag. The person who has the most candy at 
the end of the game wins a prize. And, of course, everyone gets to keep any candy they have 
left in their bag.

Wormy Grab Bag 
Cook up several packages of regular spaghetti, and when cooked, place in a
small (clean) kitchen trashcan or diaper pail. Fill it at least half full -
which may require lots of spaghetti (it's cheap). Don't rinse the spaghetti -
you want it slimy. Add enough water so the spaghetti stays wet! If you really
want to shake 'em up, put some grapes in with the slimy spaghetti--tell 'em
they're eyeballs. Wrap your "prizes" in plastic wrap or bags, and sink them
to the bottom of the can/pail. The mixture should be at room temp. by
party-time. Cover the top with black cloth (felt is good) and put a slit in it. 
Have an ominous-looking character (gate-keeper) directing guests into a
darkened room/closet (its best if you make the "prize" a requirement for
admission) - and direct them to find a "toll" so they can pass. Once they
have their arm halfway into the "worms", have another (hidden) person jump
out (or, if you're worried about heart attacks, just rustle around a bit).
Very effective for setting the mood! 

Put Your Hand In The...
Blindfold your victims as you escort them on this tactile tour of a "Taste of the Dark" 
(Halloween is much scarier when you can touch and hear, but cannot see), and guide them gently 
through a special passage to "The Haunted Body Shop". 
Teenage Werewolf Hearts: Peeled, roasted chestnuts ("good to eat -- feel the ridges on your tongue") 
Bat's Toenails: Whole caraway or cumin seeds; "crush them in your teeth." 
Batwings: Smoked turkey wings (without the drumstick); beef jerky lightly soaked to soften. 
Bloody Nuns' Hearts: poached eggs in chunky salsa. 
Breaking Fingers: Wieners pierced with a thin breadstick; snap in half. (use a skewer to make a 
hole through the length of the wiener first). 
Burned Rats & Rattails: Long green Anaheim chilies (fresh, with stem), charred until blackened. 
Coagulated Bat's Blood: chunky fruit puree with granola. 
Cockroach Carcasses: Rice crackers - the ones shaped like little logs. 
Dead Baby Brains: A bowl of over-cooked, mushy cauliflower and eggplant, with large, round capers; 
can also be anyone's brains. 
Dead Baby Fat: Tofu, preferably silken soft but any variety will do. 
Dead Ears: Dried apricots, apples or pears. 
Dead Witch Veins: Cooked buccatini (hollow spaghetti), chilled. 
Decaying Flesh 1: dried phyllo dough sheets. 
Decaying Flesh 2: baked puff pastry. 
Decaying Flesh 3: mashed potatoes topped with flakes of the above. 
Decaying Flesh 4: Corn meal mush, or polenta, dried and in chunks. 
Decaying Flesh 5: Toasted dried seaweed sheets (Japanese nori); crush them. 
Dried Lizard Legs: fried La Choy Noodles. 
Dried Worm Exo-Skeletons: fried La Choy Noodles. 
Ectoplasm: Applesauce. 
Eyeballs 1: Popping: Cherry tomatoes set in Jell-O in an ice cube tray - stick one in the victim's 
mouth and tell them to bite down. 
Eyeballs 2: Peeled grapes in a bowl; stick the victim's hand in. 
Eyeballs 3: Olives stuffed with cream cheese and a squid tentacle. 
Eyeballs 4: Fish eyeballs: martini pearl onions in a bowl of honey; raisins plumped in oil. 
Fresh Vomit: Chunky Salsa & Canned Corn, mixed. 
Missing Toe or Finger: Piece of carrot, cut to proper size, peeled and dried for 2 days. 
Pus Soup: Mayonnaise and green salsa. 
Rotted teeth: Unpopped (or partially popped) popcorn kernels; Corn-nuts; pine nuts. 
Skeleton hair: Corn silks. 
Vampire's Earwax: Fudge. 
Worms: Spaghetti in a bowl; spiral-shaped rotini make good locust larvae; stick victim's hand in. 
Zombie hair: scraped, cooked spaghetti squash.

More Hints for Halloween fun 
Take a teaspoon or so of black paste for food and stir it into any basic sugar cookie recipe. 
The dough will turn a rich black that's perfect for making bat cookies.  

Regular green food coloring does nice things to Halloween Jell-O. Make a bowl of orange Jell-O 
and when it's semi-solid drip several drops of green coloring onto the surface and stir them in 
gently. They'll swirl into dark demonic tornado clouds - a dab of black whipped cream made by 
adding more of that black paste to partially whipped cream makes a pleasantly disgusting 
finishing touch.

Scrambled eggs feel and look much more like brains than cold spaghetti - add a few drops of 
green, red and blue food coloring as you're beating the eggs and the final product will 
frighten even the most hardened child.

A drop of two of red coloring turns grapefruit sections pale pink making them into very convincing thumbs.

Drop a pint of cherry tomatoes into a pot of boiling water, blanch them for a minute and then 
drain and slip off their skins. Instant bloody eyeballs.

If you stir baking soda into vinegar, it'll foam right out of the glass.

You can also shake salt or pepper over a lighted jack o lantern candle and make blue sparks. 
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