'All Hallowed Spirit'

Get in the Halloween spirit

“A French poodle,” I said. I gave my friend a dead-pan stare and continued, “I bought a bright pink wig and I’ll probably wear a pink leotard and tights with a dog collar.”

“Well, that’s original,” my friend replied with a furrowed brow.

By now, I was accustomed to the puzzled looks. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday and with the costumes (I am a fashion stylist, who doesn’t like dressing up?), pumpkin carving, haunted house visits, hayrides and decorations, I always managed to excessively plan my Halloween activities. Concepts for the Halloween costume might form as early as a year in advance.

I have my itinerary set this weekend with plans to scout Halloween stores for key costume accessories. (Actually, I plan on creating two Halloween costumes: one for both Friday and Saturday night0

To be checked off my list are also supplies for do-it-yourself Halloween decorating projects for a group of seniors at a local nursing home that I visit every Sunday. Each year, the seniors create their own crafts to decorate the main dining room for the annual Halloween party. This year is no exception.

Here are some ideas that I’ve selected for my seniors to do:

• Grab a set of inexpensive orange paper lanterns from the dollar or party store. Cut out the eyes, noses, mouths and stems out of construction paper. Have the seniors glue the cutouts on the lantern with glue dots to create a Jack-O’-Lantern. String some fish wire through the lantern (not the stem) and attach an ornament hook if you want to hang.

• Create an eerie environment by creating black flower bouquets from sheets of tissue paper. Bend an 18-inch-long piece of floral wire in half. Wrap double-sided tape around bent end five times. Hold a tip of the streamer, still attached to its roll, against the tip of the taped wire. Then wrap the streamer loosely around the wire up to five times, enough to create a bud. As you roll, pink the bottom edge of the streamer. Continue wrapping, but gather the rest of the streamer around the base of the flower base so petals appear to fan out. Cut and secure the flower with floral tape to finish.

*For more of my Halloween decorating tips, read my next post.

Halloween shopping tip:

Shop the Spooktacular Halloween Sale Now!

-S. Gonzalez