By Ted Schredd
Halloween is a great time for fun. And a little
preparation helps.
Costumes
The easiest way to get a costume is to rent one
or buy one. When you do this you really miss out
on the creative part of Halloween. Besides you
could show up at a party and someone else has the
same costume. If you can use your imagination you
can be the hit of the party.
Laundry Basket
Buy a cheap laundry
basket cut a hole in the bottom big enough for
you add a few clothes.
Blooming Idiot
Green shirt and pants - beanie
hat with flowers taped to it.
Jelly Bean or a Bunch of Grapes
Cover
your body with inflated colored balloons.
Cereal Killer
Tape a bunch of small
cereal boxes, plastic knives to your body and add
some fake blood.
Head on a Platter
Take a box - cut
a hole for your head to pop through. Get a plastic
silver platter cut a hole in that too. Finish with
a tablecloth; add plates, knives and forks.
If these don't give you any ideas, come up with
something else. When you make something cool you
feel proud of what you have done. When you rent - mmm,
well, it's not the same. Here are a couple of other
links for you.
Not sure if these are costumes for pets or some
form of gentle animal torture
http://www.pet-costumes.com/popular_pet_costumes.htm
Easy ways to make bruises, blood, and make up
http://www.thefamilycorner.com/family/kids/crafts/makeup_halloween.shtml
Dry Ice 
Halloween is the one time of year
that I love to play with Dry Ice.
If you want to get a lot of smoke in a hurry all
you have to do is use really hot water. It accelerates
the process and will give you a much stronger effect.
If you can place a camping stove and a large pot
of water on the lawn on the way up to your house
you can achieve a very eerie landscape. Set up
a couple of fake gravestones and Hollywood will
be getting jealous of your special effects.
Look under your yellow pages or on the web on
where to get some dry ice near you.
Silliness
If you are dressed like a cowboy; act like one.
If you are dressed like a naughty maid; then act
like a naughty maid. It is the one time of the
year that you are allowed to be silly and not suffer
any repercussions. You can get away with a lot
more outrageous behavior with the cover of a costume.
So take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy
Halloween.
