Our friends at Make Up For Ever have sent along a treat just in time for the Hallowe’en transformation. You can find tips and step-by-step instructions on becoming an underworld beauty, glampire bride, otherworld beauty, skull candy character, Hallowe’en Queen, or Mod and Monstrous creepy person in these Halloween Face Charts. FYI – They’re pretty scary so you may want to close your eyes.
Safety during Halloween extends to the entire family including pets. These safety tips from PetSmart will help ensure pet parents and their pets have a safe and fun Howl-O-Ween.
· Keep them happy. “Before having pets join in the Halloween fun, it’s important to assess whether your pet will be comfortable participating or if the festivities will cause undue stress,” says Dr. Simon Starkey, pet care expert at PetSmart. “Pets may be alarmed to find a ghost or witch at the front door so make sure there’s a quiet space away from all the activity in case your pet needs it.”
· Make sure treats are pet friendly. Many Halloween treats are not pet-friendly, especially those containing chocolate. Make sure to choose pet-safe treats to celebrate, such as GREENIES® Dental Chews, which also keep pets’ teeth clean and ensures their breath isn’t scary.
· Keep them safe. If you plan to walk your dog around the neighborhood in the evening, make sure they’re properly outfitted and at ease around strangers and crowds. An adult should always have control of the dog’s leash, and reflective leashes, collars or ID tags are essential accessories. Some pet costumes also offer safety features such as the glow-in-the-dark Martha Stewart Pets™ black Halloween skeleton costume.
· Decorations without danger. Halloween decorations can be scary, but should not be dangerous. Pet parents need to make sure curious cats and dogs are unable to reach lights, decorations, candles and other festive items.
Halloween is my family’s favorite holiday. We go crazy decorating the outside of our house with pumpkins, screaming skeletons, witches and spiders. When we’re done. we love to curl up on the couch together and watch Halloween movies.
Here’s a list (by age group) of some of our favorite Halloween movies. (All of them can be ordered through amazon.com.)
Ages 3 and Older
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie: It’s Halloween in the Hundred Acre Wood. Roo’s best new pal, Lumpy, is excited to trick-or-treat for the first time … until Tigger warns them about the dreaded “Gobloon.” It’s a tame movie with a great message about the importance of friendship.
Tom and Jerry: Tricks and Treats : I grew up watching Tom and Jerry cartoons and after watching this DVD, I understand why these cartoons are perfect for smaller children: there is a lot of action and the scenes aren’t too scary. Even the frightening looking witch in the Flying Sorceress, who I thought would be a bit too much for younger children, didn’t cause too much commotion or hiding by the littlest ones. Disclosure: I received this DVD for review purposes only. I was not compensated to write a positive or favorable review.
Casper: Three words to describe this movie: Fun, Wholesome & Entertaining (for the whole family). The movie is based on the old “Casper” comic book series about a lonely (but friendly) ghost who lives in an old, abandoned and dilapidated house with three other, less friendly, uncles (who are also ghosts): Stretch”, “Stinky” and “Fatso”. When a ghost psychiatrist and his lonely daughter move in attempt to tame the “Uncles” a fun and great story of friendship unfolds. One word of warning: This movie is rated PG. There is some mild language and elements that could be considered questionable for young children. That said, our family loves this movie & our list won’t be complete if we did not mention it. (Yes, even the 9 year old sits still during MOST of the 1½ hours.).
Ages 5-7
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: It’s a classic and suitable for the whole family. We never get tired of watching it. Although I do feel bad for Linus, who waits with Sally in a pumpkin patch for the great, mythical creature to arrive as well as for Charlie Brown, whose receives only rocks in his bag, the overall movie is hilarious and deemed a classic for a reason.
The great Debbie Reynolds stars as Grandmother Aggie in this Disney Classic. The premise is based on the concept that witches, ghouls and other “creatures of the night” live in a place called Halloweentown, an alternate world. When Grandmother Aggie visits her grand-daughter, Marnie, she reveals that Marnie’s mother, Gwen, has been hiding a secret: the children all possess supernatural powers. Once Marnie turns thirteen, her grandmother informs her that she must begin her training as a witch or lose her powers forever. Of course, a brewing crisis between good and evil in Halloweentown causes the entire family to be pulled through a portal and into an intense battle against ghouls, goblins and a warlock. This is good Disney Halloween fun with a wholesome message about the power of family, cooperation and perseverance. The ghouls are creepy looking but aren’t likely to cause nightmares in younger family members.
This is a fun, light hearted film about three witches that the whole family can enjoy. The setting and decoration is perfect and has that great Halloweeny feel. The film is a wonderful family treat that will delight and entertain the whole family. (Okay, one word of warning: Part of the premise is the witches need to find a “virgin” to sacrifice. I wasn’t too comfortable going into a complete explanation of the word with my, then, 7 year old. I was afraid it would ruin the flow of the movie if she asked and I just wasn’t up to it.)
Some other “Oldies But Goodies” that we are “dying” to watch this year include:
- The Little Vampire: Get ready to watch it over and over again
- Scary Godmother: Great for 5 to 8 year-olds
- Blackbeard’s Ghost: It’s Disney, rated “G,” made in 1968 and I still hide behind my husband
- Bell Book and Candle: Quirky romantic movie featuring James Stewart.
- And of course: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Finally, if your kids are like mine and in need of some new scares and thrills, these are a few of our stand-by Halloween favoirites:
- Nightmare Before Christmas (Tim Burton at his best)
- Coraline (Another stop-gap animated movie)
- Beetlejuice (Another Tim Burton classic. But, strangely, my husband refuses to watch this one)
- Addams Family
- Monster House and Monster Squad
Hopefully, you found a few titles that peak your curiosity. Did I miss your favorite Halloween movie? Are there other titles that I should add to my family’s collection? We’re dying to know what we missed!
Renee Keats is the US Content Editor and a writer for UrbanMommies Media. When not checking homework or carpooling to extra-curricular activities, Renee is often found scouring the internet, specifically Pinterest, for the latest in culinary & fashion adventures.
Halloween can be a tricky holiday. The omnipresent candy, the festive parties, and the excited enthusiasm of costumed kids can make us go overboard on treating ourselves – especially since we can rationalize that the holiday comes but once a year.
Truly, Halloween is a good time to treat yourself and your kids – not just with a little extra candy, but also with family activities. Bob for apples, tell spooky stories, or have a mini pumpkin hunt!
Halloween definitely doesn’t have to be scary for your health. This list of tips and recipes will help you moderate the treats and avoid the tricks.
Candy
The trickiest part of Halloween is keeping yourself and your kids from going nuts over all that candy. It’s in the grocery, the drugstore, and practically pouring from every nook and cranny, all shiny in neat individual wrappers. One piece seems so small, almost harmless.
Of course, it comes in a bag with 50 or 100 other tiny “harmless” pieces. Take heart, though – we have a few ways to tackle the Halloween-candy blues while still allowing a little festive indulgence.
Handing Out Candy Without Diving Into the Bowl
1. Buy a candy brand that you don’t particularly like to eat for handing out to the trick-or-treaters. Candy corn if you’re a chocolate lover, or Milky Ways if Bit O Honey is your downfall. You’ll be more likely to leave some for the trick-or-treaters.
2. Handing out apples might lead to an egged house, nor is it PC anymore, but non-edible options like stickers or yo-yos can be good for treat bags, too. Maybe include an organic lollipop or even a mini larabar for good measure.
3. Go small. If you hand out something in really small portions like Hershey’s Kisses, not only will you be giving less sugar to the kids, but you can also enjoy a few chocolate morsels yourself without much guilt.
4. Buy better candy for yourself and your family. Have a small stash of quality chocolate, and you’ll be less likely to break into the cheaper not so satisfying stuff. For extra benefit, choose dark chocolate – it’s delicious and loaded with health promoting flavonoids. Try Nibmor, Cocoa Camino, Endangered Species, Denman Island or Green and Blacks.
Keeping Your Kids Safe from Sugar Shock
1. Eat a scrumptious, filling meal before you and your kids hit the pavement. Both of you will be less tempted to munch on candy while you go door-to-door.
2. Upon arriving home after trick-or-treating, let your kids pick out 5 or 6 pieces of candy to enjoy that night. Then pop their bag in a hidden spot. They won’t be able to eat it as fast. Younger kids may also forget about their stash altogether – out of sight, out of mind.
2. After Halloween, ration out the candy as you see fit, OR…
3. Buy the remainder candy off them. Your kids might be happy to trade their hard-earned candy for cold cash, a new toy, or a promise of a trip to the zoo!
Fall Foods
Rich in fall flavors, these recipes are sure to keep you and your guests in the Halloween spirit:
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Fall Quinoa
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Article by Alyssa Schottland-Bauman, Nourished.ca
Here’s our Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe. Yum! It’s great for Hallowe’en night or any time to give an energy boost to your little goblins.
* 1/2 c. pumpkin
* 3/4 c. almond milk
* 2 dates, pitted
* 1/2 banana, frozen
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 cup ice
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* optional: candied pecans
Directions:
Add all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Article by Alyssa Schottland-Bauman, Nourished.ca
* 3 cups raw pumpkin seeds
* 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
* 2 heads garlic (about 24 cloves, peeled, root ends trimmed and sliced)
* 2 tsp. ground chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper
* 1 tsp. kosher or coarse sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pumpkin seeds on ungreased baking sheet 10 minutes, or until light brown, shaking sheet occasionally so seeds cook evenly.
Meanwhile, heat oil in wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often. As garlic slices begin to brown and caramelize, watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Transfer to serving bowl.
Add pumpkin seeds, chili powder and salt to garlic. Stir well to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe: Alyssa Schottland-Bauman, Nourished.ca