HowToDoThings.com Halloween

How To Make Couples Halloween Costumes

Staff468 — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:33:00 -0600

Visualize this: A man and a woman each wear plain black pants. The left leg of one is tied to the right leg of the other, as in the game, "Three-Legged Race." Together they wear a giant oversized t-shirt that they've clearly had custom-made. The punch line is the t-shirt slogan: "Co-" reads one side; "Dependent" reads the other.

I saw this very Halloween costume once and in my mind it doesn't get any better than this-brilliant, inspired and conceptual. But hey, you can dress however you'd like come Halloween; it's the one holiday that really has a place for everyone. So if you're considering going en deux, here are some ideas to get you started:

How To Decorate Your House for Halloween

Beth141 — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 11:49:00 -0500

Halloween is one of the most "decoration friendly" holidays. From the new colors of fall, to traditional Halloween icons like jack-o-lanterns to new fads like "Halloween trees", there's a lot to choose from. A well-decorated house can make Halloween a special and fun time of year for families. And who couldn't use a little more family fun? Here are some suggestions for Halloween house decorating based on different motifs we all commonly see when people decorate their houses for Halloween. (Use the stores noted at your own discretion, I haven't shopped at them personally...)

How To Create Holiday Cards

Tonya249 — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 18:02:00 -0500

You look out the window and see sparkling snow drifting gently past your window. What could be more perfect on such a day than opening your mailbox and discovering a unique, handmade card from one of your best friends? It can be difficult to find the time to make your own holiday cards during this crazy, frenetic season, but the smile that your card will bring to the faces of your loved ones is worth it!

How To Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Tonya249 — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:38:00 -0500

When you carve a pumpkin for Halloween, don't forget to save the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are a valuable source of many minerals, and they're yummy, too! They are a rich source of phosphorus, magnesium and manganese, and a good source of zinc, iron, copper and protein. Although they are somewhat high in fat, eighty percent of a pumpkin seed's fat content is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, which are considered the "healthy" fats. They also contain tryptophan, which may help in the treatment of depression, and phytosterols, which help lower cholesterol levels. With all of these potential health benefits, it seems well worth the time it takes to remove them from your jack-o-lantern!

How To Decorate a Haunted House

Beth141 — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 07:30:00 -0500

Haunted houses are a staple of Halloween celebrations. They pop up all over the place from elaborate shows put on by civic groups to the ones families make right in their own homes. Here are a few of the many things you can do to create a great haunted house.

Check out the venue. Certainly there will be a difference in the space the local Rotary Club or high school will be decorating and what a mom might set up for her grade-schooler's Halloween party. Before you start picking out the details, check out the venue where your haunted house will be setting up. Once you know the space you can use, including square footage, number of rooms, electrical outlets, emergency exits, staircases, all that kind of thing, you can start to make your plans.

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How To Create Halloween Party Invitations

Tonya249 — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:32:00 -0500

Halloween parties can be a great way to kick off the holiday season! Schedules have not started filling up yet, the weather's not too cold, and everyone is in the mood to have fun. After you've decided on all of the important parts of your party, such as date, time, theme and place, you need to let everyone know about it! Creating Halloween invitations is an opportunity to let your guests know what to expect at your party.

How To Stay Safe on Halloween

Brian263 — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:44:00 -0500

Ready for a spooky Halloween? Ready for a safe Halloween? I know what you might be thinking - you can't have both. But contrary to popular opinion, the two aren't at all mutually exclusive. Here are some tips to stay safe on Halloween and have fun doing it!

How To Carve a Pumpkin

Brian263 — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 11:34:00 -0500

So you've gathered together the most expendable parts of your local newspaper. You've got "Night On Bald Mountain" on continuous loop on the stereo, or maybe a Vincent Price movie playing on the television. Or maybe you prefer to work with minimal noise and want nothing to distract you from one of the most cherished of fall rituals. Yes, all you ghastly children of the night, it's time to carve a pumpkin! Time at last to roll up your sleeves and plunge your fist awkwardly into the belly of the pumpkin, wrist-deep in slimy pumpkin goo and stringy meat as you try to grab every last pumpkin seed.

How To Gift Wrap

Brian263 — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 14:20:00 -0500

Is there an intimidating gift sitting before you, taunting you with its irregularity? You have to gift wrap it... but how? You may be wondering if you'll ever learn how to wrap a gift.

Don't give up hope - Rome wasn't gift wrapped in a day. In fact, Rome was never gift wrapped, which is why it was successfully attacked by the Visigoths. Don't believe me? Then you're smart enough to learn how to gift wrap.

Let's start off with the basic technique for wrapping regularly shaped gifts - the rectangular kind. For this, unless the gift is enormous, wrapping paper will do the trick nicely.

Choose a roll of wrapping paper. Your choice may be determined by the season or occasion - holiday, birthday party, anniversary or retirement, to name a few. Unroll some of the paper face-down on a flat surface.

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How To Choose Halloween Decorations

Elizabeth69 — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:56:00 -0500

Under normal circumstances, your house is a bright, cheerful place. But this isn't a "normal" circumstance; this is Halloween! If you want to create a delightfully spooky environment, here are a few tips for choosing, making, and buying Halloween decorations:

Consider the ages of the residents and regular guests in your home, and decorate accordingly. Very young children can be easily frightened, so if you have toddlers at home, you may want to select happy looking pumpkins and Halloween decorations. For households with teenagers and adults, feel free to indulge in the creepy stuff!

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