Horrifically EVERYTHING Halloween

Vampire Vixens, Horror Hags, 'Black Hat Society', 'Wolf Packs, Ghouls, Ghosts, & all Other Creatures of the night I bid you WELCOME

Halloween was originally celebrated as the New year, when the crops would be harvested, and the cold weather came.

Halloween was & is the 'witches' holiday, the day of Samhain pronounced as s-ow-n, (as far as pronunciation was explained to me) & started out originally for adults dressed in those white powdered wigs with big ball gowns & bobbing for apples with those masquerade masks on a stick for the women & elastic on it for the guys.(why do we always have to be stuck holding things?)

My intention for this Lens is to give you the COMPLETE story; well Stories on Halloween and everything that goes along with it, and WOW! Looking back through the lens I have definitely outdone myself.

Due to squidoo's demise and the transfer to Hubpages I've had to split this page apart to meet guidelines. This page will still have some if not most of the information on it, But you will have to check out my other pages.

Have fun with the page and if you think of anything for me to add.. please let me know in the comments.

Like this hub? Then please share it with friends and family (besides the Facebook or twitter)

Horrifically EVERYTHING Halloween by Kim Marie Ostrowski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Trick or treating", pumpkins as lanterns and costumes, especially those of the ghostly variety are relatively recent, they started during the 20th century, the origins of Halloween started across the seas in the beautiful emerald isle known as Ireland.

The early Irish people as Celtic tribes, similar to those found in Scotland, Wales, Breton (Northern France) and Gallic (an ancient region of N W Spain). The Celts (pronounced with a hard 'C' as in Cane' embraced Paganism, one of many hundreds or even thousands of belief systems that were very common in the days before the three Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and are still popular today (Wiccan). The Pagan religious was based in nature. Not Satanic Worshipers. The Pagan Celts all spoke Gaelic, with varying dialect depending on the region. No one at that time, heard of Halloween. Halloween was pretty much made up by the Christians ...many of their holidays revolve around Pagan beliefs (what ever happened to "Thou Shalt Not steal" but they did. Christmas .. that was also a pagan holiday! )

The Pagans had two particularly important Festival celebrations, one which celebrated the arrival of Spring, on May the 1st called Beltane with dancing, feasting and the traditional Maypole. The other celebrates the end of the harvest, and arrival of Winter, The first of November is called Samhain. Incidentally, in the Gaelic language still in use in much of Ireland today, the word for November, is Samhain. Samhain is also generally regarded as the beginning of the Celtic New Year.

The ancient Celtic tribes believed that the dividing line between the living and the dead became dangerous for the living on October 31st, when the change in the weather had become much cooler (colder) leading to sicknesses and damage to crops. So, they tried to ward off the perceived evil spirits by lighting bonfires where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Just like at modern Halloween, at these new festivals, masks and costumes were worn, making them look like evil spirits, in an attempt to placate them and send them far away.

One of the names for these festivals (feast days) was on the eve of Samhain, 31st October, about to be the eve of All Hallows Day, and soon to be known as Halloween.

With the advent of Christianity, in the first Millennium, celebrations had begun of a Festival called All Saint's Day, which was also known as All Hallows or Hallow-mas, and was celebrated on May 13th. (Hallow means to make Holy.) The day before All Hallows was called All Hallows Even, and hence shortened to Hallowe'en, and then to the Halloween we have today.

Gradually, many of the Pagan traditions of Samhain, begun to be incorporated into Halloween, particularly the attempts to ward off the evil spirits, as described earlier, with the costumes and masks.

Of course, the main modern Halloween activities for children today, especially in North America, are 'Trick or Treating', lantern lighting, and dressing in often ghoulish costumes. It appears that this did not really start until the early part of the 20th Century. The first known reference to what is really ritualized begging on Halloween, was reported in 1911, in a Canadian newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, not far from the border with upstate New York. The paper reported that it was normal for the smaller children to go street 'guising on Halloween between 6 and 7 pm, visiting shops and neighbors, to be rewarded with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs.

Use your Top 10 friends in your profile

HAUNTED HOUSE -You know what to do. NO CHEATING AT ALL!

1.Holding your hand:

2.Screaming hysterically:

3.Running into the darkness:

4.Punching Dracula:

5.Sobbing uncontrollably:

6.Wanting their mommy:

7.Peeing their pants:

8.Sucking their thumb:

9.Hiding behind you:

10.Laughing the whole way:

I've tried to include as much here as possible for various possibilities.

Blood, Liquid Latex, Fangs, FX Appliences, Etc.

I have Vampire Make-up & FX on Voracious Vampires

& other assorted (general) make up on my Halloween Make-up & FX

I think I also have a Book & Video in here on it as well)

(If I've forgotten anything or you have your own recommendations... please let me know)

by Richard Anderson

found via image search

I don't know what happened to this but I guess I'm going to have to search for it to add it in again (stupid transfer from squidoo has ruined my pages. Some have been chopped in half)

for any (all) ages

Trick or Treating & carving pumpkins are not the ONLY halloween activities

Halloween is a time of fun, and for quite a few a way to let loose (other than at the office Holiday party) & let their freak flag fly.

For others its a form of self expression & creativity making their own costumes, or to just show their darker side. In ways some people may feel they're like a vampire so they dress the part, and this is the one day they can really be who they are.

others (like myself) have a month long Horror Movie marathon

Towns have parades and special activites like Sleepy Hollow (see the yonkers,Ny link in My lenes link at the end of the lens)

That have readings of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, hayrides haunted Houses and more sometimes not ONLY for the kids

have a party, with food that is Halloween appropriate for instance

Spagetti with red sauce (brains)

Put green olives in a bowl & leave a card 'eyeballs' in front of it

(or you can get Eyeball gumballs from Oriental trading company see links section)

Make Graveyard Brownies (or cake) just be sure that you have oreo cookie crumbs (or oreo type) on top

Blood Cake (otherwise known as Red Velvet Cake..) for your vampire friends

be sure to have some true Blood on hand as well! (tho that's a bit expensive at about $5 a bottle!)

Go to the library for ideas in each of the sections children's, teen & adult for help on ideas there's also some books listed in a coming section to check out for all your halloween needs & ideas.

(I'll try to even include some receipes etc noted in the books I have here (& will include in the books section )

also if you check the links... You will find oriental Trading company they have Treats that are quite 'spookctacular like Eye Gumballs, Blood Bags, gummy worms witches nails etc. also all the party favors decorations and more! They more likely may even have activites as well

I have also listed activites pages in the links section

MAKE YOUR OWN DECORATIONS

If your chid is too young for carving pumpkins they can still do it with some parental supervision

PAPER JACK O'LANTERNS

children's scissors, Orange & Green construction paper Pencil & black marker, tape or glue stick

(amount of pages depends onthe size they'll make the their paper Jack O'lanterns)

Make at least 3 (up to 5) Jack O'lantern heads where they cut out the eyes, nose & mouth

Cut out steams for each with the green paper (Glue to the Jack O'lanterns

When they are done, tape or glue a bit of the sides of their Jack O's together to form a circle

Put a battery powered tea light in the middle &use for a centerpiece on the coffee table, Dinning room table or where ever else to show it off.

FLOATING GHOSTIES (needs some parental help)

this is an easy one all you need is

a bunch of WHITE Tissues, some clear string (fishing line) a Black felt marker, GLue & sewing needle

Take about 3-5 tissues (say side to side) & ball them up. (depending on how big you want your Ghost to be)

seperately with a few more tissues Layer them on top of each other (use a drop of glue to get them to stay) at various angles (you won't want to see the ball be sure to test how it looks as you do it

inside & you want it to look like a really tiny person is under a sheet

Next you take those tissues that will go over the ball (once the glue is dry) & thread the sewing needle with the Fishing line (or just regular string if you don't have it) & thread a loops at the top to hang the ghost from in your doorway, windo whatever.

Next put a some glue around the top of the ball & Put the 'sheet' of tissues over it. Let Dry , then hang

& WHA LA you've made a ghost decorations

If you drink soda (or at least coke) Those plastic things in the tops, could work well as 'coins' as prizes or some form of game marker,

Just mark Numbers on them & assign a prize to each number

or if you want to go furhter, paint them well, use them for game markers, and maybe make them part of a game (maybe you need to find them, & the one that finds the most gets a prize, (sort of like an Egg hunt) make most of them say Black & ORange & one or 2 Puprle & green & who ever gets the Purple one & the Green one gets a prize as well. Heck you can even use sharpie markers and make Mini jack O'lanterns out of them. each child that wins a game (if you have them) at the party gets a coin

An Irishman named Jack found himself face to face with the Devil while sipping whiskey at the local pub. Satan had come to claim Jack's soul. Jack however, the con artist that he was to the core, tricked the Devil into climbing a nearby tree on a dare. No sooner had the Dark Prince reached the top branch, when Jack quickly pulled a knife out and carved a crucifix into the trunk, trapping the Devil in the tree.

Jack escaped that night with soul intact, tho he still continued to live out his days as a drunken trickster. When he died at a ripe old age, Jack was turned away from Heaven's gates for living such a dishonest life and sinful life. So arriving at Hell's flaming inferno, Jack found himself starring into Satan's eyes once again. The devil fixed him with an evil glare, and refused him into the fiery pit. Stranded in the blackness of purgatory (Limbo that place between Heaven & Hell) Jack begged the Devil for a candle to light his way. The Devil threw him a burning coal and turned his back on Jack forever. Jack Placed the Ember in a carved out turnip using it as a lantern as he wandered the netherworld in anguish.

The Jack O'Lantern soon became the Irish symbol for a ddamned soul and was often p;aced in a window on Halloeen to scare off evil spirits. When the Irish later immigrated to America, they began using pumpkins to make these superstitious lanterns instead of turnips, which were less plentiful and harder to come by. Today, Jack O'Lanterns are a favorite halloween tradition, used as spooky decorations rather than spiritual watchmen

There's NO FUN in painting the pumpkins or sticking things in them to decorate. Yes its NOT as messy but the idea of the Jack O'Lantern is to ward off the 'evil' spirits & Help the good find their way.

Carving Tools:

News paper -----to spread out on your work area

pencil------to draw out idea on paper then etch out your design on the pumpkin remember it doesn't always have to be a face you can design other things (look for the books below for ideas)

paper----draw out your idea on paper first

marker----- so that when you have your final design you can trace over the pencil for it to be easier to see.

Sharp Knife---or the children's one from the kits

Large Bowl-------to put pumpkin guts in (esp. if you bake/cook pumpkin stuff)

medium Bowl----for seeds

Spoon med-large or an ice-cream scoop

Your hands Sometimes its easier then the spoon! to scoop out the pumpkin Guts

To start

1. --lay down Newspaper on your kitchen table

2.--have your idea drawn out first or have a template you printed out/copied template(s) ready

3.--Look at the pumpkin & turn it around to find the best area for your design

4.--after drawing your idea on paper, Draw it on your Pumpkin with the pencil (or tape the template up to the pumpkin & trace the image out (also draw a medium circle big enough to get your hand(s) in to pull out the innards)

5. -- no mistakes! GREAT now use the marker to trace over that

6.-- Cut out a circle in the top of pumpkin & pull up (I hope you got one with the good sized stem)

7.-- Time to dig remove the insides & sort the seeds into the medium bowl

8. (see Recipes OR the Little Big book of Thrills & Chills) Throw those Seeds in the toaster oven be sure you add whatever seasoning first

(I LOVE the with Garlic a dash of sea-salt & some paprika

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

instead of throwing them away make yourself a tasty treat. (& much better than the ones in the store OVER loaded with salt!

1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons of butter

seasonings to taste

A. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

B. with the seeds scooped out Wash the seeds under cold water, removing the stringy fibers. Blot dry with paper towels and set aside in bowl.

C. Melt the butter in a saucepan and pour over bowl of seeds. Sprinkle with salt or whatever seasonings to taste & mix until the seeds are well coated

D. Spread the Pumpkin Seeds evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet for approximately 45 minutes stirring occasionally until seeds are golden brown

(recipe available in The Little Big Book of Chills & Thrills)

9.--when you've got the inside nice & clean & the seeds cooking its time to carve out your design

10. --- all carved out? Go get a tea light for the youngins or Tea Light candle for the teens & up & put it in the pumpkin

11. If you have battery powered tea light put it in the window If its a candle put it on the stoop outside or somewhere (away from Fabric & flammables) for those outside to see. On Halloween put it outside your door with the light in it. as a greeting for the treaters.

Jack o lantern History

©photo Property of ME that was my jack O'lantern from last year!

Halloween is suppose to be a scary holiday or at least fairly so depending on the age. When Halloween first came about people dressed up to scare away the evil spirits as Halloween is the day the veil between the living and the dead is most thin. Think Dressing like demons, the devils, mummy's vampires etc. or something there may be no name for something weird To make them think they have already taken over our side.

Below I've included 3 cateGORY Costumes, Masks & Make-up/FX Costumes may consist of some form of costume that's a full piece (or pieces) of clothing. There's also Pieces that you can make a costume out of.. Choose a Mask say the Jason hockey Mask.. The you go to the costumes & pic out your Machete, & you just wear a pair of blue Jeans, Black shirt & a plaid button down shit (tho that can be left open) You can also wear a pair of the Carhart Blue coveralls.

Another idea say if you want to be a dragon & get one of the masks and wings.. If you choose to be one of the red forms, were a couple of various of red clothes even including a bit of orange & maybe even a little yellow. You can even use them as a bit of trim as well. but wear colors or clothes that blend into what you are going to be. (for movie Maniacs like Leather-face, & Jason and all.. watch the original or newer movies (tho the originals are more recognizable)

Home made Costumes & make-up are fun even if its something weird you piece together out of different items in the costumes & FX & masks sections (a lot more fun than trying to find that specific costume (let alone in the size or color you want) Or just the right type of Wings make things a little easier have a little bit of both!

When doing make-up always practice & try to work it out in someway a day or 2 before Halloween (or whatever day you have to do it.)

BLACK EYES use regular Eye shadow to make black eyes (use a bit of Blue, black & that purple red color)

MAGGOTS throw flower on your face & wet your hand a bit & throw the water on your face. Otherwise you'll need Liquid latex & Spirit Gum adhesive.

(also rent or buy survival of the dead (listed in t he movies below) & watch the special effects, also listed below is Syfy channel's Face off which has some Make-up how to's

for anything bloody (which its needs to drip a bit or just sit on top of stitches etc) get yourself 3-d effects Blood and its a bit like gel so you may have to tone it down a bit depending on what kind of effect you are going for.

IT LOOKS LIKE I'm NOT WEARING COSTUME BUT I"M WEARING ONE

You don't need to wear a Full costume as in clothes accessories etc to be wearing a costume.

This year my 'costume' really is only 1 piece & that's a Vampire Bite 'appliance' a rubber piece I stick to my neck using the spirit adhesive, then putting some of the 3-d blood inside it to make it look fresh & a trickle or 2 going from the bite down my neck (& maybe a little on an old (white) shirt. I can add wearing my pair of fangs to it & maybe being I have a scar on my left wrist that LOOKS like a vampire was feeding off it, I might add a bit of the 3-d blood to that.

THE Make-up MAKE -DOWN

Once Halloween is over, I hope you have some Astringent around (Like seas breeze, clean n Clear or Neutrogena they also make it for sensitive skin as its made from alcohol) you will need this because weather you used regular make-up or the make up out of one of those kits like you buy in a CVS (or some form of franchise pharmacy & is one of the things i don't like about Halloween, & why I try to be creative with my make up)

use it before & after you clean your face.

Use it before to get the excess crap off, wash your face, then use it again to be sure everything came out of your pores. Then put some moisturizer on.

Origins

Guising comes from an old Scottish practice, when children in Scotland and northern England would wear a costume or disguise, at Halloween, when they went out for their special treats. The major difference to the 'trick or treat' practiced today in America, is that in Scotland (and probably Ireland too), the children are only supposed to receive treats if they perform for the households to which they go. This normally takes the form of singing a song, reciting a poem or even a joke. Occasionally a particularly talented child might do card tricks or play a musical instrument, but most children will receive their treat for doing something quite simple. There was no practice of performing a trick on the householder or neighbor.

Another interpretation of the origins of 'trick or treat', is said to come from the practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door-to-door for treats on holidays. This goes way back to the Middle Ages, and even includes Christmas wassailing - carol singing.

Trick or treating has some resemblance to the old Irish and British practice of 'souling', when poor folk would go door-to-door on Hallowmas (1st November), and be given food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (2nd November). This practice was even common throughout much of continental Europe, even as far as the south of Italy. It even mentioned by Shakespeare in his comedy, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

The Halloween trick element of the practice seems to be very modern, and probably in the 1930's in the United States, although exactly where, is unknown for certain. Even how it started is also rather a mystery, although it seems it may have begun when children were refused treats in the years of the Great Depression, and some decided to take their revenge by playing tricks on the householders. These were however, harmless fun tricks like spraying a little water, or going back after the door had been shut, knocking on the door or ringing the bell and running away. Unfortunately in some places these tricks have become nothing short of vandalism, and in the UK these days, the police regularly issue warnings before Halloween that anyone caught vandalizing would be dealt with severely, with the full force of the law.

As kids and parents take to the streets for Halloween trick-or-treating, Halloween safety becomes the primary concern. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 36.1 million children (ages 5-13) hit the streets in 2006 (down from 41 million in 2002) looking to calm their sweet tooth strapped with their best costumes for Halloween. (sometimes you also get high school age or adults trick or treating)

It's rather sad that in today's world, the fun element of Halloween activities seem to have disappeared in some places. Not only in North America but in most countries, parents nearly always feel compelled to accompany their children, who might otherwise not be safe. Who can blame them, for today we read far too often of crimes where young children are the victim? Whether these crimes actually are more common or whether our media now reports it more, is a moot point, but who would want to take the chance?

So, let's try to make the best of it. Let's have a better understanding of Halloween's origins, Halloween's activities, and let's place greater emphasis on the treat rather than the trick, and above all, let's all have fun!

All Hallows Eve is almost here,

The spookiest night of the year.

You may see a ghost, witch or ghoul

For this is the time these beings rule.

Front porch stoops are their favorite haunt,

Here they gather to giggle and taunt.

Ringing doorbells, shouting "Trick or Treat,"

Only to be appeased by something sweet.

Greedily they grab handfuls of candy,

Stuffing it in sacks they always keep handy.

The creatures then vanish as quickly as they came,

To torment others with their silly game.

Midnight comes, the "witching hour,"

The sweets are sorted, ready to devour.

In a short time, the candy has vanished,

Into stomachs totally famished.

Soon the creatures begin to moan,

All that sugar making them groan.

Slowly they crawl into their beds,

Pulling the blankets over their heads.

Quietly, each creature is heard to say,

"I'm glad Halloween is a year away!"

This is listed on Disney site under A.N.T. Farm so I take its by one of the actors on that show.

I included a VERY wide variety on, so if you can't find something here, then please check out the other pages or contact me!

(there may even be some Halloween types on my other lenses)

Books on Halloween itself, the history, games, activities, Pumpkin carving, Decorating, recipe books, Make-up/FX, Ghost stories, Myths & Legends There's I think a few DVDs in here (as they are about Halloween & not an actual movie) There's also some occult books to possibly creep you out. Vampires, Witches, & such try looking up my lenses on them

a couple of my favorites are

the Little book of Chills & Thrills history, Recipes, legends & loads more.

Mannheim Steamroller's Halloween: The world between also has the history of Halloween in it. (some may be on the other pages) & The Halloween Tree

as I mentioned including games & activities.. a popular one esp. for Halloween is the

Ouija Board esp. being as the veil between the dead & living is suppose to be at its thinnest

Speaking of which any one planning on using one (buy or borrow) PLEASE be sure

-DO NOT use in a cemetery or your own house

-when you are done using it make sure you and the Spirit says good-bye. There have been reports that after some have 'played' with them & the spirit hasn't said good-bye weird things start to happen.

-You DO NOT ask for a specific person (evil spirits can act and make themselves sound as if they are the one you want to speak to, as well as even mimic your voice.) When you contact a spirit, ask who you have contacted,

ask it a trick question (for instance something only you and that person know, but when asking change the name of the place, person name etc. Like remember that time we went to Michigan (when you really went to New York) this way you know if it's them or not

then you can ask if they know whatever it is you want to about the person you want to know about.

You'll need a cauldron (plastic or real) that's to be used for the 'punch' bowl.

You'll need a hand sticking out of it as well with some garnish

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: a night

Serves: 12

Halloween Themed Horror or just my own faves

(Also may have a couple TV shows in here)

As for My Bloody Valentine.. I pref. watching on Valentine's day & the original one is better esp. the laundromat, & what Halloween movie list would be complete without the Queen of the Macabre? Elvira!

Hope I get to watch (really need the DVDs) Dracula (classic) Frankenstein (Classic)

Oh If you buy or rent Survival of the dead.. watch the Special features (I just can't remember if we rented the Blu-ray or DVD so check the info before hand to be sure) there's one on how to do some spec FX make-up to make zombie bites etc. & there's all different things you can do with just what they show you! The only limit is your imagination

1. My Usual list of Suspects...

   Lost Boys

   Monster Squad

   The Worst Witch

   Hocus Pocus

   The Craft

   Halloween-town

2. 2011 Samhain Movie Marathon

   The following is what I have or Hope to get to watch this year

   1. Elvira's Haunted hills

   2. Goblin

   3. Insidious

   4. Big Bad Wolf

   5. Night of the Creeps

   6. Night of the Demons (remake)

   7. Night of the Demons 2

   8. Susperia

   9. Boo!

   10. Haunted Castle: (IMAX)

   11. Parasomnia

3. 2012 Movie Marathon

   Insidious (Chapter 2 is out in Sept)

   13 Ghosts

   George A Romero's Survival of the Dead

   Pumpkin-head series

   Nightmare on Elm street series

   I prefer to reserve Friday the 13th for the day but its fine here as well. (I mean 13 is 31 backwards)

4. The Horror Marathon continues on Halloween Horror Marathon 2013

You're IN A HORROR MOVIE (first 10 people you see in NEwsfeed)

1. Decides the creepy house is safe:

2. Screams like a baby:

3. Scares you as a joke:

4. The first to go missing:

5. The first to go insane:

6. Has your back no matter what:

7. Survives by faking dead:

8. Has a solid survival plan no one listens to:

9. Is really the killer:

10. Holding your hand the whole way:

Just make your brownies the normal way just DON'T cut them yet.

I found a great pic to show you some things you can add to make the graveyard.

Only instead of frosting the whole thing.. Do it in spots as if its mud in some of those spots crumble chocolate cookie crumbs (Dirt & its the only way it'll stay unless you frost the whole thing & just leave parts where you can see the frosting whichever is easier for you)

add Gummy Worms, Gummy Body parts/Organs (see links for Oriental Trading Company they sell them) also see if you can find those candy bones.

If you think of something to make the Tombstones out of... Let me know. (I pref. The decorations to be edible as well)

Origins, Fact, Fiction summary

Some say that the blood sucking fiends of the night are purely fictitious, that depends on your point of view...

What about Mosquitoes (Blood suckers) & Vampire Bats that actually feed from livestock, Leeches etc?

ALL VAMPIRES! Also its doesn't have to actually drink blood to be so. There's also what's called Psychic vampires that zap your energy (think those REALLY annoying people like a Nagging wife/mother/husband (if men actually nag) , Yeah not to give my mother a compliment but She just sucks my energy straight out! I for one prefer to go right for the Jugular!

The origins of vampires date back, even before Bram Stoker wrote his famous DRACULA novel.

His name...Vlad Dracul (meaning The Dragon) and is who Bram Stoker based his 1897 book on. Vlad, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler,Vlad lll Prince of Wallachia & in Romania as Vlad lived from 1431-1476 and ruled from 1456- 1462. He took a sadist twist to punishment, impaling wrong doers upon a large steak & not necessarily always from front to back through the heart. The death toll of his victims estimates between 40-100,000!!

However Dracula was not the first vampire tale to be published! John W. Polidori's Gothic short story 'Vampyre' back in 1819 in a London Magazine was & that was the year after Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and 78 years before Dracula so much as touched a virgin neck.

(Please be sure to check the links section for more)

There's a variety of Vampires, in the books section there's a field guide for the different types,(see book section) to name a few...

The Alp from Germany/Austria, El Chupacabra from Puerto Rico /Mexico, The Dybbuk the Hebrews version, From Ireland the Dearg-Dul, The Rakshasa from India, The Sampiro from Albania, The most famous Strigoii from Romania, & Vrykolokas in Greece. They all have their own different traits and looks. Some Ghastly looking others quite the tempting eye candy.

also if you look at one of the Vampire the Masquerade Roll playing Game books, I am told there are different types noted for that world.

There's even play sheets to keep track of your power characters etc. (There should be one included below, if not please let me know)

Vampires, through the years have been believed to have a variety of powers. Some of these powers are common, some are old and some have just started to be written into books and movies in the last 90's to new millennial.

*Fangs- 2 pointy little daggers, that depending on your Point of View; are either pretty sexy & kinky, or downright menacing.

*Unusual Physical Strength

*Seductive power over me & women this (depending up writer) is sometimes called Enthrallment, Consumption Hypnotized

*Do not show up in photos (Strength or weakness?) however with the digital age of photography, They are starting to get their Vogue on.

*Cast No Shadow (all the easier to sneak up on your prey...there's no warning)

*May always be hungry but can go for long periods of time between feedings.

*sometimes have been assumed to control the weather

*have speedy healing capabilities.

*Tho' it takes years maybe even centuries, are sometimes able to shape-shift into Bats or wolves

*Another Power that takes years & lots of practice is they are sometimes able to turn to mist, so they can get through a crack or under a door or the old style key holes

Also weaknesses

* Do not Produce a reflection when they look in a mirror

*Needs to be invited into a home by 'the man of the house' tho' its pretty much anyone living there.

*Sleep in a coffin all day & wake only as the sunsets.(Its said the older they are they can wake as the sun sets the younger they are the harder it *They are always hungry

*are afraid of Crosses (mainly some others say any religious symbols) however in recent years this really doesn't work. The same with

*Garlic.. They're suppose to be repelled by Garlic which is able to help boost immune system & help fight disease (which some say Vampirism is) is in some cases in a mute point now in the vampire myth as in Lost boys Paul says "Garlic doesn't work boys' & The Salvatore's of Vampire Diaries are suppose to be able to eat & I believe the Sparkly Twilight version are also able when needed.

*Can only be killed with a wooden steak through the heart. Thus, keeping them 'stapled' to

in their grave. Just don't take it out, because in some lore, they will come back.

*Disintegrate if they come into contact with daylight

*If splashed with Holy water it looks as if they are burned.

Some say to bury a person face down so that if they turn into a vampire they will dig themselves a deeper grave.

Want more Vampires? Come check out the Vampire Bible

Want to read some Vampire Books? (see Book of Shadows section)

Dracula by Bram Stoker (tho' there's a new version I think unabridged or with some sort of art in it) I'd seen it awhile back at the library

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

In Search of Dracula: The history of Dracula & Vampires by Radu Florescu & Raymond T. McNally

Voice of the Blood and wounds by Jemiah Jefferson

Movies

Nosferatu (Black & white) 1922

Dracula (black & white) 1931 If you watch the Bela Lugosi version which is my fave

Fearless Vampire Killers 1967

Love at First Bite 1979

The Lost Boys 1987

Lair of the White Worm 1988

Bram Stoker's Dracula 1992

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 1992 (which later was turned into the pop Cult Hit TV Series

Interview with a Vampire 1994

Blade 1998

Queen of the Damned 2002

This recipe varies depending on weather you will make cake (or small cakes ) or if you want cookies.

The Receipe as shown is for the cake the notes below or how to make the cookies

Preheat over at 350 degrees

Grese sides & bottom of each pan with 'shortening' (butter)

Lightly Flower (use baking cups for cupcakes)

Blend dry mix, water, oils & eggs ina large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds)

Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes

Pour Batter in Pans & bake right away

Bake cakes acording to baking time chart on Box always test with a tooth pick

Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. (or if you are like me & love fresh warm cakes, & cookies) cut a little piece off to test

If you want frosting on them... Make sure if you don't make it red.. Remember they ARE suppose to be 'Blood Cakes' To make them halloween like with BLACK or Purple frosting. (just buy white Frosting & add Red & Blue food coloring until a medium/Goth purple shows when you mix.

For black.. Have fun try a bit of each color until you see it starting to turn black. If you don't liek how sweet frosting is, you can also add mix coolwhip with some frosting to take away the sweetness also some people make cream cheese Frosting for Red Velevet cakes.

Have fun!

See my Red Velvet cake lens for more!

Prep Time: 15 minutes (?)

Total Time: Cake Varies depending on Type Cookies 30 minutes

Serves: Varies on What size cake or cookies you made

Ok I haven't been into them for a decade or more, but this is still one of my favorite music videos of all time,and I thought quite fitting for halloween considering the 'Monster Mash' going on amoung the guys

A mummy is a person or animal whose body has been preserved with the proper embalming procedure (and no, not that of which is in funeral homes in the United States). Some Mummies however can be created by Extreme coldness, caught in a bog which lacks much air. So that the body does not decay if kept in a cool dry condition.

Normally in movies we see mummies as slow moving, one foot dragging behind them (sort of like Zombies, but gift wrapped)

but HOW are Mummies 'made'?

They are taken to the Ibu (purification tent) first washed then anointed with sacred oils. Next it was taken to the embalming place called a Wabet.

There a large incision was made on the left side of the abdomen and was used for removing vital organs like the heart, Liver, lungs, intestines, & stomach, these organs were put in canopic jars. Later on either in the middle or early new kingdom the Brain was removed. By puncturing a hole above the nose cavity, and a hook like tool was inserted to liquefy & pull out the brains. After all that work, its on to dehydration in which the body was either submerged in a solution of or packed in natron salt. The body is then cleansed of the salt & taken to be 'beautified' where its stuffed & shaped back to size with herbs. Perfumes & oils rubbed on the body, Open wounds are sealed with wax and a metal plate was placed over the hot wax with protection symbols to hide the incision. After this the body was covered with molten resin. Men were colored red & women were made yellow. Then came the wrapping process which took 13-15 days. White linen was normally used but families to make donations of cloth to embalmers some being fine cloth and having spells written on them. During the wrapping many amulets are added between the layers for protection and safe passage. Finally the body is covered with a death mask made of Linen or Papyrus & reinforces with plaster. Royal mummies, like King Tut's are inlaid with precious & semi-precious stones. and finally the mummy was laid in its 'coffin' and then tomb.

Mummy Munching.. in Alexandria in A.D. 1300 by Dr. El-magar prescribed "mummy Munching' as a remedy for Rashes, fractures, migraines, epilepsy, coughs, (wouldn't the dryness just make you cough more?!!) nausea, & ulcers. Puts a Whole new meaning to bad medicine!

The practice of preserving the bodies was to make sure the soul would survive and go on to the next world.

Its estimated that 500 MILLION bodies were mummified in Egypt

The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb' In 1922 Tutankhamen's (aka King Tut) tomb was discovered and allegedly since 17-25 people have died as a punishment for desecrating the sacred shrine of the Pharaoh.

IF you come across a pyramid or some form of mummy, weather its Hieroglyphs or in English DO NOT READ any form of scroll found near the mummy, especially not out Loud.

Trapped by a Mummy? Have a lighter or match? Better yet if you're daring...Just grab a rag & unravel him.

Keep away from wire hangers and anything wire for that matter (try buying the plastic or nice cloth ones) It might give the mummy the idea of making an eternal Husband or Bride out of you.

Besides a regular comment I'd love if you'd include one of your Fave halloween (themed) Items

Let me know a book, song, Album, Story, etc. Please include Title & artist (or send me the amazon link)

"Squid Angel" Blessings NightCat's lenses * JoshK47