“On Halloween you get to become anything that you want to be”
– Ava Dellaira
By Jill Lowe
The hallmark of Halloween (derived from All Hallows Eve) means some pretend to be the same thing every Halloween ie NOT HOME, whereas some embrace the period leading to October 31st enthusiastically. Truly I have done both and the latter is SO much better!
Children’s excitement is really infectious if open to the notion. Adults have seized on the date for more fantasy: a return to the childhood “dress-up-box” as it were. The most amazing ideas and graphics are available for Halloween Party Invitations. Costume parties and “fancy dress” events may be planned many months in advance. Yes indeed, because we all want time to prepare a costume. No, we don’t want to just emerge in a makeshift costume such as throwing on a hat with green beans stapled to the brim so as to be a “HAS BEEN”. No, we want to study makeup, obtain the fake blood if needed, get the green paint. We want to get the best effect.
Very often today a visit to a costume rental establishment is de rigueur. Some though are very creative and resourceful and can concoct marvelous masquerade figures. Masks of course have previously played a major role in costumes, although the donning of masks in this time of COVID has definitely LESS appeal.
Fashions and trends emerge:- children especially are attracted to superheroes, political figures, but always the tried and true: witches, goblins, skeletons, pirates, monsters, princesses, statues of liberty, animals, bees, butterflies, angels, ghosts, dinosaurs and vampires. Clever lighting of costumes can give a skeletal effect. How wonderful it is to have a Halloween evening without rain, to allow ease of trick or treating, in search of candy. (My dentist also accompanies candy with toothbrushes!) Cold is usually not complained about. Adults attending parties prefer makeup and headwear so as to enjoy the ghoulish delights and special drinks and blood dripping everywhere from canapés and eyeballs on sticks. One year I had to choose between Pop Art Face makeup or an Evil Queen. Oh yes, I chose the Evil Queen.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The neighborhood rallies with displays: some very clever, some supremely extravagant with sound and light effects, well lit, some intriguing and some simple, always with pumpkins carved or just an assembly of assorted gourds and pumpkins. Haunted houses emit scary music, ghostly horror, or howling winds.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Together with Fall floral displays, the neighborhood at Halloween looks splendid in all hours but especially in the blue hour, that period before sunrise and after sunset.
Beautifully carved pumpkins abound, to emerge as Jack O Lanterns.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
All the creative, clever displays give enormous pleasure, putting smiles on so many faces, and are so well combined with the rich russets and oranges of the foliage and falling leaves of the season.
Watch out for those ghosts!
Notes, Sources, and Ideas:-
Photo of Jill: Joe Mazza Bravelux inc.
Photos: Copyright © 2021Jill Lowe. All rights reserved
MarthaStewart.com for splendid makeup tutorials for such costumes as a Glampire, Mummy, Ice Queen, Sorceress, Skeleton, or even a Werewolf dazzle.com: Halloween Party Invitations
https://www.purpletrail.com/digital/online-invitations/halloween: Halloween invitations
