HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Halloween Activities for Families At Home:

  • Carve pumpkins
  • Read a bunch of Halloween books for kids. You can check them out from the library, or buy a handful to read over and over again all September.
  • Halloween Scavenger Hunt at Home
  • Halloween movie night
  • Try on Halloween costumes early. Also, it’s a great time to do a practice run on any makeup, and take some Halloween costume pictures before the big night

 

Courtesy of FridaywereinlOve.com

Halloween Facts:

  • $10.6 Billion: Projected Halloween spending in 2022.
  • $3.6 Billion: Halloween costume spending in 2022.
  • $3.1 Billion: Halloween candy spending in 2022.
  • 34%: Share of parents who think 13 or 14 is old enough to trick-or-treat alone.
  • 86%: Share of parents who admit to stealing candy from their kids.
  • $300+ Million: Annual revenue from ticket sales for haunted attractions, 80% of which are run by charities.

 

Courtesy of Wallet Hub

The First Jack O’Lanterns

 

By Karen Morrissette

 

Why do we call a pumpkin with a carved face a Jack O’Lantern? There are a couple of different theories. The first postulates that it comes from night watchmen in seventeenth century England who typically carried a lantern as they made their rounds. “Midnight and all is well!” Jack was a common nickname for someone you didn’t know, so the watchmen were often just referred to as Jack of the lantern. English folklore tells of an eerie phosphorescence produced by decaying matter on the moors, sometimes called will-o’-the-wisp, that at times looked like distant lanterns carried by some Jack and led unsuspecting travelers astray.

The other story involves the Irish tale of a drunk named Stingy Jack. The devil offered to buy him a drink in exchange for his soul, but when the devil turned himself into a coin to pay for the drink, Jack snatched it and put the coin into his pocket, along with his cross, which kept the devil from changing back. Eventually Jack did let the devil go, but only after he promised to wait until later to take his soul. Years later Jack met the devil in an apple orchard, but again managed to trick the devil by trapping him up in an apple tree and not letting him go until he agreed not to take Jack’s soul when he died.

Eventually Jack did die, but was denied entry to Heaven on account of his worthless life. Because of their deal, the devil also denied him entry to Hell and he was consigned to wander the Netherworld between the two. When he asked the Devil for something to light his way, the devil threw him an ember from the flames of Hell, but it was too hot to carry. It just so happened that Jack died with a turnip in his hand, so he hollowed out the turnip and placed the ember inside. Forevermore Jack has been wandering in the dark with just the glow from that turnip to light the way.

The first association of Jack O’Lanterns with Halloween comes from the Irish, who on All Hallows Eve hollowed out any number of vegetables – turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, beets – and placed a light inside to warn off evil spirits. They also served to keep Stingy Jack away. In the nineteenth century, there was a flood of Irish immigrants into the United States. Here pumpkins were quickly identified as even better for carving and Halloween Jack O’Lanterns were born.

Hocus Pocus Milkshake

This creamy and delicious Hocus Pocus milkshake is the perfect treat for kids this Halloween.  Plus, they are super easy to make, so mom can whip up this recipe in a blender in no time. And since it’s so easy, it’ll be one of your favorite Halloween recipes to serve.

Ingredients

  • MILK: Whole milk is a key ingredient in this recipe because it helps to create a creamy, smooth and delicious milkshake.
  • LIME SHERBET: The lime sherbet in this recipe adds to the creaminess, plus gives it a bright citrus flavor.
  • NEON GREEN GEL FOOD DYE: Although the lime sherbet contributes to the green color, the drop of neon green food coloring really makes it pop.
  • WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING: Whipped cream adds even more creamy and yummy flavor to this Halloween milkshake. It also adds a touch of sweetness that complements the lime sherbet perfectly.
  • PURPLE AND GREEN PEARL SPRINKLES: The purple and green pearl sprinkles add a touch of festivity and fun to this Halloween milkshake.
  • BLACK SPRINKLES: Use black sprinkles for garnish to add a touch of spookiness to the milkshake, perfect for Halloween and adding to the festive feel.
  • CANDY EYES: In keeping with the Hocus Pocus theme, candy eyes are the perfect addition to the toppings.

Directions

In your blender, add lime sherbet, one drop neon green gel food coloring and milk. Blend until smooth, creamy and bright green! pour into a tall milkshake glass, leaving room for toppings. Add a swirl of whipped cream until it peaks. Add sprinkles and candy eyes.

Chocolate Covered Brussel Sprouts

This Halloween prank requires a little bit of cooking know how. You chop the stem off the Brussel sprouts, rinse them and then prepare a chocolate coating.

The goal is to make them look like truffles or another round shaped chocolate candy. After cooling in the refrigerator you can leave them out on a counter as a bitter surprise for anyone who tries them.

 

Caramel Wrapped Veggie

This Halloween prank doesn’t require as many cooking skills as the Brussel sprouts prank.

For this one you take a tomato, bell pepper, or other semi-soft, round vegetable and cover it in caramel apple covering. You can  purchase pre-made caramel wrap from the grocery store. Put a stick into it and serve.

 

Finger Hot Dogs Prank

 

Take a hot dog and cut it in half both vertically and horizontally. It will now be in four pieces that all look similar. Take a hot dog piece and put the flat side down on a cutting board. This will be the “finger.” Next slice a fingernail shaped sliver from the top of the rounded edge. This will be the “fingernail bed.” Slide a “fake nail” into the fingernail bed using pieces of onion and then cut shallow straight lines across the top of the hot dog.

Chocolate Dipped Ghost Pretzels

Simply microwave white candy melts and 1 tsp. coconut oil in 20-second increments, stirring until melted and smooth. Then, dip ends of pretzel rods two-thirds of the way in candy melts, shaking off excess, and place on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Let set until firm. Use black edible marker to create your ghost faces.

 

Green Popcorn

After you’ve popped your popcorn, mix it with white chocolate that has been dyed green with food coloring. Allow it to sit on parchment paper. Or, you can just spray with food coloring mist.

 

 

Halloween Bat Treats.

These easy Halloween bat treats require only 4 ingredients: edible eye candies, Oreos for wings , mini reeses cups for the base, and frosting to get everything adhered!