Boo!  It’s Halloween, the day when pumpkins prevail, werewolves and witches win, and ghosts are all good!  While the commercialism of this hallowed eve has certainty grown over the years, with everyone seemingly looking to scare up some Halloween business, it still remains one of the most pure FUN days of the year.  What was mostly a candy feast for kids (when I was of Trick or Treatin’ age) has become a cavalcade of costumes and commercialism for “children of all ages.”  From companies, to restaurants to retailers everyone wants to get in on the Halloween fun.
If you’ve been too scared to get properly prepared for Halloween this year, here are some things you can do TODAY, without leaving your home, to still make sure the visitors from your neighborhood have a Happy Halloween:
5 Last Minute Tips For A Happy Halloween
1) Eerie Music – Nothing sets the mood better than some scary tunes and sound effects wafting through your house on Halloween. Stick a speaker outside, in a window or behind the front door and crank up the screams! No need to run to the store or buy any special music. Â In five minutes and for FREE you can set up a HALLOWEEN PARTY station on PANDORA and blast it from your PC, laptop, smart-phone, etc. Â No PC? Â Check your local radio stations (or satellite if you are a subscriber) as many markets feature Halloween themed music blocks today. (UPDATE: Here is a great Free Halloween Music resource from Mashable.)
2) Cash vs. Candy – If you didn’t buy any, or run out of candy, you can still put a smile on most kids’ costumed faces by dumping a handful of clinking coins into their goodie bag.  Halloween is a great time to lighten the load on that giant “loose change” jar you’ve been filling aimlessly over the years.  If your budget permits (and you don’t get all that many Trick or Treaters) you could also dole out dollar bills.  Coins and cash are also low in calories, do not contain any high fructose corn syrup and will not induce the “sugar high” and resulting wild behavior often associated with the aftermath of Halloween.
3) Monster In The Closet — Need a last minute costume?  Look in your closet, or better yet, look in your spouse’s closet.  Odd hats, mis-matched clothes and “cross-gender” dressing always makes for a surprised look on the faces of visiting neighborhood candy collectors.  For added impact, act as natural as you can, as if this is ALWAYS the way you dress at home…  Oh, and if you are a guy, don’t forget the sloppily applied lipstick. Nothing says “crazy” better…
4) The Element Of Surprise – Sure it is fun to decorate your yard or front door, but there are other ways to make it “interesting” for the kids who dare to ring your bell in pursuit of sweets.  Is there a place you can hide and surprise them from behind as they approach your door?  A good old fashioned unexpected “BOO!” still does the trick.  If you are an apartment dweller and have no place to hide, put your peephole to good use.  When you see the kids arriving, get ready and as they reach out to knock or ring your bell, pull the door open and yell “BOO!” before they are ready!
5) Darkness At The Edge Of Town – Next to sounds and music, lighting is perhaps the best way to “set the mood.” Â Turn out most of the lights and keep your house darker than usual. Â Safely use candles and place them strategically to create an eerie flicker and glow. Â Keep your hallway dark (except perhaps for a candle) and when you open your door, shine a flashlight under your chin (a la “Blair Witch Project“) to add some scary shadows to your otherwise delightful mug.
If you have been procrastinating this Halloween, I hope these few fright-filled tips will help you bring home the horror this evening. Â If you have some last minute Halloween tips of your own, please add them to the comments!
Most of all, have a fun, safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 19).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.?
Past Halloween Posts:
How To Tell A Killer Scary Story
Photo Credit: © ganzoben – Fotolia.com
