Trick or Treat!

Aiiiieeeeee! Another year, another Halloween party...and once again, I have waited until the last possible minute to find a costume. So what should I be? I typically try to do something creative and homemade, rather than grabbing a witch, vampire, cat or nurse outfit from the local costume shop. What can I say, folks? I love those Halloween festivities!
Anyway, it looks like I'm not alone in my enthusiasm for the spooky holiday. According to the National Retail Federation, consumer Halloween-related spending will surpass $4.75 billion this year - with more than 62 percent of respondents planning to celebrate in some way. In addition to the kids, one-third of adults are expected to dress up and more than 47 percent plan to decorate their home or yard.
So as I try to brainstorm a few fresh costume ideas, here are a few that I read about online that might make for an excellent backup.

Snuggie Costume - Wrap a big blanket around you, making sure it looks like a blanket and not a stylish toga. Write "Snuggie" in marker on a piece of masking tape and place it in a prominent place. Pin the sides of the blanket under your arms to make sleeves. Carry around a book or a newspaper and a remote control. Wear a pair of slippers.

The Informant! - Matt Damon's role as The Informant is already generating Oscar buzz. Pull together your own costume with a pair of wire-rimmed glasses, a white shirt and tie, a tan trench coat and a really cheesy fake mustache. Add a gold watch, a briefcase and a wedding ring. Outdated gadgets are optional.

Kayne West: Microphone Usurper - You need a gigantic pair of black sunglasses and a shiny black shirt in silk, satin, leather or pleather. Keep it open to show off some jewelry. Tuck one half of the shirt in while leaving the other half out. Wear a big black belt and a pair of faded and torn jeans. Tuck the bottom of the jeans messily into a pair of black boots. Carry around a large bottle of alcohol. Make a big microphone by gluing a paper cup, open side down onto the top of a paper towel roll. Cover the paper cup with black felt. Make an MTV label and glue it onto the microphone. Add an "I heart Beyonce" sticker to the back of your shirt, made by writing on a blank sticker or masking tape.

Be a Mac/PC - Wear a light blue dress shirt, and leave it untucked, but buttoned up. Add a pair of black jeans and black boots. Wear the apple logo somewhere on the back of your shirt. When people ask, you already have a pithy answer, "I'm a Mac." A friend who is going along to a party with you can go as a PC. Wear a suit, a pair of glasses. For added measure, you can wear a "My Name is...." name tag sticker and add the word "PC."

Here are a few fun facts, courtesy of the National Confectioners Association, to help get you into the Halloween spirit.
* The celebration of Halloween started in the U.S. as an autumn harvest festival. In pioneer days, some Americans celebrated Halloween with corn-popping parties, taffy pulls and hayrides.
* In the late nineteenth century, with the large influx of Irish immigrants into the U.S., Halloween became associated with ghosts, goblins and witches.
* Jack-o-lanterns are an Irish tradition. In Ireland, oversized rutabagas, turnips and potatoes were hollowed-out, carved into faces and illuminated with candles to be used as lanterns during Halloween celebrations.
* The word “witch” comes from the Old Saxon word “wica”, meaning “wise one.” The earliest witches were respected dealers in charms and medicinal herbs and tellers of fortunes.
* The pumpkin originated in Mexico about 9,000 years ago. It is one of America’s oldest known vegetables. Pumpkins generally weigh from 15-to-30 pounds, although some weigh as much as 200 pounds. The majority of pumpkins are orange, but they also can be white or yellow. They are rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene and potassium, and their seeds provide protein and iron.
* More than 93 percent of children go trick-or-treating each year.
* Kids say their favorite treats when trick-or-treating are candy and gum.
* Ninety percent of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags.
* More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces — enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end.

And finally, because it was just on and never fails to put a smile on my face, here is a clip from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Enjoy and have a wonderful - and safe - Halloween!