Halloween
 

Have them decorate the pumpkins with markers instead of knives. Less potential for trips to the emergency room/ gunk on the carpet.

I saw that the gel gems people have some really cute halloween stuff. I think I saw them in the fancy grocery store. I was thinking about getting some for my office.

Dry ice was always a big hit when I was a kid for creating a good Halloweeny atmosphere.

Gummi worms are always a hit.

And this goes for you, too, Weed
 

If you miss it so much, why not just do what your parents did and move to the suburbs? Isn't worse if you know you're screwing your kids by trying to hold on to your dying urban hipster cred?

Halloween
 

Go here. You will find a cheap supply of bouncing rubber eyeballs, plastic spider rings, glow-in-the-dark necklaces, vampire teeth, etc.

here

Halloween
 

Or there's my favorite:

Archie McPhee

http://www.mcphee.com/pixlarge/M6133.jpg

Halloween
 

Do you have any historic cemetaries in the vicinity? A little All Hollow's Eve walk at dusk through an old cemetary, complete with stories of what went on in days of yore, can combine a little bit of a history lesson with scaring them out of their little gourds. And it will be memorable for years to come.

There is also a lot of interesting poetry in graveyards, and I know you appreciate that.

Halloween
 

I have a great recipe for cookies that look like severed witches' fingers--PM me and I'll send it to you. Ooh, I think I'm going to make them green this year.

tm

Halloween
 

Hmm. Interesting idea - but there isn't one near our house. There is a FABULOUS old spooky one near my office, however, which I think actually has some relatives in it.... Little kids in costumes on a weekend night in the financial district, however, seems ... odd.

Good suggestions all around, though - thanks! (I'll be PM ing for that recipe shortly.)

Wonk, you are exactly 100% correct about the suburbs. (I have absolutely nothing resembling urban hipster cred, never did - I'm a lawyer for god's sake.) The reasons to move to the suburbs are manifold, but, besides Halloween, mainly consist of (i) buying your way into a passable school and (ii) buying a nice standard of living, including some closets, a separate bedroom for every kid (plus one spare for grandparents), a kitchen two people can fit in at once and some back yard to kick a soccer ball around. I can best do those things somewhere other than here (or San Fran). When I move to the suburbs I am going to go someplace where I can afford a really nice life, which means getting the fuck out of this area. It will involve a job change and convincing the Mr. (who grew up on a farm and is completely horrified by quarter-acre suburbia), so it is a little more involved than simply changing house and decamping for The Oranges (or Yonkers, more likely).

Halloween
 

Just remind him that Yonkers is named for "the Junker", Adrian van der Donck. He was the first lawyer in New Amsterdam, and when the city got to be too much he purchased a big estate so he could set up his own little patroonage. Since he loved to strut about the place acting like a big shot, they nick-named him the "Junker", essentially, the "Lord."

So lawyers have been heading out of New York to the "farm" in Yonkers for a long time.

I'm sure they have good graveyards.

But if you are in NYC, the place to head is really Green-wood cemetary in Brooklyn. It is one of the finest cemetaries anywhere.

Halloween
 

It's nice, but I'm not sure you can just waltz in there with a bunch of kids on a weekend evening, not that I've ever tried it. The gatekeepers seem fairly strict (as they should be, given the caliber of little punks that hang around there -- I'm talking to you, Bishop Ford -- and the historic graves it contains). I can vouch for the fact they have a strict "no bicycle" policy.

Halloween
 

I've not done much more than wave to them as I went by, but it's been a number of years. It makes sense, though.

And I would imagine cemetaries don't view themselves as perfect places for spooky entertainment. Though they are.

Halloween
 

In my bucolic New England town, there are many really cool and historic cemetaries. Sometimes we go there just to walk around, and on 4th of July, we watch fireworks from one of them. I never thought about the Halloween angle (not really a big Jewish holiday), but maybe that's an idea...

The cemetery in Old San Juan is totally cool. Like a mini Buenos Aires cemetery (now THAT cemetery is rocking).

Cementerio de la Recoleta (in BA) -- this picture doesn't do it justice, but it gives an idea:

http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Argen...a-recoleta.jpg


Pretty good picture of the San Juan cemetery:

http://www.halfass.com/visual/archiv...l/san_juan.jpg


No, I'm not some cemetery-fetish freak. Why do you ask?

Halloween
 

I heartily recommend Villa Orsini in Italy:

http://www.gardenvisit.com/je/bomarzo_garden2.jpg

http://www.bomarzo.net/images/Bomarzo_Drago_04.jpg

http://www.cultuurnetwerk.org/bronne...8/h1988_17.jpg


I grew up with my bedroom window overlooking a cemetary. I have some stories to tell.

Halloween
 

dtb: look what the first sentence of your post hath wrought.

Halloween
 

I lost my virginity in a cemetery. On prom night.

That is the only story I have to tell.

Halloween
 

Unfortunately, all my stories to tell along those lines are from the perspective of a voyeur rather than participant. But yes, they are unexpectedly popular places for such activity.

Don't let your 13 year old boys take the room with the window overlooking the cemetary.

Halloween
 

The Houston Press Awards came out yesterday. This place sounds very creepy:

Halloween
 

OMG. Thank god for you, Burger; you are my guardian angel. I thought I got them all!

Halloween
 

For the younger kids, stay clear of hard candies, popcorn and gumballs, unless you are eager to try out your heimliching skills.

I had more, but #2 wants my full attention. NOW.

OK. Back. Sort of. Fusspot in Bjorn - can't see keyboard.

For preschoolers and younger, I'd skip any death-related items and stick with black cats, pumpkins and spiders etc. Blood, skeletons, and body parts are too much for little ones.

Also, stay away from anything with chocolate or vivid food coloring - you don't want that ground into the rug.

You might want to try http://familyfun.go.com/ for games and party ideas.

Halloween
 

These look useful for drawing those chalk tombstones:

http://altura.speedera.net/ccimg.cat...ts/8870814.jpg

Lots of other stuff for Holloween parties in here , like bloodsplater footprints and handprints for the entryway. All of it is a bit cheap and some of it even a bit tawdry.

Halloween
 

Where do you think I found the kosher chocolate eyeballs? I totally ordered the glow in the dark chalk.

So, pre-preschoolers find blood and body parts a bit much, eh? Does that mean deviled eggs with a rasin stuck on for a pupil is out? I was so proud of that idea. (I kind of had a whole eyeball theme going - must be because I saw Anguish recently.) Well, Martha had some swamp-drink in her last mag, so maybe I'll try going that route.

There will be brain-shaped jello regardless. And I think I'll still get the sticky-splatter-glow-in-the-dark eyeball toys. And the assorted bugs. Halloween's not just for the little kids, you know.

Thanks for all the tips -

Halloween
 

I went through the Oriental Trading Company catalog with my four year old over the weekend. He loved everything to do with eyeballs and bones.

I like the Devil's Eyes dish, but what about dried cherries for the eyeballs instead of raisins, to give the eyeball a nice red color?

Halloween
 

Dude - sprinkle of cayenne. Don't you sprinkle your deviled eggs with cayenne pepper?

Halloween
 

And make sure plenty of costumes like this are worn: http://store1.yimg.com/I/pinupgirlcl...3_36952476.jpg

Halloween
 

I've always used paprika (excellent). I may have to try a little cayenne, though.

Halloween
 

If you put the paprika and the cayenne into the yolk/mayo/mustard/dill mixture, it's even better. The sprinkle on the top is just not enough flavor.

It does make the yolk mixture a bit orange-y. But people love my deviled eggs.

Halloween
 

Oh that's nothing. The family business growing up (in which I participated) was the sale of gravestones (though we always used "monuments" -- more appealing). Grandpa's front lawn (combo home/business) was covered in sample headstones and we kids all played hide and seek behind them (Halloween was special because we did that, except we wore wax fangs that turned into very tasteless vaguely mint gum after a while). They were even engraved with fake last names and birth/death dates so customers could see the different types of lettering. Nothing outable here!

Okay, so here I am for my now thrice yearly plea for help. Vietbabe, in a stupor caused by sugar and lack of nap, drunkenly tore into her birthday presents in a flash while I went to grab the remains of the Dora cake outside. Now....I have no idea who gave what (for about 1/2 the people and there were a lot). I could guess for some; others I have no idea (though I'd like to kill the person who gave a 3 year old a "princess castle makeup kit" complete with purple eyeshadow and red lipstick).

Should the "Thank You" notes say "thanks for the swell items" or should they fess up and say "I have no idea what you gave us but we really like you and are so glad you came to the party. Hope you enjoyed the takeaway goodybags which as you know by now contained candy recycled from the pinata".

Solutions anyone?

Halloween
 

See, mine are simple - mayo, yolk, paprika. But maybe I'll branch out (love them), so long as they don't go relishy.

Halloween
 

Although it's best to cite the gift in the note, I'd just say something like "Vietbabe loved her gifts, and can't wait for you to come back over and play with them with her." (You will notice the implicit threat for whomever got her the princess makeup kit. ;)) For close friends, if you think they will find it amusing/familiar, you can confess the true circumstances, but do it afterwards, not in the thank-you note.

Of course, if someone showed up giftless and gets such a note, they will think you are being cleverly catty. O well, tough shit.

This actually illustrates one key reason one usually opens children's birthday presents during the party - as a technical matter, you aren't required to write a thank you note for a gift opened in front of the giver (because, of course, you thank them profusely on the spot). Of course, it's still nice, and really sumptuous gifts should probably inspire a rash of written appreciation anyway, but you get a technical pass, which is apparently very useful later for alleviating guilt about lazy or forgetful children (who should be left to find out about this thank-you letter loophole for themselves through independent etiquette study).

eta: oh, and nononono, try adding some mustard. French's flaming yellow stuff keeps the color nice and bright, and it gives them some zip.

etaa: shit, I just swapped recipes for "zippy" deviled eggs. I have not become my mother, I have become a pathetic joke of a 1950s housefrau.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

Since this appears to have become the board for all things Halloween, I am looking for suggestions for a costume for the temporarily (hopefully) portly.

The best I can come up with is to don some flip flops and too much smudgy eyeliner, and throw on some skanky or inappropriate clothing (too tight, short, lowcut, or whatever) rat up my hair so it looks like I haven't washed or combed it in 3 days and put it in a ponytail on top of my head and go as pregnant Britney Spears.

Any refinements to this idea or any other suggestions are welcome.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

Well, it's probably been done to death, but you could put on green or brown leggings and draw a face on an orange T-shirt and go as the great pumpkin.

Buddha. I guess you'd need a bald cap for that, but they aren't hard to find.

If your husband has put on sympathy weight you could go as tweedle dum and tweedle dee.

If you've got an all black outfit (and who doesn't), you could attach two additional sets of legs under your arms (pin them to your top and hang the ends from your wrists on strings, so they move when you move your arms) and pin a big red hourglass on your belly and go as a black widow.

But the "Brittney" idea seems like a good topical variation on the old "pregnant jailbait," "pregnant bride," "pregnant nun" theme.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

Humpty Dumpty.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

The thing that has stuck with me about Britney preggo pics was that she was never wearing a bra and frequently had her midriff exposed. Think wrap shrug over nothing at all and tie-dye sarong tied underneath the belly, with flip-flops, of course.

tm

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

HA! I almost inserted in my post that it wouldn't have been quite right since there was NO WAY I was going to go braless (especially in light of the fact that I just outgrew my most recent ones and am now going to have to order off the internet).

BRC, you had some great ideas. I may start working on the red markings for my thorax.

SEC (what comes after DD? DDD or E?) Chick

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

I can tell you quite authoritatively that the next size is F. Yes, I'm wearing one right now. For me, pregnant was one size bigger than normal, and then bfing is one size bigger than preggo. Sounds like preggo is more than one size bigger than normal for you. ;)

tm

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

Pregnant women are entitled to do whatever is easist. Go braless, you can consider this authorization. And it applies to the post-pregancy nursing period too.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

I once an interpretive dancer, a performance artiste, if you will, who was a N or an O. And I think that was the normal size.

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

Was this the women who wore a men's XL in gloves?

Halloween Costume Ideas
 

I have been wearing a lot of those comfy stretchy cotton camis with built-in shelf bras. Not great for work, but perfect for home or sleeping (to prevent waking up in a puddle). I wish I had thought of this before having the first kid.

Halloween Decor
 

Is it too early to put out jack-o-lantern walkway lanterns? Well it's too late because I already put them up, much to the Lexling's delight. I'll hold off for a few days on the tree lights and giant black spider, but the door wreath is going up this afternoon. I heart Halloween!

And this sounds ridiculous, but after plastic light-up pumpkins fade (this is year #2 and I'm sure they will be faded once I take them down it's soo freakin' hot here), can they be painted with something to orange them up again but not block the light? I'd hate to buy more when these are perfectly good, if a bit yellow.

Halloween Decor
 

No. In fact, it's almost too late. This coming weekend is the traditional start of the Christmas decoration season.