4 Year Old Real Life Super Hero Scares Robbers

Most children want superhero costumes to play dress up, but this week I read about this story where 4 year old boy did some actual super hero work in his Power Ranger costume! Stevie Long of North Carolina actually scared away robbers holding up his parents at gun point when he jumped out wearing his red Power Ranger costume and wielding his Power Ranger plastic sword. Click here for the full story and video of Little Stevie in action!

Why Dress Up Games are Important in Building Children's Life Skills?

Dress up games helps children in more ways than you might think.

Improving vocabulary
Children who play imaginary dress up games tend to have noticeably better vocabularies.

Taking control
Dress up games lets your children be anyone they want, practice things they've learned, and make situations turn out the way they want.

Learning social rules
Sometimes it's hard for children to know what to do in a social situation. When children test out different pretend scenarios during their dress up games, they're learning complex, real-world rules about social interaction.

Solving problems
Dreaming up imaginary situations for their dress up games teaches children to think creatively in real life. A study at Case Western Reserve University found that young children who are imaginative tend to remain so as they get older and to become better problem solvers.

Find out more about How to Raise an Imaginative Child from ParentCenter.

Don't Forget: Christmas is the perfect time to start building your child's imagination trunk and costume collection.

Give the Gift of Imagination: Kids Dress Up Costumes

Top 10 Dress Up Costumes for Children
1. 3in 1 Dress Up For Girls: Princess, Fairy & Zarina
2. 3 in 1 Dress Up For Boys: Cowboy, Indian, Peter Pan
3. Snow Queen Costume
4. Captain Jack Sparrow Dead Man's Chest Costume
5. Princess Cinderella Toddler Size Costume
6. Batman Begins Deluxe Costume
7. Princess Leia Costume
8. Radiant Fairy Costume
9. Superman Returns Deluxe Muscle Chest Costume
10. Deluxe Supergirl Costume

Monsters Come Out to Sing Christmas Comedy Songs

A Merry Monster Christmas CD has fun parodies of Christmas carols, making it a great Christmas CD for kids.

Frankenstein, Count Dracula and the Wolfman have come together to sing some Christmas comedy songs to celebrate the holidays. A Merry Monster Christmas CD has silly parodies of popular Christmas carols, fun holiday skits and several one liners that kids of all ages can appreciate.

“A Merry Monster Christmas CD is truly a unique Christmas CD for kids,” states Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for leading holiday costume website Santa Suits.com, “It takes the best of Halloween and gives it a new holiday twist that kids can appreciate.”

A Merry Monster Christmas CD uses the amazing talents of American voice actor, Len Maxwell, who is best known for voicing the character of Nick Diamond on MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch from 1998 to 2002. Originally released in 1964, A Merry Monster Christmas CD has been entertaining families for decades. Recently, in 2005, Len Maxwell returned to the studio to put a modern update on this classic Christmas CD for kids.

The Christmas CD for kids that you don’t want to go without, A Merry Monster Christmas CD is available for $14.95 at Santa Suits.com.

All I want for Christmas is....

When I was a little girl I LOVED playing dress up. I'd be a princess, a cowgirl, a doctor and my favorite Princess Leia.

For many children, playing dress up is a favorite kind of pretending. By interacting with each other in "make believe" conversations, it helps them develop their language arts skills and helps them express their feelings in a positive way. To help encourage this kind of pretend play, dress-up costumes are the perfect holiday gift for all of the good little girls and boys on your list.

Most popular this year for girls and boys are anything pirates. Other options include the always popular princesses, from Snow White to Cinderella, for girls and super heros - Superman, Batman, Spiderman - for boys. Other cool costumes include fairies, Barbie, rock stars and monsters.

Check them all out at Annies Costumes.

Last Day for Halloween Costume Sale

Today, November 9th, is the last day for After Halloween Costume Sale at Annie's Costumes. All order over $50 will get 15% off, using coupon code "AFTER".

Remember, Halloween isn't the only time that kids like to dress up. There are plenty of fun costume ideas to do all year round. Dress up and put on a play from Fabulously Funny Fairy Tale Plays, invite the your daughter's friends over and have them be a Princess for the Day, or bring to life one of your child's favorite stories. All you need is a little imagination and a few kids costumes then you're good to go.

Halloween Hangover

"Parents need to watch the amount [of candy] their kids are eating" - School Nurse Beth Dittman at Pirrung Elementary School in Mesquite, TX

Halloween has come and passed, leaving in it's wake the victorous capture of goodies and treats in little kids' bags. But before you let your kid indulge in a gluttony of candy, remember, too much of a 'good' thing can be bad.

Nutritionists say that gorging on Halloween candy may cause blood sugar levels to spike and drop. Dr. Greene's article, "The Relationship Between Sugar and Behavior in Children" notes that highly refined sugars and carbohydrates, which are found in most Halloween candy, enter the bloodstream quickly, produce more rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Now for most kids, this can create hyperactivity during that sudden burst of adrenaline. Once the Halloween candy has worked its way out of your child's system, tummy aches and crankiness are left behind.

Is there a way to beat the Halloween Hangover? You bet. Spread out your child's consumption of their Halloween candy, and don't give it to them on an empty stomach. Make sure your child has a breakfast which contains fiber (oatmeal, shredded wheat, berries, bananas, whole-grain pancakes, etc.), and add delicious fiber-containing treats (whole-grain breads, peaches, grapes, a myriad of other fresh fruits, etc.) to their lunch box. Fiber is nature's natural remedy to keeping a steady level of adrenaline.

Time to Get Ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas Costumes and Santa Suits!

Happy Halloween!




The big day is here! The Extreme Halloween Family wishes everyone a happy, healthy and safe Halloween! And most of all - Have Fun!

Now it is time to start getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We carry a full line of costumes for Thanksgiving, Turkey mascots, pilgrims for kids and adults and Native American Indians too! We also have a whole website: www.santasuits.com dedicated to Christmas Costumes, Santa Suits, Costumes for Mrs. Claus, Santa's Helpers, Reindeer, Snowmen, Elves, you name it! We laso carry a full ine of biblical character costumes perfect for passion plays and church reinactments.

Halloween by the Numbers

Reprinted from the Look @ OKC from Oklahoma City.

790.7 million Number of pounds of pumkin in used by Americans each year in Jack O' Lantern and pies.

106 million Number of potential stops for "trick-or-treaters" i.e. housing

93 percent The estimated number of children who plan to go trick-or-treating.

80 percent The estimated number of adults who plan to give out candy.

41 million The estimated number of potential "trick-or-treaters" 5 to 14 years old.

What Do Halloween Costumes Mean About You?

Here is something fun for Halloween! A fun Article I found at Love on AOL

Exposed: What His Halloween Costume Could Mean
By Margot Carmichael LesterCourtesy of Match.com's Happen magazine

Dates & Hidden Meanings. Know what your date is really saying by the date venue he/she chooses. Know the message up front and get some tips to make it interesting -- just in case your date isn't.

Here's a look at 10 popular Halloween costumes and what they may tell you about your man:

No.1 Peter Pan Upside: Brings out the kid in you, doesn't take himself too seriously Downside: Won't grow up And: May look better in tights than you do

No. 2 Super Hero Upside: Strong, willing to put his life on the line for you Downside: Spends too much time on other things and not enough on you And: A tragic flaw or Achille's heel -- has a secret identity or may think your family's Kryptonite

No. 3 Casper or Cousin It Upside: Appreciates the value of simple elegance Downside: Needs something to hide behind, is afraid of letting you see him for who he is And: Is visible only at night

No. 4 The Devil Upside: Fulfills your naughtiness quotient, good libido Downside: Loose morals, no ethics And: Eternal damnation

No. 5 Frankenstein's Monster Upside: Tall and dark Downside: Not so handsome And: Townfolk with torches always ruin quiet evenings alone

No. 6 Caveman Upside: Looks hot in a loin cloth, a good provider Downside: Evolutionarily challenged, sexist And: Drags you home by your hair

No. 7 Clown Upside: Keeps you laughing Downside: Won't take anything seriously And: Has fun and interesting friends

No. 8 Count Dracula Upside: Loves the nightlife Downside: Being with him sucks And: No mirrors

No. 9 Houdini Upside: Being with him is magic Downside: Knows how to make himself disappear And: Never around when you need him

No. 10 Elvis Upside: Serenades you regularly Downside: Insists on fried banana sandwiches for every meal But: Knows how to use those hips

HERE'S WISHING U A HAPPY HALLOWEEN

send this Halloween Ecard

Last Minute Hankering for Halloween Treats?

Never Fear!
Rachael Ray to the rescue with her 30 Minute Meals Halloween Treats!

Did you wait to the last minute to plan your Halloween party menu? Or maybe you decided on a last minute Halloween get together. Well you still have time to whip up some fabulous Halloween treats with Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals recipes. You can wow your Halloween dinner guests with a main course of Pumpkin-Peanut Curry Noodles with Five-Spice Seared Scallops and Shrimp (Pictured above.) Or tingle their taste buds with her "Quicker Treats": Hot N Sweet Kettle Corn, Salsa Cheddar Dip with Witches Hats, and Devilish Sloppy Chicken Mini Sammies.

Food Inspired Costumes at FoodTV.com

The creative minds over at www.foodtv.com have cooked up some great foodie costume ideas. You can see their list of foodie costumes and what you will need for your yummy Halloween getup. Some of their ideas may already be in your closet and your kitchen, so if you don't have a costume yet, check out their ideas for "The Food Critic", The Wine Snob" and "The Iron Chef Chairman". You can also check out a slide show of pics sent in from Food Network fans of their own food costume creations. My personal favorite is this cute little guy who has dressed up as Iron Chef Bobby Flay, he's a spitting image and it appears he has the attitude to boot!

GHOULISH WISHES!

send this Halloween e-card

BREW UP YOUR HALLOWEEN

send this Halloween e-card

happy halloween!

send this Halloween e-card

Halloween Safety for Kids

Halloween is almost here and for many kids that means trick-or-treating in their local neighborhoods. As your little ghoul or witch starts talking about going out with their friends, now is a good time to remind them about Halloween safety. Here are some basic tips for staying scary, but safe:

• Use the Parent/Buddy System: Children should be always accompanied by an adult or a buddy (for teens).
• Stay in Well Lighted Areas - Don't go down alleyways or cut across yards.
• Be Wary of Strangers: Trick-or-Treat at houses where you know your neighbors. Don't accept rides or go into houses of strangers.
• Bring Halloween Safety Gear - Use flightlights, reflective tape or glow stick after dark in order to be more visible to cars.

Staying safe sounds pretty easy, right? Well test your Halloween safety skills on The Offical Halloween Safety Game. This game first runs through the basic Dos and Don'ts of Halloween Safety and then tests your child's knowledge, by asking them which choice is the safest thing to do. This is a great test run to see if your trick-or-treater knows their Halloween safety rules.

AN E-CARD CAN BRING IN SOME SPOOKY JOY!

send this Halloween e-card

Support Dog the Bounty Hunter

Normally, I would not post about political topics on a costume blog, but I just have to voice my opinion and support Duane "Dog" Chapman - The Bounty Hunter. This whole Mexican extradition thing is just plain ridiculous. Leave "The Dog" alone and let him do his job. He is not a criminal, he catches them. You can show your support for Dog the Bounty Hunter by being him this Halloween - AnniesCostumes.com carries the official Dog the Bounty Hunter Costume and a matching costume for Beth, Dog's wife available in standard and plus size!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH AN E-CARD

send this Halloween e-card

Last Minute Shipping Still Available

As Halloween nears, the shipping options will most likely be changing daily at AnniesCostumes.com. As of today, you can have your order delivered by Oct 27th at 8pm for $30 and up depending on the size of your order. Delivery by October 30th at 8pm is $20 and up and delivery by Halloween night is $15.00. Next business day is also available for $50.00 on all orders placed by 2pm EST. Don't delay as your shipping options are running out and merchandise might be selling out too. You can keep up to date with the latest shipping options on our order information page: www.anniescostumes.com/order.htm. Order your Halloween costumes now!!!

We Are Working Hard to Get Your Costumes to You!

Here at Extreme Halloween, Inc. in Dania Beach, FL, we are working very hard - into the wee hours of the night - to make sure that your costume orders are packed up and shipped out in time for your big Halloween day. Many people need their costume for parties this weekend and we are offering a shippingmethod called delivery by Oct 27th, which will get your package to you by 8pm on Friday night. This will cost $15.00 and up depending on the size of your order. We are also offering delivery by Halloween night, called "Delivery by Oct 31st". This shipping method is $10.00 and up depending on the size of your order. These prices won't last, so act fast! We are also offering express shipping option for those of you who need it sooner. These shiping prices are available for a limited time so act now! You can even have your costume the next business day if you place your order by 2pm EST! There are still plenty of costumes in stock and more costumes are still arriving daily. Check out our order information page for more details. Also, FYI, we have an online inventory system, so if you can add an item to our online shopping cart, it's in stock and ready to go. If we are out, if will let you know!

Recipes, Menus & Party Ideas from Food Network

Cast a Spell with Frighteningly Good Recipes, Menus and Party Ideas from Food Network

As usual, The Food Network has lined up recipes, videos and ideas to help you prepare for your Halloween party. Visit their website and you will find all types of treats like recipes for both sweet and savory dishes, fun Halloween activities for kids, and even food inspired costume ideas! Some of the mouth watering offerings include 'deviled short ribs', 'witches fingers' and 'screaming spice cookies'. YUM!

7 Days Left Till Halloween!

With Halloween a week away, make sure to make all of your decorations are in order. Its time to start thinking about your carving your Jack- O - Lantern out of a pumpkin. At wwwCarvingPumpkins.com, the Pumpkin Wizard has pumpkin carving tips and patterns available. Also, be sure to check out www.jack-o-lantern.com for some fabulous ideas as well as information on the history of pumpkin carving, tips, tricks and more! Put your pumpkin thinking cap on and don't forget to save the seeds for baking! They make an awesome snack!

Buy Your Online Halloween Costume Before It's Too Late

Leading online Halloween costume store offers some tips on buying last minute Halloween costumes.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) Oct. 23, 2006 -- October 31st is just around the corner, and for those of you looking for online Halloween costumes, your time is almost up. Annie's Costumes, one of the leading online Halloween costume stores, offers some tips on getting your last minute Halloween costumes before it's too late.

"First, make sure when you order your costume that it's from one of the online Halloween costume stores that keeps a real time inventory," suggests Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for leading Halloween costume website http://www.AnniesCostumes.com, "It's important to know if they keep their inventory up-to date, otherwise, you might end up ordering an online Halloween costume that isn't in stock. Here at Annie's Costumes, our online inventory manager informs shoppers immediately if the online Halloween costume they're interested in is out of stock and thousands of costumes are still available."

Another factor that shoppers need to keep in mind about buying last minute Halloween costumes online is shipping. Your online Halloween costume does you no good if it doesn't get to your house in time for Halloween. Read the shipping details and shipping options carefully. If you want your costume for a party on Friday, October 27th, the last day to place your order would be next day delivery on Thursday, October 26th. For delivery by Halloween night, you will need to order next day delivery on October 30th. Check the website for cut off times and details. Other shipping options are also available and will be updated daily at www.anniescostumes.com/order.htm

"So don't delay, order your last minute Halloween costumes from Annie's Costumes," urges McConahay, "Because if you wait too long, you might miss out on the online Halloween costume of your choice."

Top 10 Halloween Pop Songs

A soundtrack of spooky songs and eerie sound effects is a vital part of any great Halloween party. While there are many Halloween pop songs made, there are a few that have risen above and ghouled their way to the top of the crypt charts. Here is the list of the best pop Halloween songs ever made:

1. DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - Nightmare On My Street (1988)
2. Hooters - All You Zombies (1985)
3. Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)
4. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells Pt. 1 (Theme From 'The Exorcist') (1973)
5. 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Soundtrack - The Time Warp (1975)
6. Specials - Ghost Town (1981)
7. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell (1997)
8. Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (1977)
9. The Who - Boris the Spider (1966)
10. White Zombie - I'm Your Boogieman (1996)

If you're looking to add a few Halloween CDs to your collection, check out: Halloween Party Hits CD which sells for $12.95 and contains such great Halloween songs like Ghostbusters, Werewolves of London, Monster Mash, Superstition, Brick House, Super Freak, She's a Bad Mama Jamma, Thriller , I Put a Spell On You and many many more. And if you're looking for something more classic, check out the Halloween Music from the Crypt CD which also sells for $12.95 and contains great spooky songs like Overture from Phantom of the Opera Twilight Zone Theme, Toccata & Fugue in D minor, and Funeral March of a Marionette.

Emeril's Kicked Up Halloween Guide!

Whether you are having a Halloween Party or just want to get into the Halloween spirit this month, visit Emeril's website and check out his Kicked Up Halloween Guide. There you will find mouth watering recipes for tasty treats like: EMERIL'S KICKED UP HALLOWEEN CARAMEL APPLES, PEANUT BUTTER JACK O'LANTERNS, and SPIDER COOKIES to name a few. Need some sustenance? Afterall, we can't live on sweets and treats, can we? Well Emeril has that figured out too: VAMPIRE CHICKEN WITH "BLOOD" BRAISE , SEA CREATURE SOUP WITH SLIME AIOLI, and wash it all down with some HOT APPLE CIDER WITH RUM. Emeril and Extreme Halloween want you to remember to have a SAFE and HAPPY Halloween!

Red & Yellow's Family Fun Ideas for Halloween

Your favorite m&m characters, Red and Yellow are here for you this Halloween with plenty of ideas for fun! Visit their website: BrightIdeas.com for a host of ghostly ideas on how to create some fantastic treat presentations with your Halloween candy. See how to create "A Witch's Brew of Candy", "Pumpkin Cookie Pops", "Purrty Kitties" and many other Halloween party favors and treats. Whether you are preparing for Trick or Treaters at your door or hosting a Halloween party, Red & Yellow have some great, bright ideas for you!

You can also sign up on their website for exclusive recipies for Halloween and every other occassion.

Star Wars Movie Costumes

Last Halloween, Star Wars Costumes were the most popular, but this year the battle between the Dark Side and the Jedi continues. The re-release of the original trilogy movies on DVD is keeping Star Wars fresh in everyone's mind. The costumes from these Sci Fi sagas will always be popular every Halloween. In terms of costume sales, The dark side actually wins out, with Darth Vader being the most popular costume for both children and adults. Star Wars character movie costumes are available in all sizes from babies to kids to adults. We even carry a line of Star Wars pet costumes. Yoda is the most popular Star Wars pet costume, by far, but Darth Dog and Princess Leia are also available. One of my favorites, and new this year, is the R2D2 costume for babies and toddlers! Besides, costumes, AnniesCostumes.com also carries light sabers, masks and assorted Star Wars replica weapons. All of our Star Wars costumes and costume accessories are official, licensed products with approval from LucasFilm, Ltd.

Naruto Costumes in Children's & Teen Sizes

Official & Licensed Naruto Costumes now available in kid's sizes!












The popular anime style cartoon show on Cartoon Network has finally released costumes for the two main characters: Naruto and Kakashi.

AnniesCostumes.com has the Deluxe Naruto Costume. It includes: Deluxe character inspired jumpsuit and headpiece. Available in child sizes: Medium (clothing size 7-8), Large (clothing size 10-12), and XLarge/ Teen (clothing size 14-16). Sells for $59.95.

Also available is a Deluxe Naruto Jacket (different from the costume) in kids clothing sizes: Large (clothing size 10-12), and and XLarge/ Teen size (clothing size 14-16). The deluxe jacket also sells for $59.95.

The child size Deluxe Kakashi costume includes: Deluxe character inspired jumpsuit and headpiece. Available in Medium (clothing size 7-8), Large (clothing size 10-12), and XLarge / Teen (clothing size 14-16). Sells for $59.95.

AnniesCostumes.com also carries the deluxe Kakashi Vest. Available in Large (clothing size 10-12), and XLarge/ Teen (clothing size 14-16). the deluxe Kakshi jacket also sells for $59.95.

And to complete your Naruto look, don't forget the Naruto Ninja Headband, sold separately for $9.95.

What's Hot and Sexy with this Year's Naughty Halloween Costumes

Sexy male costumes, naughty women's costumes, and sexy plus size costumes…find the best prices on sexy costumes from Annie's Costumes.

Be fun, flirty and sexy this Halloween with this year's naughty Halloween costumes. AnniesCostumes.com, a complete online resource of Halloween costumes and accessories for adults, carries the hottest sexy male costumes, naughty women's costumes, and sexy plus size costumes. With Halloween just around the corner, Annie's Costumes can help you find the best prices on sexy costumes.

"What's hot and sexy with this year's naughty Halloween costumes?," asked Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for leading Halloween costume website http://www.AnniesCostumes.com, "The popular favorites are sexy pirate costumes and naughty superheroes because of the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest and Superman Returns."

Shiver me timbers! Hoist the Black Flag…the naughty pirate ladies are here. Treasure Hunting Pirate Costume and Black Lacey Pirate Lady show that the men have nothing on the women when it comes to be a sexy pirate. Male costumes are also available for men who want to sail the seven seas this Halloween, choose from Cutthroat Pirate or Buccaneer Costume.

Looking for an excuse to rip off your clothes and be the Man of Steel? Reversible Clark Kent/Superman Returns Costume lets men do exactly that as the leader in sexy male costumes. Ladies, don't feel left out…the Sexy Supergirl costume lets you join in the naughty superhero fun.
"Pirates and superheroes aren't the only naughty Halloween costumes flying off the shelves," McConahay adds, "Law enforcement, military and convict sexy costumes are still popular favorites."

No man is going to argue about being pulled over by a lady wearing the Hottie Police Costume. And when he's taken to court and put before Judge Julie, one of top selling sexy plus size costumes, he'll be happy to be flashed with her 'guilty' miniskirt. Once he's in prison, he can hang out with the Jailhouse hotties in their naughty Halloween costumes.

Naughty Halloween costumes at Annie's Costumes come in many sizes. Women's naughty costume size range is petite (size 3 -5) up to 3X plus. And sexy male costumes come in small thru XL.

Unique Halloween games

Given an option, which one would you chose from this Halloween? Having the worst makeover ever or being chased around by spiders? This is not one of your terrifying nightmares, but some amazing game plans that neighbors are coming up with to keep guests screaming at their wits end.
So whats hot this season? From wrapping each other up with tissue papers to create an army of mummies in less than 5 minutes, or playing hide and seek with a killer on the prowl, or engaging in a Halloween scavenger hunt, to being the best at guessing who is hiding behind which costume(just hoping however, not to come across the devil himself in guise!), people are prepared to try out the wackiest of ideas to keep the fear factor ticking away.
More on this list are:
The balloon battle- Tying balloons to the ankles and trying to burst those of others keeping your own safe.
Name the movie game- With just one sentence describing a scene from a famous horror flick, this guessing game could have people going PSYCHO-tic.
Finally what tops the list, as the most perfect ending to such a sporting party is a bonfire in the backyard with everybody sitting around narrating spine chilling true ghost stories.

The tale of Jack o' lantern

We all love carving faces and lanterns out of pumpkins on Halloween, but do you know the story behind this Jack o' lantern or why it is called by that name?
Here's the inside story.
The practice of using such lanterns comes from an Irish myth about a miser nicknamed “Stingy Jack”. Once, this young man decided to invite the devil for a drink. Unwilling to part with his money, he asked the devil to turn himself into a coin with which Jack could buy drinks. The devil obliged but was in for a shock when greedy Jack, stashed the coin inside his pockets beside a silver cross. To his utter dismay, the devil found he could no longer return to his original form. Taking pity, Jack finally released him under the condition that despite being a rogue, the devil would not claim his soul after death..
Returning a year later, the devil was again tricked by Jack who made him climb a tree to pick apples and carved a cross at the bottom so that he could no longer descend. Finally, Jack bailed him out after he promised not to disturb him for a decade.
After his death, Jack arrived gleefully at the gates of heaven but being ineligible to enter he was ordered to leave. The devil then greeted him in hell and sent him off into the dead of the night with a burning coal to light his way. Jack then placed the coal inside a carved out pumpkin turning it into a lantern.
His soul roams the earth ever since.

Halloween Party Ideas for Kids

Turn your house into a Spooky House of Fun! Haunt Your Own House Kit comes with everything you need to create your own Haunted House for Halloween for this year's Halloween bash. The kit sells for $19.95 and includes: 3 door decorations, 8 spooky eyes, 12 ghostly footprints, 1 spider's web, 3 inflatable Halloween heads, 1 Halloween sound CD, 1 "Popping Pad" Sheet, 3 hanging ghost. Plus! A booklet of Fun, Spooky, Haunted House ideas!

Once the kids have gone through the haunted house, you can play a few spooky games. Annie's Costumes also offers some fun Halloween party games to play. Bone Bender, which sells at $6.95, is the Halloween version of twister, letting your little ghouls and witches twist and turn into a big skeleton pretzel. Is your Halloween party on a budget? Sharon Mehl from Kids Domain has a bunch of fun Halloween games to play at your party using common household items. Some of my personal favorites are: Mummy Wrap where the adults sit in the chair and each team of kid races to wrap them in toilet paper, and Put a Face on the Pumpkin where kids race to create the face on the pumpkin using a straw.

No costume party would be complete without a Best Costume contest. Annie's Costumes offers Costume Award Ribbons, which sells for $8.95, to send home with this year's winners.

Halloween- Theme Parties.

Where do you find Jack the ripper, Dracula, Jason and Frankenstein growling and howling together? In hell or a Hollywood movie? How about your own neighborhood where they might just drop in to say...trick o' treat?
Halloween is just around the corner and its that time of the year again when saints and sinners bunch up, not to slit throats but to wine and dine together. So, to jazz up this extra special party, new and amazing themes are doing the rounds. The latest buzz about town is that people are settling with nothing but the most nightmarish. Homes are being overhauled to create that ultimate scary effect. Picture this, a grinning black cat waiting to welcome the guests to a graveyard beyond, where monsters and grave diggers are prowling about ready to pitch into their respective graves all those who have forgotten the costume code: dress to kill. This is no horror flick but a new party theme being adopted that will turn quaint old homes into a house for the doomed ensuring a hellish experience for visitors.

A Halloween party to remember.

Most of us love to celebrate Halloween in style. For adults and teenagers, its the time to plan an elaborative spooky party for friends and family but what about the kids? Its always difficult to keep them inside the house once Halloween commences, so this year some parents have decided to pass the baton for kid's party preparation to these younglings. Beginning from planning the party theme, to making their own costumes of Harry potter, Pokemon or the Power puff girls and then decorating their rooms with paint, glazed paper, cardboard boxes, miniature plastic pumpkins, paper cuttings, dolls or other playthings found in the attic to finally preparing their own slimy chocolate drinks, cinnamon flavored cookies or mind blowing Popsicles, the kids are doing it all. Also, parents have come up with some terribly interesting games like paint the pumpkin contest, treasure or even a Halloween scavenger hunt to keep these midgets busy laughing and rolling in fun.

Naruto Costumes Just in Time For Halloween!

Just in time for Halloween, the much sought after Naruto costumes are in stock now. Naruto is an anime cartoon television show with a ninja theme currently airing on The Cartoon Network. Just arrived at AnniesCostumes.com are adult sizes of the Naruto Costume Jacket and the Kakashi Costume Vest. Both of these costumes are licensed, official costumes for these cartoon characters. The costumes sell for $69.95 each. The Naruto Ninja Headband is also available and sold separately for $9.95.

Group Theme Halloween Ideas for the Whole Family

Superheroes, Star Wars and Pirates are just some of the group Halloween costumes at AnniesCostumes.com

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) Oct. 10, 2006 - Looking for the top group theme ideas for Halloween? Look no further! AnniesCostumes.com, a complete online resource of Halloween costumes and accessories for adults, children and pets, revealed the top group theme Halloween ideas this year are pirates, superheroes and Renaissance costumes.

"Because of the success of Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest, we're seeing pirate costumes for individuals, groups and couples fly off the shelves," said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for leading Halloween costume website http://www.AnniesCostumes.com. "The popularity of super hero movies like Superman Returns and Batman Begins drive costume sales. The whole family can dress up with a Super Hero theme. This theme is also popular with office Halloween parties as well."

McConahay added that their super hero costumes come in sizes for everyone - newborn babies, kids, and adults. You can even include the family pet in on the group fun with our costumes for dogs and cats. Movies like the Star Wars trilogies and the Lord of the Rings trilogy offer up many costume choices for group halloween costumes, and The Wizard of Oz is also always one of the most popular group themes every year.

Popular television shows also increase the demand for those type of costumes. This Halloween you might see the Scooby Doo Gang in sizes for both kids and adults and a Scooby costume for dogs to wear. The cast of Gilligan's Island may also make an appearance this Halloween - fresh off of their "three hour tour!" There are many other TV show costumes to choose from this Halloween like characters from The Flintstones, South Park, Reno 911, Dog the Bounty Hunter and more.

Looking to stand out and not go with the top group theme Halloween ideas this year? Everyone in your group can dress up as food items! AnniesCostumes.com carries McDonald's Big Mac, French Fries and Shake costumes, m&m costumes, Hershey Kiss costumes as well as the condiments: Salt & Pepper and Ketchup & Mustard. A classic Halloween costume idea for a group is a vampire and vampiress costume theme. Ideas like Egyptian or Roman costume themes let each individual be creative and a little different while still sticking with the party theme. Another group theme Halloween idea is picking a decade or time period (like The Renaissance) and having everyone come dressed in costumes from that era.

If you're not into the group theme and simply looking for couples' costumes, popular choices are Prom Queen & Prom King, Captain Hook & Tinkerbelle, Mr. & Mrs. Incredible. Humorous costumes such as a Plug & Socket, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and Cinderella & The Frog Prince (instead of Prince Charming) are some fun choices for couples.

Captain Jack Sparrow top pick for 2006 Most Popular Halloween Costume

Extreme Halloween surveyed customers about their 2006 Halloween costume ideas to find the season's most popular Halloween costumes

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) Oct. 10, 2006 - Expect legions of pirates to be looting the candy dishes this year as pirates lead the survey of 2006's most popular Halloween costumes. Captain Jack Sparrow is the as favorite boy's costume this year, as indicated by a survey of more than 3,000 visitors to ExtremeHalloween.com, a complete online resource of adult Halloween costumes , and costumes and accessories for children and pets.

Keeping with the tradition of blockbuster movies dictating the year's most popular Halloween costumes, Captain Jack led the annual poll for the most popular men and boy's costume, just ahead Superman and Darth Vader - the survey favorite last year.

"It's no surprise pirates are so hot this year since the Pirates of the Carribean sequel, Dead Man's Chest, was an even bigger box-office hit than The Curse of the Black Pearl," said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for leading Halloween costume website http://www.ExtremeHalloween.com. "Every year, the hottest movies translate to the hottest costumes. This year, Disney is the clear winner with their pirates topping the boy's results and their princesses topping the girls'."

Pirates also are the top favorites for women's costumes (28.8% of the vote), while little girl's popular Halloween costumes once again are the more traditional fairies (24.2%) and Disney princesses (25%).

Website visitors were asked "Which Blockbuster Movie has the best costumes of the year?" and Pirates of the Caribbean 2, Dead Man's Curse led the poll with a whopping 78.3%. X Men 3, got 16.2% of the vote while Marie Antoinette and Superman Returns were neck in neck.

This year's survey results revealed:

• The Captain Jack Sparrow costume is the hottest costume for men (40.4% of all votes) and boys (41%)
• Lady bugs are the most popular Halloween costumes for babies (25.5%)
• Yoda Dog (23.8) and the Cat from Hell (25.3) are the 2006 most popular Halloween costumes for pets
• As far as what is favorite treat to receive, chocolate takes a big lead with 57.3%, followed by candy (21.8%), and money (11.5%).

Click here to see all survey results.

FASHION FIESTA FOR THIS HALLOWEEN!

'Horror' the term can be added to the world of fashion in more than one way. Fashion has not limited itself to women only, men are quite a part of it now! Sporting a new look for Halloween would be a truly terrifying prospect. Halloween is a chance for most people to dress up in a spooky fashion clothes and accessories. The latest trends among the people for this celebration has been the use of cosmetic lenses which is a huge hit for this season. The growing trend at Halloween is to purchase Hollywood-style specialty contact lenses to match your costume. Last year, with the latest Star Wars movie out, the Vader and Darth lenses were hot sellers. A wide variety of impressive styles are available, with the top five global sellers being Banshee [shown], Manson, Vampire Red, White Out and White Cat Eyes, many of which are available in corrective powers up to -7.00. Angelic - a beautiful blue lens that's a hit with women - is popular all year long. The Black Out lenses were used extensively in the movie The Covenant and are hot favorite.

Among the latest are the props which are in large variety like flyer props, life size props. These items generally go great with graveyard scenes,in window display,front yard and anything your imagination can think of. The props can be paired up with masks which are mainly made out of rubber. The get up is scary and devilish which is a perfect blend with the event. The props are great ideas for any Halloween party and it is a must for all. To scare the hell out of the guests, props are invincible part of any Halloween party. Freaky Flyers are life-sized hanging props. Hang them anywhere, let them catch a gentle breeze,it will move around as if alive and floating in the thin air! Eerieeee!! These ultra ghoul decorations are cast in squishy foam with a latex skin which is lightweight. Halloween props are available in an assortment of creepy styles. Un-crate one and watch it bring in frightening fun to your home or Halloween party!

Halloween without costumes??!! No way! This season the costumes plays a greater role for Halloween party. For a warm and squeaky welcome do dress up in unique and spooky costumes available in wide variety in stores nearby. Easy wear costumes sets comfy. The costumes made especially for Halloween are simple to put on,they will have you bring banshee from the rafter. These would definitely attract the blood-stained masked people and also those bold shot eyes of envy in your creepy direction. Dress to kill, so get hold of the Halloween costumes for adults,teenagers and kids in various shapes ,size and spooky and devilish designs and pair them up with Halloween gloves and hats. Beware guests!

Spooky drinks and brews for haunting halloween

Click Here To Send This As A Halloween E-card

Devilish night for tricks and treating, calls for ghostly inspired brews and drinks to have an spooky effect on the people for the occasion. There is chill and eerie feelings in the air and this calls for warming guests with haunting hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. Ghosts made of marshmallow rising from the steam will be a novel idea. According to J.M Hirsch,AP food writer, this recipe works well with white and milk chocolates too. Serving a group of people, making combination of both the recipes would be nice visual effect for the night. Instant hot chocolate is fine though isn't nearly as devilishly effete. For an adult treat, spiking this drink with Irish cream or chocolate liquor. But for maximum gross-out appeal, go with black Halloween punch, a dark and fruity blend of cola, ginger ale and juice drinks. Floating hands add a real chill to the drink virtually.This punch is kept cool with ice "hands" made by filling rubber gloves with water, then freezing them overnight. Float one hand in the black brew and hook the other over the side of the bowl. Food colors can be added to it to give a groovy and ghostly effect to the whole theme. On the other hand, to transform the mundane atmosphere to eerie one cocktails are ghastly addition to the party mood with dark color drinks and animals hidden under the spooky waters in the painted glass. The guests will be highly entertained with this new idea of serving the drinks. Decorating the table with the effect of light with mixing of color in the glass of water would be an added attraction.

Novel Apparitional themes for All Hallows Eve

The word Halloween gives an essence of spooky and eerie feelings in every one's mind. The celebration has been very famous among the Christians but it has become really boring celebrating it in old fashion.Why not give the celebration a new turning point? Why not make Halloween more exciting with novel thoughts added to it? Well, I guess the special feature of how to celebrate it in a new way would definitely bring in much excitement and craze among the people. Exhilaration among the people reaches heights if one find new ways to celebrate the same. As known to all, Halloween is a festival of Scottish-Irish origin, held on All Hallows Eve, the night of 31st October. Elements of the customs which are connected to Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. It is part of Popular Culture - celebrated by the mainstream, for whom it is a secular, commercial celebration with no religious or spiritual element. Wiccans and Pagans recreate Celtic-style celebrations, and take it as a fun event but also as a spiritual one with some elements of solemnity where the dead are honored.The novel ways of celebrating the occasion has been through devilish drinks, eye fashion, new way of celebration in Chicago, candy doors, celebration in haunted forest and very recently celebration in haunted house which has gained immense popularity.

New trend in costumes: Halloween maternity clothes

Halloween costumes for pregnant women let expectant moms join in the fun

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) Oct. 3, 2006 – Moms-to-be: don't be spooked by the Halloween holiday -- leading Halloween Website ExtremeHalloween.com is proud to offer a variety of Halloween maternity clothes so you don't have to feel left out of the fun.

Most pregnant women will agree finding a Halloween costume to fit their bulging belly can be a real trick. However, Extreme Halloween has a treat for those desperate moms-to-be .

“It’s not easy finding comfortable clothes that fit when you’re pregnant, so we found Halloween costumes for pregnant women that are both fun and practical,” said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing ExtremeHalloween.com. “We have Halloween maternity clothes that can camouflage a pregnancy or Halloween maternity costumes that flaunt a growing belly.”

ExtremeHalloween.com’s Halloween maternity costumes range from comical, to traditional to sexy. Got a bun in the oven? Then why not be a bun in the oven for Halloween? Feeling hot? Strut your stuff as a “hot mamma.” Or let everyone know just how you feel with the HELLO I'm . . . Name Tag outfit. You fill in the blank with your own saying.

This year’s top-selling maternity clothes include The Bun in the Oven & the Bun Maker matching couples maternity costumes. McConahay, identified other hot Halloween maternity clothes based on website sales including: the Geisha costumes, Statue of Liberty, and the Angel of Stars.

“Halloween maternity clothes tend to follow the same trend as women’s Halloween costumes,” McConahay said. “This year we’re seeing a trend towards humorous costumes and matching couples costumes. Period pieces such as roman era costumes and renaissance costumes are also popular choices for pregnant women.”

Looking for a Halloween costume idea? See a complete list of the Halloween maternity costumes at http://www.extremehalloween.com/maternitycostumes.htm

*** Congrats to all expectant mothers from the Extreme Halloween Family to YOURS! ***

The Extreme Halloween Network Celebrates 10 Years of Selling Online Halloween Costumes

Annie’s Costumes moved from a Halloween boutique offering Halloween costumes for toddlers, children and adults to a Halloween website.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) September 26, 2006 – Harold Maxwell has never been afraid of change. When his Hallmark business wasn’t doing well in the 80s and he noticed that the few costumes he had in stock were selling better than the cards, he closed his store and opened Annie’s Costumes in South Florida. So, when his daughter wanted to start selling online Halloween costumes in 1996, he figured he would give it a try.

Now, 10 years later, what started as an adult and children’s Halloween boutique has expanded into an online Halloween costume superstore offering costumes, costume accessories and Halloween decoration supplies. AnniesCostumes.com is part the Extreme Halloween Network -- 13 websites with seasonal and year-round costumes and costume-related merchandise.

“We’re so excited to be celebrating our 10th year selling online Halloween costumes,” said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Marketing for the Extreme Halloween Network. “We pride ourselves in offering quality costumes and great customer service. When customers buy from any one of our 13 Halloween websites they know they’ll be getting exactly what they ordered at an affordable price.”

Extreme Halloween Network strives to protect its customers with a safe and secure online Halloween costume shopping experience, is a member of the Better Business Bureau Online Reliability Program, the National Costumers Association and is a BizRate.com customer certified gold site. The company also recently expanded to a new 14,000 square foot warehouse to better serve its customers.

See the full story