Monthly Archives: May 2018

Halloween traditions around the world

IRELAND AND SCOTLAND – SAMHAIN  

The birthplace of modern Halloween is Ireland. The festival is called Samhain, means November (an ancient Gaelic festival), or Samhuinn that took place thousands of year before. But, nowadays both Ireland and Scotland celebrate with bonfires, traditional foods, and games. This Halloween is celebrated in a way that echoes the ritualistic nature of its origin. In Ireland the last Monday of October is acknowledged as bank holiday in celebrating Halloween.

samhain

samhain

 MEXICO – DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS (DAY OF DEATH) 

The day of death is celebrated in Mexico in different ways. This festival will be more colorful in the southern regions like states of Michoacon, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. It is celebrated between November 1 and 2 to honor the people who have passed away. The Mexicans believe that the heaven is opened at midnight of October 31 and the children souls return to Earth and will be reunited for 24 hours with their family and the adult souls will join the festival on 2nd of November. The holiday is celebrated with fruits, peanuts, turkey, soda, hot chocolate, stacks of tortillas and a special bread is offered for ghosts called pan de muerto (bread of dead).  The day of death and Halloween have some common features, but they are celebrated as distinct holidays.

day of death festival

day of death festival

 ROMANIA – DAY OF DRACULA 

People in Romania celebrate Halloween at Vlad the Impaler. This is based on a real historical figure Prince Vlad III of Wallachia, an extremely cruel ruler. He earned  the nickname “Vlad the Impaler” who tortured his opponents and people who betrayed him in many ways.  Celebrating Dracula can be done by giving parties with a Gothic feel with decorations in black or blood red. It will be perfect to watch classic vampire movies.

romania

romania

Day of Dracula

Day of Dracula

 JAPAN – KAWASAKI HALLOWEEN PARADE 

Japan celebrates its Halloween in a form of parade which was popularly known as Kawasaki Halloween Parade. This is the biggest parade in Japan which gathers around 4000 costumed Halloween enthusiasts from all around the world. This Kawasaki parade has strict guidelines, so have to apply 2 months before the parade. This festival is becoming a bigger and crazier thing, attracting more and more attention. Kawasaki, a city just near Tokyo hosts Japan’s largest and wildest parade.

kawasaki parade

kawasaki parade

parade in Japan

parade in Japan

 THE PHILIPPINES – PANGANGALULUWA 

Pangangaluluwa is a Filipino word meaning to Halloween. It is celebrated in the same way as in Western countries. During this a group of people stop by different houses, singing and asking for alms and prayers on the nights of All Saint’s day (November 1st). The people represents the souls in purgatory, asking for prayers from the living soul to help them get into the heaven.

Pangangaluluwa

Pangangaluluwa

The Philippines Halloween

The Philippines Halloween

HONG KONG – THE HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL 

The people of Hong Kong celebrate the Hungry ghost festival on 15th day of seventh lunar month which was around mid-August to mid-September. It is believed that the restless spirits wander around the world and the people offers food or money they wanted to appease them. The eerie activity peaks on the 15th day of the lunar month, known as Yu lan(festival of the hungry ghosts).

hong kong

hong kong

The hungry ghost festival

The hungry ghost festival

POLAND – DZIEŃ ZADUSZNY  

In Poland, people visit the graves of their family members. They celebrate this holiday on November 1 with candles, flowers and offering prayers for their relatives. Zaduszny is asolemn celebration and it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their homes and extra places in dinning chair are left for invisible guest to join. The meal is first served to the spirits and then it is shared by others. In many places in Poland, they launch candles into the waterways to send messages to the spirits.

Dzien-zaduszny

Dzien-zaduszny

NIGERIA – AWURU ODO FESTIVAL 

The Odo festival is celebrated to welcome dearly departed friends and family members back to living. It is an important ritual, but it is celebrated once in every two years. It last up to six months (sometimes from December until August) and is celebrated with feasts, music, and masks.

AWURU-ODO-FESTIVAL

AWURU-ODO-FESTIVAL

 CAMBODIA – PCHUM BEN 

Pchum Ben is a festival in Cambodia where Buddhist people gathers with their family to celebrate the dead. The people in Cambodia give foods like sweet sticky rice and beans wrapped in banana leaves and offers flowers to temple, to respect their ancestors. This is celebrated from September to middle of October. According to Buddhist belief, the people feel sorry for their relatives who passed away. Phchum Ben is the most important festival in Khmer religious calendar.

PCHUM BEN

Pchum Ben

halloween in cambodia halloween in cambodia

 ITALY – OGNISSANTI 

Italian Halloween is known as OGNISSANTI celebrated on the All Saint’s day(November 1). The festival usually begin a couple of days before. During this, people offers fresh flowers especially chrysanthemums on the graves of both their relatives and strangers. They also celebrate the Halloween by putting red candles in the window at sunset and leaving a place in their dinning hoping that the spirits will pay a visit.

OGNISSANTI

OGNISSANTI

 

 

CREEPY HALLOWEEN PARTY DISHES

Halloween dishes

Halloween dishes

SLIMY CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

Baked Cupcakes
Butter cream
Lime Green Coloring
Green Wilton Sparkle Gel
Candy Eyeballs

DIRECTION

Take required quantity of butter cream and dye it green. Beat the butter cream in your mixer for a little longer time to make it lighter in color. Add extract and mix well again. Then add a cup of powdered sugar and scrap down the sides. To reach the desired consistency add 1 tsp. of cream/milk. Using silicon spatula fold and smooth the butter cream. This will remove any extra pockets. Then frost cupcakes normally and squeeze a little “slime” on top of your cupcakes and keep the eyeballs on the top to decorate it for your Halloween.

slimy cupcake

slimy cupcake

HALLOWEEN KITTY CUPCAKE

 INGREDIENTS

½ Cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 eggs
1 Cup milk
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 ½ Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 Cup cocoa powder
Chocolate chips
1 Cup of chocolate frosting

DIRECTION

Grease the cupcake tin and preheat the oven. Take a bowl and add ½ cup softened butter, sugar, milk. Add a small quantity of vinegar and beat until it becomes smooth. Take another bowl and add flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder and mix it well until all lumps are gone.Now pour the batter into the tin evenly and bake it for about 20 minutes. After the cupcakes become cool you can start decorating.

DECORATION

 Generously decorate the cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Use green chocolate candies to make the kitty’s eyes and valentine sprinkle hearts to make the nose. Use Wilton edible marker and draw the eyes onto the back of green chocolate candies.

kitty cupcakes

kitty cupcakes

SKELETON CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

1 box food cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 Cup oil
1 Cup sour cream
1/2 Cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 Cup butter
Cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 Cup powdered sugar
Sprinkles
Straws
White almond bark
Yogurt covered pretzels
Large marshmallows
Edible marker

DIRECTION

Line the pans with cupcake liners and preheat the oven. Take a large bowl, add the cake mix and remove the lumps. Then add the cake ingredients and stir until smooth. Fill it in cupcake liner and bake for 20 minutes and allow it cool. In another bowl add butter and cream and beat it well. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar to get the desired consistency. Finally roll frosting in sprinkles. After the cupcakes are ready you can start making the skeleton. Cut the straws into 5-inch pieces. Take a straw and fill the melted almond bark and thread the pretzel. Repeat it to make the whole skeleton. To draw skeleton face, use edible marker and insert the straws in the cupcakes.

skeletoncupcakes

skeletoncupcakes

SPOOKY CALZONE SNAKE

 INGREDIENTS

1 Teaspoon white sugar
1 Cup warm water
1 Package active dry yeast
1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Cups flour
1 Cup cheese
2 Cups mozzarella cheese
¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese
1 Package sliced pepperoni
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ Teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ Cup sliced black olives
½ Green bell pepper
½ Cup sliced mushrooms
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon water

DIRECTION

Take hot water and dissolve the sugar in a bowl fitted with dough hook. Next, take little amount of yeast and sprinkle it over the water and wait until the yeast gets soften. Add oil, salt, and flour, and mix it until it forms wet dough. Add extra flour and mix it till it forms like a ball. Knead for another 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it. Cover it with a light cloth and keep it in a warm place for about one hour, till it is doubled in volume. Take ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, pepperoni, parsley, Italian seasoning, olives, green pepper, and mushroom and combine it in a large bowl.

Preheat the oven and line a sheet with parchment paper. Put the dough and roll it into a long and flat size of about 9 inches wide and 30 inches long. Then, put the filling mixture on the center of the dough. Place the roll in the parchment paper in a long “S” shape. Mix egg and water and brush it over the calzone. Bake it for 35 minutes till the calzone becomes golden brown. Cool it and then cut into individual slices.

spooky snake

spooky snake

calzone snake

calzone snake

 

 

 

 

 

HALLOWEEN BLOODY BAKED RATS

INGREDIENTS                         

2 pounds ground beef
½  onion
1 egg
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 packet meatloaf seasoning mix
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
3 cans tomato sauce
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Uncooked spaghetti
½ carrot
1 tablespoon frozen green peas

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven. Take a large bowl and add ground beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs, and meatloaf seasoning and blend it well. Take the meat mixture and cover it around the cheese like a meatball. Make a point in one end and roll it between the hands to lengthen the body. Now, place it into a baking dish and insert spaghetti into the end to make its tail. In another bowl, stir tomato sauce, sugar, Worcestershire sauce. Preheat the oven and bake it for 45 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake it for another 30 minutes and decorate it with sauce. Heat the peas and carrots for 15 seconds. Move the rats to  the serving plates and press peas to make eyes and insert slices of carrots to make ears.

baked rats

baked rats

HALLOWEEN QUESADILLAS

INGREDIENTS

2 Sweet potatoes
6 tomato flavored tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can black beans
1 cup salsa
DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven. Cut sweet potatoes and bake it for about 45 minutes. Mash the potatoes in a bowl. Heat a pan and place a tortilla and warm it. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese and after it melts add the mashed sweet potatoes. After filling, fold the tortilla and keep it in oven.  Serve it topped with salsa.

Tina's halloween quesadillas

Tina’s halloween quesadillas

CHOCOLATE-CINNAMON SKELETON COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¾ tablespoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
2 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

Add cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a bowl. Add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar till it becomes fluffy. Then, beat vanilla extract and egg for 2 minutes. Gradually add the flour until it becomes combined. Refrigerate it for one hour. Then, roll out dough into each disk in a parchment paper and refrigerate it again for 2 hours. Now, cut the dough into shapes to make cookies and bake them. Allow them to cool.

Beat confectioner’s sugar, meringue powder and water. Transfer it to plastic bags and pipe out the skulls and bones onto the cookies. Set it for 30 minutes. Make use of toothpick and decorate the skeleton with eyes, nose, and mouth. Add little water to the icing and make the outline of the skull.

cinnamon skeleton cookies

cinnamon skeleton cookies

skeleton cookies

skeleton cookies

SCARY PROPS FOR HALLOWEEN

Light-up Skull In Pumpkin

The skull inside the pumpkin adds an extra fear to your Halloween. Usually a creepy skull appears breaking out of a pumpkin and an LED red light which glows inside the skull scares us. It also includes on and off features. It is made up of a heavy stone and it requires 2AA batteries.

light-up pumpkin

light-up pumpkin

halloween pumpkin

Halloween pumpkin

skull in pumpkin

skull in pumpkin

 Spooky Halloween Door Cover

This front door will give a creepy fun for people coming for your Halloween party. The cover is made up of wooden barricades with “Do not enter” or “Beware” attached with locks showing on them. It covers most standard sized doors with 30 by 60 inch polyethylene sheets. It came be used for both indoor and outdoor. Decorating front door with scary webs or door covers will be perfect for Halloween.

outdoor decoration

outdoor decoration

web web decoration

skeleton door cover

skeleton door cover

Skeleton Parachute

The parachute lantern hanger suits perfect for ceiling doors,windows,walls. It can be used in Halloween party and bars decorations. It appears like scary parachute with a dangling skeleton. This parachute is easy to carry and is fold able. It adds an additional scare to your Halloween party.

skeleton parachute hanger

skeleton parachute hanger

Sound Control Cage Prisoner

This type of cage prisoner measures 28 x 23 x 9 cm. When this prison is touched or when it hears some noise, its eyes will shine and it will make some scary ghost voice.

sound controller

sound controller

Animated Talking Spooky Plaque

This Halloween plaque measures 19.5 x 14.5 x 3.5 inches. It requires 3 AA batteries. Eyes glows in red and it says some spooky phrases with Halloween sound effects.

talking plaque

talking plaque

Crazy Eyeball Halloween Wreath

Handmade decoration for Halloween party. It measures 24 inches. It is made up of gorgeous premium ribbons and spooky eyeball accents.

halloween wreath

Halloween wreath

Eye Doorbell

Doorbells usually have a little combination of three notes or sometimes it will have an entire song. But this type of doorbell is different in its way. When the doorbell is not in use the eyeball remains closed and when the tone rings, the eyeball opens automatically and it greets your guest with eerie sounds. It will be a perfect fun prop for the Halloween party. It measures approximately 7 x 4.5 x 3 and requires 3 AAA batteries.

doorbell

eyeball doorbell

 

Day of the Dead Catrina Mask

DESCRIPTION:

Halloween  is one of the favorite  holiday of ours and if you are looking to really frighten your friends in an easiest way of your scary look costume, Day of the Dead Catrina Mask  would be amazing. This mask is made of latex. This white mask may seem to be boring but it has painted with Simplistic yet alluring design to look like a traditional  Dia de los Muertos sugar skulls, which is to mourn the end of Halloween. Try this amazing mask on Halloween and Welcome the spirits in your style!!!

A  Great for celebrating the Day of the Dead!

day-of-the-dead-catrina-mask

             day of the dead catrina mask

Tongue Slasher Adult Latex Mask

DESCRIPTION:

Put on some scary masks  and  enjoy your Halloween with fun!!! This scary mask is fully covered over the head and totally maniac, mouth gaping with tongue hanging out. The mask is hand-painted for the most realistic look. The face of evil! Do try this mask for a scary look!!!

Tongue-Slasher-Adult-Latex-Mask

              tongue slasher adult latex mask

Scary Double Face Halloween Mask

DESCRIPTION:

The mask is totally different because it has two evil  faces.The  mask made of latex material and it is  eco-friendly and non-toxicable.It is wide and extensive so it can be easily fit for a child or an adult’s  face. Do try this mask to make a wonderful  Halloween and  make your neighbours , friends, relatives fright!!!

scary-double-face-halloween-mask

scary double face halloween mask

Chiller Zombie Mask

DESCRIPTION:

Do you want  to put on some scary masks to frighten your neighbours and make the person’s blood run cold??The easiest way to frighten your neighbours  is the CHILLER ZOMBIE MASK. The mask looks like a person who died long years  ago and appears like he is still alive. It  appears like the wrinkled white skin with decayed teeth and thin grayish hair. Fans of zombie movies will love to put up this CHILLER ZOMBIE MASK. Just put on  the mask over your head and you will be ready to hear the screaming sound and the terrorizing begins with a minimal amount of effort. Do try this mask!!!

chiller-zombie-mask

                       chiller zombie mask

Halloween 4 Foot Hanging Scary Ghost Reaper

DESCRIPTION:

It’s a four foot Scary Halloween hanging. You can use this for your home decorations and make your neighbours, friends and relatives frighten!! You can use this for both indoor and outdoor use. The materials made of plastic, fabric and nylon. This can be hanged near a window, a doorway or in a tree to make them extra fright to a  trick- or -treaters night! Picture  all your visitors they will be screaming and running for the door. Halloween day is so much fun and choosing the right décor is absolutely a beginning!

halloween-4-foot-hanigng-scary-ghost-reaper

halloween-4-foot-hanigng-scary-ghost-reaper

Burlap Voodoo Doll Women Costume

DESCRIPTION:

When you began splash in Voodoo you won’t realize that you would be get sucked so deeply into it. A mysterious woman who introduced herself as Ms. Laveau, started it  in New Orleans. You  may know that this was the woman that has been talked about for hundreds of years? And you were you supposed to know that we were tasting a Sazerac with the voodoo queen of New Orleans?

When she started to train in the art of Vodoo, you considered simply  learning a couple chants or potions. But since you were learning from the legendary, immortal queen and you liked the idea of keeping a shrine, lighting incense, and putting out offerings and you were  more than you pledged  for. You considered Marie Laveau  had a crafting project in mind, when she arrived at your house with a length of burlap. You suspected that she might be making you some kind of ceremonial robes, When she began taking your measurements and  She asked you to try it on and began to chant. You began to feel strange in fashionable dress and later on you began to feel stiff. When you tried to ask the Voodoo queen what she was doing you found that your mouth was nothing but a stitched line.

Sure,It may sound like a sad story but think of these way that you are the only one and the most powerful lasting Voodoo queen in the world. This costume is actually quite cute with pleats at the gut.

Burlap-Voodoo-Doll-Women-Costume

        Burlap Voodoo Doll Women Costume

100% jute dress with polyester lining with items included such as wig(built in wig cap),glasses(faux leather) and choker.

Women Dreadful Nun Costume

DESCRIPTION:

If you ever been in a school of catholic, nuns probably scare you. However, this nun costume is the scariest that we’ve ever encountered. There is a creepy story of this terrifying costume and if you have guts read on and find out why this nun costume is fearsome??

Sister Mary Catherine was a responsible and honorable  nun who served the priest and her church. Things  changed and she was the priest with an exorcism. A girl with evil demon trapped inside the nun. So,Sister Mary  were controlled by that demon girl. The exorcism is so tedious. The priest was able to lift the demon girl successfully from Sister Mary. Do you know why it is fearsome?? The Satanic demon hopped from Mary’s  body and that appeared as a ghoulish appearance!!!

This dreadful  nun costume  depicts Sister Mary after  her possession!!

Costume includes complete black dress, Headpiece ,Collar, Leggings and Pair of gloves. Recommended black costumes for completeness. Once you and your costume ready, untether your inner demon and the evocative begins!!

women-dreadful-nun-costume

women dreadful nun costume