Valentine's Day - A Guide for Men

Did you know that after Christmas, Valentine's Day is the biggest retail holiday? That means a variety of things for you the consumer, but mostly it means the market is saturated with a plethora of heart-shaped, cutesy, not so worth it products. I have a philosophyone that is not always popularbut here it goes. If you love someone, then saying "I love you" is a full time job, not one accomplished by dime store shrink-wrapped chocolates and plush toys holding bags of candy hearts.

Don't get me wrong. These things were great when we were 10, but we are adults now so here are a few ways to ensure you have a classy holiday that shows you put a lot of thought into it.

The key to success if knowing your significant other's tastes and not stepping on a land mine in the process of telling her how much you care. Yes, this article is geared mostly towards the men out there who are trying to get it right this year. However, women, you can take heed of this advice as well because I don't know a man alive who wants a teddy bear holding a cheap satin heart.

1. Ask yourself "Do I know her tastes well enough to buy a personalized gift?" We are going to help you sort this out, but you have to put your mind to it too.

2. What is your budget? Financial troubles as a result of overspending on Valentine's Day are not going to help your romantic life.

3. Always be classy. You don't have to spend a fortune to achieve style.

We have broken the choices down by the major items generally purchased for Valentine's Day. This by no means is an all-inclusive list, but will put you on the road to victory.

Chocolate:

Does she like it? If not, then obviously skip this traditional gift.
Does she have a favorite brand? Or favorite ingredient?

Whatever your answers to those questions, do not buy shrink wrapped, generic chocolate. We are not a big fan of the heart shaped, fake lace and Elvis velvet. You know what I am talking about. Now avoid it! A simple, elegant box with a nice ribbon is much classier.

Flowers:

Does she like flowers? (Remember some people are allergic to certain flowers)

Does she have a favorite? There is not a rule that says you must buy red roses. I happen to love yellow roses and it would be a sign to me that my mate understood me if he bought me yellow roses instead of traditional red.

Jewelry:

Now talk about a land mine. If you are determined to buy jewelry, consult her friends and family to find out what she likes and wants if you are not absolutely positive. Good jewelry is an expensive proposition to screw up. Avoid heart shaped anythingplease, I am begging you. The act of giving her the jewelry is saying "I love you," there is no need to tattoo it on her forehead so to speak by giving her a heart shaped necklace she feels obliged to wear all of the time.

Dinner or Brunch:

1. Go where you will both be comfortable.
2. Make reservations to avoid waiting.
3. If you want to try something new, go somewhere that you both have wanted to try.
4. If you are nervous about a new place and you want the perfect evening, check out the place ahead of time.
5. Be yourself. For example, if you are not a wine expert then ask for help from the staff. We women like a guy who will ask.

Or be daringdon't go out to eat. If you are not a very good cook, order take away from a local establishment (not fast food or pizza) or hire a personal chef, and put your time into setting a beautiful table. She will be very impressed that you made the effort.

Lingerie:

Oh yet another land mine. Do you get the feeling this holiday was meant to test the best of relationships? Be careful here. Your fantasies may not be her desires. And please, please, please again be classy not tacky. Cheap lingerie does not say "I love you." It says "I'm cheap or you are a tramp." If you aren't sure about this one at all, then make it a partner activity. Tell her you want to buy her something nice and that you want to do it together.

Other Gifts:

There is no rule that your Valentine's Day gift has to be heart shaped, red/pink or traditional. I don't recommend buying her a blender or cordless drill, but if there is something that she has really been checking out and you can afford it, then show her that you have been paying attention and go for it.

Travel:

Many places offer weekend specials for Valentine's Day, but often are booked well in advance. As an alternative, plan a weekend away at a different time and give this to her as a gift over your Valentine's Day dinner.

Proposals:

OK, we saved this one for last because it is a big one. For some reason, the multitudes feel that proposing on Valentine's Day is the thing to do. In case you couldn't tell from this article, I am encouraging you to think out of the box. Valentine's Day proposals have come to be expected. Why not be different, propose at a random time and really surprise her. However, if you feel that you must succumb to the pressure, do it right. Follow all of our tips above and crank them up a notch. Again, be creative but classy. You want her to remember this special time.

So here you are at the end of the article and about ready to chuck in the towel. Don't! We know you can do it. Take a deep breath, do not wait until the last minute and if it all seems a bit too overwhelming, call in help. Use your resources and make this a truly special day that is only the beginning of a truly special year of romance. If you don't want to take our word for it, here is another reference to the holiday at hand from MSN and match.com.

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The companys creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net

2005 Indra A Books for ON THE GO 4 U

A New Look at Labor Day

A day to reflect on the accomplishments of working people: That's been the proud tradition since the first, unofficial, Labor Day back in 1882.

But, one of labor's greatest accomplishments has gone largely unrecognized. Since the end of World War II, working people have bought up a huge chunk of big business. They now own a piece of just about everything in business, from multinational corporations to small companies that build mini-malls in their neighborhoods.

It may be the greatest economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution; management guru Peter Drucker calls it "The Pension Fund Revolution."

To get a sense of the transformation, consider this: At the end of 2001, America's 242 billionaires had assets totalling about $800 billion. That's a sizable amount, certainly, but working people had assets of $11.8 trillion in pension and mutual funds. That's almost 15 times as much as the billionaires.

Most working people contribute only modest amounts to their retirement plans, but there are simply so many of us that our collective nest egg grew very quickly. If you're still not sure, try this on your calculator: Multiply a contribution of $1,000 per year by one million working people. Answer: $1 billion dollars per year. Now note there are hundreds of millions of working people here and in other countries. And we're contributing new money every year.

Even a relatively small number of working people can build a big fund. For example, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, with 944,000 members in or retired from state public services, had assets of $112 billion at the end of March last year. According to the Fund's annual report for 2002, about $76.6 billion of that total was invested in companies. The remainder, about $35 billion, was in bonds, mortgages, and other types of loans.

Look at the private sector and unions, too. To cite just a couple of examples, Pensions & Investments magazine estimated that General Motor's pension fund had assets of $82.5 billion and the pension fund of the Western Conference Teamsters had assets of $22.6 billion, at September 30, 2001.

This ownership of big business by working people is the result of contributions to pension funds, mutual funds, and life insurance policies with a savings component.

What does all this mean? Well, for starters, perhaps an end of complaints about the profits of corporations. After all, most of those profits go toward the retirement incomes of working people.

More complicated, though, is the relationship between working people who own a big company and other working people employed by it. How to share corporate profits -- through continuing employment and higher wages, or through higher returns to shareholders -- remains a difficult issue. Especially for those working people who lose their jobs.

On the other side of the coin, working people have bought enough stocks and shares to become the bosses of the bosses. Some pension funds have begun making that clear; CalPERS, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, has led the way in telling Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and boards of directors that they'd better manage effectively. And, CEOs and directors listen; after all CalPERS runs the country's biggest pension fund, with assets of more than $130 billion.

One other thing: if you're a working person, you're a consumer, as well as an owner and employee. When you go shopping, there's a chance you'll buy from a business owned by yourself, your friends, or your neighbors. What's more, the clerks who take your credit card with smiles may work for you. Or, maybe the clerks own the company for which you work. Smile at them, too, just to be on the safe side!

About The Author

Robert F. Abbott explains how working people are buying up big corporations, and more, in his new book Meet the New Owners: http://www.TheNewOwners.com; abbottr@managersguide.com

Haunted House in Your Garage Halloween Party!

This Halloween you should think of doing something off the wall. Don't just have a regular Halloween Party with the costumes and refreshments. Why not have a Haunted House in your garage? It is really easy to do and not that expensive. Oh, I guess you can spend alot of money,there is nothing wrong with that, if you have it to spend, and want to. You could really get elaborate with the robotic, radio controlled and mechanical haunts or you can have just as much fun without the expense by using friends and homemade items for simple haunts that create a big scare.

Start with a clean garage. Make a sketch of what you would like to have in it, like a cemetery, etc. Use this sketch to make a list of things you will need. One of the things you will need is black plastic. This can be purchased at Lowe's. It works great to make temporary walls or a maze. Finish making this list, then buy or make what you will need.

You will also need a few friends to volunteer to work/play in the haunted garage. This is usually not a problem, because they will have alot of fun doing this.

Once you have bought or made the haunts, figure out where you are going to place them in the haunted garage. Then tell the friends or let them choose the haunt or scare they will be doing and have them "dress the part" for the haunt or scare. Let them use their imagination on how they will scare the people coming through the garage.

A couple of nights before the "Haunted Garage Party" you will need to put up the walls or maze for the haunted garage. Set up the haunts that need to be constructed. Add lighting such as black lights, and strobe lights. Blue lights work well in cemetery scenes. Scary sound tracks are also good to use.

And that is all there is to making a Haunted Garage. A great and different Halloween Party that will be talked about for along time. It may even start a tradition. Someone different could do a Haunted Garage the next year. That way everyone can have a turn and see how creative they can be.

By the way, you can still have refreshments after everyone has gone through the Haunted Garage. I have made a Haunted House in my 2 car garage for a Halloween Party and everyone had so much fun.

If you liked this article and want more detailed information about how to build a Haunted Garage then I invite you to check out my eBook I have written on this subject. The site is: http://funhauntedgarage.com

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any Ezine, newsletter, blog, or website. The author's name,bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.

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My wife and I purchased this costume for my daughters dance recital. The costume did what it needed to do, but it was a little big on her as she is more of a 2T and the costume looks like it is better for children that are a 4T size.

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Trick or Treat is a Halloween custom. It is the quote shouted by children who call on houses to get gifts at Halloween. In North America, England and Ireland, kids go round to people's houses on Halloween night which falls on October 31st, dressed in some kind of scary costumes, and challenge the inhabitants of the homes with the cry, Trick or Treat? The houseowner then chooses between a trick - where the kids play some prank or practical joke on them - or treat where the houseowner treats the children with sweets or candy or similar Halloween treat stuff. The houseowners usually stock up on Halloween treats before hand. With increased Tv penetration and exposure, the Halloween customs have spread across other parts of Europe and Asia too. In some places, the night associated with trick or treat is also known as beggars night.

The practice of dressing up in costumes and going from one door to other asking for treats on Halloween goes back to many years. Trick-or-treating is similar to the medieval practice of souling, when poor people would go from door to door, receiving food to eat in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day. This tradition originated in Ireland and England and the poor people were called soulers.

Trick or Treat is one of the great adventures of Halloween for little kids. Many towns have separate harvest festivals so that kids can trick or treat in safety and security. 'Trick or treat, smell my feet. Give me something good to eat' is another popular line used by kids around Halloween.

The author writes on a variety of topics and works in the social media arena. Social network users, add new Halloween myspace layouts to your profile. Try out new Halloween myspace comments to comment your friends on any social network.

Lolita Wig (Natural Red) Adult Halloween Costume Accessory (B542)

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We all think of Jack-O-Lanterns when we think of Halloween. I don't know about you, but I've always looked forward to carving the pumpkin. But when it comes down to it, the kids are REALLY excited about carving the pumpkin, but at 4 and 6 years old, I haven't yet allowed them to wield the knife.

Once the pumpkins are opened, they dig for a few minutes, then get tired of emptying the pumpkin . . . and getting messy. They then watch anxiously while I carve the pumpkin and stress out. In the end, they are excited with the results, but haven't actually done much to bring them about.

Last year, we did not carve pumpkins. We painted them instead! Although this posed a mess of its own, it was not the same mess that carving makes. There was no pulp, no seeds, only paint (and washable paint at that). There was also no knife. And best of all, the kids could do it themselves! And to top it all off, our pumpkins did not rot and mold like the traditional jack-o-lanterns I've had in the past. They lasted till after Thanks Giving and we enjoyed them the whole time.

If you'd like to try painting your pumpkin this year, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Pick a pumpkin that has as few flaws and blemishes as possible. These areas will be the first places to turn soft and rot.
- Gently clean your pumpkin and wipe it dry.
- Paint the whole pumpkin with a multi-purpose sealer. This helps the pumpkin last longer.
- Use your imagination to create your own masterpiece.
- Seal the pumpkin again once your painting is complete.

Here a re a few ideas to get you started:
- Draw your design with a permanent marker prior to painting.
- Draw on a piece of paper and softly transfer the design onto the pumpkin.
- Download patterns online, or use clip art for patterns.
- Use stencils to paint your pumpkin. This allows you to paint with out worrying about keeping a straight line.
- Use masking tape to create patterns.
- Use foam stamps or sponges to transfer paint patterns onto your pumpkin.
- Embellish your pumpkin with more than paint. Add other items.

For additional references to get you started please visit www.kidsactivityalley.blogspot.com

So, go ahead and get your pumpkin painted and enjoy it until Halloween and beyond. Remember, your imagination is the only limit to what you can do. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

I am, above all else, a wife and mother. My family is my rock. They are my inspiration. They are, in many ways, the definition of who I am. My goal is to share more quality time with them and help others to do the same.

Christmas - The Ideal Christmas Dinner

It's Christmas Day and you're having the family over for dinner. The only thing you can think of is how much work you're going to have to put into this thing. Even a guest list of eight can be a real chore to cook for. And the last thing you want is for your family to go home grumbling about how bad the meal was, especially if some of those family members are in-laws. This may be your one chance to really make a good impression. But how do you do this without having to hire a high priced chef?

Well, believe it or not, there are Christmas dinners that you can prepare that are easy, inexpensive and tasty enough to send your guests home with a full stomach and a smile on their faces. If you think it can't possibly be that simple, keep reading because this is one easy to make dinner.

The first thing you have to do is break your dinner down into courses; the more the better. Guests who get a lot of food tend to be easily pleased because they feel they are getting a lot for their money. And heaven knows there are plenty of course you can dish out at a meal such as appetizer, soup, salad, etc. So where do we begin?

Starting with the appetizer, the best way to impress your guests is with a nice shrimp cocktail. Don't get those skimpy, skinny shrimp. Get the ones that are thick and long and meaty. This is a great ice breaker and will get your dinner off on more than the right foot. Don't worry about getting any fancy cocktail sauce. They're all pretty much the same. The shrimp alone, if it's good, will sell them.

Next you want a nice soup. Pick something a little fancier than a plain chicken soup. Maybe cream of chicken or cream of mushroom. Make sure that you have lots of saltine crackers to go with the soup. Serve the soup in a large bowl, not a cup. Again, you want to give your guests a lot to eat. The soup itself can even be out of a can. You don't have to make it homemade.

For salad, keep it simple. A nice green salad of lettuce, carrots, mushrooms and tomatoes will be fine. The whole key to the salad is the dressing. Make sure you have a number of dressings on the table for them to choose from. Don't put the dressing in the salad. Some people like Italian, some don't. Give them a choice. This will make them feel special that you were this thoughtful.

For the main dish, nobody likes anything more than a nice turkey. Turkey's are fool proof to cook these days with their built in little pop up timers. Make sure you have plenty of stuffing to go with it and of course cranberry sauce. Leaving out the cranberry sauce is like asking for daggers aimed at your heart. Along with the main dish, make sure you have a couple of hot vegetables like corn, green beans, carrots and cauliflower.

Finally, you want to have several desserts for your guests to choose from. A couple of pies and a cake should do fine. And of course you want two pots of coffee. One regular and one decaf. Not everybody wants to be on a caffeine high, especially if they're elderly.

By following these simple tips you are sure to have a Christmas dinner that everybody is sure to enjoy.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Christmas

Playboy Little Red Vixen Adult Costume

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For a child Halloween means candy and costumes. For parents it's a matter of safety. What should be a fun and safe time can quickly become a frightening experience if one is unaware of the dangers that can lurk around any corner. So how can you ensure that your child has fun yet remains safe? Below are ten safety tips to help any parent get through the night without breaking a sweat.

1. Stay with your child. Walk in your neighborhood. If your neighborhood is small with only a few doors to knock on - try your local mall.

2. Choose costumes that are light in color, or if your child is a black cat, vampire or witch, have reflective tape on their costume. Don't forget those bikes, skateboards and brooms too!

3. Eat candy when you are at home. If any candy looks tampered with, throw it out immediately. If the candy looks at all suspicious contact your local police department.

4. Avoid wearing masks that can hamper your child's vision. Face make up is the best way to go and can even be fun to apply!

5. Carry a flashlight with you. Leave before it gets dark out, stay on streets that have streetlamps and only go to homes that have their lights turned on.

6. Stay in well-lit areas and carry a flashlight with you. Trick-or-treaters should not go inside homes without a parent accompanying them.

7. For extra safety, organize a Halloween party for children in your neighborhood or attend a neighborhood sponsored party.

8. Remind children to look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks and low-flying brooms.

9. Make your home safe for trick-or-treaters. Remove all objects around the outside of your home that could easily cause children to trip and fall. Turn your outside light on.

10. Equip your child with a cell phone so that your child knows they can call you - even if you are only walking behind them on the sidewalk while they walk with their friends.

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Memorial Day is a holiday born out of the ashes of the American Civil War. The earliest known celebration was in 1865. In Charleston, S.C., the racetrack there had been converted into a prison camp for the confederate army. A parade of freed slaves and union soldiers held a picnic there when the Civil War ended. Afterwards, several southern states began to hold observances for their war dead that came to be known as "Dedication Day."

Army General, John Logan, was impressed at how the southern soldiers paid respects to their Civil War dead. In Waterloo, N.Y. on 5 May 1866, he observed "Dedication Day" in the north. Two years later on the same day in 1868, he issued a proclamation that "Dedication Day" observed nationwide. On 30 May 1868, Logan had the tombs of fallen Union soldiers decorated because it was a date in which no major Civil War battles had taken place and time could be spared to honor the dead.

New York was the first state to officially recognize "Dedication Day" in 1873. After World War I, the theme behind the day changed from honoring Civil War dead to honoring all Americans who had fought and died in any war.

Have you ever wondered why Veteran's organizations sell poppies, real and artificial, around Memorial Day? The idea was born out of World War I. Poet Moina Michael, inspired by the poem, "In Flanders Fields," wrote her own about wearing red poppies which was supposed to symbolize the blood of those soldiers who had served during wartime. She then began to wear red poppies on "Dedication Day," as her way of honoring the war dead. The idea caught on and shortly before "Dedication Day" in 1922, the VFW became the first organization to sell poppies nationally. Nowadays you'll find VFW's selling mostly artificial poppies on Memorial Day, a testament to Michael's poem and her actions.

In 1882, "Memorial Day," was first used as an alternate name or "Dedication Day," but it wasn't until after World War II did it become more common. In 1967 the federal government passed legislation making "Memorial Day" the official name of the holiday.

The federal government also changed Memorial Day from 30 May to the last Monday in May to facilitate a three-day weekend in 1968. Since then, Americans in general, have gotten away from the meaning and traditions of the holiday and there's been a recent push in Congress to change the holiday back to 30 May.

Some traditions associated with the holiday include a national moment of silence at three p.m. EST, the U.S. flag is flown at half staff from down until noon, and volunteers still place a U.S. flag on each grave in the Arlington National Cemetery.

StephB is an author who can be found at http://sgcardin.tripod.com In her spare time she likes to read. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.

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Halloween has changed dramatically over the years. Originally a Celtic celebration of the New Year, it has transformed into a holiday with evil connotations. Many equate the once benevolent celebration of community into a celebration of evil or devil-worship.

It is for this reason that many religious people question whether they should celebrate the holiday. While it is not wise to generalize and assume ones opinion by that expressed by the whole as a group, let us take a look at each religions viewpoint on Halloween.

(Not all followers of each faith prescribe to the opinions listed, but these are general findings of the opinion of each religion. Also, this is a limited selection of the vast amounts of religions found throughout the world. Many religions have little to no connection with the holiday at all.)

Islam:

The devout followers of Islam do not celebrate Halloween for it is forbidden in the Quran to celebrate non-Muslim holidays. A quote from Islam.com further elaborates, . . . Moreover, it symbolizes the beginning of the ancient Druid new year, who hold that the dead revisit their homes at that time, thus in essence, Halloween represents the devil worshipper's New Year's celebration.

From an Islamic standpoint, Halloween is one of the worst celebrations, due to its origins in Paganism. It is clearly forbidden for a Muslim to participate in a Halloween celebration.

Judaism:

Those of the Jewish faith do not celebrate Halloween for the same reason Muslims do not it is forbidden in their faith to celebrate a non-Jewish holiday. Halloweens Celtic roots and Christian connection (All Saints Day), Jews do not consider it to be a non-sectarian holiday.

However, Jews do celebrate a holiday that is similar in festivities. The holiday is Purim, and it commemorates a time when Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination. The celebration of this holiday involves costumes and candy.

Christianity:

Christians range in opinion on this topic, from evangelists who condemn anything to do with the religion, to those who welcome it as a chance to spread messages of faith to trick or treaters, and also to those who infer the holiday was started by Christians.

Most devout Christians forbid celebration of Halloween, due to the belief that its origin comes from Paganism and devil-worship.

Some Christians believe the holiday as Christian roots, in reference to All Hallows Eve or Feast of All Saints which occurs on November 1st and celebrates the dead in heaven and purgatory. It became customary on All Hallows Eve to bang pots and pans together to let the dead know the damned know they were not forgotten.

Satanists:

Religious Satanists do not assign any significance to Halloween. The holiday is NOT Satanic in origin, and Satanists certainly do not practice any sort of sacrifice on Halloween (nor is animal sacrifice an accepted practice of any organized Satanic group).

Wiccans:

For Wiccans, Halloween represents the New Year, a time of reflection and celebration. New life is welcomed while the dead are remembered. It is believed that the veil between the spiritual and material worlds is the thinnest at this time of year.

Halloween is one of the eight Sabbats (or seasonal holidays) celebrated by Wiccans. Samhain, as Wiccans refer to it, symbolizes the transition or death of the elderly Great Horn God (not to be confused with the Christian idea of Satan), the male energy of the Divine. It also celebrates the aging Goddess, the female energy of the Divine.

Buddhism:

The Celtic priests, or Druids, who originally celebrated the holiday shared the Buddhists belief in rebirth, and in the indestructibility of the mind. There are correspondences between the traditional Celtic celebration of Halloween and the Buddhist concept of Bardo.

Halloween symbolizes the entry of the separated spirit from the spiritual world into the material world. Bardo is the concept of the consciousness experiencing apparitions (ghosts, demons, etc.). If the mind recognizes these apparitions as false hallucinations, liberation is possible.

Religious stances range from support and celebration to ignorance and condemnation and anywhere in between when it comes to Halloween. In the end, it is up to the individual and their personal beliefs and feelings.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.com which is a site for Writers.

She is also a stringer for the Standard Speaker, a Pennsylvania newspaper, and is editor of Word of Mouth Magazine.

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Most women expect to have their Valentine's Day present given to them usually over dinner. What your girl will not expect to get is a full days worth of surprises. This will work only if both of you have the day off. This might be something that you want to plan ahead of time so the two of you can take vacation days from work so you can enjoy the entire day together.

Once you have the day to spend together alone, you should start the day out by surprising her with breakfast in bed. You can make it something simple yet elegant. Make her favorite breakfast or go with something simple like her favorite take out. The whole point is to get up before she wakes and wake her with her breakfast in bed. After breakfast you can spend the morning together lounging in bed or take a stroll through the park where you can treat her to a picnic if you live where the weather is warm. If not you can take her somewhere romantic for a quaint little lunch.

If you opt for a picnic, you can go to any supermarket and have them pack up a fried chicken meal already prepared for a wonderful picnic lunch in the park. All you need to bring is the blanket to lie on and the utensils. Don't forget to bring something special to drink and pick a secluded spot to give you and her some privacy. If it is a cold area then make your living room into a romantic picnic. She will love the effort and spontaneity.

After your romantic lunch, do something fun such as taking in a movie together that she has wanted to see. Depending where you live you can have fun in the sun or go ice skating. No matter what you choose make sure it is something that the two of you can do together. You can make it something that the two of you have never tried before. Roller skating, ice skating or if you are both really into sports take in a laser tag game where you can battle each other.

Finish off the day with a romantic dinner for two either at home (where you cook the meal) or at her favorite restaurant. You can even surprise her with reservations at a top of the line place that she has always wanted to try. Once dinner is over then you can spoil her by finishing off her day by giving her the perfect bubble bath. This will give her a day she will never forget.

Tom Kranz writes articles on Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day gift ideas, and Valentine's Gift ideas.

Dreamgirl Wig (Natural Red) Deluxe Adult Halloween Costume Accessory (B511B-542)

Dreamgirl Wig (Natural Red) Deluxe Adult Halloween Costume Accessory

Already took the family for a summer vacation this year? Here are 10 excuses for taking them on a Hawaiian Christmas vacation this December.

1. Hawaiian Christmas airfares are cheap compared to summer airfares. Hawaiian Airlines often runs Mele Kalikimaka specials for as little as $300 roundtrip from the West Coast. But you can be there for the Christmas fun and save even more if you go earlier in December. Hotwire.com and Hawaiian Air often offer rates as low as $175 to $225 (L.A. and San Francisco to Honolulu.

2. Honolulu City Lights: The city of Honolulu (including Waikiki) goes all out for Christmas. Beginning with the Kawaiahao Church Service (the first Christian church built in Hawaii), a spectacular electric light Parade and the lighting of the decorated 63-foot Norfolk Island pine in front of Honolulu Hale (City Hall). The Hilton Village and other Waikiki Beach hotels are all decked out too. And there's a special trolley for Honolulu Christmas light viewing.

3. Hawaiian Santa: Children greet Santa at Waikiki Beach where he arrives in his red canoe.

4. Hawaiian Christmas Ornaments: These are so much fun! My kids used to weave the coconut frond ones for our tree, and there are lots of free or small fee workshops at this time of year for all kinds of Hawaiian Christmas decorations and wreaths that you can bring home with you.

5. Hawaiian Christmas Craft Fairs: Music, good food and lots of beautiful and fun Christmas decorations are found at the craft fairs. I've lived in some pretty artsy places, and I've never seen so many Christmas craft listings as in Hawaii. Just think how delighted your family, friends and neighbors back home will be when they see your tree decorated with real Hawaiian local style ornaments like kukui nut, tapa cloth angels and Santa's on surfboards.

6. Hawaiian Christmas Concerts: Children's choirs and favorite local musicians like the Brothers Cazimero sing songs like "Here Comes Santa in a Red Canoe" and the Hawaiian version of "The 12 Days of Christmas." And then there's "Silent Night" sung in English and Hawaiian. Live music is everywhere at Christmas whether you've got tickets to the Honolulu Symphony or you're strolling through Waikiki!

7. Hawaii Sand, Surf and Snow: And where else but on the Big Island can you build a snow board down a mountain slope and snorkel over a coral reef in the same day?

8. Balmy December Weather: Hawaii's daytime temperature at Christmas time ranges from a "chilly" 68 degrees in the evening to 80 degrees in the daytime. The trade winds keep you nice and comfortable. The water's also inviting year round - - you can snorkel, swim, kayak and surf in nothing more than a bathing suit.

9. Whale Watching: Speaking of the water, here are two more great reasons for a Hawaiian Christmas. In December, the humpback whales return from their feeding grounds in Alaska to mate, give birth and frolic in Hawaii's warm waters.

10. Hawaii Surf Championships: And in December, you'll also be able to watch humans "frolic" in the really big surf on the North Shore as they ride two-story waves competing in the Triple Crown.

So there you have it. 10 good reasons and all the excuse you need to Christmas in Hawaii this year.

For more great reasons to Christmas in Hawaii and to learn how to start planning a super cheap (but packed full of fun) Christmas in Hawaii, surf over to http://www.coconutroads.com/hawaiibudgetvacation.html

Mele Kalikimaka!
Cindy Blankenship

Halloween Costumes Exposed

Halloween costumes are available in stores and online in an endless collection, ranging from horridly frightening to amusingly fanciful. Modern day Halloween in America is more a festival of community gathering and neighborly get-togethers. Halloween costumes are the most favored opportunity to wear different dresses. Halloween Costumes are all about being creative and having fun. Teens will find a wide variety of Halloween costumes at Costumes shops including soldiers, dead prom queens, gothic slayers, super heroes, and much more.

Halloween costumes are enjoyed by adults and children alike and have been a part of the Halloween celebration for many years. Halloween costumes are so fun. I love it when the kids come around on Halloween night. Kids colonial costumes are a year round favorite and the colonial girl costume and native american boy costume are 2 of the biggest kids costume sellers. Kids superhero costumes such as the batman costumes, spiderman costumes and fantastic four costumes are always a favorite. Kids costumes should also fit well and not drag, which could cause a child to trip and fall. For full-body costumes, check to see if the costume provides for detachable masks or headwear so that the child can take them off from time to time for fresh air.

Kids Halloween Costumes are by far and away the cutest each year with children dressed as flowers, dogs, cats, pumpkins and more. Adult Halloween costumes have come a long way recently with halloween masks that look real, sexy halloween costumes that catch the eye, and halloween props that look authentic. Adult costumes tend to fall into several categories that remain popular year after year. Their continuing popularity is due partly to their timelessness and partly to their sense of fun. Adult Halloween-goers can be seen in costume at parties, costume contests, masquerade balls, themed nightclubs, and yes, even Trick or Treating. Popular Halloween costumes such as classic vampires, ghosts and other scary characters are still going strong.

But Halloween night is also a very sexy holiday. Popular games played on the holiday include "dunking" for apples (i.e., retrieving an apple from a bucket of water using only one's mouth). In places, the game has been replaced (because of fears of contracting saliva-borne illnesses in the water) by standing over the bowl holding a fork in one's mouth, and releasing it in an attempt to skewer an apple using only gravity. Popular tv and movie characters, especially super heroes now dominate the scene, thanks in large part to the marketing efforts of the entertainment industry and costume manufacturers. Dressing up in a fanatic costume is one of the most popular ways to celebrate Halloween . Halloween costumes are often required at parties around this time of year, and may also be allowed to be worn to work or school on Halloween day.

For more great articles, questions and answers be sure to check out http://deluxehalloweencostumes.info and find that perfect costumes.

Adult Disney Mr. Incredible Halloween Costume

Customer Review: Great
Got a lot of compliments trick-or-treating with my daughter. Lots of people said they wished they had it for a costume party!

Since there were numerous superhero movies for the summer of 2008, this article could easily have been titled "Alternative to Plus Size Superhero Costumes for Men". If the past is an indication of the future, much like last year when Spiderman and Transformers ruled the cinema and, later on, the Halloween scenes, then this year there certainly will be a lot of Iron Man, Hulk, and Hellboy costumes. And for sure, there will be an overabundance of Batman and Heath Ledger's Joker costumes. Halloween parties for 2008 will be like going to a comic book convention.

But do you have to dress up like them? If you're answering no, then below are some adult Halloween costume suggestions for you to consider:

Pirate Costumes. I'm not necessarily referring to Jack Sparrow costumes which were popular last year. But pirate costumes have been popular even before the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. And adult pirate costumes are highly recommended for this year again as alternatives to super hero costumes. Besides the Jack Sparrow pirate costume, another good one is called the Cap'n Cutthroat Costume. They're similar because both are pirate captains.

Indian Costumes. Chief Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and other American Indians shall forever remain in the hearts of modern-day partiers. Adult Indian costumes are one of the more popular costumes, especially for plus size men because of the loose and comfortable fittings. Typically, plus size Indian costumes are made with long sleeves shirts and elastic pants along with the distinctive feathered headbands. Tomahawks are usually optional since everyone can recognize you already as an Indian. Warpaints are fun to put on.

Greek Toga Costumes. You can't wear a toga costume without anyone quoting Animal House. This costume can be easily made using a white blanket. So yeah, it's a do-it-yourself costume. You'll need a laurel leaf headband and sandals. Bashing a guitar against the wall (ala John Belushi) is an option.

Renaissance Knight Costume. This costume can be as elaborate as your imagination or as simple as buying a faux chainmail. If you have the resources and patience, go for the classic knight look in plate armor. But a fake chainmail armor will get you through an incredible party probably much easier and safer.

The above are just some suggestions as alternative to superhero costumes for Halloween. Depending on where you live, men's plus size pirate costumes [out] and other plus size costumes for that matter may not be available for traditional retail. But you can buy them online. Start with the biggies like Amazon and eBay. Also, social shopping sites, like http://www.Kaboodle.com where shoppers like you recommend adult plus size Halloween costumes and other products are good places to start.

A Fan's Guide to Dark Knight Halloween Costumes

People that were first exposed to Batman in the 1930s had no idea what a phenomenon the character would become over the next several decades. Now, after several television shows, hundreds of comic books, action figures, animated television series and six top-selling feature films, Batman - also known as The Dark Knight - has become an official American icon. And with the rise of The Dark Knight's stardom, many fans were born, each of them wanting to follow in the footsteps of Bruce Wayne, Batman's alter-ego, especially when it comes to the striking costume.

There is no better time to dress up as Batman than Halloween, and this year offers official Dark Knight Halloween costumes that look and act like those used in the movies on many levels.

There are several essential parts to any Dark Knight Halloween costume, starting with Batman's cap and cowl, or hood. Other requirements include Dark Knight armor, boots and gloves or gauntlets which are worn on the forearms. It's also important to note that Batman doesn't carry any traditional weapons such as guns or knives. Instead, the Dark Knight uses basic defensive weapons and his martial arts abilities.

True Dark Knight fans should take note of the costume changes over the years. Originally, Batman wore a light blue and dark blue combination on his costume. It wasn't until comic books in the 1980s that the Dark Knight began wearing solid black with gold trim, as was the suit used in the first Batman film released in 1989. Later feature films had Batman wearing a variety of shades of blacks, grays and metallic colors on his armor. The Dark Knight Halloween costumes inspired by the 2008 film are solid black. These distinctions allow fans to choose their personal favorite color scheme, and those interested in the coolest and most popular Batman costume will surely choose the official solid black version.

Getting your hands on the latest and greatest Dark Knight Halloween costume is a simple thing. Most costume stores will carry a Batman suit, or bat-suit, but one of the quickest and easiest, while also eliminating travel time, is to get the costume online. This helps to ensure you're getting an official Batsuit replica instead of a generic, which may be sold in local stores.

Remember that the Dark Knight is the highest grossing feature film to date, and you're likely to be joined by many other fans at work and school during this Halloween season.

Jaime Brady is a costume artist who specializes in creating and promoting Dark Knight Halloween Costumes in the United States. Recently she has been working with a number of Fortune 500 companies to develop friendly sales techniques for the young girl and teenage boy markets including the new Batman the Dark Knight Halloween Costume.

Adult Beaver Halloween Costume

Halloween is an awesome holiday, so much more worth celebrating than just collecting candy from the neighbors. In our house Halloween planning began in late September. One of our family favorites was the tradition of "ghosting". We would find Halloween decorations, attach a small bag of candy and make cards that read "Happy Halloween. You've been Ghosted.. Pass it on!" Then we would take these and go all around town to their friends' homes and put them anonymously on the doors. As you can guess, the Ghosting spirit spread and so did the smiles!

With four children all trying to come up with costume ideas, it was also a challenging time. When they were small, we did our share of Princesses, Super Heroes and cute Animal costumes. Those were easy. However, as they got older they were annually in pursuit of "group" costume themes with their friends. We had The Wizard of Oz, hippies, Snow White and her dwarfs, sports teams, diva girls and even sailors to recall just a few. Half the fun was the discussions and planning that went into the process. Numerous trips to the party store, rummaging through closets, raiding Grandma's attic, making tie-dye t-shirts and raiding the girls old dance recital costumes were just a part of the fun. Of all the costumes I can recall over our 20 years of Halloween, my favorite had to be my son and his friends back in 1996. They decided to be the US Womens Olympic Gold Medal Gymnastic Team, complete with their own Bela Karolyi. They won Best Costume in the local parade and were the buzz of the neighborhoods as they trick or treated their way through town. It is memories like this that made me glad that we never settled for a quick costume purchase at the local store. Halloween truly was an event in our home.

We furthered the Halloween celebration with a huge Halloween party for all 4 kids, their friends and included the parents. This was no ordinary "Pin The Tail On The Pumpkin" party. This party evolved over the year into a "mega" event that in the kids memories was as big a part of Halloween as trick or treating. There were usually close to 40 kids plus at least 20 parents. They ate, went on a scary scavenger hunt and ended the night with a spectacular, very frightful, performance put on by the Dads. One year those crazy guys came parading down the street in full costumes, beating bongo drums, chanting and carrying torches; followed closely by a police car. It took a bit of explaining but the show went on! They would plan their show for weeks and it would change every year. One year it was a Monster Mash rock show, a sance a year later and a ghost from the graveyard on the loose in yet another year. Amidst the screams and the shrieks, there was a ton of laughter. Yes, like the costumes, this took a lot of work but was worth every moment of the planning.

So celebrate the Halloween season with all your energies. I can tell you from first hand experience, there will come a day when they are all out of the house and you will sorely miss all the fun and excitement. For more ideas, read further about our family Halloween celebration traditions at

Celebration Ideas Online

Carol is married with four grown children. She loves to celebrate everything! Her family celebration experiences and traditions can be further viewed at http://www.celebrationideasonline.com There are some great ideas for creating lasting family memories!

Kids Boys Halloween Costume Space Camp Boy Astronaut Children's Outfit

Halloween Sensations Nasa Boy Astronaut Outfit by Rubies

This Item Includes Jumpsuit; Vest; Inflatable Tank; Helmet; Gloves; and Flag!

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Have you ever thought what you would have done without your Mother? Then why is it Mom's are usually the low woman on the totem pole? God thought enough of us to give us an earthly Guardian Angel and so many times, more than we could truthfully
count this is the person we lash out at the most with the excuse it's OK it's only Mom. Thinking of the old clich "we always hurt the one we the love the most" truly believing
that all is forgiven... Mom's tough she can handle it... Mom knows deep down that I really don't mean it... well, Mom's don't know that.

I am following my guidance in the writing of this article because Mom's need to be exalted...not trodden upon. Remember what I stated previously... God loves us enough that we are personally given an earthly Guardian Angel. Think about this for a moment... allow the monumental impact of that statement to sink in and all that encompasses. The one person that will always love you no matter what.

As we get older we don't think
we need Mom quite as much as we did before and sometimes we think we don't need her input at all... What does she know? She's behind the times. If the truth be known and we really take the time to look at it... Mom still knows pretty much more than we do. She is the crone that has gone before us ... experienced pretty much what we are going through now ourselves. Grant you times have changed and many Mom's have not faced the extreme challenges that so many of the younger generation is facing now ... like drugs, the extreme
peer pressure of joining a gang ...male or female, but all the same the challenges were pretty much the same when she was growing up only in another format ...drinking, smoking, sex,
guarding your reputation and with a lot more condemnation than is going on in 2005.

What I am trying to get across here is... Mom has lots of knowledge and lots experience for you to
tap into and to honor.

Mother's day is coming up May 8th. and what will you do for your Mother ? Will you remember to pick up the telephone to make the long distance telephone call to Mom who is now 3,000 miles away or lives just around the block that you haven't seen or talked to in several weeks? Will you remember to order, purchase or make a special gift for her ? To send her a Mother's Day card that isn't an e-mail ? ... to just let her know how special she is to you ... loved, honored and respected ...

Remember ...

God loves us enough that we are personally given an earthly Guardian Angel...

'Mom'

One of God's greatest gifts to us.

2005 Sharae Taylor

Sharae Taylor is a well known Intuitive Angel Artist whose paintings are in world wide collections and her works have been exhibited with other well known Angel Artists Andy Lakey ,Donna Terody Sheratan,Gary Markowitz, past art editor of "Angel Times" magazine and K. Martin Kuri, Angel Artist and Author. Sharae has also participated in many Angel Expos and Angel Conferences with other well known Angel Authors like Alma Daniels author of "Ask Your Angels" and John Ronner author of "Do You Have a Guardian Angel". Her Angel paintings are featured in the newly released "Angels" DVD by Llewellyn and New World Music and was featured in the February 2005 issue of Planetlightworker.com. Currently she is being featured in the online Inspire! Magazine published by Barbara Rose.

To view Sharae's Angelic art and for further information visit her website at:http://www.angelsbysharae.com

Mother Goose Adult Halloween Costume (One-Size (8-14))

Includes: Printed dress, pinafore, lace gloves, furry goose handbag and ribbon trimmed hat. Book, boots and wig not included.

The holidays are a lot of fun but they also bring a lot of stress. Everything we have to do for the holidays is piled on top of everything normally have to do. Robyn Bentley, a feng shui consultant and author of Creating A Haven: Simple Steps For A Healthy And Nurturing Home, has some suggestions for the home to lift your spirits and things to do to reduce your stress level during the most wonderful and stressful time of the year.

Tap into your happy childhood. Go through your old photos when you were a carefree kid excited about the holidays. Use a color copier and to enlarge them to 8x10, 11x14 or 16x20 mini posters for decorations. You can put them in inexpensive plastic box or clip frames. If you have old holiday pictures of friends and family who will be coming to visit you, make some fun mini posters of them too. Think of how good that will make them feel to see themselves in your home.

Watch the clutter. Too much clutter makes the natural energy flow in your home slow down and get stuck, which makes us feel stuck or depressed. A good cleaning and clutter clearing before you add decorations is a good idea. Obstacles in the home can create obstacles in your life, so don't create obstacles with your decorations. If you have to step over it, duck under it, or squeeze by, its going to add more stress to your holiday too.

Chuck the negative stuff. Everything inside your home has a memory, association or meaning attached to it. When you look at an item it will either give you a positive emotional response, a neutral response or negative response. The more negatives you have around the house, the more negative the energy in the house. Getting rid of all the negatives and surrounding yourself with positives raises the energy in the house and helps keep your energy positive and upbeat. Keep that in mind while you are decorating and don't put up any decorations that make you have any negative feelings.

Angry? The more stressed we are, the easier it is to become angry. However, it is physiologically impossible to be angry when your muscles are relaxed. Anger cannot exist without muscle tension. If the holidays start getting to you, take an adult "time out" and go limp like a rag doll. Relax your body without tensing one single muscle. Not a clenched jaw, or baby toe. And breath for a few minutes to get yourself back to normal.

Keep your mood more positive during the holidays by getting a good night's dark. Melatonin is the hormone that controls our mood and our sleep. It is produced by the pineal gland at night in the dark. Light makes the body think its daytime. To keep your body making the right amount of melatonin to keep your mood more positive and help you get enough sleep, make sure you are sleeping in the dark. Don't sleep with the light on, or TV or with a streetlight coming through your bedroom window. Or your neighbors holiday light display.

Removing negatives and adding positives around the home to lift your spirits will help create more joy and less stress this holiday season. And while you're at it, you'll find many free feng shui tips for your office, home, and children's rooms on Robyn Bentley's website http://www.fengshuidiva.com .

Robyn Bentley is a feng shui consultant and author of Creating A Haven: Simple Steps For A Healthy And Nurturing Home. She is heard on radio stations around the world as "Feng Shui Diva" and offers many free feng shui tips for the home and office on the web site fengshuidiva.com .

Cute Infant Bat Baby Halloween Costume, 12-18 Months

Customer Review: Adorable!
What an adorable costume!!! Looks just like the picture - not real heavy material... but we were able to layer underneath and look wonderful for trick or treat!
Customer Review: Cute baby costume
This costume is cute but i would have hoped the material would be a little bit thicker. The fabric is made of a plush material, but it does get cold in October. All in all a nice costume.

Whether you are Irish or just greatly enjoy the spirit of the green holiday, St. Patrick's Day can be a fun and free spirited celebration. To bring an even greater party atmosphere to the holiday, you can participate in fun themed crafts for the day. Completing personal tasks can really get you into the fun-filled, Irish spirit of the day.

A lot of people enjoy having themed parties for St. Patrick's Day, with the green anthem hailing from the land of the green, Ireland. One way that people celebrate St. Patrick's Day is with lots of green paraphernalia throughout the house when throwing a party. Cut out green shamrocks to use as coasters, hang from the ceiling, and paste (temporarily) on the walls. Cut out pots of gold or leprechaun hats to help decorate for the party as well. Be sure to throw a little green glitter in there as well, just to spice things up a bit.

Another great St. Patrick's Day craft is to make themed foods and drinks. Green food coloring should go in everything that you do, but shortbread cookies make the best decorative backdrop. You can use cookie cutters to outline the same shapes as your party dcor and use green tinted icing to finish off the craft. This is a favorite for kids of all ages. By the time you and your guests turn in for the night, St. Patrick's Day will have left you all with the Irish spirit, as well as green teeth, tongues, and lips!

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for St. Patricks Day party supplies and fun St. Patricks Day party games She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including St. Patricks Day Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Pocahontas Sexy Adult Halloween Costume Skimpy Naughty Cute Indian Princess Skirt Set Outfit

Sexy 4 Piece Indian Princess Costume

This Item Includes: Headband; Arm Band; Tasseled Faux Suede Underwired Bra Top; Skirt

{{LegAvenueSizes}}

Creatively Decorating the Outside of the Home With Christmas Luminaries

Making simple tin can luminaries is a wonderful way of adding a cozy, homemade feeling to your outdoor area and are a great craft you can do yourself. Put them in groups scattered around the landscaping, on either side of the front door, or line a path or the walkway to the door for a truly festive touch.

The supplies you will need for making your own tin can luminaries are:

- Candles
- Cardboard
- Hammer
- Nail
- Newspaper
- Paint brush
- Pencil
- Tin cans
- Various Christmas cookie cutters such as a star, Christmas tree, and bell
- White paint

To make the luminaries:

1. First, wash the cans and remove the labels, then dry completely.

2. Paint the outside of all the cans with white paint, allowing it to dry thoroughly.

3. Apply two more coats, waiting between each for the paint to dry.

4. Next is time to add the shapes using the cookie cutter of your choice and the pencil to trace around the edges onto the front of a can. Choose shapes that are relatively simple, such as a Christmas tree, bell, or star for the best results, and add extra lines drawn freehand to signify snow if you like.

5. Stuff the cans as much as possible with newspaper and cardboard after tracing the designs in order to help them retain their shape while punching the holes through.

6. Now use the nail and hammer to punch holes through the cans, placing the nail's point directly on the penciled line before firmly tapping it with the hammer until you have broken completely through. For larger holes, keep tapping the nail through until it reaches its roundest and largest point. Alternately, for smaller holes, just let the very tip of the nail enter the tin. Try to space the holes evenly apart at regular intervals for the neatest results.

7. After finishing the holes, inspect the cans to see that there are no scratched areas where the paint will need to be touched up a bit.

8. After the touch-up coat has dried, place the candles inside your new luminaries using a long-tipped match to reach down in for lighting. Tea lights will burn out after only an hour, so choose larger votives to keep your decorations aglow for an entire winter's evening.

Start a new holiday tradition that everyone will come to love year after year and create a new luminary for each season, punching the new year into the can, or simply painting the number on the can's bottom. Now, your visitors will have no trouble at all finding their way to your home this Christmas Eve as your beautiful luminaries will be lighting their path.

If you still need to buy outdoor Christmas lights be sure to visit the Christmas store of xmas-ornament.com where you will find Christmas lights and other seasonal decorations.

Halloween Adult Womens Costumes Medieval Renaissance Fair Noblewomen Costume Theme Party Outfit

Be the Lady of the Manor in this Renaissance costume!

This Item Includes Corseted faux suede top with faux leather lacing over mock blouse with laced draped sleeves revealing gauze underneath, and full-length velour skirt with layered hemline and elastic fit waistband.

{{CinemaSecretsWomens}}

Ghost stories and haunted houses are a mainstay of Halloween lore. During the fall, Hollywood typically releases a horror film or two. Many families huddle up on the sofa with caramel corn, popcorn balls and other Halloween treats and watch Halloween films or other horror movies.

Our fascination with ghosts and ghost stories dates back to the beginning of time. In many early religions, the concept of heaven and hell where not defined as they are in the Christian tradition. Therefore, the veneration or commemoration of a family's ancestors played a pivotal role in every day life. There were times during the seasonal calendar when the veil between the human world and the spirit world was more porous and allowed for the passing through of spirits, including ghosts. Autumn was one of those times for many ancient Indo-European cultures.

When one reads many old ghost stories, there is generally a fair amount of genealogical history associated with the stories, tales of tragedy and unfortunate connected to certain members of the family. In many cases, the ghost story involves some unresolved conflict within the family, which the ghost is striving to resolve in order to find peace. Some ghosts are seeking to have the truth of their untimely death acknowledged, while others are seeking to right old wrongs.

Ghost stories are not always related to murder, tragic death or other violent demise. As a premise in literature, there are a variety of motifs and uses for the ghost story. In a story the ghost can be attempting to guide or lead the protagonist to the right path, helping them resolve a conflict or find the truth. In some stories the ghost may not be a presence in the characters' lives but rather a marked absence.

While the spookier ghost stories might be too frightening for younger children, ghost stories or suspenseful stories are a great way to share this time honored Halloween tradition with children. Sitting around the campfire or riding in a wagon mounded with hay, telling tales is a great way to pass the time.

For many adults telling a ghost story is exciting, but visiting the site of the actual story is even more exciting. Many ghost stories are related to an actual physical location. That location, be it a house or a building, is then said to be haunted.

All around the United States and Europe, there are many haunted mansions and castles. In many cases, these houses are open to the public and offer tours, rich in history and culture. Some of the private homes are only open seasonally or to professional historians, writers and ghost hunters.

If there is not a real haunted house in the area, many clubs and organizations will put on a theatrical event, featuring images from horror films, blood, ghosts, monsters and the like. These houses are not for the faint of heart, but are very thrilling for those Halloween revealers who desire a bit more fright in their Halloween night.

Either way, taking a haunted house tour is a great way to experience "living" history or for getting a glimpse of how Hollywood does Halloween. Both versions of a haunted house make for a lively Halloween. Mixing in some ghostly fun can make Halloween a bit more educational for some and a bit more thrilling for others and is something the whole family will enjoy.

My Gift Basket Ideas is an online gift basket store that specializes in great gift ideas for every occasion.

Lady Bug Infant Halloween Costume (Infant)

Includes Red and Black satin lady bug dress with Black net underskirt and matching attached wings. One size fits up to most infants 24 months (Model shown is 30" tall/20 lbs). Hairbow, tights and shoes not included. Manufacturer's suggested washing instructions included.

Sexy Costumes to Wear for Halloween

These are a list of some costumes that I have seen people wear at a few parties. Some of these might be a little over the top but if you want to have some fun and be carefree for one night out of the year and you're still deciding on what to wear to the upcoming Halloween party, then take a moment to read through this list. You may even want to mix and match a few.

1. Playboy Bunny - You've probably seen these costumes before. I have seen some women wear the bunny nose which in my opinion should be left out. The outfit itself is sexy and the nose just kind of kills it. It reminds me of a scene in the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry where Adam Sandler sees who he has mistaken as Jessica Biel in a bunny outfit but when she turns around, it's David Spade! Blah! No offense to David Spade!
2. French Maid - Now this is hot! I've seen a couple of women wear this and this is definitely an eye catcher. There seems to be different version of this costume but my favorite seems to be the one that isn't fluffy at the skirt. I'm not sure what the correct terminology is but there are the maid outfits that are short and flare out. The shortness is fine but the flaring seems a bit too much.
3. Jane - Tarzan's fair maiden. If you are attending an indoor Halloween party, then you shouldn't have any problems with this outfit. I've seen a lot of different versions of this costume and all of them looked amazing! I knew a friend who put on a bikini and tucked in some brown felt material around her top and bottom and looked just like she came out of the jungle!
4. Nurse - If you've seen one, you've seen them all but I think the best nurse outfits are the ones that resemble the old nurse's uniforms with the hat and dress in high heels. The leather outfits are sexy but a little played out for my taste.
5. Indian (Native) - Theses are the Pocahontas type costumes with a single feather protruding from the head band. Short p/leather material skirts and tops, an Indian necklace, moccasins, arm band, and bracelets and you're good to go!
6. Indian (Bollywood) - This style has been seen more frequently and quite frankly, I think that they're sexy as well as elegant and beautiful. They have the little dot on their foreheads (bindi), a midriff top, silky loose pants, high heels, with a long scarf which I believe to be called a Sari wrapped loosely around their shoulders. I've seen these outfits mixed with a little Western style and it looks beautiful.
7. Flight Attendant - I've only seen one of these costumes at a party and it looked HOT! The little hat, coat, with a button up shirt that is not necessarily buttoned up, short skirt, and high heels...need I say more?
8. Mafiosa - I've seen this pulled off a couple of different ways. The outfits are supposed to portray the way the gangsters looked during the 1920's. One woman had a full striped suit with slacks, high heels, and a very sexy shirt underneath her coat, a fake Tommy gun, and the distinctive hats they wore back in those days. The other outfit was similar only with a loose skirt, high boots, a long coat, the hat, and a fake Tommy gun. Both were very hot.
9. Police - I generally wouldn't add this to my list except for the fact that I saw this one women in Vegas during a costume party and she had on a realistic looking police uniform, badge, fake gun (at least I think it was), holster, belt, cuffs, and here hair was slicked back and tied up in a bun. Her shirt was a bit revealing and I think the fact that the costume appeared so realistic as opposed to those played out pleather police skirts you see so often, made it so attractive.
10. Polynesian Girl - What many refer to as a Hula Dancer. This can be pulled off a couple of different ways. First method includes a grass skirt or sarong, coconut top or bikini top, a flower lei, and haku lei (the one that goes on the head). The second method involves wearing a Hawaiian dress of sorts, and haku lei. The second is bit more conservative depending on the dress but still sexy.

If you are looking for more information on costume ideas or some fun ideas for Halloween, go to http://www.helpfulhalloweentips.com

Pink Ladies Satin Jacket for Adult Halloween Costume

Pink Ladies Jacket for Adult costume from Grease is way cool! Pick Rizzo for a costume this Halloween, and you will definitely be the talk of the party!!
Customer Review: good costume jacket
I ordered this for Halloween and it was fine. It was fun to wear and should last for several years. Note that it is just the jacket though. The rest of the outfit is up to you.

Those of us who celebrate Christmas with a tree in our homes usually choose to light it in one way or another. But did you ever stop to wonder how we got started lighting our trees?

The first lights on Christmas trees were candles that were attached to the tree branches with either melted wax or pins that held them in place. As you can imagine, many trees went up in flames due to this practice. One might guess that at that time, many families would have kept buckets of water nearby to extinguish the impending fire. In the homes of the wealthy, it was often times the job of a servant to watch the tree during the evening hours and be prepared to extinguish a fire, if necessary. As a result of this eminent risk, most trees were decorated on December 24th and promptly removed following Christmas day. This must have been a lot of work for such a short viewing of the tree!

In 1882, the technology of Thomas Edison was used to hand wire 80 red, white, and blue lights onto the first electronically lighted Christmas tree. It took a few years for this idea to catch on. When President Grover Cleveland set up an electronically lighted Christmas tree in the White House in 1895, finally the idea began to get some publicity. The general public realized that there was a better way to light their Christmas trees.

By the close of the 1800's, General Electric Company began manufacturing and selling hand blown bulbs that were ready to wire into a string to be put on a Christmas tree. Since the average homeowner was not well educated about how electricity worked in those days, a new industry sprung up of "wiremen" who were hired to wire the bulbs together to light the family tree.

In the early 1900's, some big department stores began setting up large illuminated trees to attract customers. And attract customers it did! Everyone wanted to have a tree at home like the stores were capable of putting on display. In the early 1900's, the cost of such a tree was in excess of $300. That price included a generator and the wireman's service. By today's standard, that cost would be equivalent to more than $2,000.

In 1903, the American Eveready Company developed and marketed the first Christmas light set, which had screw in bulbs and a plug in wall socket, since many homes had been "wired" for electricity by this time. Then in 1908, entrepreneur Ralph Morris came up with the idea of taking the lights from an old telephone switchboard, wiring them on a Christmas tree, and running a battery as a power source.

But the individual who made the biggest difference in electric Christmas tree lights, and who made them affordable to the general public, was Albert Sadacca. Albert's family manufactured imitation birds in a wicker cage that lit up with electricity. At the age of 15, Albert had the idea of making electric Christmas lights. His parents thought it sounded like a good idea, and the family gave it a go. The first year, they only sold 100 sets of lights. The following year, Albert decided to color the bulbs in red, green, and other colors. This idea really took off. Albert Sadacca went on to become the head of a NOMA Electric Company, a multi-million dollar corporation. Headed up by Albert and his two brothers, Henri and Leon, the trio formed the largest Christmas lighting company in the world prior to 1965.

Today, yet another revolution in Christmas lighting is occurring. The newest offering in holiday lights are LED lights that use significantly less electricity than incandescent bulbs and burn out less frequently. With the trend toward energy conservation and "going green", LED lights are rapidly gaining in popularity. Though they are more expensive than traditional incandescent light sets, one way to change over all your holiday lights is to buy one new set of LED lights per year until everything is changed over.

Christmas tree lighting technology will continue to change as time goes on. History shows us that we've made many improvements in the last few centuries. Only time will tell what's in store for holiday lights in years to come!

Ellen Bell works for The Christmas Tree Storage Shop, a retail website offering seasonal storage solutions for all your holiday decorations, including Christmas lights storage products.

Miss Alice Teen Costume

Everyone will be as mad as a hatter when they see you in this great Miss Alice costume, and realize that they missed out on it. Miss Alice includes a dress with lace up front and buckle accents. Also features an attached apron.

Are you looking for a unique Halloween costume idea for your toddler or baby but are having trouble coming up with one? Finding a costume for your toddler or baby that's different from the norm can be a challenge. You don't want to put them in something uncomfortable, or use toxic face paints they may get in their mouths, or need to have props they could hurt themselves with. That pretty much leaves you with the usual animal, pumpkin, cartoon,or Disney character costume.

Rather than trying to come up with some elaborate costume idea though, one of those usual ideas may be your best bet. The little ones tend to like to dress upas their favorite animal, or their favorite character. While older children tend to go for a Halloween costume that's scary, like a vampire or a headless zombie, these ideas may be too unsettling for your toddler. If you have an infant, they're probably too young to know the difference, however the things you would need for a costume like that would be too uncomfortable or dangerous to your baby.

Most toddlers already have favorite television or storybook characters, and they'll love dressing up like them! Actually, you may have a hard time keeping them out of their Halloween costume! Now you may be thinking to yourself that your child would be just adorable dressed up like Mickey Mouse, or Superman, or one of the characters you're familiar with from your childhood. Your child, however, may have their own ideas of who they want to be. If they're old enough to talk, then most likely they have their own opinion! Characters are changing all the time. Some of the popular ones these days include the Backyardigans, Bratz, and any kind of animal. There are still some old favorites hanging around also, such as Winnie the Pooh, Dr. Seuss,and Disney. If you're not sure, just ask your child.

The good thing about these costumes is that it's easier on YOU. It's so much easier to just order or pick up a ready-made costume. Rentals are normally available also in these characters, but you may have a problem when it comes time to return it. Your little one may not be so anxious to give up their favorite costume. Plus, by buying the costume you don't have to worry about your toddler spilling his drink on it, or your baby getting baby messes on it.

When purchasing your child's costume, be certain to pay attention to what you're getting. Some costumes are made better than others, and of course you want to pay attention to any safety hazards. Make sure the costume is non-flammable and has no choking hazards.

If you have the time, you may be able to provide a homemade Halloween costume for toddlers and babies. A onesie or one-piece suit with a hood makes a great starting point for animal costumes. All you need to do is add a tail, some ears, and paint on some whiskers and/or a nose and you have a costume! If you don't have a hood, you can sew some ears on a soft headband. You can normally find what you need in craft stores for a very good price. You can also "borrow" the pieces you need off of a stuffed animal, or a hand-me-down costume.

These Halloween costumes for toddlers and babies are simple to make or buy and are comfortable and safe for your child. Whatever you or your child chooses, they will look adorable this Halloween and will be sure to get lots of candy for Mom and Dad! Happy Halloween!

Find a huge selection of new and used costume and costume ideas at http://www.frightnightcostumes.com

Sexy Starburst Girl Costume

Bright, bold and a sheer delight! You'll be a rainbow of fun in this Starbright adult costume! This 5 piece Sexy Starburst Girl Costume includes a blue dress with plush trim, sequined star belt, light up star wand, rainbow arm warmers, and rainbow leg warmers.

Like any child, I loved Christmas. The anxiety build-up over a pile of presents, noxious amounts of junk food, Indiana Jones on the telly, I loved every second of it. And then there was the mystery. The greatest riddle of all time left for any under ten to decipher. Father Christmas. I can clearly remember to this day rushing down the stairs at break-neck speeds at seven o'clock on a Christmas morning and finding snowy footprints coming from the chimney.

It mattered not that the fireplace had been bricked up for over fifteen years, or that it had not actually snowed outside, those marks alone were proof enough that Santa himself had found time to pay our humble home a visit. Those footprints were worth a hundred presents, though I probably would not have agreed at the time. Unfortunately I also remember with equal clarity sneaking down late one Christmas Eve night and witnessing grandma, a boot in one hand and a bag of flour in the other, making those footprints. The realization was agonizing. I'd been deceived.

Many years later, this embittered shell of a man decides to go shopping one early October morning. Already the signs are there. Temporary gift shops appear wherever I turn, the glitter embossed cards are already on display. In less than a fortnight we'll be hearing the sounds of Wizard and Slade, and hearing them every day for the next three months. Harrods started selling their Christmas stock in early August. Already the masses are panicking. You can feel it in every supermarket and shopping mall.

The real shame is that I still love Christmas. I love the family get-togethers and the feasts. I enjoy the Christmas Eve build up almost as much as I did back then. My mother once remarked that Easter eggs no longer mean anything to children today because they eat chocolate all year round. I feel the same about Christmas; that one day of festive spirit, good food, and yes, even a few welcome gifts, are overshadowed by three months of absolute hysteria.

No wonder the overdrawn conclusion always feels somewhat of a letdown. Consumerist greed has drained the event of any charm, the humble gathering now replaced by work related stress and substantial debt, a hopeful child's wish list to Santa now a list of 'I wants' to their parents. I do wonder how many children still rise early on Christmas day with that same sense of mysticism that I once cherished, or if they've finally wised up. In a way I envy those youngsters who still believe in one our few remaining myths. The magic was nice while it lasted.

Carl Doherty created http://www.holycr4p.com/ under supervision of his doctor, who conceived the criticism and categorisation of every film that Carl watches as a way of tackling his obsessive compulsive disorder. Carl has now watched 23 films, and is not entirely sure he liked any of them. Carl currently resides in Southend-on-Sea where he shares an abandoned warehouse with a buffy-tufted marmoset named Tautilus Samson. Together they have all sorts of adventures. He is currently completing his second non-fiction book How to Build a Quantum Flux Capacitor in 8 Easy Steps, the sequel to the bestselling Manipulating Time and Space on a Budget. Or maybe not.

Read more of Carl's comic, graphic novel, and film related features and reviews, and other rants relating to The Value of Christmas at http://www.holycr4p.com/

SeXy Cop Costume Police Uniform 6 Pc Set Hat Top Skirt Thong Handcuffs Stocking Halloween

Sexy 6 Piece SeXy Cop Costume in stretch royal blue material and black trim. Perfect Police Costume for Dress Up, Fantasy, Role Play or Halloween. * Small/Medium or Medium/Large Sizes available

A holiday can be termed as time spent away from home or business, in travel or amusement. It can also mean a day, reserved by a country or culture, usually for celebration or for some other type of special observance or activity. Holidays can be special religious days. It can also be a special day on which schools and/or offices are closed, like Labor Day on the 1st Monday of May. World holidays are those that are celebrated worldwide.

It is possible to find information about almost all worldwide holidays on Internet. Several websites provide holiday listings and other related information. World holidays are generally categorized by country, date, and religion, or there may be long-term ceremonies that span a week or more.

Christians world over celebrate a number of holidays including Christmas Day on 25th of December, All Saint's Day on 1st of November, All Soul's Day, St. Andrew's Day on 30th of November, Trinity Sunday, and Good Friday. Some other holidays are Ash Wednesday, St. David's Day, St. Patrick's Day on 17th of March, Palm Sunday, and Good Friday.

Birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated as a joyous occasion at Christmas time. Gifts are exchanged among friends and family members during Christmas. Appearance of Santa Claus bearing gifts is looked forward to by children. It is a time for the whole family to get together and spend time with each other at least once a year.

Some other international holidays are New Year's Day on 1st of January, Johnny Appleseed Day, anniversary of the death of John Chapman on 11th of March, Black Press Day, Lady Day or The Feast of The Annunciation, and Pesach - First Day of Passover. Also, there are other holidays such as Festival of Freedom on the 24th of April, Law Day on the 1st of May, May Day on the 1st of May, Queen's Birthday on the 11th of June, Flag Day on the14th of June, United Nations Day on the 24th of October, Human Rights Day on the 10th of December, Boxing Day on the 26th of December, and St. Stephen's Day on the 26th of December.

Holidays provides detailed information on Holidays, Jewish Holidays, Mexican Holidays, Federal Holidays and more. Holidays is affiliated with Valentine's Day Gifts.

Little Bo Peep Child - Fairytale Classics Costume

Includes a dress with mock vest and sheep applique, pantaloons, and mop hat. Available in Child sizes Small 4-6x, and Medium 7-10. Crook socks, and shoes not included.

Make your toddler's first Halloween experiences memorable. Toddler Halloween costumes are available in a wide variety of styles. Your toddler can dress up as his or her favorite cartoon character or favorite movie star. Toddler costumes are available in traditional styles as well. Some of the toddler Halloween costumes that caught my eye this year are included here.

Bob-the-Builder is popular with toddler boys. The Bob-the-Builder costume includes a checkered shirt, overalls, hard hat, and a few tools to carry in his tool belt. This Halloween costume is adorable and doesn't cover your child's face so he will be able to enjoy all of his party games with friends without having to worry about losing his mask or getting his make-up messed up.

Harry Potter/Hermione costumes are another adorable idea for toddlers. The Hogwarts uniform includes a robe and neck tie. You can improve the costume with other accessories. Wands are a great addition to this basic toddler Halloween costume.

Ghosts are cute and fairly easy to create if you want to work on a home made costume with your toddler. A bed sheet or pillow case makes a great starting place but this costume can be made easily with a white sweat outfit and some face paint too. The sheet version can be made to cover the whole head and body making it difficult to tell your toddler apart from other kids or you can cut a whole for your toddler's head and then have the sheet cover the body area only. This way you can tell your child from other children and still have a great costume.

Your toddler can be cute as a bug in a Lady Bug or Butterfly costume this year. These costumes can be home made or purchased all ready made. Other bugs are available as well. Brightly colored bug costumes usually go over really well with toddlers as they are fun to play with as well as pretty enough to keep your child's attention and get your child excited about the holiday.

There are many other toddler Halloween costumes available this year. The possibilities are nearly limitless. Choose one your child is going to be able to wear while playing the games and enjoying a Halloween party as well as going trick-or-treating or whatever your family enjoys doing for Halloween.

There are a few things to keep in mind with toddler costumes. First you should make sure your toddler can go to the bathroom or at least be taken out of the costume quickly at potty time to avoid accidents. Another thing you want to remember is your child needs to be able to eat treats, walk, and play without being restricted. Being able to see your child's face and tell your child from all of the other ghouls on Halloween is important. You don't want to lose your child in the crowd either. If you can see your child's face it is easier to keep track of your little monster.

Looking for unique toddler Halloween costumes for girls? Visit TheGrimCreeper.com to find a wide variety of unique and adorable toddler and infant Halloween costumes We have toddler Halloween costumes for boys, girls, children, adults and even pets!