HALLOWEEN PARTY, COSTUMES, GAMES: I say boo!*
Vol. 2, No. 23, October 30, 2011
TITLE: “HALLOWEEN PARTY, COSTUMES, GAMES: I say boo!*”
INTRODUCTION
Greetings … this evening is Halloween Eve, the night before Halloween, My (children’s) book of the week is: “My First Halloween” [Board book] by Tomie Depaola (Author). My bonus book is “Halloween: The Best of Martha Stewart Living [Paperback]” from Martha Stewart Living. (Editor’s Note: This is another in my continuing series on holidays and special dates.)
PREVIEW: Next week, I will give you an update on a post commemorating November 11th – Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in Canada, U.K., etc. (Commonwealth). Be there! It’s the right thing to take the time to show our respects.
MY LIFE & TIMES*
When I was a child, Halloween was an exciting day for me. I liked to dress up and go trick-or-treating with my brothers. At the end of my Halloween outing, I stood by the door with my mother giving out treats to other Halloween kids. Even after my siblings and I left home, my mother still gave out treats to kids.
Some people consider Halloween an evil day. Pope Benedict XVI has declared it anti-Christian and dangerous. Halloween has Celtic origin – it marks the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. It also has strong roots in paganism. The word, “ghoulish” comes to mind. It is defined as a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses. Although the Catholic Church disapproves of Halloween, it focuses on “All Saint’s Day”, which is on November 1st and on “All Souls’ Day” which falls on November 2nd. Growing up, I remember my mother on October 31, lighting candles for loved ones who had passed away . It was customary in her culture and the belief was that spirits of the dead might visit.
When my daughters were growing up they also went trick-or-treating on Halloween. They planned for weeks what costumes they would wear. On their return from Halloween night, they also helped give out treats to other kids. When they were teenagers, they no longer went trick or treating, but partied with their friends.
Now my grandchildren are being introduced to Halloween. They both have costumes and my daughter plans to take them to a community event for kids. As an adult, I always enjoyed the atmosphere. Although I was not one to dress up for Halloween, I went to parties where people wore costumes; it was always great fun. It’s interesting to see adults put a lot of effort and expense into a Halloween costume. It’s also a night where you can be whomever you want and dress as you please…and no one questions it.
THE AUTHOR: Tomie Depaola
Depaola has been a writer for more than 35 years – also an illustrator. He is credited with more than 225 books with over 15 million copies sold. He is the holder of honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Connecticut, Georgetown University and Pratt Institute. He is highly regarded in the greater book community – he has received numerous awards: (a) Smithson Medal from the Smithsonian Institution; (b) Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota; (c) Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association; (d) Laura Ingalls Wilder 2011 Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement in Children’s Literature; and (e) New Hampshire’s Governor’s Arts Award of Living Treasure. When it comes to children’s books, Depaola is a superstar. I think my Book of the Week, “My First Halloween” is a real gem.
SERIES/COLLECTION
Tomie Depaola
Books/Articles:
He is credited with more than 225 books. Some are:
Books
The Strega Nona Series
- Strega Nona
- Strega Nona Her Story
- Strega Nona Meets Her Match
- Strega Nona Takes a Vacation
- Strega Nona’s Magic Lesson
- Brava, Strega Nona!
- Strega Nona’s Harvest
- Merry Christmas, Strega Nona
- Strega Nona’s Gift
- Big Anthony His Story
- Big Anthony and the Magic Ring
Tomie’s Memoir Series
26 Fairmount Avenue hardcover (14.99/6.99)
Here We All Are (6.99)
On My Way (5.99)
What a Year (13.99/5.99)
Things Will Never Be the Same (5.99)
I’m Still Scared (13.99/5.99)
Why? (14.99/5.99)
For the Duration (15.99)
Tomie’s ‘Big’ Books
Christmas Remembered (19.99/9.99)
Front Porch Tales and North Country Whoppers (17.99)
Joy to the World (24.99)
Tomie dePaola’s Book of Bible Stories (27.99/12.99)
Tomie dePaola’s Favorite Nursery Tales (25.99)
Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose (25.99)
Tomie’s Stories about Growing Up and His Family
The Art Lesson (16.99/6.99)
The Baby Sister (5.99)
My Mother Is So Smart (16.99)
Nana Upstairs Nana Downstairs (6.99)
Stagestruck (16.99/6.99)
Tom (6.99)
Tony’s Bread (6.99)
Watch Out for Chick Feet in Your Soup (6.99)
Books of Legends, Folktales and Stories
Adelita A Mexican Cinderella Story (6.99)
Andy That’s My Name (6.99)
Charlie Needs a Cloak (5.99)
The Cloud Book (17.95/6.95)
Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard (7.00)
Cookie’s Week (5.99)
Erandi’s Brainds (16.99/6.99)
Fin M’Coul (6.95)
Four Friends at Christmas (12.99)
Four Friends in Autumn (14.95)
Four Friends in Summer (14.99)
Hey Diddle Diddle and Other Mother Goose Rhymes (6.99)
Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato (6.99)
Jamie O’Rourke and the Pooka (6.99)
Knight and the Dragon (17.99/6.99)
Legend of the Bluebonnet (17.99/6.99)
Legend of the Indian Paintbrush (17.99/7.99)
Legend of the Persian Carpet (16.99)
Little Grunt and the Big Egg (6.99)
Mice Squeak We Speak (5.99)
Mysterious Giant of Barletta (7.00)
Now One Foot, Now the Other (7.99)
Oliver Button is a Sissy (15.99/7.00)
Pancakes for Breakfast (14.95/6.00)
The Popcorn Book (17.95/6.95)
The Quicksand Book (17.95/6.95)
The Quilt Story (5.99)
Smart about Art: Frida Kahlo (15.99/5.99)
Shh, We’re Writing the Constitution (6.99)
T-Rex Is Missing (3.99)
The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote (6.99)
Books of Religious or Holiday Stories
Angels Angels Everywhere (15.99)
The Clown of God (16.00/7.99)
Francis Poor Man of Assisi (18.95)
Get Dressed Santa (a board book 6.99)
Guess Who’s Coming to Santa’s for Dinner? (16.99)
Joy to the World ($24.99)
Legend of Old Befana An Italian Christmas Story (17.00/7.00)
Legend of the Poinsettia (17.99/6.99)
Miracles of Jesus (6.99)
My First Bible Stories (a board book 5.99)
My First Chanukah (a board book 5.99)
My First Christmas (a board book 5.99)
My First Christmas Carols (a board book 5.99)
My First Easter (a board book 5.99)
My First Halloween (a board book 5.99)
My First Passover (a board book 5.99)
My First Thanksgiving (a board book 5.99)
The Night before Christmas (6.95)
The Night before Christmas (a board book 8.95)
Night of Las Posadas (16.99/6.99)
Pascual and the Kitchen Angels (5.99)
Patrick Patron Saint of Ireland (17.95/8.95)
The Song of Francis (16.99)
Tomie’s Little Christmas Pagent (a board book 7.99)
The Bill and Pete Books
Bill and Pete (6.99)
Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile (6.99)
Bill and Pete to the Rescue (7.99)
The Barkers
Boss for a Day (a level 1 reader 3.99)
Hide and Seek All Week (a level 1 reader 3.99)
Morgan and Moffat Go to School (13.99/5.99)
A New Barker in the House (13.99)
Trouble in the Barker’s Class (5.99)
Board Books for the Very Young
I Love You Sun, I Love You Moon (7.99)
Mary Had a Little Lamb (7.99)
Mice Squeak We Speak (6.99)
My First Fairy Tales (7.99)
My First Mother Goose (5.99)
My First Songs (5.99)
Te Amo Sol, Te Amo Luna (6.99)
Tomie’s Baa Baa Black Sheep (7.99)
Tomie’s Little Book of Poems (7.99)
Tomie’s Little Mother Goose (7.99)
Tolmie’s Mother Goose Flies Again (7.99)
Tomie’s Three Bears and Other Tales (6.99)
* “My First Halloween” [Board book] by Tomie Depaola (Author)
THE BOOK: “My First Halloween” [Board book] by Tomie Depaola (Author)
Halloween is the yearly celebration of dress-up and candy and all things scary and not so scary. It’s a lot to figure out especially if you’re a baby. What do you need? I suggest Tomie’s little board book; it’s PreSchool-…yessiree – it makes Halloween easier to understand. It explains the holiday with the date, 31st October and such activities like spooning out the pumpkin. Indeed, this book makes the point that the holiday is for all children – what a nice thought. It looks good with Halloween’s unofficial colors, big orange and bright black-what a contrast; the watercolor illustrations are vivid. Wowee, it’s quite a pop!
HALLOWEEN BONUS: Martha Stewart in print
AUTHOR: Martha Stewart
Stewart, a middle class Jersey girl became the authority of American food and style. She built a brand then an empire one jar at a time. She became a powerhouse. Her media reach went beyond print to TV programming. Her story of middle America to riches is classic Americana. Her bitchiness and bad temper is legend. Her fall from grace, with charges and conviction – she even went to jail. She cannot be a director in a public company. But she is still Martha Stewart.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) –http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Stewart)
SERIES/COLLECTION
Martha Stewart
Books/Articles:
She is credited with many books. Some are:
• Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook (1983)
• Martha Stewart’s Hors D’oeuvres (1984)
• Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts (1985)
• Weddings (1987)
• The Wedding Planner (1988)
• Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook Menus (1988)
• Martha Stewart’s Christmas (1989)
Magazines
• Martha Stewart Living,
• Columns, magazine articles and other pieces on homemaking
Television
• Programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.
THE BONUS BOOK: Halloween: The Best of Martha Stewart Living [Paperback]
You think that Halloween is a fun holiday. You believe that “The Martha” knows better than most how to do it just right.If you put the two together, you know that you will get a “gold” medal Halloween. This is a good combo book where you get it all- in- one. “The Martha” first gives you “top drawer” tips in the preparations, doing the pumpkin, signage and decor, face stuff, etc. “The Martha” then tells you how to be the scariest host and hostess with the ‘mostest’, giving a “five star” party’. This is a must read for those Halloween aficionados, who just have to get it and do it just so! Your family will enjoy the preparations and your invited guests, all “A” list ghosts, will have a ball.
CONCLUSION
While there is some pagan origins to the festival, it doesn’t have to be seen as evil or even bad. Actually, the festivities for this holiday are good clean fun. There are no rituals – it’s a time to play. Of course, it is especially fine for children.
Personal Comments
With autumn in the air, it makes me think of Halloween.
First observation – it’s no longer a day…it’s more. (In our town, there used to be the night before – it was called “Mat Night” when young boys would take and hide front door welcome mats.) In the weeks before, stores send out flyers promoting sales of products and specials and clerks are busy putting up displays and stocking shelves, all befitting the last night in October. TV programs featuring this theme abound.
Second, its popularity is a big business money maker. Big box stores sell lights and spooky inflatables. The symbols include: carving jack-o’-lanterns, straw men, making black spiders and cats, skeletons, ghosts, etc. Party stores become Halloween central, carrying a full line of costumes. This is high season for costume renters. Dollar stores have a bonanza selling everything from masks to face-painting – also favors galore for the big party night.
Third, it’s all things good to eat. Of course, there are bagfulls of bite- size chocolates and candy. And this is about pumpkins. Removing the inside soft fruit, one can then make pumpkin pie, the October delicacy. Nutty people also dry the seeds -voila, they get pumpkin seeds.
Fourth, it’s excitement city for the children. It’s a big decision what you’re going to be this year. Its great to go the store along with a parent to buy the costume. And putting up decorations is so much fun.
Fifth, it has also become quite an adult celebration They have as much fun with these festivities as the kids do. It’s a huge theme for adults. There are many in-home events. A couple around the corner can be a great host and hostess. Single groups hold a big annual event. Halloween is a time to let go and have fun. There are many costumes that are not evil; many are cute and quaint. It could also show homemade ingenuity. Dressing up could even be an opportunity to be who and what you want to be.
Sixth, it’s community participation. For the protection of children, parents get together to provide a safe environment, sometimes indoors for the children. Our regional zoo even has a Halloween activity.
The Point
Life can be very serious. Halloween is a chance to break the everyday mold. It’s the time to have good clean fun. I encourage you to get in the spirit.
ANTOINETTE’S TIP SHEET*
if an adult into the party spirit
1. Dress-up to show ingenuity – keep away from costumes that are evil or gory.
2. Enjoy the evening if you’re going to a Halloween party,
If with kids
1. Buy sweets to distribute to costumed children;
2. Buy or make a costume for your little spooks;
3.Give out treats with your children and make it a fun evening;
4. Check your kids’ treats on their arrival from the Halloween outing if you have your kids trick-or-treating
Trick or treat? , I say: spooky boo!
And that’s my thought of the week on books, what’s yours?*
Take it out for a spin and tell me if you agree.
ALP
“Books are life; and they make life better!*”
P.S. Big News: There are big changes coming to my blog – Please stay tuned.
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*TM/© 2011 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.
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ANNEX I: NEED SOMETHING FURTHER?, TRY AN ANECDOTE OR A QUOTE:
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #1: Van Halen & Son: Pumpkinship?
One day in kindergarten music class, Eddie Van Halen’s son began improvising. Because the students had been instructed to sing Halloween songs, however, the young man was given a ‘time out’; the young man in turn picked up a pumpkin, threw it at the teacher (narrowly missing her head) and cried, “My daddy said it’s okay!” Shortly thereafter, Van Halen Sr. got a call from the principal. “I asked
him what he [the son] was doing,” Van Halen explained, “and he said singing a different melody.” Eddie later sat his son down for a little chat: “I told him next time,” Van Halen declared, “aim better!”
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=5222
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #2: Carson Daly: Trick or Treat
“I forgot, last year, that it was Halloween,” Carson Daly recalled in 2004. “The doorbell kept ringing and I thought, ‘Wow, I have a lot of people coming to my apartment tonight. It’s just weird.’ We had nothing to give out. I felt bad – you don’t want to shut out the light and not be there for the kids… but I had nothing in my apartment.” Fortunately Carson hatched a solution: “I just started giving them cigarettes.”
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=20421
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #3: Hannibal
“It’s the morning after Halloween. Taped to the door of an editing room is a reduced copy of the Hannibal poster, which has been doctored with a strip of paper near Hopkins’s mouth that reads: TRICK OR TREAT. DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING I CAN EAT? “Ridley Scott emerges from a chat with editor Pietro Scalia and Dino De Laurentiis and goes right into a meeting with members of Manhattan design studio, who’ve come to pitch ideas for the film’s opening title sequence. They present Scott with storyboards offering a tour through the chambers of Lecter’s mind and discuss using the aptly named type font: Chianti
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=7430
S & R* QUOTE #1: Ruth Fulton Benedict
The trouble with life isn’t that there is no answer, it’s that there are so many answers.
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/
S & R* QUOTE #2: Sharon Salzberg
As I go through all kinds of feelings and experiences in my journey through life — delight, surprise, chagrin, dismay — I hold this question as a guiding light: “What do I really need right now to be happy?” What I come to over and over again is that only qualities as vast and deep as love, connection and kindness will really make me happy in any sort of enduring way.
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/index2.html
S & R* QUOTE #3: Barbara de Angelis
No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/life/index3.html
*TM/© 2011 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.
——————————————————————————————————————
ANNEX II
SCHEDULE I
“IT WORDS FOR ME!*”
For today, my word/phrase(s) are: “Halloween”; “pumpkin”; etc.
Halloween
Halloween (or Hallowe’en) is an annual holiday observed on October 31, which commonly includes activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties, carving jack-o’-lanterns, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
Trick-or-treating is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy (or, in some cultures, money) with the question “Trick or treat?”. The “trick” is a (usually idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds).[1] It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin
SCHEDULE II
STUDY/STATISTICS:
The word Halloween is first attested in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even (“evening”), that is, the night before All Hallows Day.[5] Although the phrase All Hallows is found in Old English (ealra hālgena mæssedæg, mass-day of all saints), All-Hallows-Even is itself not attested until 1556.[5]Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that
while “some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)”.[1] The name of the festival historically kept by the Gaels and celts in the British Isles which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly “summer’s end”.[1][2][ Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, “Trick or treat?” The word “trick”
refers to a (mostly idle) “threat” to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given.Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween)
SCHEDULE III
S & R* NEWS ALERT* #1:
Is the thought of having the kids home for the break stressing you out? Follow these tips to keep them busy and let you rest easy:
1. Get out of the house. Experts say kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. So be sure to build a ‘recess’ in to those long days at home. Choose a destination and walk there together. Spend time at the park. Or head to a local indoor playground if the weather is bad.
2. Rely on the Rec Center. Your local rec center is a great resource during school breaks. And the varied programming offers something for everyone, from arts and crafts to sports to music to swimming.
3. Make meal time a family affair. Don’t sweat it out in the kitchen alone all week. Plan a menu for meals ahead of time and get the kids involved. Be prepared with pizza dough and toppings and have them make-their-own. Pour over recipe books together and work as a team to prepare dinner. Or bakemuffins and healthy snacks to keep the junk food at bay.
4. Settle on some screen time. You know they’re going to want time on the computer so agree to a daily number in advance. But if you’re concerned that what they’re doing on line is not constructive come prepared. StickerYou.com is a Canadian company that just launched a new craft line called Make+Print Your Own Stickers. Sold at retail, it offers kids a creative online playground to design personalized stickers and print them instantly at home. The fun is two-fold. Kids spend hours creating online for hours of play
offline when they’re done. More information is available online at www.stickeryou.com
www.newscanada.com
“News Canada” <article@newscanada.com>www.newscanada.com”
S & R* NEWS ALERT* #2: Grandmother shares wildlife adoption bond with grandkids
Jackie Rowe, from Hinsel, Ontario, is a strong believer in giving back to the planet and looks for ways to do so every day. She works hard to instill these values in her grandchildren, whom she sees as future protectors of the environment. How does she help get her grandkids excited about these issues? One way is through the World Wildlife Fund’s symbolic adoption program, which helps save wildlife and habitat, and provides a cuddly reminder of why it’s so important. We are all stakeholders in this planet and we all have to be caregivers. WWF’s Symbolic Adoption kits help me share those beliefs and values with others, Jackie says.Sharing these adoption kits with her grandchildren gives Jackie a chance to show what she believes in. Even at age 13, they still love receiving them.
Jackie has even found that their meaning grows as the children get older.When choosing animals for adoption, Jackie focuses on the issues she thinks are most important. Recently, she selected some polar bears because of the serious challenges facing the species due to climate change. One of the biggest hits was the emperor penguin because of movies like ‘March of the Penguins’ and ‘Happy Feet’. She took that pop culture influence and supported the fun with action through donation and education. Jackie believes that making a symbolic adoption is showing your part and passing it on to someone else. It starts with one person and is passed on to
the next. Much like lighting a torch, it just keeps growing. By symbolically adopting these animals, Jackie and her grandchildren helped
WWF save wildlife, protect vital habitat and improve the health of our planet. Along with friendly, adorable new stuffed animal friends, Jackie’s grandkids received adoption certificates and information on each species adopted. Jackie hopes that her grandkids will continue to enjoy their adopted animals and build their collections for many years to come.More information on WWF symbolic adoptions is available online at
www.wwf.ca/wwfstore.
www.newscanada.com
*TM/© 2011 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved