Halloween Fun

France loves the tradition of Halloween. Trick or treating, costume parties, Jack O’Lanterns and visiting “haunted houses” are all part of the fun. Watch a horror film if you dare or hold your own “spookyfest” at home..

THEME IDEAS

It’s just a jump to the left and then a step to the right… Yes, why not pick your favourite character from the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Will it be Dr Frank-N-Furter himself, Riff Raff, Magenta or the charming Brad? You can make it as saucy as you dare or, just like Janet, be completely innocent.

Show your humorous side and stray from “the norm” with a plain shirt and paint swatches from your local DIY store. Pick up 50, make sure they are all grey and you can go as the star of 50 Shades of Grey. Well, nowadays it is seen to be more of a “Christian” celebration!

A glittering collar, a pair of ears and a swishy tail will ensure you will be a cool (black) cat on the night. Just make sure your top, trousers or bodysuit are a kitten-tight fit, paint on your whiskers and blacken your nose. Meeow.

Long black hair, a full length black dress complete with slit, scorching hot red lips and nails, black eye makeup, a (baking) powdered face and darkly chiselled cheekbones will have you mirroring Morticia Addams in no time. Don’t forget that she liked to speak French and cut the heads off roses, carrying just the stems. If she is accompanied by Gomez, he will be in his favourite pinstriped suit or formal dressing gown, have slicked down hair and a pencil thin moustache.

Black bags and old black umbrellas make fabulous bat wings for any age or gender! Pull on a pair of black trousers and a black hoodie, add a pair of bat ears along with the wings and you are ready to go batty. To create the wings, cut the brolly in half and attach to the hoodie with safety pins. If using bags, add lengths of cane or cardboard to form the bone structure. For the ears, cover cardboard cut outs with layers of black bag and fix to the hood.

FACE, HAIR, EYES AND NAILS

Facepaint can transform you into any character you fancy. Mutate into a bony skeleton, a scary scarecrow or a blood-sucking vampire. Think dripping blood, stitched patches, glowing bones, and fake tattoos. Or bandage yourself from top to toe, add black lips and dark eyes and you could even be a mummy! False eyelashes, glittery eyeshadow, adhesive gems and strong colours around the eyes will have you bewitching your guests. Don’t forget the men too! With red eye shadow and a strong black liner they will look not only spooky but out of this world! Try a streak or two of coloured paint in your hair and match it to your nails which, of course, should be as long as possible, if only for the night.

SPOOKY FACTS

Why are bats associated with Halloween? When the Celts lit their bonfires in honour of the dead around 2000 years ago, the fires attracted bugs which, in turn, brought the bats. Later, bats were said to be the harbingers of death or doom.

In the Middle Ages “mumming” had nothing to do with mummies but was today’s equivalent of trick or treating. People left gifts of food to please the spirits and would dress up in scary costumes, going from door to door in the hope of receiving a treat for themselves.

Back in the 18th century, women would throw apple peelings over their shoulder in the hope they would land and display the initials of their future husband. Apple bobbing also played its part in marriage prediction with the winner supposedly being the first to marry. Core blimey indeed!

Jack O’Lanterns weren’t always carved out of pumpkins and you could follow the tradition with a colourful arrangement of turnips, potatoes and beetroot alongside your splendid pumpkin masterpiece.

Feeling famished, ravenous or starved? You’ll find lots of spooky tricks and treats of the food and drink variety in our September and October 2019 issue at www.thelocalbuzzmag.com/read-online. Check out those “finger” dips, skeleton platter and blood-curdling cocktails!

The Local Buzz is the only A4 glossy magazine and comprehensive website covering these departments. Lifestyle focused, the magazine is informative, fun and highlights what’s on in the region. Looking for a local business, more listings of what’s on, articles, blogs and local information? Then visit our website. By the way, if you can’t pick up a copy, every issue can be read online and postal subscriptions are available. You can find all the details at www.thelocalbuzzmag.com.

www.thelocakbuzzmag.com/read-online