(photo by evilgreg3000) Soon the doorbell will ring, and you'll hear those frightful words: "Trick or treat!" To most adults, the thought of armies of little kids running pell-mell through the neighborhood for their sugar fix is a bit, well, scary. But maybe you can turn the tables and send the kiddies into a fright with your choice of treat. If there's one thing that will surely send a shudder down the spine of even the scariest ghost or goblin, it's the thought of a bad treat. What child wouldn't be terrified to receive raisins, crayons, or sunflower seeds instead of a delicious chocolate candy bar? Somewhere tonight, maybe even lurking at a house in your own neighborhood, some good-natured monster will be handing out playing cards, stickers, or God forbid, the most frightening "treat" of all -- toothbrushes! The horror! Suggested Sites... Tips For Eating Halloween Treats - an article full of tips to keep your kids from eating too much Halloween candy. Good luck! Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF - avoid tooth decay and raise funds for a good cause. Wikipedia: Trick-or-Treat - delves into the history and traditions behind the Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating. Halloween - reciting this poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns would be a stellar trick.

Directory categories: Halloween Safety, Halloween Recipes, Halloween Activities and Crafts

Archived under: Food and Drink, Halloween, Holidays, Kids

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(photo by Steve the Bum Prod.) You're trapped in a dark cave where ghouls and ghosts dance around the rotting corpses of the dead. Sounds of maniacal laughter nearly drown out the horrified screams of desperate souls lost inside. A vicious howl fills the air, and you feel the thunderous beating of your heart. Welcome home. If you want this dream -- or nightmare -- to come true, you still have a few days to get it together. Whether it's a grandiose production, or just a few well-placed props in your garage, a haunted house display will bring screams of delight to your neighborhood. So get yourself some spider web, a few dead bodies, a spooky portrait, and a horrifying soundtrack to set the mood. Most importantly, don't forget to stock up on the treats and tricks. Suggested Sites... Monster Page of Halloween Project Links - collection of do-it-yourself instructions. King's Home Halloween Party Ideas - a family with a wealth of experience shares holiday tricks and treats. 2 Scary Guys Halloween Projects - how-to guides and haunt CD reviews. Devious Concoctions - plans for building props, special effects, and sound effects.

Directory categories: Halloween Displays, Haunted Houses, Halloween

Archived under: Crafts, Decorating, Halloween, Holidays, Home and Garden

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(photo by yan-san) A centuries-old Irish legend tells the tale of Jack, a thieving scoundrel who tricked the Devil so that he could retain his soul. Upon his death, Jack was turned back at the Pearly Gates due to his unsavory ways, and the Devil kept his word not to claim his soul. Jack was forced to wander the Earth with nothing more than a burning coal in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. The Irish began carving turnips and potatoes with scary faces, placing them in windows to scare away Jack and other wandering spirits. Travelers to the New World carried the tradition with them, finding pumpkins to be larger and much easier to carve than turnips. Today's jack-o'-lanterns have changed from a symbol to ward off evil into a beacon guiding trick-or-treaters through the night. They have become a canvas for creative expressions including rind carvings, painted pumpkins, and displays, often with humorous results. Suggested Sites... Pumpkin Carving 101 - from picking your pumpkin to performing a proper pumpkin burial. ExtremePumpkins.com - the wild side of pumpkin carving. Epicurious: Pumpkin Recipes - turn the goopy innards into something delicious. BigPumpkins.com - guaranteed to scare away evil spirits for miles around.

Directory categories: Jack-O'-Lanterns, Pumpkin Carving, Giant Pumpkins, Pumpkin Recipes

Archived under: Decorating, Food and Drink, Halloween, History, Home and Garden, Recipes

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Land of the Dead You're getting in the Halloween spirit, curled up with a stack of zombie videos, yelling at the screen, "No, don't go in the basement!" or "Look behind you!" But they never listen. No matter how slow or stupid the zombies may be, the hapless humans are never prepared. But are you? Sure, you've got batteries in the flashlight in case the power goes out, and rations in the pantry in case of a natural disaster, but have you considered a Louisville Slugger (or a cricket bat) by the front door in case you need to beat back an army of the undead? How about a hardhat to protect your tasty brains? Unless reanimated corpses are already swarming around your front yard, it's not too late to zombie-proof your house. Some careful preparation now just might ensure that you won't be craving the taste of human flesh when the zombies eventually attack. Not that they will, of course. That's just ridiculous. Suggested Sites... Zombie Guide 2005 - handy guides to what you should know about zombies, how to deal with the fast and slow varieties, and lots of information on zombies in pop culture. Zombie Infection Simulation - a web-based simulation shows how the zombie virus spreads through the human population. Zombie Pinups - then again, maybe the zombie lifestyle -- er, deathstyle -- isn't so bad.

Directory categories: Zombies, Disaster Preparedness Products, Zombie Movies

Archived under: Halloween, Holidays, Movies, Safety, Zombies

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Bat migration in Austin, Texas Bats are very touchy about who enters their home, particularly during their hibernation and pupping period. In fact, uninvited guests that venture into bat caves and underground habitats are directly contributing to their decline. And though we humans often cause bat colonies to flee their traditional hangouts, we also create new homes for them -- inadvertently and intentionally. From old mines and deserted train tunnels to church attics and barns, from the nooks in urban bridges to backyard boxes built just for them, bats are moving in. Having bats as neighbors might be disconcerting for some, but as active campaigns educate the public about the benefits of bats (they eat up to 1000 mosquitoes an hour), old fears and closed doors have given way to welcome parties. Suggested Sites... Bats in American Bridges - learn how we accommodate bats in our bridges and highway structures. Night Wings: The Bats of Austin - story of how the Texas metropolis embraced its new leathery-winged neighbors. Carlsbad Caverns National Park - see bats as they emerge from one of their more traditional and stately homes. Bat Conservation International - spreading the good news about bats.

Directory categories: Bats, Bat Houses, Bat Conservation, Cave Parks

Archived under: Animals, Biology, Conservation, Science

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