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October 2008
Last minute plans for Halloween?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At first you weren’t going to fool with it this year, but now, you’ve decided you really do want to dress up and go out and get your Halloween on.
But what to do, where to go?
There are quite a few choices, from Oakland Cemetery for a nocturnal stroll among the dead to several very lively haunted houses. We have those listed in our holiday guide.
But maybe we’ve missed a few.
Anyone have any suggestions for a spooky good time for those of us who’ve waited until the last minute to scare up an outfit to go out and paint the town.
Where are you going on Friday and why?
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What’s on your spooky soundtrack?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Halloween might be known for its tricks, and of course, its treats — but what about the music?
From “Monster Mash” to “Sympathy for the Devil,” pop culture has produced its own spooky soundtrack.
Take a look at our photo gallery of scary must-haves for your Halloween mix tape and then let us know if we missed the mark. What songs/artists would you add? What’s on your mix tape?
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Is it too early for the Christmas spirit?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Christmas music in October. Holiday decorations on display before Halloween? Retail ads touting the best Christmas deals?
Christmas is apparently arriving early this year. At a local Wal-Mart, just days before Halloween, employees put the finishing touches on the “Christmas Shop”.
We’ve become used to such displays before Thanksgiving, but Halloween? Go figure.
Have you seen super-early signs that Christmas is near? Can you get into the Christmas spirit this early?
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Will economy affect Halloween plans?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Will the economy affect your Halloween plans?
Do you plan to substitute Tootsie Rolls for more expensive chocolates? Homemade costume instead of one bought at a store? MOMania blogger Theresa Walsh Giarrusso writes about the tough choices some households may have this Halloween.
What about you? Are you cutting back because of the economy?
Check out money Halloween happenings and tips at Holiday Guide
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Too old to trick or treat?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Perhaps I’m the Scrooge of Halloween, but I have a pet peeve about this holiday.
I dislike it when older kids go trick or treating. Sorry, but if you come to my door and you’re taller than I am and sporting a full beard, you’re not getting candy. If you can drive to my house, don’t expect a treat. Chances are I won’t even open the door.
Congress should pass a law mandating an official cut off age for trick-or-treating. Say, no one over 15.
Sometimes older kids will walk their siblings around the neighborhood and I understand you might want to get “into the spirit” by dressing up. Just hang back a bit and let the little ones come to the door.
The city of Belleville apparently agrees. The city has limited trick-or-treating to kids in eighth grade or below.
Do I have this age thing all wrong? What’s the appropriate age to go door to door? Are there enough activities for older kids on Halloween?
Check out our tips on spooky treats, costumes and Halloween decorations.
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What’s the worst Halloween treat you’ve received?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Let’s get this straight: All candy is not created equal.
Part of the Halloween excitement is going back to your house and dumping the contents of your trick or treat bag on the living room floor. The best treats go here, the less desirable treats go there. At some point, I’m sure those items showed up in your younger brother’s or sister’s bag. (Gee, how did that happen?)
One of my co-workers said his parents once handed out pecans (in the shell) for Halloween. Can you imagine ribbing he received for being the kid whose parents gave out pecans as a treat?
Did you keep or toss the fruit? Mr. Goodbars high on your list? What about Candy Corn? Have you been tricked by the treats in your bag? What’s the worst or best Halloween treat you’ve received?
For more Halloween tips check out the Holiday Guide
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Can you resist tempting treats?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There it is - the candy bowl - tempting you, calling your name.
Another Halloween and while your kids may love this time of year, it’s a nightmare for people watching their weight or just trying to eat healthy.
Feeding Fenzy blogger Jeanne Besser understands the temptation. Besser writes about being surrounded by candy bowls “beckoning me to just have one little itty-bitty piece.”
How do you resist the temptation? Do you find yourself buying more candy to replace what you’ve already eaten?
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Halloween costumes: Porn queen or fairy princess?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is Halloween getting too sexy?
Could be if you’re looking for a Halloween costume that will fit an adult woman. There’s the sexy gangster dressed in a mini pinstriped jacket (we can’t tell if there is a skirt underneath), lace garter and lots of cleavage. Or what about the sexy construction babe? (Hint: guys don’t try to wear this on the construction site!)
A New York Times article took a look at the trend of risque Halloween garb. The Times did a quick look at various websites that sell Halloween costumes for adults.
“It’s a night when even a nice girl can dress like a dominatrix and still hold her head up the next morning,” Linda M. Scott, the author of “Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism” (Palgrave Macmillan) and a professor of marketing at the University of Oxford in England, says in the article.
Of course, you can always make your own. And, if you search heard enough, you can find a G-rated witch or princess.
Are you having trouble finding a costume to wear to a Halloween party with your co-workers that won’t make them think you have a side job at a strip club?
Do you think racy costumes are demeaning or a chance to let your inner wild girl shine through? Do such costumes to send the wrong message to impressionable girls?
What do you think of these costumes? Too sexy or just fine?
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Atlantans take Santa seriously
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In Atlanta, we take our Santas seriously as Newcomer blogger Jamie Gumbrecht found out.
Jamie writes that in “in the first 45 minutes that reservations (yes! reservations!) were accepted, 1,400 families registered for their time with Santa at Phipps Plaza.” Can you believe it?
You betcha, especially if you have little ones running around the house.
Do you have a favorite place in Atlanta to see Santa? Are all Santas created equal?
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Do you believe in ghosts?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you hear strange sounds and no one is there?
Ever sense the presence of someone or something in the room with you?
If so, you may be among the third of people who say they believe in ghosts, according to a 2007 poll by The Associated Press and Ipsos. The same poll found that 48 percent believe in extrasensory perception, or ESP.
I do believe in spirits and that some people have the ability to communicate with them. I believe people can “sense” things. But I had a friend who didn’t — until recently. My friend bought a house in Marietta a few years ago. She knew from neighbors that the previous owners had a small dog. One morning, my friend was in bed and felt the weight of a small animal walk across her back. She and her boyfriend looked all over but never found any sign that a squirrel or some other animal had wandered into the house.
Another time she was sleeping and felt a hand press firmly in the middle of her back. It wasn’t her boyfriend - who was at work at the time.
Ghosts? Perhaps. But what’s Halloween without a good ghost story?
What about you? Have you ever had a close encounter with the supernatural. Do you have a spooky tale to share?
Want to experience weird happenings yourself. Fellow blogger Keith Still, who writes our travel blog writes about some of these spooky places in the South.
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Do you trick or treat outside of your neighborhood?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you take your kids trick or treating outside of your neighborhood?
Growing up we pretty much stuck to our immediate neighborhood. My mother felt more comfortable with us accepting goodies from people we’d known for years. I’ve noticed that today, though, there’s a lot more traveling on Halloween night. I’ve seen parents bring cars full of trick or treaters into my sister’s neighborhood.
My sister doesn’t mind - the more the merrier- but some people do.
Do you care if the ghost at your front door is from next door or the next subdivision? Do you ever take your kids outside of your neighborhood? If so, what’s your strategy? How do you pick the best neighborhoods for Halloween goodies?
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Ideas for spooky Halloween getaways?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Looking for a place to get spooked?
AJC blogger Keith Still writes about the south’s most haunting destinations. There are ghostly attractions worth visiting just a few hours drive away in Savannah and Charleston and Chattanooga.
“There’s something haunting about a region that has hundreds of Civil and Revolutionary War battlefields dotting its landscape. While our country’s “most haunted” battlefield lies a few miles north of the Mason-Dixon Line in Gettysburg, Penn., many bloody Civil War battles took place within a short drive of Atlanta. Chickamauga Battlefield near Chattanooga, Tenn. has been ranked the third most-haunted battle site in the U.S. A spooky late-night train ride through that hallowed ground might scare the pants off of anyone!”
Have you visited any of these spooky places? Of course, as Still reminds us, Halloween trips don’t have to be scary. Where are some of your favorite pumpkin patches?
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What are your ideas for Halloween decorating?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you have a creepy decorating idea for Halloween?
Halloween is officially the kickoff for the holiday season. And, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, this holiday has its own special look. Do you prefer a simple array of jack-o-laterns at the doorway or elaborate haunted house displays complete with witches, skeletons and ghosts?
With a little creativity you can decorate without spending a lot of money.
We know Christmas is a big decorating holiday, but what about Halloween? Do you decorate during Halloween? Any suggestions for decorating on the cheap?
Here’s an opportunity to show off your spooky decorating skills
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