Just a few hours from now, little Wonder Women, Jon Snows, Pennywises and Donald Trumps will be stalking neighborhoods across the country.
Maybe weeks of planning went into the costume your child (or you) will be wearing. Maybe you made two trips to the store for the perfect Wonder Woman lasso - or maybe you didn’t.
Maybe you are one of those people who let holidays happen organically -- “We will worry about Halloween when it gets here,” you say. “We’ll buy some candy next time we go out.”
So, if you’ve waited just a bit too long and find yourself fishing about for a costume or some accessories, here are a few last-minute tips and DIY projects to make your holiday easier.
How do I make fake blood?
Let's face it, fake blood is to Halloween what fruitcake is to Christmas – you almost can't have it without it. Here is a simple recipe sheknows.com to whip up some pretty realistic blood to scare the neighbors.
Hollywood-style fake blood recipe
Yields about 2 tablespoons.
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
1 tiny drop blue food coloring
1 tiny drop green food coloring (optional)
1 scant teaspoon flour, sifted
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 small shallow glass or plastic bowl
1 toothpick
Cooking spray
Water (optional)
Chocolate sauce (optional)
Liquid laundry soap (optional)
Directions
Add flour and red food coloring to the mixing bowl.
Spritz your tablespoon with cooking spray and use it to add corn syrup to the mix.
Use a toothpick to add the tiniest drop of blue food coloring. You can always add more. Add the same amount of green food coloring if you need it to be more purple.
Stir the bowl’s contents with a small whisk or spoon until well-blended (and not lumpy).
Adjust the recipe using additional food coloring, chocolate sauce, water or laundry detergent as needed.
So, now that you have the blood, what about a costume to splash it on? Here are a few links to last-minute costume ideas that can get you through All Hallow’s Eve.
How do I make a Halloween costume?
Now that you’ve got the blood and the costume, how do you get the goods – AKA, a boatload of candy?
How to get more Halloween candy
Timing plays a part, as does the length of time you trick-or-treat and the neighborhood you hit. Look for a well-lit neighborhood – meaning lots of participation – go early and stay for a while, but not too long. Click here for more best practices for Halloween night.
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