Gift Idea for Everyone

Its supposed to be the day meant to commemorate the dead. But Halloween has become a fun holiday to look forward to. For kids, its a time to go trick or treatin in the neighborhood. For us adults, its a chance to relive our youth and indulge in costume parties left and right. Indeed, Halloween has become a joyous occasion for some frightful delights and savored thrills.

But with this occasion comes the need to prepare some costumes which may not be as budget-friendly as we would expect. We would be able to save more if we are to prepare our own costumes, of course, but this would require a creative mind and a lot of skills and patience to create. To help you out in this rather problematic bind, here are eight Halloween costume ideas that wont drill a hole on your pockets.

1. Buckethead. Buckethead is a popular guitarist for rock n roll bands like 9 Inch Nails and Guns N Roses. His distinctive look consists of a KFC bucket covering his face, with two holes for the eyes to see. This is an easy costume to imitate, as all you would need, really, is the aforementioned KFC bucket. A toy guitar is optional, of course.

2. A normal ghost. Simple in design, but invaluably timeless, your classic ghost costume has sustained that special look throughout many generations. All you need is a white blanket, and again, two holes to allow the eyes to see, and voila! Youre ready to scare the sweet bejeezus out of your friends. Or at least you could try.

3. The wicked witch of the west. Another timeless character from the Wizard of Oz, the Witch can easily be imitated. A witch hat only needs a black cardboard paper cut into a circle, and another one shaped like a cone. Just join the two pieces together, wrap yourself in a black blanket, and youre ready to torment Dorothy all the way to Kansas!

4. Kiss. Kiss is a rock band from the 70s who attempted to make a comeback in the late 90s. Their trademark are painted faces and leather outfits, with your optional chains and metal ornaments. Face paints come cheap in most retail stores. You could apply the same on your face and follow any design you want. The result would be worth a place in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!

5. Your favorite wrestler. Wrestling is still big these days. And wrestlers mostly wear trunks or tights. Theyd be easy to mimic. Just stay away from the lavishly costumed ones.

6. Oscar the Grouch. Not really the puppet, but the home where he could be found. All you need is a trash can that you could put on your body. Again, youd need to drill two holes to allow your eyes to see and avoid tripping all over the place. Just make sure that the trash can is clean.

7. Body Bag Boy. Body bags are quite morose creations. You could simply use a black trash bag that you could wrap around your body, and youd be able to attain the same effect.

8. Superheroes. Some superhero costumes have minimalist designs that are easy to fabricate. The Fantastic Four, for example, merely wear blue shirts and pants, with a 4 symbol enclosed in a circle as their emblem. You could simply print out a sticker with such an emblem, or sew some designs on your shirt.

Halloween can be fun without being expensive. The more budget-friendly your costume is, the more it will stand out for its pragmatic and functional design, a testament to how any occasion should be celebrated: great times without forgetting the reason behind the season.

Its the season of witches and monsters and vampires and the dead rising from their graves. Much have been associated with Halloween that has transformed it from its originally religious origins to the rather festive and delightful holiday that it is in modern times, but the fact remains that it is one of the most eagerly awaited days of the year. Its that day when children go around the neighborhood in their best costumes to swindle older folks for some treats, least they be tricked with the childrens frightful appearances. Horror movie marathons pervade cable channels. Retail stores and restaurants decorate their outlets to coincide with the theme of the season.

And what could you do to commemorate this holiday of horrors with the rest of the world when you expect to spend the occasion by your lonesome self? You could rely on a faithful book, of course! Here are some suggested readings for a truly fright-filled Halloween.

1. The Amityville Horror, by Jay Anson. This book is a true-to-life story of a familys ordeal in a place they thought would be their dream house. But the house is a place with a mysterious past, where animal sacrifices and grisly murders and other vile and bloody crimes were committed. What is the secret behind this house? Why do strange and terrifying things happen every time the clock strikes 3:05 a.m.? This book shocked the whole world when it was first released, and it even inspired a series of films.

2. Salems Lot, by Stephen King. Stephen King is the acknowledged master of horror fiction, and this is one of the reasons why. Recognized as one of the two most horrifying books in his resume, Salems Lot is a tale of a neighborhood plagued by the supernatural. What is this supernatural force all about? Lets just say that it isnt reassuring to live beside a nest. Not a nest of birds, mind you, but a nest of ancient, bloodsucking vampires. This book also inspired a film, and later on, a mini-series.

3. Pet Cemetery, by Stephen King. Again, the second book of Stephen Kings twin masterpieces of modern day horror delivers the chills in abundance. The premise alone would cause a lot of sleepless nights. A family transfers to a suburban neighborhood. The boy dies. The father learns about the pet cemetery, where pets which are buried there mysteriously come back to life. You know where this is leading to, so youve got to read the book and prepare yourself to be jolted with each and every chapter.

4. Books Of Blood, by Clive Barker. This is the trilogy of books that catapulted Clive Barker to global recognition. Each book is an anthology of spine-tingling tales of the macabre. If they were good enough to launch a career, they should be good enough for some genuine thrills.

5. Black Hole, by Charles Burns. This isnt really a novel, rather, it is a graphic novel that would be easier to read, and where the terrors can become more real. Its about a group of teenagers having to deal with a new kind of STD. But the supernatural flavors in this work take a back seat to the real horrors that the teenagers commit themselves.

So if youre not in the mood to participate in any costume party, movie marathon or trick or treatin on Allhallows Eve, sink your teeth into any of the books we have discussed above. All of them can give you an occasion to remember, guaranteed. Just be sure to keep the lights on even when you prepare for bed.