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copyright ©1999-2005 |
Halloween has been such a major part of my social life in years past that I was a little embarrassed when last year, for the first time in ages… (whisper) I had no Halloween plans at all. Like the geeky girl that finds herself dateless on prom night -- a feeling that, sadly, I really did experience back in the day -- I listened wistfully as friends back home talked about their clever Halloween costume ideas and their crazy-fun party plans. The boy and I had just moved to the UK, see, and in this country, the costumes, fun-size candy bars and jack-o-lanterns we Americans typically associate with Halloween are fairly recent additions to the cultural calendar, and mostly reserved for the kiddies. As another Halloween fast approaches, I again find myself with nary a party plan. Still, I'm plotting away: this year, I'm hell-bent on doing something to celebrate the spookiest night of the year, even if that something's a quiet little night spent chez moi. As it turns out, there are alternatives a-plenty to the sort of elaborate shindigs I've hosted and reveled at during All Hallow's Eves past. If you too are finding yourself scrambling for last-minute ideas for Halloween celebrating, consider one of these low-effort options... The horror: host a scary movie marathon. For those who like their Halloween celebratin' to involve a minimal amount of effort, a night spent on the couch in front of the TV is the perfect solution. And even if you're not normally into horror flicks, Halloween is the one time of the year when the genre just seems appropriate. Sure, there are the eight billion Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th movies to choose from if you're into the scary slashers, or an endless number of movies featuring the walking undead, like Evil Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Army of Darkness. But if you like your horror a little less, well, gross, there are plenty of options as well. Go old-school with classic fright night flicks like Nosferatu, Dracula or Frankenstein, where the frights are more atmospheric than graphic. Or bring on the funny with Scream and Shaun of the Dead. No matter how you like your scary, there's sure to be a take on the horror genre that meets your Halloween needs. So mosey on to the video store, make up some popcorn, and get good and comfy. Then turn down the lights, hit play, and let the horrors begin. A different 'toon. So what's that you say -- ghosts and gore and screams are really not your thing? Have a Halloween cartoon night instead. Celebrate the lighter side of Halloween entertainment with some animated classics. As kids, no Halloween was complete without It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; for something a little more grown-up, dig out your favorite Simpsons Halloween episodes from your DVD collection, or get your hands on the Treehouse of Horror compilation. Add a big bowl full of your favorite fun-size sweets and you're good to go. ---------------------------> lounge . nourish . host . laze . home . |
