"There's a goblin at my window
a monster by my door,
The pumpkin at my table
keeps on smiling more and more.
There's a ghost who haunts my bedroom
a witch whose face is green,
They used to be my family,
till they dressed for Halloween!"
You either love it or hate it, but one thing's for sure - Aussies have a blossoming interest in All Hallows eve and horror culture in general according to the Queensland University of Technology.
And the Sunshine Coast is no different. Thankfully for those who aren't a fan, Halloween hasn't yet risen to such levels where it is unavoidable. For the devotees - well, you've just got to get out and have a look.
Popular trick or treating routes increasingly generate plenty of momentum in Twin Waters and Mount Coolum every year, big community leaders and charity organisations don the face paint for fundraisers and Jack O Lanterns and spiders fly out the doors of dollar dazzler stores like Crazy Johns and the Dollar Tree almost as soon as they arrive - for the keen Halloween home enthusiast to reveal on October 31.
Halloween's Irish origins are more than 2000 years old and are the culmination of what was the end of the Celts 'Festival of the Dead' and the commencement of the Roman Catholics All Saints Day.
How to explain Halloween to children.
The kids will surely get a kick out a drive around Twin Waters and Mount Coolum this 2012 All Hallows Eve- from about 5pm. (Though I have been sworn to secrecy on exact locations, reliable sources tell me you won't be able to miss them). But for a more official celebration you are more than welcome to attend - check out these Sunshine Coast's Halloween 2012 activities or simply create your own fun right in the comfort of home.
* OCTOBER 26 Friday, Pinktober Halloween Fancy Dress Party - Join in a great night of fun, enjoyment and lend your support to the cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Foundation - a fantastic local charity that supports and assists local Sunshine Coast families through their breast cancer journey. Dress Code: Fancy Dress- your scariest Halloween costume ever! Tickets only $75 and includes drink, canapes, live music, prizes, gifts and more - 6.30pm to 11pm 4th Floor Restaurant, The Esplanade,MOOLOOLABA. Book online a
pinktoberhalloween.eventbrite.com.au
Flicks in the Sticks "Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit", Coolum.
The whole family will enjoy the latest instalment from dynamic duo Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, who set out to discover the mystery behind the garden sabotage that plagues their village and threatens the annual giant vegetable growing contest.
6.30pm Tickle Park, Coolum Beach. FREE. For more details call 5442 7880 or visit www.flicksinthesticks.org
Halloween Bunnings Kids Workshops - Maroochydore or Caloundra - Free workshop your kids will love from craft ideas to garden and woodworking with a special spooky theme. 10am to 11am. Make a booking here.
Bunnings Warehouse, cnr Maroochydore Rd & Broadmeadow Rd, MAROOCHYDORE or
Bunnings Warehouse 54 Caloundra Rd, CALOUNDRA.
As Wild As It Gets - Australia Zoo
Get into the spirit of Halloween at the Sunshine Coast's wildest tourist park. Keep the kids entertained with spook-tacular games including the Super Spider Egg Snatch and Zombie races.
There's even FREE 'spooky' face painting for everyone.Dress up for a chance to win fabulous prizes, keep an eye out for the black cats and you get to choose the very best Jack-O-Lantern. All day. Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin Way, BEERWAH.
Halloween Roast Night -
Come down to the Pelican Waters Golf Club for a Halloween Roast Night. Just $19.50 each. Includes a main and dessert. Children under 12, are just $12.50. Best dressed prize for the kids, and plenty of activities & goodie bags.
Bookings and payment by Monday 29th October. Please phone 5437 5000 for more details.
*NOVEMBER 2
Flicks in the Sticks "Ghostbusters" Cooroy.
The stars, the music, the slime and the explanation as to why people the world over can't eat marshmallow! Take a trip down memory lane with this classic story of three unemployed parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost removal service 6.30pm. Cooroy Library, 9 Maple St, Cooroy. FREE! For more details call 5442 7880 or visit
www.flicksinthesticks.org
A whale of a time this Hallow's Eve - Whale One. Dress up in your spookiest out fits and hop on board the Whale One for a Halloween night you will never forget. Party the night away with live entertainment and talk advantage of the fully licensed bar. Contact here for further details and bookings.
RECIPES
DOUBLE, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble - there is no better way to celebrate halloween than in the kitchen!
Whether you're hosting a party for the kids or just looking to entertain them, hear are some easy and impressive recipes for chocolate crackle spiders, eyeball punch and brownie tombstones to name a few that will leave all thinking you've danced around a cauldron or three.
* Tombstone Brownies - En Fusion
*Witches Hat Cookies - Taste.Com.au
*Halloween Cupcakes - Taste.Com.au
DECORATIONS
WANT to turn your front yard into a haunted graveyard or your house into the Munsters' mansion? It's easier than it looks - and I'll start with helping you to carve your traditional pumpkin ....
* YOU can find these gorgeous pumpkins at any of the big supermarket chains, but getting the face just right can be a bit of a struggle. Well take your pick (thanks Readers Digest!) and browse through these
27 stencils to make Peter Pumpkin stand out from the crowd.
* Creepy Cauldron -
Readers Digest SO this one is a little tricky, but if the kids are a little older and you or your partner are comfortable working with dry ice, you'll have a centrepiece that will prove a talking point for years.
*Halloween Tombstones - Squidoo NO doubt you will be able to find some more authentic style "how to" guides for making tombstones. But this quick and easy guide will have your cemetery finished with minimal fuss and flurry.
And to complete your Hallows Eve, don't forget to add such music faithfuls as The Monster Mash, Thriller, The Time Warp, Ghostbusters, or add extra atmosphere by throwing on a scary movie. Finally don't forget to leave your outdoor light on to let people in your street know that you are up for a trick or treat on Wednesday night, October 31. Happy Hallows Eve!
