Did you know that the origins of Halloween and Halloween fancy dress date back 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts celebrated their new year on November the 1st as it was this day which marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter which was often associated with death.

The Celts were under the impression that at the start of their new year that the worlds between the living and the dead became blurred. Due to the other-worldly spirits they felt existed; the Celts saw this as the time to make predictions of the future, providing them with comfort through the cold winter months.

It was at that time that the dressing up started (Halloween fancy dress). To be closer to the spirits the Celts word start bonfires, have public parades, dress up in a ghoulish fashion in an attempt to tell each others fortune, during this spooky time.

The Romans then conquered the Celtics and they combined two Roman festivals, Feralia which commemorated the dead in late October, and Pomona to celebrate the Roman goddess of fruit (hence bobbing apples at Halloween time).

In the 800s the influence of Christianity had spread and the thought is that Pope made the decision to replace the festival of the dead which the Celtics started with a church holiday called “All Saints” day, to honour saints and martyrs. That celebration was also known as All-hallows or All-hallowmas and eventually the name Halloween was derived. Due to the link to the saints at Halloween time people now dress up in Halloween fancy dress: as saints, angles as-well as devils.

Halloween remains to be one of the busiest nights of the year in the UK, with people paving wearing all types of Halloween costumes and accessories. It now takes a much more light hearted approach with the young and not so young wearing scary Halloween fancy dress and going door to door for treats or attending a Halloween party. Many of the Holiday parks around the UK such as Butlins or Haven holidays, have Halloween themed breaks, for families who love to get involved in Halloween festivities.

Black and orange are the traditional colours for Halloween costumes, however in recent Halloween images the use of purple, green and red have also become prominent in Halloween fancy dress and are now associated with Halloween costume tradition. Other traditions at Halloween time include the use of Pumpkins, carved with a scary face (or friendly one) with lit candles inside, this stems from an Irish tradition of carving lanterns which stems back centuries.

Bonfires and Halloween fancy dress have remained a large part of Halloween and popular with both children and adults.

The Christopher Robin fancy dress shop based in Weymouth, Dorset has been selling Halloween fancy dress costumes across the UK for over 25 years.

Speaking to the shop manager, among the best sellers for Halloween include the traditional witch and vampire costumes along with the more extravagant Halloween costumes such as “Corpse Bride” and “Punk Zombie”.

As for childresn's Halloween fancy dress, the Skelton costumes for boys and the Witch Fairy with tutu are popular costume choices for girls at Halloween time.

If you are worried about getting your hair wet, when participating in apple bobbing (remember earlier mention of the Roman god of fruit), why not buy a Halloween wig. Christopher Robin fancy dress have a great selection of Halloween wigs and masks, men’s Halloween wigs, women’s wigs for Halloween etc. They also have a range of Halloween props in the shop, if they are not online give them a call sure they will be happy to help make your Halloween party a great success.

To see their full range of fancy dress costumes for your Halloween festivities visit Christopher Robin here: www.christopher-robin.co.uk

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/why-we-dress-up-in-halloween-costume-at-halloween-time-579193.html

Author: Christopher Robin

About the Author:

Expert in fancy dress costumes and party goods. Supplier of fancy dress costumes across the UK for over 25 years.
Visit the Christopher Robin website or visit the family run fancy dress shop in Weymouth, Dorset

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Halloween is that very special time of year when even the adults get to play dress-up, even a little bit of "make pretend" should the mood move them. For every Halloween party, passing out candy, or otherwise potentially spooky event, having an excellent costume makes the night all the more fun and all the more fantastic. Adults should not have to settle for whatever is left on the rack simply because they are a little bit older and a little bit bigger. Rather, adult costume stores have actually noticed an increase in adult costume demands over the last five years. While the popularity and origins of Halloween have come under intense scrutiny over the past ten years, adults who wish to partake of the ghoulish fun are seeking the right costume for just the right occasion.

Sexy Halloween costumes are becoming the new "forever classic." Some of the most popular sexy Halloween costumes include belly dancer costumes and Middle and Far Eastern costumes. Done with a little bit of taste, these costumes can be quite alluring and even a little mischievous. For a sexy Halloween costume that combines a little sexy flair with a little pixie mischief, a strong selection of Celtic fairy or gypsy costumes can bring out a woman's qualities with a sense of fun and fantasy.

Men can also consider a sexy Halloween costume as a strong option. With recent pirate movies bringing the wandering legends of piracy to a new level, many men are looking dapper and downright hot in the right pirate Halloween costume. Greek and Roman God costumes are undoubtedly sexy, and probably the only time the use of a toga can be rather appealing. Let's not forget for either gender that the superhero is far from dead. Saving the world from certain disaster is remarkable sexy, and the right sexy Halloween costume can bring a new level of "superhero" to the household for just one night. Either gender should consider that choosing a sexy Halloween costume entails choosing a costume that is right for them. While some women will look phenomenal as a sexy fairy nymph, other women may need to switch it up and trade in their wings for a pirate sword. Picking the right sexy Halloween costume is not just about the costume, but the way the costume works with the person.

Adult Halloween costumes are hard to find in some locations throughout the United States and beyond. While a few select towns have excellent adult Halloween costume stores, most do not carry a large enough selection, nor do they cater to the adult's special interest. A petite woman can squeeze into a large child's costume, but it usually doesn't bring any flair to a party when she shows up in Junior's Spongebob costume.

Adults have the opportunity once a year to indulge themselves in their alter ego, at least publicly. This one night is specially set aside to allow for a little fantasy and play. The costuming that an adult chooses can really give them a night of alter ego indulgence with the utmost appropriateness. Whether a woman simply wants to be a Goddess for the evening or she wants to become a major league baseball player or a man wants to play out his role as Peter Pan or Donald Duck, this is the night to let it all hang out. Finding the perfect costume is part of playing out an alter ego.

The perfect adult Halloween costume might be something completely off the wall. There are now excellent game costumes, such as the Twister costume, that just lends itself to fun and play. Other fun and play adult Halloween costumes might include something more along the lines of gangster costumes, flapper costumes, ghoulish freaky and scary costumes, cave man and cave woman costumes, or even a condom package costume. Whatever might be the funny joke of the evening can now be found online. The use of the internet has revolutionized an adult's ability to find their perfect adult Halloween costume without tremendous expense, time, or energy. After all, this can be a busy time of the year and who has the time to search through fifteen mail order catalogs to find simple, generic costumes that won't let you stand out?

For a little more educational value, some people are searching for historical adult Halloween costumes. George Washington to George Washington Carver, historical costumes are making a significant come back, especially for the baby boomer generation who may not have had ample opportunity to dress up and play for Halloween throughout their adult life. Historical costumes allow for dressing up without getting too far away from traditional, which can help a resistant dress up participant grow into the idea of playing for Halloween. Baby boomers lived their adulthood during a time when grown ups didn't get the change to dress up too often. The rules have since relaxed, and maybe it's time for those over 50 to let their hair down, or pin it up, all in the name of fun.

Of course, men and women alike can also find their perfect warrior costume to present their pent up aggressions to the world for a night. In work places where dressing up is allowed, this may provide some excellent relief with a little humor for the day. Adult Halloween costumes now come in every era from prehistoric to the eighties generation, and whether you are seeking to spice it up with flair or become the strong and mighty outlaw who may very well save the world, dressing up for Halloween gives you that chance.

It is a definite relief that it has become more acceptable for adults to dress up for the night. After all, adults deal with a tremendous amount of stress that needs to be released from time to time. The perfect adult Halloween costume can play a vital role in this process while allowing the kid in all of us to come out and play if even just for one night.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/adult-halloween-costumes-that-are-new-for-2008-502953.html

Author: Susan G West

About the Author:
Our star writer Susan West is a Halloween Party specialist and gives great advice when it comes to Adult Halloween Costumes & Sexy Halloween Costumes.

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How To Make A Halloween Gift Basket

If you want to do something special for someone at Halloween, try giving a Halloween gift basket. You don’t have to be creative or even artistic to do this. All it takes is some knowledge about the person, or persons, you want to surprise in this way. The basket will contain items particular to their tastes, and they will love you for it.

A great idea is to create a special basket for a couple you may be close to. This one is especially nice if the couple either has no plans for Halloween, or they don’t have enough money to do anything special. You can provide them a very unique Halloween gift basket that will give them a lovely way to spend the evening. For this one, you will need a rather large basket. Start with the dinner. Choose food that you know they like. This can be either 2 nice steaks, bag of salad, and fixings for baked potatoes. Or it can be a gift certificate for pizza delivery. Use your own judgment. Add a six pack of soda, some Halloween cupcakes or cookies for dessert, a couple of scary movies that you know they want to see, and maybe some microwave popcorn to enjoy with the movie. This will be a much appreciated gift.

Another fun Halloween gift basket is one for the reader friend of yours. Gather several scary paperback books, along with a small cozy stadium blanket, a beverage of choice, glass or cup, and, of course, Halloween munchies. These can include candy, along with some salted snack mix. This will provide a quiet and relaxing Halloween night. It might also provide a few delicious chills up the back.

Children also enjoy gifts at Halloween even if they do get all that candy by trick or treating. It is for that reason that you may want to limit the candy in this particular Halloween gift basket. You will need to shop for age appropriate toys to include. These should also be run by the parents of the child before purchasing them to make sure your ideas are going to be alright with them.

You don’t want to forget the older people in your life, such as parents and grandparents. They will enjoy receiving a gift basket, too. The items selected for these baskets will depend on any dietary or other restrictions. Again, shop with what you know about the person firmly planted in your mind. If you don’t have parents or grandparents of your own, try contacting a local home for the aged. A lot of the people there are also without family to treat them on special days. They would love to receive a Halloween gift basket.

The important thing to remember is that you are going to be putting smiles on faces with your thoughtfulness. You don’t even have to spend a lot of money, unless you have it and want to spend it.

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