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Here is a miniature history lesson on the origins of Halloween. I’m not an expert by any means, but the stories say that the holiday comes from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. This festival was a celebration marking the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter. In Gaelic culture, it was believed that during this time, the living and the dead realms overlapped with each other and spirits could come back to life. Samhain is still celebrated today, but thousands of years later, Halloween has somehow evolved from this ancient Celtic festival into dressing up in goofy costumes and handing out candy.
With all of that being said, you have to love the spirit of modern day Halloween. It’s the one day of the year where you can dress up like a complete fool and don’t have to feel judged for doing so. If you deem yourself too old (too boring, you mean) to dress up for Halloween or attend costume parties, then you can still participate by taking the little ones out trick-or-treating or handing out candy at your house.
If you have questions about local places to go in Metro Detroit for costumes, decorations or crafts, then this article is for you. Whether you want to make your own costume and need to hit the craft stores, are looking to buy a costume, or want to rent said costume, here are some places to do just that:
Screamers Costumes, 35431 S. Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Twp., opened in Detroit in 1968 and although it has moved locations, it has served the Metro Detroit area ever since. Screamers has a 5,000 square-foot facility, loaded with adult costumes, children’s costumes, accessories and so much more. If you are looking for a place to buy or rent your 2014 Halloween ensemble, shop local and head to Screamers.
Lynch’s Theatrical Department Store is located at 939 Howard St. in Dearborn. Lynch’s is a family-owned business and has been supplying costumes in southeast Michigan for 65 years! Costumes may be bought or rented. Men’s costumes, ladies’ costumes, toddler costumes, props—all of the above and much more are available.
My Craft Room resides at 6020 Rochester Rd., in Troy and is one of many local arts and craft stores in Metro Detroit. This is a perfect place for do-it-yourselfers, as it has a ton of crafts, yarn, beads and other products you may need to complete your hand-made costume. My Craft Room also offers several classes, including (but not limited to) knitting, crafting, and painting—all of which can be beneficial skills to learn if you are planning to put together a costume yourself (especially if it is your first time).
You may also want to invest in some new Halloween decorations this year. Perhaps you want to moderately decorate your house or apartment, or maybe you’re one of those people who go all out for Halloween. The aforementioned stores are all great for that. You may also want to check out Halloween Bazaar in Monroe.
As an added bonus to make your Halloween awesome this year, here are five quick pumpkin carving tips. After all, what is Halloween without pumpkins?
- Choose a large pumpkin with limited bruising. The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve. Pumpkins with a lot of bruising tend to rot quicker.
- Small paring knives work well for carving, and serrated knives work well for cutting holes into the pumpkin.
- If you aren’t a great free-hand artist, use templates or stencils to carve your design. You can even print patterns out online.
- Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to take out the seeds. It is a messy job, but scooping around the sides and then dumping out the remaining pumpkin seeds into the trash may be a less dirty option!
- Pumpkins rot quickly, but you can preserve your pumpkin longer by adding a small amount of bleach and water to a spray bottle, or buying a pumpkin preserve spray at the store. This will help your pumpkin last longer as well as keep the bugs and critters away. Experts suggest one teaspoon of bleach to one gallon of water.
There you have it, Halloween extraordinaires. Hopefully you’ve found this article helpful and useful. Get into the Halloween mood and decorate those houses, dress up as goofy or scary as possible and just spend this year’s All Hallow’s Eve having fun with friends and family. What could be better?
