Halloween 2015

Yes, I know it's early but we have to hold the party when everyone can make it and unfortunately the 31st wasn't a good day for it! But that doesn't stop us!

This year Ebi-kun wanted to give the zombie look a miss and go for something more blood suckily exciting... I have to say (and I might be slightly biased here) he does make one fine vampire!

We had a great potluck with some delicious dishes such as the Monster Eye and werewolf claws...

Baked bat wings, nom, nom (OK it's chicken!)

And some tasty severed fingers with chopped flesh and black spaghetti - doesn't that look appetising! I'm considering turning up with some cute Disney themed food next year just to see everyone's reaction :D

Our host lives across from a big park so he fired up the BBQ, just look at the racks of ribs - not exciting unless you live in Japan and you know how hard they are to come by!

Trick or Treat was a bit more complicated this year as the kids were given a map with picture clues and they had to figure out which house matched which clue before they could go and ring the bell. After that Ebi-kun did his game and then the kids just played as the adults nattered and drank!

We did have one casualty and I thought Ebi-kun had inflicted the injury at first, it turned out that heading a football with your sunglasses on the top of your head is a really bad idea!

Once it went dark we moved inside and the kids watched Back To The Future as we continued chatting (and drinking!)

Lots of fun was had by all, and I think we make quite a handsome Vampire family (my husband doesn't seem to think so, he managed to bruise his face whilst taking off the make-up, nope, I have no idea how either!)

Ebi-kun has already told me he is looking forward to his Halloween Muffin Tin Tin, so no doubt there will be at least one more halloween post before the end of the month!

And a quick plug, just in case you missed it! Get yourself the Fast & Fun Ghoulish Halloween Treats ebook & BONUS printable labels...

Halloween Party 2014

We had a great Halloween party this year and thankfully the weather was actually nice for a change (unlike the year where we drove in a typhoon to get there!) Our friend live in a great spot with the park right opposite the house.

So we set un in the park, which was quite amusing since we were a week early and Halloween is not such a big deal in Japan, we got many a strange look!

We started off with lunch, of course you have seen the kids bentos, the punch, graveyard cake and brains already. Jack made these great pepper Jack O'lanterns filled with spaghetti...

After lunch we went round to the local cake shop to Trick or Treat, they give anyone is costume a treat so us adults got some too! Yes, that headless salaryman is my husband!

Each family was asked to prepare a game. Ebi-kun made one where you had to do janken (rock, paper,scissors) and winners won a card BUT the card either had a curse, a quiz or exchange for a treat. They also played the eye and spoon race and other fun games until dusk.

My minimal costume was basically black clothes (90% of my wardrobe) and makeup plus a scythe.

Yasutoki's was made by attaching 2 straps to a cardboard box, the box was then covered with a polo neck shirt and put into a mac. I used 2 draft excluders with gloves attached to one end as the arms and some scrunched up newspaper painted dark red as the severed neck. Very little work but was very effective!

Of course those two princesse could have made more of an effort, I did offer to help them look not-so-pretty with my bag of tricks make-up but neither of them wanted to take me up on my offer, i don't know what's wrong with girls these days :D

When it started to get dark we went inside for supper and wine tasting - not for the kid, obviously! Then once it had gone properly dark, H-kun had set up a game in the park where the kids needed to find the glowing lights then look for the clue nearby, once they found that they had to find an adult to tell the answer to and get their treat. H-kun instructed me to hide with the treats, which I did but I was stood there for ages and heard and saw no-one so I thought maybe the game was over. 

I started walking down the path, only to be spotted by a big group of junior high school boys, I then spotted our kids so I dashed towards the woods, only to be chased the the JH boys! I realised that I had left the park so ran down the road and came back in via the car park only to be surrounded by JH boys.

Back home that would have been quite scary but here the kids were more scared of me - although that could have been the make-ip and scythe! So, our kids got their treats and we wrapped it up and headed home. 

Brilliant day of fun, can't wait for next year! 

Finally my favourite photo, it just cracks me up...

I have put together my favourite Fun & Fast Ghoulish Halloween Treats into an ebook so you can whip them up at anytime (why just serve ghoulish food at Halloween?)

17 absolutely disgustingly delicious treat ideas... 

All fast and fun to make

All pretty healthy, made from kitchen basics

Most of them suitable to make with the kids too

PLUS a bonus labels pack too!