posted October 03, 2007 11:30 AM         

In answer to Sattvic's question, I have a friend in the Netherlands who never heard of Halloween. When I tried to explain it to him, he just could not understand. I think I even gave him links on the Internet to read about it.

posted October 03, 2007 04:56 PM         

Here in America we look for ANY reason to celebrate. It was common practice to have the day off from school on Halloween as well while I was growing up. My own children are not so lucky

Traditionally we go to a pumpkin patch, choose a special pumpkin for each of us, take it home, carve it up, fill it with a candle and place it on the porch for all to see in the dark of night. By rubbing it with vaseline it will last for several weeks outdoors and stays there until the day after Halloween.

We buy materials to create frightening costumes to wear out to parties and or door to door "Trick or Treating"

We decorate our homes and yards to represent haunted houses, graveyards, etc.

We pass out candy to all the children whom are brave enough to knock on our door to say "Trick or Treat"

We go to carnivals and always buy the carmel and candied apples to enjoy.

Many businesses and schools have costume contests including prizes for things like:
The most original, the most scary, the most funny, the cutest, etc.

Places like The Winchester Mystery House hold events such as "Midnight Tours" using only flashlights during this time of year.
Here's a picture of this event:

Here is a site listing the TOP 10 MOST HAUNTED GHOST TOURS IN AMERICA

posted October 03, 2007 09:32 PM         

I will never go there again!

Even when I was little I was scared for months after going to that place.

posted October 03, 2007 10:23 PM         

I agree The Winchester House is definately filled with evil energy. I have not been there since probably 1988?

My college grounds were haunted with the Cowell Ghost

Other places in the area with interesting energy:

The Mystery Spot
465 Mystery Spot Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
A place where your perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are deeply questioned!The Mystery Spot

The Brookdale Lodge
11570 Highway 9
Brookdale, California 95007
831-338-6433
This popular resort played host to Hollywood stars, prominent families, foreign diplomats, and even a U.S. President. Famous persons passing through Brookdale Lodge included: Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Tyrone Power, Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Hedy Lamarr, President Herbert Hoover, etc. In the 60's Secret passageways and hidden rooms were installed throughout the lodge and rumors of buried bodies under the floor began to circulate.
{{{EXTREMELY HAUNTED}}}
*I had the displeasure of working here during a summer in my teenage years, LOL! -Read some more here

Ever heard of Alfred Hitcock?
He has lot's of ties to this area as well:

He lived in the Santa Cruz mountain area just above Scotts Valley...

The infamous Bates Mansion and the Bates Motel were inspired by actual buildings in Santa Cruz.Read More

Santa Cruz County was reportedly the inspiration for three of Alfred Hitchcock’s films.
In 1941, he used the north coast of Santa Cruz for an English coastline in "Suspicion."

In the 1960 film, "Psycho," Hitchcock is reported to have used the dilapidated Hotel McCrary (now Sunshine Villa) on Beach Hill with its nearby hotel as inspiration.

The design of the mansion, however, looked exactly like the decayed Bernheim House that stood at the corner of Broadway and Ocean Street, reports historian Eric Ross Gibson.

And while filming his 1963 film, "The Birds," crazed sooty shearwaters — high on some ocean neurotoxin — crashed into homes and cars from Pleasure Point to Rio del Mar, prompting Hitchcock to call the Santa Cruz Sentinel, according to television columnist Ron Miller.

Hitchcock had Miller read him the Sentinel coverage — including a report of a man who took refuge in a phone booth. [See More on this]

Santa Cruz is Haunted From one end to the other!!!
-Can't even list all the strange spiritual places and experiences I've personally had here!

posted October 04, 2007 01:20 AM         

just 45 minutes from you is:

Holy City
A town created and run by a CULT "William E. Riker" being the leader and owner of 200+ acres off Highway 17. This guy ran for Govenor of California, I believe 3 or 4 times, LOL! At one point the FBI arrested him.
LOTS OF EVIL STUFF HAPPENED HERE!!!
Rapes, murders, satanic worship, drugs, violence, child molestations, slavery, white supremacy, Hitler idolation, etc. All on the pretense of Christianity.

*In the late 50'S My grandfather was one of many who burnt this town to the ground to prevent any more evil events occuring there and to rid this guy and his cult from the area.

The town is still deserted even today.
If you can find it even on a map you will discover a population of [1 person] the old post office still partially stands...

And lost spirits are all about!

It's off the old Santa Cruz highway between Scotts Valley and Los Gatos, Now beside HWY 17. [death road, haaa...haa...]
A excerpt from a book about it
and a funny sign that was alongside hwy 17:

Today... The old post office building is somehow still standing and has been coverted into the Holy City Art Glass workshop. There is also one shed and one house.

Holy City is currently owned by Tom Stanton, the sole permanent resident and self-appointed mayor. He runs a glassblowing shop out of the post office.

PLEASE READ THIS VERY GOOD ARTICLE done by CBS 5 Evening magazine on the secret city near you. I found this contact # off it(408)353-4426 to call for a tour.

posted October 04, 2007 10:35 PM         

quote:

---

Nephthys, I was born and raised in Santa Cruz. [Fourth Generation Born there] I now live much further north, still California however. I see you're from Cali too...

---

Much further north where? I am in Marin County. Near me?

You are just full of spooky trivia places to visit!

The film Lost Boys, they say it is Santa Carlita (or something) but it is really filmed in Santa Cruz, right? Maybe they filmed it there due to all the spooky stuff you say?

posted October 04, 2007 11:33 PM         

I now live smack between Chico and Redding.
Much further North than you, LOL!
I have both friends and family in Marin county though

wait a minute?...
Are we friends already or maybe even related?
-Would'nt that be ironic!

posted October 05, 2007 12:02 PM         

------------------
Jenny: Hey, Forrest, were you scared in Vietnam?

Forrest: Yes. Well, I, I don't know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out. And then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bay... There was over a million sparkles on the water. Like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny. It looks like there were two skies, one on top of the other. And then in the desert, when the sun comes up... I couldn't tell where heavens stopped and the earth began. It was so beautiful.

Jenny: I wish I could have been there with you.

posted October 05, 2007 08:04 PM         

A fondue pot is clearly a take off of the witches cauldren, LOL!

posted October 10, 2007 11:31 PM         

Below are the Halloween Scavenger Hunt ideas:
1] Everyone is teamed up, 10 to 15 people in each group, fully costumed, and armed with instant cameras. All the teams are given the same list of items to collect, but the items are in different sequence. Each team dressed in Halloween costumes races around town for things like old cassettes, road kill, a picture of the group with a police officer, information from a sign. The team that gets all the items and does it in the least amount of time - wins.

2] Adult - Costume Video Scavenger Hunt - Another Spin
Create two or three teams depending on how many participate in the costume scavenger hunt. Each team will a video camera to record the scavenger hunt and they get 2 hours (can be adjusted) to complete various tasks and get select items.
Here are some task ideas:
Go to a video rental store and find out what year the the movie Halloween was made.
Go to a grave yard and find a specific name on a tomb stone.
Take a video with a Taxi or bus driver.
Find a cop in a donut shop and get a video with him.
Go to a grocery store find out how much a specific item costs.
Go to a home of someone that know one knows and ask for a can of blood red soup (Tomato soup). Go to a bar find out how many brands of beer they serve.
Find a stranger who will let you wrap them up in toilet paper like a mummy extra points if they along with the team sings the Monster Mash on video. And so on...
When the teams get back we have the most fun watching the videos, especially the people who came to the party that didn't go out on the Scavenger hunt!

3] Halloween Video Scavenger Hunt: Version 2
On trick-or-treat night, split up into teams, each team with a video camera and a list of Halloween characters. Each team has to hit the streets and find trick-or-treaters wearing the costumes on their list and videotape them within 1-2 hours. Example for list:

Witch, Freddy Kruger, French Maid, Genie, Ghost, etc...and any other characters that are popular during that given year

This game is fun, because it lets adults experience Trick-Or-Treat all over again...and being out and about on foot with your friends is just plain fun. Once the time is up have the teams return to the house to view each others footage team with the most costumes on the list wins.

posted October 15, 2007 06:50 AM         

I would rather be pumpkin pie,
Sweet with cinnamon,
Than be carved like a jack-o -lantern
With only one eye.

By: Tyler C. in Mrs. Jeanes' Class
West Hardin Elementary
Saratoga, Texas

The Very Fat Pumpkin

There once was a small pumpkin’
Who was smaller than a dumplin’.
He tried eating a lot,
And he looked in the mirror and he was a lot bigger than he thought.
But he was the same size,
When he closed his eyes.
When he opened them he was a huge pumpkin.

By, Molly in Ms. Butler's Class
Dry Creek Elementary
Port Angeles, Washington