Halloween Experts

In 2009, The National Retail Foundation conducted a survey of 8,526 consumers to determine the most popular Halloween costumes of the year. While the average holiday spending per person dropped about $10 from the previous year, costume sales were strong. The top ten costumes for adults in 2009, reflected trends in other entertainment categories. The recent popularity of vampire books, movies and television programs prompted a surge in vampire costume sales as well. Politically themed costumes and masks, which had great success in 2008, dropped out of the list entirely. Another surprise was the increased popularity of athletic and sports themed costumes, which garnered them a spot on the top ten list.

Here is the list, compiled by the NRF, along with the average amount spent for each costume:

Top Ten Adult Halloween Costumes for 2009

10. Police Officer – $50
9. Athlete/Sports related – $50
8. Scary costume/mask – $52
7. Devil – $33
6. Cat – $29
5. Wench/Tart/Vixen – $45
4. Clown – $30
3. Pirate – $33
2. Vampire – $53
1. Witch – $43

Conspicuously absent from this year’s list were the Nurse costume and the French Maid. Also increasing in popularity, but not quite up to top ten standards were Gangster costumes, Fairy Costumes, particularly Tinkerbell, and Princess costumes.

(Photos: 2009 Celebrity Halloween costumes, including Bette Midler, looking pretty in pink, Christina Aguilera and son as skeletons, and Mariah Carey with husband Nick Cannon as angels)

There is no more traditional Halloween treat than a crispy, chewy caramel apple. You will want to make extra for unexpected holiday guests! Here is a simple recipe for this harvest delight.

Ingredients
2 packages (14 oz each) chewy caramel candies
1/4 cup water
8-10 tart apples (we like to use Granny Smith)
8-10 thick wooden skewers or popsicle sticks

Instructions
Wash and dry apples. Place the unwrapped caramels and water in a microwave safe bowl, and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir, then heat for an additional minute. Press a wooden skewer or popsicle stick into each apple, at the core, leaving enough protruding to form the handle. Holding it by the handle, roll the apple in the caramel coating, then, if desired, dip into one of the toppings listed below. Place the apples, handle side up, on a buttered baking sheet. Allow to cool, or chill in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Topping Suggestions
Chopped dry roasted peanuts
Candy coated chocolate candies
Chopped candy corn
Trail Mix
Toasted Coconut

In 1883, Major Thomas Hays had a one room school house built for his daughters’ education, in the rolling hills of Kentucky, near Louisville. The teacher he hired, loved the peaceful setting so much, she named it Waverly School, after her favorite novel by Sir Walter Scott. Major Hays approved, and named his entire property Waverly Hill. In 1908, when the property was purchased by the Board of Tuberculosis Hospital, they kept the name.

Tuberculosis is a very serious disease, and, before the discovery of antibiotics, a very contagious one. The treatment included seclusion from the rest of the population, rest and fresh air. Many Sanatoriums, as tuberculosis hospitals were called, were built on hills in rural, wooded settings, believing that the peaceful surroundings would be beneficial to the patients. Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened in 1910, and was built on top of a hill, to safely accommodate 40-50 patients. In the years following it’s opening, tuberculosis reached epidemic proportions in the area, and in 1926, a new, larger structure was opened, that could house 400 patients. It served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961, when it was closed, renovated and reopened in 1962 as a geriatric care facility called Woodhaven Medical Services. This facility was closed by the state in 1981.

Waverly Hills has been called one of the most haunted places in the world, one of the top ten most haunted places in America, and the world’s most haunted hospital. Over it’s long history, Waverly Hills treated thousands of patients. Most did not survive the “White Plague”, as tuberculosis was called, prior to the use of antibiotic treatments. It is estimated that, in its 50 year history as a tuberculosis hospital, somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 deaths occurred there. In addition to the spirits of the many patients that are said to haunt the site, Room 502 has it’s own ghost. Legend has it that a nurse on the hospital staff learned that she had contracted the disease. Knowing the lengthy, futile battle she was facing, she chose instead to hang herself in room 502.

At the height of the epidemic, many patients died every day. To keep patient morale up, the hospital administration needed a discreet way to remove the dead. A tunnel, used also to receive deliveries of supplies and as a walkway for employees coming up or going down the hills to work in the winter months, was used to transport bodies from the hospital to hearses and trains waiting below the hill. The tunnel, called the Body Chute, or Death Tunnel was built before electricity was available, so, after descending about 30 feet, there is total darkness, except for whatever sunlight filters through the small circular vents that are spaced every 100 feet. Despite popular legend, bodies were not “dumped” into the Body Chute and allowed to bounce and roll down the hill to be disposed of at the bottom. Gurneys on rails were used to lower the bodies down the 500 foot tunnel. Paranormal investigators claim to have encountered many spirits on the long, dark walk.

The hospital has been featured on SyFy channel’s “Ghost Hunters” during their regular season, and they returned to Waverly for their Halloween live special in 2007. The movies “Death Tunnel” and “Spooked” were both filmed there. The French comic book series “Pandemonium” is based on the paranormal legends of Waverly Hills. Both French and British television Halloween specials have featured the Sanatorium and its history.

Waverly Hills is now privately owned, and public tours, both historical and paranormal, are offered daily. Arrangements can even be made for amateur ghost hunting nights. Special events are held at Halloween. Proceeds from the tours and other donations are used in the ongoing restoration of this historic site.

This is an excellent Halloween project to try with your kids. It’s fun and easy, and it is a great way to recycle some of your plastic milk jugs! We love to make these and hang several with different expressions from a big old tree with low hanging branches, then watch them dance in the breeze!

MATERIALS:
8 – 9 clean plastic gallon milk jugs per Skelly
String
Scissors & craft knife
Glue gun (for the adults to use)
One-hole punch

SKELETON HEAD
Turn a milk jug upside down
In the corner opposite the handle cut out a large pair of eyes, the mouth and two holes for the nostrils. If you have the kind of jugs that have 2 circular indentations opposite the handle, these make perfect places for the eyeholes.

Make two small slits in the top of the head and tie a loop of string through them to hang the finished skeleton.

SKELETON CHEST
Slice down the centre of a jug – opposite the handle.
Cut the plastic to make a rib cage.

Glue the head and chest together with hot glue.

SKELETON SHOULDERS
Cut off two jug handles leaving a small collar on each end. Use hot glue to attach them to the chest section.
Punch a hole at the outside end of each shoulder.

SKELETON WAIST
Cut out two spouts, leaving a 1/2 inch collar on each.
Hot glue the spouts together.
Glue to the bottom of the chest.

SKELETON HIPS
Use the bottom 4 1/2 inches of a jug.
Cut into a pelvic shape by cutting arch shapes from 2 opposite sides.
Glue to the bottom of the waist.

SKELETON ARMS & LEGS
Cut the bone shapes from the jugs.
Tie to the shoulders and hips.

SKELETON HANDS & FEET
Trace the kid’s hands and feet.
Cut these shapes out of the jugs.
Punch holes into the hands and feet and tie them onto the arms and legs.

You can paint your Skelly a neon color with “glow in dark” paint so that he will glow as he greets your Halloween guests. Another option is to outline all the edges with red marker, as in the illustration.

(Since your Skelly will probably be hanging outdoors in the wind, we recommend that you reinforce all the joints by threading silver florist wire through the holes and twisting it together.)