Happy Halloween!

What are you doing this Halloween?  We hope you have a safe and happy night!  Happy Halloween ULofts!

Texas Tech Halloween Events

Halloween is a fun time for all ages.  Check out all these great Halloween events that Texas Tech is having for the campus and the community.  You can learn more at TTU.

From Greek Treat to a costumed ball, there are events for everyone.

o   Heritage Halloween
Hosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC).
4 – 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25
3121 Fourth St.
The event is free to the public and children can trick-or-treat at the historical structures at the NRHC. Treats will be period-specific for each house.
Contact: Emily Wilkinson, (806) 742-0498 or emily.wilkinson@ttu.edu.

o   Halloween Fright Night
Hosted by the Texas Tech Volleyball Program, when the Red Raiders take on Baylor.
3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 2 p.m.
United Spirit Arena
All fans, eighth grade and below who wear a costume will receive complimentary admission. A costume contest will take place during the match with winners being selected for best overall, spookiest and most creative costumes. Parking around the arena is free.
Contact: Dinah Goodson, (806) 834-1402 or dinah.goodson@ttu.edu.

o   Halloween Carnival
Hosted by Phi Alpha Delta.
3:30 – 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
Texas Tech School of Law
Area families and children are invited for an afternoon of safe fun that includes trick-or-treating, face painting, games and more.
The event is free, however children must be accompanied by an adult.
Contact: Andrew Aus, andrew.aus@ttu.edu.

o   Pirates & Cowboys Halloween Costume Ball
Hosted by the Texas Tech Vernacular Music Center, along with the Tech Set Dancers, the Caprock Celtic Association and the Roots Music Institute.
7 – 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
Yoga Bean studio (3135 34^th St.)
There will be music, hourly prizes for the best costumes, dancing and more. The Cowboys & Pirates Halloween Carnival Ball is intended to provide a safe, creative, drug-, tobacco- and hassle-free environment to enjoy the Halloween holiday.
Admission is $6 or $5 with a canned food donation.
Contact: Christopher J. Smith, (806) 742-2270 or christopher.smith@ttu.edu.

o   Safetreat
Hosted by Residence Life at the Texas Tech residence halls.
6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
Candy and activities will be provided in each of the residence hall complexes and “Boo Buses” are available to transport faculty, staff, community members and their families from hall to hall.
Contact: Bri Cooper, (806) 834-4107 or bri.cooper@ttu.edu.

o   Tech-or-Treat
Sponsored by Texas Tech’s Center for Campus Life, Tech Activities, Greek Life and Student Union and Activities.
5:30 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
Student Union Building
Student organizations and on-campus departments will host booths of games and activities for a safe trick or treat option for Lubbock children. Costumes are encouraged.
The costume parade begins at 5:45 p.m. and the Tech-or-Treat Halloween Carnival begins at 6 p.m.
There will be appearances by the 2013 Homecoming king and queen, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Contact: Kimberly Simon, (806) 742-4708 or kimberly.simon@ttu.edu.

- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/10/texas-tech-hosts-family-friendly-halloween-events-2/#sthash.lTszHR36.dpuf

From Greek Treat to a costumed ball, there are events for everyone.

• Heritage HalloweenHosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC).
  4 – 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25
  3121 Fourth St.
  The event is free to the public and children can trick-or-treat at the historical structures at the NRHC. Treats will be period-specific for each house.
  Contact: Emily Wilkinson, (806) 742-0498 or emily.wilkinson@ttu.edu.
• Halloween Fright NightHosted by the Texas Tech Volleyball Program, when the Red Raiders take on Baylor.
  3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 2 p.m.
  United Spirit Arena
  All fans, eighth grade and below who wear a costume will receive complimentary admission. A costume contest will take place during the match with winners being selected for best overall, spookiest and most creative costumes. Parking around the arena is free.
  Contact: Dinah Goodson, (806) 834-1402 or dinah.goodson@ttu.edu.
• Halloween Carnival
  Hosted by Phi Alpha Delta.
  3:30 – 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Texas Tech School of Law
  Area families and children are invited for an afternoon of safe fun that includes trick-or-treating, face painting, games and more.
  The event is free, however children must be accompanied by an adult.
  Contact: Andrew Aus, andrew.aus@ttu.edu.
• Pirates & Cowboys Halloween Costume Ball
  Hosted by the Texas Tech Vernacular Music Center, along with the Tech Set Dancers, the Caprock Celtic Association and the Roots Music Institute.
  7 – 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Yoga Bean studio (3135 34^th St.)
  There will be music, hourly prizes for the best costumes, dancing and more. The Cowboys & Pirates Halloween Carnival Ball is intended to provide a safe, creative, drug-, tobacco- and hassle-free environment to enjoy the Halloween holiday.
  Admission is $6 or $5 with a canned food donation.
  Contact: Christopher J. Smith, (806) 742-2270 or christopher.smith@ttu.edu.
• Safetreat
  Hosted by Residence Life at the Texas Tech residence halls.
  6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Candy and activities will be provided in each of the residence hall complexes and “Boo Buses” are available to transport faculty, staff, community members and their families from hall to hall.
  Contact: Bri Cooper, (806) 834-4107 or bri.cooper@ttu.edu.
• Tech-or-Treat
  Sponsored by Texas Tech’s Center for Campus Life, Tech Activities, Greek Life and Student Union and Activities. 5:30 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Student Union Building
  Student organizations and on-campus departments will host booths of games and activities for a safe trick or treat option for Lubbock children. Costumes are encouraged.
  The costume parade begins at 5:45 p.m. and the Tech-or-Treat Halloween Carnival begins at 6 p.m.
  There will be appearances by the 2013 Homecoming king and queen, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
  Contact: Kimberly Simon, (806) 742-4708 or kimberly.simon@ttu.edu.

- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/10/texas-tech-hosts-family-friendly-halloween-events-2/#sthash.lTszHR36.dpuf

• Heritage HalloweenHosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC).
  4 – 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25
  3121 Fourth St.
  The event is free to the public and children can trick-or-treat at the historical structures at the NRHC. Treats will be period-specific for each house.
  Contact: Emily Wilkinson, (806) 742-0498 or emily.wilkinson@ttu.edu.

• Halloween Fright NightHosted by the Texas Tech Volleyball Program, when the Red Raiders take on Baylor.
  3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 2 p.m.
  United Spirit Arena
  All fans, eighth grade and below who wear a costume will receive complimentary admission. A costume contest will take place during the match with winners being selected for best overall, spookiest and most creative costumes. Parking around the arena is free.
  Contact: Dinah Goodson, (806) 834-1402 or dinah.goodson@ttu.edu.

• Halloween Carnival
  Hosted by Phi Alpha Delta.
  3:30 – 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Texas Tech School of Law
  Area families and children are invited for an afternoon of safe fun that includes trick-or-treating, face painting, games and more.
  The event is free, however children must be accompanied by an adult.
  Contact: Andrew Aus, andrew.aus@ttu.edu.

• Pirates & Cowboys Halloween Costume Ball
  Hosted by the Texas Tech Vernacular Music Center, along with the Tech Set Dancers, the Caprock Celtic Association and the Roots Music Institute.
  7 – 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Yoga Bean studio (3135 34^th St.)
  There will be music, hourly prizes for the best costumes, dancing and more. The Cowboys & Pirates Halloween Carnival Ball is intended to provide a safe, creative, drug-, tobacco- and hassle-free environment to enjoy the Halloween holiday.
  Admission is $6 or $5 with a canned food donation.
  Contact: Christopher J. Smith, (806) 742-2270 or christopher.smith@ttu.edu.

• Safetreat
  Hosted by Residence Life at the Texas Tech residence halls.
  6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Candy and activities will be provided in each of the residence hall complexes and “Boo Buses” are available to transport faculty, staff, community members and their families from hall to hall.
  Contact: Bri Cooper, (806) 834-4107 or bri.cooper@ttu.edu.

• Tech-or-Treat
  Sponsored by Texas Tech’s Center for Campus Life, Tech Activities, Greek Life and Student Union and Activities. 5:30 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Student Union Building
  Student organizations and on-campus departments will host booths of games and activities for a safe trick or treat option for Lubbock children. Costumes are encouraged.
  The costume parade begins at 5:45 p.m. and the Tech-or-Treat Halloween Carnival begins at 6 p.m.
  There will be appearances by the 2013 Homecoming king and queen, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
  Contact: Kimberly Simon, (806) 742-4708 or kimberly.simon@ttu.edu.

- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/10/texas-tech-hosts-family-friendly-halloween-events-2/#sthash.KKDmcL0b.dpuf

• Heritage HalloweenHosted by the National Ranching Heritage Center (NRHC).
  4 – 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25
  3121 Fourth St.
  The event is free to the public and children can trick-or-treat at the historical structures at the NRHC. Treats will be period-specific for each house.
  Contact: Emily Wilkinson, (806) 742-0498 or emily.wilkinson@ttu.edu.

• Halloween Fright NightHosted by the Texas Tech Volleyball Program, when the Red Raiders take on Baylor.
  3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, doors open at 2 p.m.
  United Spirit Arena
  All fans, eighth grade and below who wear a costume will receive complimentary admission. A costume contest will take place during the match with winners being selected for best overall, spookiest and most creative costumes. Parking around the arena is free.
  Contact: Dinah Goodson, (806) 834-1402 or dinah.goodson@ttu.edu.

• Halloween Carnival
  Hosted by Phi Alpha Delta.
  3:30 – 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Texas Tech School of Law
  Area families and children are invited for an afternoon of safe fun that includes trick-or-treating, face painting, games and more.
  The event is free, however children must be accompanied by an adult.
  Contact: Andrew Aus, andrew.aus@ttu.edu.

• Pirates & Cowboys Halloween Costume Ball
  Hosted by the Texas Tech Vernacular Music Center, along with the Tech Set Dancers, the Caprock Celtic Association and the Roots Music Institute.
  7 – 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
  Yoga Bean studio (3135 34^th St.)
  There will be music, hourly prizes for the best costumes, dancing and more. The Cowboys & Pirates Halloween Carnival Ball is intended to provide a safe, creative, drug-, tobacco- and hassle-free environment to enjoy the Halloween holiday.
  Admission is $6 or $5 with a canned food donation.
  Contact: Christopher J. Smith, (806) 742-2270 or christopher.smith@ttu.edu.

• Safetreat
  Hosted by Residence Life at the Texas Tech residence halls.
  6 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Candy and activities will be provided in each of the residence hall complexes and “Boo Buses” are available to transport faculty, staff, community members and their families from hall to hall.
  Contact: Bri Cooper, (806) 834-4107 or bri.cooper@ttu.edu.

• Tech-or-Treat
  Sponsored by Texas Tech’s Center for Campus Life, Tech Activities, Greek Life and Student Union and Activities. 5:30 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30
  Student Union Building
  Student organizations and on-campus departments will host booths of games and activities for a safe trick or treat option for Lubbock children. Costumes are encouraged.
  The costume parade begins at 5:45 p.m. and the Tech-or-Treat Halloween Carnival begins at 6 p.m.
  There will be appearances by the 2013 Homecoming king and queen, as well as the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
  Contact: Kimberly Simon, (806) 742-4708 or kimberly.simon@ttu.edu.

- See more at: http://today.ttu.edu/2013/10/texas-tech-hosts-family-friendly-halloween-events-2/#sthash.KKDmcL0b.dpuf

DIY Halloween

Check out these great Halloween decorations that you can make yourself.  Here are ten great decorations that are affordable and fun!  There are outdoor and indoor options that will sure to make your guests enjoy the party.  You can learn more at Money Crashers.

1. Backyard Cemetery

This classic Halloween decoration idea turns your yard into a creepy cemetery. Use reclaimed materials to create a free graveyard. To create your haunted cemetery, cut different shapes out of cardboard and paint them to look like aging tombstones. Once they dry, you can arrange them on the lawn to look like a miniature graveyard.
You can also use the tombstones to denote a haunted pathway for trick-or-treaters. As they approach your front door, they have to pass by the tombstones, making for a thrilling Halloween nighttime walk.
Directions

1. Flatten several shipping boxes.
2. Use a Sharpie to draw tombstone shapes. I made a few rectangular, cross, and oval tombstones to give my graveyard some variety.
3. Cut the shapes out of with a pair of scissors.
4. Paint the shapes a dark grey and allow the paint to dry.
5. Once dry, add on sayings like “R.I.P” to the front of each tombstone. Glue a wood or plastic yard stake to the back of the tombstone and plant it into the ground.

By using real wood, you can partially waterproof the tombstones, so they last for more than one Halloween season. The project works best if you use thin pieces of composite wood, which you can buy at any home improvement store. The thin pieces are easier to cut and stand up better in the grass.
Pro Tip: You can blend white paint onto the edges of the tombstone, or glue on some artificial moss, found at craft stores, to make them look more aged and authentic.

2. Haunted Trees

Make your yard come alive with this spooky craft. If you have trees in your yard, you can use oven-baked clay to give the trees spooky faces. Simply create a pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth for each tree, and attach them to the trunks.
Place a portable radio or speakers near the tree and play your favorite eerie soundtrack to draw even more attention to your haunted trees.
Directions

1. Purchase oven-baked modeling clay, like Fimo or a similar brand. You can buy modeling clay for about $12 a pound online. Buy colored clay, such as green, brown, or black, to give the face more character and to make each face more noticeable.
2. Create basic shapes for the eyes, nose, and mouth. Use a butter knife to carve out more details like eyelids or teeth, and bake them in the oven.
3. Use removable putty or double-sided hanging tape to arrange the face on the tree.

Pro Tip: You can purchase a clay glaze at most craft stores that prolongs the life of thes faces. The glaze adds a protective coating, which keeps them safer in the rain.

3. Reusable Jack o’ Lanterns

Jack o’ lanterns are staple Halloween decorations, but some of us would rather not deal with cutting and carving pumpkins every year. Hobby and craft stores sell artificial pumpkins you can carve and light. Best of all, you can store them for next season.
Directions

1. Purchase an artificial pumpkin from a hobby store. They come in several different shapes, colors, and styles, so pick one you think will look best at your front door.
2. Use an Exacto knife to carve a small hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, and to create a design on the front.
3. After you finish the design, use a small piece of sandpaper to gently sand down any rough edges.
4. Place a small flashlight or electric candle in the bottom to make your design glow, and pop your Jack o’ Lantern on the front porch.
5. If you use small reusable jack o’ lanterns, you can place them in the windows of your home, to cast an eerie light on your front yard.

Pro Tip: If you’re not artistically inclined, you can use a stencil to create a Jack o’ Lantern design. A few websites offer free stencils you can print.
Places to get free Jack o’ Lantern Stencils:

• Celebrating Halloween has a selection of traditional Halloween designs you can print.
• Stoney Kins has an eclectic mixture of stencils, offering everything from Cookie Monster to Humphrey Bogart, and they’re free to print and use.
• Pumpkin Glow has a large selection of “un-Halloween” stencils, which includes everything from commercial icons to famous people.
• Better Homes and Gardens has a large selection of free stencils, ranging from the classics to different breeds of dogs.

4. Coffin Cooler

With a little imagination, and some wood and nails, you can create your own life-sized coffin, which you can use in a dozen different ways. I turned mine into a cooler to hold drinks for an outdoor party. My neighbor used his to create a gravedigger scene in his front yard on Halloween. You can also use your coffin for a spooky planter or as a table during a party.
For Halloween, use the coffin to strike fear into the hearts of your neighbors, by hiding someone inside, who pops out from time to time to spook the older trick-or-treaters. Talk to friends and family members to find free 4×4 boards for this project; someone you know likely has a stack of these boards collecting dust in the garage.
Directions

1. You need seven 4×4 boards, varying in length depending on the size of coffin you want. Two boards make up the sides, one board makes the bottom, and you’ll cut the other four to fit the shape of the coffin.
2. Cut the bottom board into a coffin shape. You can use Google images to get an idea for the design.
3. Cut two boards to fit the length of the coffin. The boards should extend from the first angle on the top to the bottom.
4. Cut two smaller boards so they fit at an angle on each side of the top.
5. Cut the last two boards to fit the top and the bottom.
6. Nail each piece to the bottom board, starting with the sides.
7. Paint the finished product black, brown, or grey to make it look more authentic.

Pro Tip: If you plan to use the coffin as a drink cooler, line the inside with black trash bags. The trash bags help make the coffin more waterproof when the ice starts to melt.

5. Giant Spiders

Spiders fit right into a spooky Halloween theme. You can transform a few black trash bags into a giant spider that fits on your front porch, or up in a tree. You can also make multiple giant spiders and cluster them across the front and sides of your home.
Directions

1. You need nine black trash bags and stuffing such as newspaper, left over packing materials, or even leaves.
2. Fill one trash bag with stuffing and tie it closed to create the spider’s body.
3. Hold the second trash bag on its side and fill the length with stuffing.
4. Wrap the empty bag around the stuffing several times, so that it looks like a spider’s arm, and secure it with a tie. Repeat this for the other seven legs.
5. Use a glue gun to secure the legs to the body.

Pro Tip: You can cut off the bottom of Styrofoam cups and glue them onto the body to make eyes.

Giant Spider – WatsCraft

6. Ghost-Lit Walkway

If you have a collection of milk jugs in your recycling bin, you can create a ghost-lit walkway that your trick-or-treaters will love. Look online to get inspirations for designing your ghosts’ faces. The Scream mask makes an instantly recognizable, scary ghost face that you can easily replicate on your milk jugs.
Directions

1. For this project, you need several milk jugs, some black construction paper, and enough artificial candles to fill the jugs.
2. Wash and dry each milk jug.
3. Once dry, use a knife to cut a small hole in the bottom of each jug.
4. Make ghost faces for each jug by cutting out a pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth from the black construction paper.
5. Turn the jug so that the handle faces the back. Glue the faces onto the front of the jug and place an artificial candle inside.
6. Line the jugs along your walkway and turn the candles on. The jugs light up, illuminating the faces.

Pro Tip: You can also use white Christmas lights to light up the ghosts. Line the ghosts along the pathway, and insert a handful of the string lights inside each jug.

Spirit Jugs – eighteen25

Indoor Halloween Decorations

Indoor decorations are great way to make a Halloween party feel more authentic. In one afternoon, you can turn the inside of your house into an eerie mansion.

7. Floating Hands

You can turn clear plastic gloves into severed hands, and then place them around your house, sneak them into a chip bowl, or even make a garland out of hands. Whenever possible, use a fake hand to shake hands with arriving guests, and then release the hand and feign dismay.
Directions

1. Fill a plastic glove with tissue paper, popcorn, or small shredded paper waste. You can also open up the gloves and fill them with freshly mixed JELL-O, for jiggly, realistic-feeling hand.
2. Tie the open end of the glove with a clear elastic band to secure its contents.
3. If you want to hang your hands, slide a paperclip through one loop of the elastic band.

Pro Tip: You can fill the plastic glove with shredded red scrapbook paper to create a “bloody hand,” or tan or brown scrapbook paper to create a more realistic-looking hand. You can also fill these hands with candy corn to create Halloween-themed treat bags.

Candy Corn Popcorn Hands – Kimbo’s Crafts

8. Halloween Garland

A simple Halloween banner is an artsy and cheap way to add some festive decorations to the inside of your house. Depending on the look you’re going for, you can make your garland eerie or more fall-oriented and cheery.
These instructions focus on making a garland with a message, but you have unlimited options when creating your Halloween garland. String paper pumpkins, ghosts, and vampires to make an eerie garland for your party. Use oversized paper cutouts of candy corn, candies, and popcorn for a garland over the snack table.
Directions

1. Decide on a saying for your garland. For example, you can do a simple “Happy Halloween” or “Trick or Treat.”
2. Select a color palette for the paper. If you want an eerie look, black, red, and green work well. If you want a festive look, brown, orange, red, and purple work nicely.
3. Cut the paper into small squares or triangles, until you have one piece for each letter of your saying.
4. Use paint markers or a sharpie to draw each letter on to the paper.
5. Punch a small hole in the top with a hole punch. Slide a paper clip through each hole.
6. Attach the letters to a long piece of twine.
7. Hang your garland over a doorway or a mantle.

Pro Tip: You can add decorations between each letter block to give the garland more detail. For example, I wrapped artificial spider webs between the letter blocks on my garland.

9. Specimen Jars

With a few leftover glass jars, you can convert a table into a scientist’s lab. By tossing just about anything you can imagine into a glass jar with some food coloring, you can quickly create a cheap Halloween decor piece. Look online for craft ideas for fingers, eyeballs, and other body parts to fill your specimen jars. Make the jars and the rest of your decor seem even creepier by using mood lighting. Turn off overhead lights or switch them out with colored light bulbs, to increase the creepiness factor in your home.
Directions

1. Collect a few glass jars in different sizes, such as mason jars, spaghetti jars, or old baby food containers.
2. Find an object to place in each jar. For example, I popped the head off an old doll and stuck it inside a mason jar.
3. Wash and dry the jar. Place the object inside.
4. Fill the jar with water and drop in two drops of food coloring. The food coloring will make the object look like a specimen at a lab.

Pro Tip: Around the Halloween season, hobby stores sell small, plastic party favors. These party favors, including miniature skeletons, eyeballs, and severed limbs, all work well in specimen jars.

Specimen Jars – Paper Dolls for Boys

10. Flying Bats

With a few pieces of felt and some tape, you can have a gang of bats flying around your living room in no time. You can easily make bats and put them up just about anywhere.

Scariest Places in America

Halloween is right around the corner. Are you a fan of Halloween? Check out these ten places in American that are haunted. Have you been to Hell or Transylvania? There are many little towns with creepy back stories throughout the United States. Keep reading and learn more here.



Tombstone, Arizona
Need a dead rattlesnake for that potion you’re brewing? Tombstone is the place to go! Rattlesnakes and other unusual items can be found in the shops that line the boardwalk on Allen Street, the main drag of “The Town Too Tough to Die.”
The best time to visit is the third weekend of October, when you can take part in Helldorado Days. A disgruntled miner is said to have coined the phrase to describe the life he found in Tombstone – shoveling manure and washing dishes, rather than striking gold as he had dreamed. We suspect even he would enjoy the Helldorado Days Festival, when natives and visitors recreate the grit and glamour of the city’s glory days with Wild West costumes, a reenactment of the O.K. Corral gunfight, street entertainment, and a family-friendly carnival.
Get more information:
Tombstone, Arizona



Tabitha Hawk

Wilder, Kentucky
Looking for a Halloween that’s a little on the wild side? You just may want to head to Wilder, where almost nothing is wilder than Bobby Mackey’s Music World. Locals say it was built on the site of what once was a slaughterhouse. Rumors of grisly murders and tragic suicide help fuel the club’s reputation as the most haunted honky-tonk in America.
The club and its ghosts have been the subject of at least two full-length books and numerous television shows. But even if you come away from Wilder without visiting the infamous Gate to Hell that is said to be in the basement of Bobby Mackey’s club, you’ll have enjoyed an evening of great country music and – dare we say? – “spirited” fun.
Get more information:
Wilder, Kentucky




Mystic, Connecticut
If you’re looking for Halloween fun that’s suitable for young and old alike, there’s more than the ghost of a chance you’ll find just what you want in Mystic. The Nautical Nightmares tour of the Seaport provides tales of ghosts, legends of ghost vessels, and unsolved mysteries. It’s not recommended for kids under the age of 10, but there are plenty of activities for little ones, like the Sights and Frights Tour, specially designed with small children in mind.
Look for other “spook-tacular” area events, as well, like the Haunted Hayrides sponsored by the fire department, and the Haunted Corn Maze at the Nathan Hale House.
Get more information:
Mystic, Connecticut



ArxMortis.com

Killen, Alabama
Down south in the frightful-sounding town of Killen, there’s a Halloween attraction designed to scare even the most stouthearted among us. Arx Mortis is a haunted house that earns rave reviews from visitors, many of whom return year after year. Don’t go with young children – the movie-quality special effects are rated by the owners as PG-13 – but teens who think grisly is good should have a ball. If you should get your fill of chills before the story ends, just take advantage of one of the 23 early-exit options provided.
Get more information:
Killen, Alabama



tinydr

Transylvania, Louisiana
It’s a bloody shame Dracula never made it to this little town, because we bet he would have loved Transylvania the Louisiana way! Though it wasn’t originally named with anything vampire in mind, the town has embraced its moniker, and you’ll find lots of “fangtastic” souvenirs at the General Store.
But what really makes this a town worth sinking your teeth into is the fact that it’s built on ancient Indian burial grounds that date back to 1400 A.D. There are local legends of a guardian ghost that’s half dog, half gargoyle who wanders the burial grounds and some swear that once, an entire house near where the elementary school now stands disappeared in a supernatural storm.
The burial mounds in Transylvania are marked, but rest on private property, so head to nearby Poverty Point to check out mounds that are open to the public.
Get more information:
Transylvania, Louisiana



Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Salem, Massachusetts
Maybe Salem wasn’t always a scary word, but since 1692, it’s been synonymous with witch trials that led to the deaths of 27 innocent men and women—19 were hanged, one was crushed to death with stones piled on his chest, and seven others died in prison. Small wonder that the town reports its share of ghosts and haunted tales.
At Halloween, Salem hosts “America’s biggest Halloween party.” The entire month of October features special events, many of which are suitable even for very young children. With costume balls, face painting and, of course, tours of historical sites, Salem lives up to its self-acclaimed title of Halloween City.
Get more information:
Salem, Massachusetts




Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina
Kill Devil Hills is located on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, part of the shoreline that borders what’s known as The Graveyard of the Atlantic. The sunken hulls of pirate ships and German U-boats alike can be found in these waters, and you can walk where Blackbeard and Captain Kidd themselves walked. In fact, Kill Devil Hills takes its name from its history with pirates: They used to hide barrels of a potent rum in the nearby dunes – rum so strong it was rumored it could kill the devil himself.
When you’ve exhausted the area’s pirate lore, be sure to visit Kitty Hawk next door, along with the site of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s first flight.
Get more information:
Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina




Death Valley Junction, California
Sci-fi master Ray Bradbury and magician Criss Angel are among the celebrities who have stayed at the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in tiny Death Valley Junction, CA. The site is considered by many to be one of the most haunted hotels in the country, and has been featured on the Travel Channels’ Ghost Adventures and The Dead Files. Filmmaker David Lynch even used it as The Lost Highway Hotel in 1997's Lost Highway.
If you’re daring, book one of the hotel’s haunted rooms and spend the night. But even if you just pop by to look around, plan to stay for dinner. The dining room is said to serve especially tasty cheeseburgers.
Get more information:
Death Valley Junction, California



Danielle Lynch

Hell, Michigan
Are you game to spend Halloween with the self-named Hellions of Hell, Michigan? The residents of this small town definitely have a devilishly good sense of humor. The local ice cream parlor is called Screams and is a favorite haunt of locals and visitors alike. You walk through painted flames to enter Hell’s General Store, where you’ll find souvenirs to prove you’ve been to Hell and back. You can even get a diploma from Damnation University – Dam U for short.
If you’re up for a challenge, sign up for the Run Thru Hell, held right before Halloween at nearby Hell Creek Ranch. Proceeds from the race are donated to charity. For something less intense, rent a canoe or kayak and explore Hell’s water trail. Just make sure they give you a paddle.
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Hell, Michigan




Sleepy Hollow, New York
Don’t count on sweet dreams if you visit Sleepy Hollow in October. The home of Washington Irving's infamous Headless Horseman goes all out to offer visitors hair-raising adventure (if that’s what they seek). Horseman Hollow, which is held in the historic Philipsburg Manor, may thrill older visitors, but is likely too intense for young children. The Haunted Hayride wending its way through the hollow is more appropriate family fare, and may still provide a glimpse of the legendary Horseman.
Everyone, regardless of age, can enjoy the fall activities at Sunnyside, where Washington Irving lived. Storytellers roam the grounds, and there are colonial games to try, as well as hot cider and doughnuts. After the sun sets, head to neighboring Croton-on-Hudson to see the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze, where more than 5,000 carved pumpkins illuminate the night.
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Sleepy Hollow, New York

Budget Living Tips

Are you living on a budget?   Check out these great tips to save on your budget week by week!  These tips will help you have a great semester at Texas Tech University.  This will also help you save money for apartment expenses and splurges!  You can learn more at Kiplinger.

--Keep your budget and your goals simple. What is the one thing that you most want to accomplish? See where your money is going? Pay off credit card debt? Find spare cash to start a college fund for the kids? Zeroing in on your main objective will help you stay on course.

--Know your plastic personality. Do you prefer using a debit card or a credit card? Each has its advantages (and disadvantages), and there’s no right or wrong answer for everyone, as long as you know which suits your spending habits.

--Don’t discount cash. Along with debit cards, hard currency has gained fans post-recession because it literally helps you stay in touch with your spending -- when it’s gone, it’s gone. In fact, studies show that when no physical currency changes hands, consumers are likely to spend more and have less sense of buyer’s remorse.

--Limit your trips to the ATM. To make sure you don’t lose track of all that cash, make just one ATM withdrawal per week, and make your money last till the next time. Another trick: Pay with the small bills first; it’s painful to break the big ones.

--Track your spending. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming, and you don’t have to do it indefinitely. Tracking it even for a month or two should be enlightening. Use your debit and credit card statements as guides, and toss cash receipts into a container in your kitchen or office.

--Pinpoint the one area where you’re leaking cash. Maybe it’s restaurant meals, the computer store or, as in the case of a friend of mine, something as mundane as dry-cleaning bills. My friend habitually neglected to hang up her suits after work, so she was racking up a big tab sending them to the cleaners to have them pressed.

--Use any budgeting tool that works for you. It could be one of the top budgeting Web sites, such as Mint.com, an Excel spreadsheet, or even paper and pencil. And don’t dismiss that old standby, the envelope system: Divvy up your cash, and put the amount for each expense into a separate envelope.

--Give yourself a grace period to pay your bills. This trick comes courtesy of the father of one of my co-workers, who makes it a habit to pay his bills ten days in advance of when they’re actually due. He’s always on time, and never incurs a late fee.

--Don’t shop alone. If you lack self-discipline, go with a list, a plan, a buddy -- anything that will make it tougher for you to spend impulsively. And leave the credit or debit card at home, or carry a limited amount of cash. I once interviewed a self-employed young woman who carried an American Express card that she paid off every month and left her other credit cards with her accountants. “If I want to use one, they ask me if I really want to spend the money. That makes me stop and think.”

--Be positive. Don’t think of a budget as a straitjacket that limits your spending and takes the joy out of life. Think of it as a way to control small expenses now so that you can buy bigger stuff -- and have more fun -- in the future. Allow yourself a little splurge. If you decide to brown-bag your lunch at work, treat yourself to a fast-food Friday.