Halloween happenings in and around Dutton and Jackson county

It’s time for spooks and spirits and things that go bump in the night (probably looking for the last Snickers bar in the Treat bag)! Halloween began with the ancient Celts, who considered October 31 the last day of the year. On that night, they believed the spirits of the dead would roam the Earth. As a way to protect themselves during this spooky time, the living would hold a feast, visiting neighbors for contributions of food (hey, any excuse for a party).

We can thank the Irish for the jack-o-lantern, too. They used to carve turnips and place a small candle inside to keep evil spirits from their home on All Hallow’s Eve. When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered pumpkins were much easier to carve.

Halloween has become second only to Christmas in spending. We’ll drop 2.5 billion this year – which is a lot of Milk Duds. But whether you go all out with a front-yard display that rivals Disney’s Haunted Mansion, or keep it simple with a single pumpkin in the window, remember to watch out for ghoulies and ghosties in your neighborhood!

Last-Minute Costume Ideas

Static Cling
Wear a solid color, like all white or all black. With safety pins, pin anything from socks, to underwear, even dryer sheets, all over yourself. For extra-“static,” use hairspray to put your hair on end.

Crash Test Dummy (Post-Crash)
Don a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Cover yourself with pieces of masking tape, bandages, fake blood – and a seatbelt made of webbing and an old buckle.

Skunk
Wear all black (a black leotard and tights is perfect) and put a white tape stripe down the back.

Halloween Safety Tips

· Welcome Trick-or-Treaters with porch lights and all exterior lights turned on.
· Set a time limit for your kids to "trick-or-treat" and designate a specific route for them to take. Also, feed the kids before they go so they’ll be less likely to scarf their treats before they get home (well, one can hope).
· Chocolate is poisonous to many animals, so keep candy away from pets.
· Keep pets in a separate room during trick-or-treat hours; people in strange garb can be scary.
· When driving, be extra-alert for excited kids, whose vision may be obscured by masks.

Haunted Houses

Atrox Factory
1104 Parkway Drive
Leeds,AL 35094
http://www.atroxfactory.com

The Haunted
351 1st Street SW
Alabaster,AL 35007
http://www.thehaunted.net

Evil House of Horror
70 County Road 252
Trenton, AL 35774
256-783-5073 or 256-783-1091
http://www.geocities.com/v2vfdevilhouseofhorror/index.html

Graystone Manor
4051 Highway 72
Killen, AL
256-757-7000
http://www.graystonemanor.net/home.html

Greenville Haunted Firehouse
334-382-9529
http://www.greenvillehauntedfirehouse.com

Old Burleson Asylum
305 College Street NorthEast
Hartselle, AL 35640
http://www.oldburlesonasylum.com/

Sloss Fright Furnace
20 32nd Street North
Birmingham, AL 35222
http://www.frightfurnace.com/

Halloween Parade

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church PreSchool
3775 Crosshaven Drive
Birmingham, AL 35243
http://www.ssepreschool.org/

Trick or Treat

Halloween Trick or Treat
3101 Burritt Drive
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-536-2882
http://www.burrittonthemountain.com/

Trick-or-Treat on the Rails to Trails
City of Valley
20 Fob James Drive
P.O. Box 186
Valley, AL 36854
334-756-3131 or 334-756-4922
http://www.cityofvalley.com