News in Brief
posted October 31, 2002 / updated October 20, 2003

Etc...

What to wear?

Each year, the Home Sewing Association, based in New York, comes out with a Top 10 list of Halloween costume ideas.

Top 10 Halloween themes for 2002

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Blasts from the Past
Fun In Numbers
Add a Twist
Singing Sensations
Real Life, Real Heroes
Superheroes
Traditional Takes
Fabulous Fantasies
Americana
Mystical

Top 10 Halloween costume ideas for 2001

Wizards a la Harry Potter
Witches
Rock stars (Britney or J. Lo)
Professional sports figures
A uniform of your own
Super heroes and action figures
Historical influences (Henry VIII, Cleopatra)
Vampy and Sultry (movie "Moulin Rouge")
Western wear
Animals

The Top 10 themes for Halloween 2000

Broadway shows
Film characters
Television stars
Exotic and ethnic
Mystical
Wizards and sorcerers
Historical dress
Vintage dress
Classic fairy tale characters
'A little bit of Glam'

Predictions from 1999:

"Austin Powers" and mod '60s fashion
"Star Wars" characters
Pokemon
Elizabethan/Renaissance
Tarzan and Jane
Batman and other superheroes
Wrestlers and mythical warriors
Racecar drivers and athletes
Witches, devils, angels, and princesses
Animals and insects for toddlers

Predictions from 1998:

Mulan
Spice Girls
Zorro
South Park characters
Teletubbies
Cinderella
Beanie Babies
Titanic-era dresses
Toy soldiers / military men
Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

Source: Home Sewing Association (www.sewing.org)

Tips for a safe night of Halloween trick-or-treating

Keeping warm may be a prime concern for young trick-or-treaters and accompanying adults in sections of the US where the forecast is for a rainy night with temperatures near freezing. But for Halloween celebrants wherever they may be across the country, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued the following safety tips:

Send children out with flashlights, and affix reflective tape to their costumes to help drivers see them after dark

Don't dress children in oversize footwear or costumes that drag the ground

Ensure that costumes, masks, and wigs are made of flame-resistant materials

Masks, hats, etc., should allow adequate ventilation and should not obstruct vision

Wings, swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material

Keep candle-lit jack-o-lanterns away from curtains, other flammable decorations, and the paths of trick-or-treaters

Use only safety-tested lights; do not overload extension cords

A parent or other responsible adult should examine all treats before a child eats them

– Associated Press


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