Halloween Gifts
by Diana W
www.giftbasketforall.com

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31.  It is a fun holiday when children will dress in their favorite costumes and go out trick-or-treating for candies.  This article examines the origin of Halloween, and provides some ideas for Halloween gifts.

Halloween has its origin in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain.  The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and may be regarded as as the Celtic New Year.  The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundary between the alive and the dead disappeared, and the dead became dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops.  Costumes and masks were worn at the festival to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.

The name "Halloween" is shortened from All Hallows' Eve as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", which is now known as All Saints' Day. Although All Saints's Day now occurs one day after Halloween, the Celts started every day at sunset of the night before.  Hence Samhain became "the evening of All Hallows". 

Traditional activities for Halloween include costume parties, carving pumpkins to make Jack-o-lanterns (carved pumpkin lit by a candle inside), reading scaring stories. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. 

Traditional characters of Halloween include ghosts, witches, vampires, bats, black cats, goblins, skeletons, pumpkin-man, scarecrow and fictional figures like Dracula. Halloween gifts often include one of these characters for the festivities.

Halloween gifts include the following categories: Jack-O-Lantern gift baskets (or other variations); gift boxes; gift bags; care packages; candy cake; plush black cats.

One great way to send your good wishes to your trick or treaters is to send them a Halloween gift basket.  Most Halloween gift baskets have a Jack-O-Lantern container since Jack-O-Lantern is the symbol of Halloween. A popular gift basket includes candy corn (popular Halloween candy) and other Halloween candies, plush black cat dressed as a witch, pumpin carving kit for recipients to make Jack-O-Lantern, flash light for safety during trick-or-treating. This gift is truly a must have for Halloween!

Another version of Halloween gift basket comes with plenty of treats, and a Halloween puzzle for the kids. For more drammatic presetation, you can send a Count Dracula gift basket. This basket consists of a plush black bear dressed as Dracula holding on to his favorite chocolate covered pumpkins. The basket also contains many other treats, including Bat Bits of yogurt pretzels, munchies, bubble gums, shortbread cookies, chocolate toffees and peanut butter pretzel nuggets. This gift basket is sure to bring everyone into the Halloween spirit.

For your college students and loved ones away from home, sending them a Haloween care package or gift box will remind them of the fun of Halloween while they were at home. A popular care package consists of a 14" black cat in a pumpkin outfit and lots of all-American favorite Halloween treats in a trick-or-treat bag. Inside the bag are candy corn, chocolate ghosts, microwave buttern popcorn, M & M's, Reese's Halloween peanut butter filled pumpkin, and foil wrapped Halloween candies. Sending the care package is a good way to let your recipients know you care about them.

You can also leave a gift tote on your neighbors door step to share the Halloween spirit, put it on a coworkers desk at work or send it to your favorite goblin far away. Inside the boo bag is a plush ghost, miniature marshmallow pumpkins, whoppers candies, Reese's peanut butter cup, Hershey's miniature candy treats bags, Oreo miniature cookies, and 2 pc creepy crawlers gummy worms.

Alternatively, you can send a Halloween candy cake.  The candy cake is a collection of candy pumpkins, chocolate fudge filled ghosts, Twix bars, Reese's Halloween pumpkins, miniature chocolates, ghost peeps, candy corn filled coffins, and miniature Hershey's candy bars.

A popular Halloween gift bag is a gift bag filled with Trick or treats Halloween candies, marshmallow Peeps ghosts, Halloween glow stick, Hershey miniature candy bar, Kit Kat miniature candy bar, miniature snickers bars, miniature Oreo cookies, Hershey's miniature candy treats, Act II Halloween microwave popcorn, and potions bottle or skull with powdered candy. An adorable Halloween teddy bears is dressed as a witch and ready to fly away and deliver the delicious treats to your special goblin.

Every little witch dreams of creating hexes and potions. Fill their wish this Halloween with a Potions & Hexes Gift Box. Inside the black gloss gift box are microwave popcorn, potions bottle w/nerds, miniature Hershey bars, Reese's peanut butter cup, 2 bags of fun shapes Jacks & Bats pretzels, marshmallow ghosts, halloween candy corn, Act II microwave popcorn, and Act II popcorn ball.

A singing plush black cat is another great gift.  This Spooky Little Cat has prepared his own version of the pop hit "Spooky Little Cat Like You" for your listening pleasure. Ghosts, ghouls and goblins alike will love this lively tune and this spooky kitty! Treat yourself or your favorite spooky little people to this Spooky Little Cat!

In summary, the focus of Halloween is on fun activities and candy treats. Send a Halloween gift basket, care package, gift box, or even a singing black cat to your favorite trick-or-treaters, and they will always remember the fun and love that you share.