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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Fun Halloween trick for your neighbors!
Want to create a little Halloween magic for your kids and your neighbors? Hop on the “Phantom Ghost” train!
To get the holiday spirit flowing among our pals, every year a few weeks before Halloween, my kids and I sneak through the shadows and perform a pumped-up version of “ding-dong-ditch.” Our two “victims” get a bucket of treats and get the chance to further the cause by spreading their own brand of spookiness to two more friends. Then they’ll boo two friends. And so on and so on, just like the Faberge Organic shampoo commercials of yore.
I don’t know where or when this tradition started, but I aim to help keep it alive. The kids really look forward to the activity. We even go shopping the day after Halloween to pick up bargains for next year’s boo-ing and tuck them away with our Halloween decorations so we know just where to find them.
Here’s what to do:
— First, head on down to your favorite discount store and grab up some ghoulish goodies: ghost Peeps, pumpkin pencils, scary stickers, candy corn candles — the possibilities are endless. You can assemble quite a stash for as little as $5 if you shop wisely. Also pick up two holiday containers of any kind, maybe reusable plastic buckets or even trick-or-treat bags. Use your imagination!
— Next, Google the “Phantom Ghost” to find a (semi-cheesy) rhyme explaining the game. Print two copies, one for each container. Here’s the letter I used this year:
The Phantom Ghost has come to town, To leave you some goodies, I see you have found. If you do not wish a curse to fall, Continue this greeting, this Phantom’s call.
First, post this Phantom where it can be seen, And leave it there until Halloween. This will scare other Phantoms who may visit. Be sure to participate, you don’t want to miss it!
Second, make two treats & two copies of this Ghost with a grin. Deliver them to two neighbors where this Phantom hasn’t been. Don’t let them see you, be sneaky, no doubt … And make sure they put their Phantom Ghost out!
You have only one day to act, so be quick! Leave it at doors where the Phantom hasn’t hit. Deliver at dark when there isn’t much light … Ring the doorbell and run, and stay out of sight!!
And last, but not least, come join in the season. Don’t worry, be happy, you need no good reason. This is all in good fun and we are just trying to say… HAPPY HALLOWEEN AND HAVE A GREAT DAY
— Then have the kids draw a picture of a happy ghost; copy it and stick one in each bucket along with a letter and some treats.
— Choose your victims carefully: Make sure you pick a family you think will do their duty to keep the game going.
— Now the fun part: At dusk, creep up to your friends’ door and DING-DONG-DITCH! (I usually park a few doors down and let the kids do the ditching then dart to the car under cover of darkness. When they were younger, I got to do the dirty deed.)
Maybe we’re just easily amused, but we get a kick out of walking around the neighborhood to see where our “ghosts” have traveled.
So hurry up and get to the store and start your own chain of ghouls!
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