A Season of Halloween Fun has Just Begun!

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     October, the month of Halloween is a wonderful time of year when everything from spooky to cool to pretty is all more than appropriate. There's more to it than just Halloween Paintbrushes and gross foods from the Alien Aisha Vending Machine, so I urge you to get involved this year and adopt the Halloween spirit in a new way like you never have before!

     I have an (albeit slightly annoying) Halloween Meepit here and he will ask me some questions on your behalf.

     What in the world even is the Halloween spirit?

     Thank you little Meepit, I'm glad you asked. Well, Halloween is a time for us to celebrate the exploration of the unusual, or the extreme and to take pride in adopting an aesthetic that we may not otherwise. For example, my little Meepit, you may borrow a silly oversized crown from a Royal Meepit friend (and maybe lose the eyeliner) and suddenly, you get to be someone else for the night!

     What if I like being scary?

     Then be even more scary! Be whoever your heart desires. Dress up like a Mutant Meepit, or maybe even a Halloween Rock. Do what you'd like, whatever your little Meepit brain can come up with!

     I have decided I am going to be a Mutant Meepit! So once I've chosen a costume, what else can I do to celebrate?

     Well, that is a great question. Your little paws may not be cut out for this but Neopian readers may like to consider establishing a themed collection of items for their gallery. Now I urge you to consider that a Halloween collection does not necessarily need to be all pumpkin Neggs and candy corn, it could be an action-themed gallery or a fairy tale one. Spooky and scary galleries are excellent but are not the only way to celebrate Halloween. Formulate something specific and your array of items will tell your story.

     I don't like this gallery talk, what about us Neopets and Petpets, what can we do to celebrate?

     Well, this isn't exclusive to the season of Halloween but what would be more thematic than sending a Petpet to venture into the catacombs. Sending a Petpet down with nothing but the skin on their back (and perhaps a poorly fitted Mutant Meepit costume) for them to tiptoe among the curses and bring you back some treasures is an awfully festive way to celebrate the spooky season. Although Grave Danger may seem dangerous, Petpets’ immunity to curses means that they'll definitely be okay! (probably)

     I shouldn't have asked, that sounds terrifying. How about the Neopets, how can they get into the Halloween spirit?

     Costumes are a great place to start, what better excuse to completely change a Neopet’s look. An immersive background and a few wearables is sometimes all it takes for a complete transformation!

     Beyond that, perhaps a visit to Count Von Roo for some games of Deadly Dice is a fitting way to spend your time, rolling a couple of dice for your Pet’s fate (well, they’ll be okay... probably).

     It's also a perfect time for Neopets across Neopia to snack on some candies and try some new unique foods that they've never had before! Some Disgruntled Candy Corn? Yum! A Mini Meatball? Yes, please. Raspberry Neocola? Delicious. Flaming Hot Custard? Get me a plate of that. If getting to be whoever they want wasn't already exciting enough for your Neopet, they will be overjoyed with the delicious flavours of Tropical Fruit Smoothie, Pickled Leeches or the simply delicious taste of a Mango.

     Is there anything else we can look forward to for Halloween?

     Well, my little Meepit, you may also go trick-or-treating in Neopia, and everyone is welcome to do so! Most years, select citizens across Neopia tend to hand out bags to all Neopians who come to see them, so be sure to give some of your favourite Neopians a visit and maybe even collect your very own spooky prizes.

     Cool! So… some readers may like to know, what are the themes they can adopt for their galleries and costumes?

     Look at you, thinking of the readers! (for once)

     The beauty of Halloween is the opportunity to be creative. There are endless possibilities and that is part of the joy of choosing something unique and exciting! However, how you go about this may vary. Do you know what juxtaposition is my little friend?

     Juxtaposition? Sounds like something from the Fruit Machine.

     Juxtaposition is making a point of contrast, purposely using the contrast of two things together to make a statement. Some Halloween themes or costumes may choose to juxtapose expectations of a given Pet, for example, giving Faerie wearables and a tutu to a scary Mutant Grundo.

     Juxtaposition is a powerful tool in themes and costumes and the use of contrast or comparison of two themes could really add depth to your Halloween themes and costumes!

     So kind of like if I was to dress up like a Faerie?

     Exactly! Or if a Faerie Meepit was to dress up as you! How horrifying.

     Thank you. Just like my mamma used to say, gotta knock ‘em scared and make ‘em squeak!

     You’re a weird one. Did you have anything else to ask me?

     Oh yes, one last thing, what day even is Halloween?

     Oh yes, Halloween is on the 31st of October which this year is a Tuesday! But remember you do not need to limit your celebration to this day alone, many Neopians will enjoy engaging in the themes and practices of Halloween all month long, so keep an eye out for them.

     Thank you my Meepit friend for joining me and thanks to all the readers who are here with us, I hope you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and excitement! Happy Halloween!

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     Thank you to everybody who enjoyed my last article in The Neopian Times Issue 992: What Petpet is best for you and why it's a Slorg: 10 reasons why it's time to Sprinkle some Slorg Flakes, and a special thank you to all the Neopians who reached out via Neomail, I really appreciate all the support and it made me happy to hear that you enjoyed reading it. Have a wonderful week!