October 29, 2009 - 1:03pm

High-tech Halloween ideas

Now that Halloween is upon us, it’s time to get into the spirit of things. While annual events like Halloween are steeped with tradition, there is also room for some new ideas. Here, some ways to add a high-tech twist to your Halloween fun.

Lighting
With the relatively recent availability of commercial LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), there are new options to longtime Halloween decor. LEDs are very small, bright, efficient lights that can be used in many ways to add more fun and ensure safety to your spooky night.

Instead of using a candle in your jack-o-lantern, get a LED instead. They come in all different colours (not just white), can be set to stay on or flash, and some models can even flicker to create a candle effect. The best part is they give off no heat so they are safe for kids to install and turn on. Expect to spend $5 to $10 at most hardware and party stores.

Pumpkin lighting isn’t limited to just inside the jack-o-lantern, use a strobe light and/or a black light to create cool effects outside the pumpkin and surrounding area. A strobe is a very bright light that pulses while black lights are those purple fluorescent tubes that make lighter colours glow in the dark.

For years I’ve been using a strobe and black light outside my home to light up the pumpkins and the walkway up to the house. It always gets a great reaction from the kids.
Strobe: $30 at most hardware stores. Black light: $45. Avoid the cheap, incandescent black light bulbs - they don’t work well at all.

Pumpkin Gutting
While carving pumpkins is fun, the part I always hate is hollowing the guts out. Every year, it’s the same gucky process: newspaper laid out across the kitchen table, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, apron on. Such a mess! Fear not this holiday - Pumpkin Gutter to the rescue!