Looking for another twist on an elf costume for our contest? Have a green thumb, or an itch to travel? A jolly garden gnome might be for you! These petite pranksters are closely related to elves, and are often shown with white beards, wearing pointy red hats, tunics, and belts. Similar to another jolly old fellow! However, a gnome will most likely carry props like gardening tools, a pipe, or a bindle! Photo courtesy of [...]

No, we’re not jumping ahead to St Patrick’s Day! Leprechauns are another relative of elves and can make either a tame or scary Halloween costume! These Irish elves have been made famous by the poet Yeats, Lucky Charms, and horror movies. They’re usually tiny, temperamental creatures that spend their lives trying to find that pot of gold. Well, if you haven’t had any luck with that, enter the costume contest – winning a pot of chocolate [...]

Loveable and loyal house-elves, like Dobby in Harry Potter, are super easy and creative characters for our elf costume contest, especially for fans of the book! They might look a bit grotesque, but they’re often sweet and gentle in nature. Not only that, they’re powerful! Gifted with magic to help them perform tasks, they’re treated like beloved pets or dolls by their masters. Because they wear makeshift clothing made out of rags, anyone can find [...]

If you’re in the mood for a more fashionable and feminine Halloween costume to enter into our Elf Costume Contest, a wood elf might be just the choice for you! These beautiful, immortal maidens date back to the beginnings of Greek mythology, and often have strong ties to nature. Do your powers lie in rivers or trees? Or are they closer to electric guitar or apple pie? There are endless ways to design your costume, [...]

Photo and recipe courtesy of mattbites We’ve all seen the ubiquitous candied apple plenty of times, but these shiny specimens will make you look twice! With a twig holder and glass-like coating of syrup, these apples are straight from a fairy tale! A little gothic, a little whimsical, and very gorgeous as a centerpiece! Their shiny vibrant colors are best left plain, without the extra adornment of candy or nuts. Light-colored apples (Granny Smith, Golden [...]

Image and recipe from Serious Eats The folks at Cakespy incorporate everything you could possibly want into one blog – delicious original recipes, gorgeous photography and illustrations, bakery reviews, witty prose, and enough sugar to supply a candy factory! Head Spy Jessie O recently uncracked some of the mystery behind the most traditional Halloween treat – candy corn! She’s whipped up a delicious homemade recipe that looks and tastes better than the store-bought version, which [...]

Calling all Santa’s helpers! We’re holding our first costume contest at Elfster, and what better theme to kick it off other than the hardworking, ever-cheery elf? Take a picture of you or someone you know wearing an Elf costume, and send it to us! Upload it or email it before November 7, 2009. The winner with the most creative costume will be featured on the blog and win the equivalent of his or her elf [...]

Dia de los Muertos Chocolate Skulls Photo courtesy of Sahagun Handmade Chocolates These bittersweet chocolate skulls may be too nice to eat yourself, but they’d make the perfect decoration or gift! Limited Edition Jones Soda Halloween Cans Photo courtesy of Jones Soda This last one can only be found at Target, but it was too cool to leave out! The new flavors include Lemon Drop Dead, Spooookiwi, Candy Corn, and Buried Pomegranate!

Whether you’re looking for the perfect sugary fix for the trick-or-treater who has everything, or a show-stopper dessert for your Halloween party, you’ll sure be impressed by these gourmet goodies! Here are some of the cutest, tastiest treats we’ve found – and all can be shipped to your house in days! Marzipan Figurines Photo and courtesy of Dean & Deluca We’re still not sure when that marzipan craving will hit, but Dean & Deluca bring [...]

Pumpkin Centerpiece Photos and instructions courtesy of Country Living Define your basket and handle design with masking tape, then cut out the two wedges with a sharp paring knife. Remove seeds and pulp with an ice cream paddle or a scoop. OXO kitchen tools offer a comfortable grip. Peel off the masking tape, and place a water-saturated block of floral foam inside the pumpkin. Insert flower stems into the foam, creating contrasts in texture and [...]