Category: Holidays Page 9 of 13

Stories about the occasions that matter most.

8 Easy, Witty Halloween Costume Ideas

On October 30, 2018

Falling behind with your Halloween preparations this year? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some easy adult Halloween costume ideas you can create in a jiffy on the day of your party.

Need something for your kids, too? Check out our last-minute Halloween costume ideas for children!

Twin Up With This Dancing Emoji Costume

Grab your best friend, pick up a pair of bunny ears, and dress in black for a couple’s costume that’s truly symbolic of your friendship.

Have A Taste Of This Quick-Thinking Breadwinner Costume

If you’re busy hustlin’ and bustlin’, you’ve probably got no time to stitch up a spectacular costume for your party. Don’t worry though—your true friends will understand. But if you really need a costume, here’s an easy one you can pull together in less than five minutes. It doesn’t hurt that you can eat the bread when the party’s done, either!

Put A Fun Twist On A Basic Hawaiian Costume

Want to go as your favorite childhood drink, but don’t have time to take on an arts and crafts project? Get a hula skirt, a lei, and a pair of boxing gloves together and dress up as Hawaiian Punch!

Try Something Different With This Ingenious Identity Thief Costume

Dress in black, don a mask, and get people to write their names on name tags that they can stick on all over your shirt. No one wants to be a victim of identity theft, but we guarantee they’ll gladly hand over their names (and maybe even their numbers…) to help create this witty Halloween costume.

Go Wild and Dress Up In A Party Animal Costume

This one’s both easy and entertaining—perfect for that Halloween party you totally forgot about. Just dress up in your fanciest threads and sip on some bubbly all night long while rocking a face mask of your favorite animal. If you find your outfit too formal for the occasion, simply tone it down by making animal sounds all night long.

Stay Warm With This Pig In A Blanket Costume

Trick (or treat) your friends into thinking you didn’t forget about their Halloween party with this last-minute costume idea. This one is easy and practical—because you won’t be caught shivering in the cool autumn breeze if you’re toting a blanket. Talk about a prize-winning outfit!

Serve Some Laughs With This Delivery Boy Costume

Make an entrance and be everyone’s favorite party guest by dressing up as a pizza delivery boy! Just make sure your box actually has pizza in it (but it better not have pineapples!).

Dress Cool In An Ice Cream Cone Costume

Not into pizza? How about dressing as an ice cream cone? Don a frothy white frock and a brown cone hat, and add some sprinkles by sticking brightly colored bits of paper all over your dress.

Don’t forget to take lots of pictures of your easy Halloween costume! Display them on your Nixplay frame so you’ll always have your favorite memories of the holiday at your fingertips. Don’t have a Nixplay frame yet? Shop online today! No tricks, all treats—just the way it should be.

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

nixplay blog halloween celebrations picture perfect ways to celebrate halloween

7 Picture-Perfect Ways To Celebrate Halloween

By Mars Salazar

On October 25, 2018

In Holidays

Halloween’s almost here: The one date on the calendar when you can literally be anything you want to be, whether that’s a princess, a ghoul, a unicorn, or your favorite cartoon character. with everyone bringing their creative A-game, not having a camera during this occasion is a major no-no. Below, we list some of the most picture-perfect events of the season. Read on!

1. Throw a Halloween party

Why wait for an invite to a party when you can throw your own bash? Decorate your home in orange and black (plus some spiderwebs), mix up some bloody good drinks, and cook some scary-looking treats to get your friends and family in the mood for a killer time.

2. Go trick-or-treating

Halloween wouldn’t be complete without some trick-or-treating! Gather the kids, dress them up in their favorite costumes, and brace yourself for a spooktacular night of candy collecting.

3. Dress up your pet

You may have planned your Halloween ensemble months in advance, but have you considered also decking out your cat or dog in its own costume? Your fur baby will be absolutely adorable dressed up as a hot dog bun, don’t you think?

4. Go all out with the pumpkins

Nothing spells Halloween like a generous sprinkling of pumpkins! Visit a pumpkin patch with the kids, and take home a few to carve. Take photos of your jack-o’-lanterns and display them on your Nixplay Frame (Psst: You can get up to 20% off until November 4!).

5. Celebrate out of town

This year, why not celebrate Halloween in a different city or country for a change of scenery? It’ll be fun to see how different cultures celebrate the holiday. Here are some places for your consideration!

6. Visit a haunted house

What’s Halloween without a good scarefest? Make your way to a haunted house and try to get through all the rooms without screaming. Extra points if you dare visit in the evening!

7. Visit an amusement park

For screams and thrills of another kind, a trip to a nearby amusement park would suffice. Some parks, like Disneyland and Universal Studios, go all out during Halloween with special themed events like haunted houses, special concerts, and zombie runs.

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

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5 Spooktacular Places For A Picture-Perfect Halloween

By Mars Salazar

On October 19, 2018

In Holidays

Still deciding on where to celebrate this Halloween? This handy guide should get you started.

Tokyo, Japan

Photo by Cat Fish Club / CC BY 2.1 JP

Halloween in Japan is a vibrant spectacle, with several celebrations across the country. Tokyo’s Kawasaki Halloween Parade, where you can march through the streets dressed in the most elaborate costumes, is the biggest of them all. If you’re in the city on the last weekend of October, don’t miss it!

Oaxaca, Mexico

Photo by Eduardo Robles Pacheco / CC BY 2.0

The Mexican city of Oaxaca celebrates Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1 and 2. It’s not the rambunctious, spooky festival most people associate Halloween with. Rather, it’s a 3,000-year-old tradition of paying tribute to loved ones who have passed away, marked by cemetery visits and overflowing food and drinks.

Transylvania, Romania

Photo by Todor Bozhinov / CC BY-SA 4.0

Transylvania is the location of Dracula, probably the most famous vampire tale in history. It’s a fitting setting with its dense forests and medieval castles, one of which was the home of Vlad the Impaler, one of the most notorious monarchs of the Ottoman empire. What better place to celebrate the most haunted day of the calendar than the hometown of the man Dracula was based on?

Corinaldo, Italy

Corinaldo is a well-preserved medieval town located in Italy’s Le Marche region. It’s a lovely place to visit, with its churches, museums, and historical buildings. But every October, this charming locale becomes the “Italian capital of horror,” marking the holiday with the annual Feast of the Witches carnival.

Salem, Massachusetts

Photo by Robert Linsdell / CC BY 2.0

Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of US history (or anyone immersed in pop culture) knows that the town of Salem in Massachusetts is one of the best places in the country to celebrate a goosebump-inducing Halloween. Step back into the past to visit the city’s haunted houses and historical attractions, then ramp up your celebration in the evening by attending one of the many parties and activities in the city.

Wherever you end up this Halloween, don’t forget to take lots of photos and display them on your Nixplay Frame! Take advantage of our Halloween offer and get up to 20% off all Nixplay 13-inch frames, only until November 4. Don’t miss out on the Halloween fun!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

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5 Fun Ways To Celebrate Oktoberfest

By Mars Salazar

On October 1, 2018

In Holidays

Oktoberfest may be synonymous with beer, but there’s more to this German festival than pilsner-fueled revelry! Here are some great ways to join in the merrymaking—alcohol completely optional.

Dine at a German restaurant.

Oktoberfest is the perfect time to explore German cuisine. Fill up with your favorite German grub like pretzels, spätzle, currywurst, sauerkraut, and schnitzel. Wash it down with your favorite bier for a great time.

Attend an Oktoberfest celebration.

Oktoberfest is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the world. Several major cities throw their own parties, with the original Oktoberfest in Munich topping the list. You don’t even have to be a beer drinker to have fun as most celebrations have attractions like live music, carnival games, parades, and more. Check out some Oktoberfest celebrations here!

Tour a beer brewery.

Mankind has been brewing beer since time immemorial. Learning what goes into your favorite ale would be a great way to spend an afternoon. This is an activity that even non-drinkers would enjoy!

Learn some German words.

Celebrate Oktoberfest the practical way by brushing up on your German, starting with “O’Zapft is” (“it is tapped”), the phrase traditionally used to start the festivities. Go beyond “Guten Tag” and “Danke,” and impress everyone by knowing the difference between a “Pilsner” (a light, hoppy beer) and a “Schwarzbier” (a dark malted lager). Don’t forget to toast to your friends’ health by saying “Prost!”

Take lots of photos!

Document your Oktoberfest experience by snapping all the photos you can take! Display your images on your Nixplay Seed 8” Wi-Fi Digital Frame so you can always look back at the fun times you had. Get up to 25% off on your Nixplay Seed 8”, only until October 9!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

Friends with giant pretzels in Bavarian beer tent for nixplay oktoberfest promo

6 Oktoberfest Celebrations Around The World

By Mars Salazar

On September 21, 2018

In Holidays

No doubt about it: Oktoberfest is one of the world’s most enjoyable festivals. Several days of games, dancing, live performances, and an unending supply of good food and beer—what more could a mere mortal wish for?

That said, here’s a list of some of the biggest Oktoberfest celebrations around the world. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures to capture the Oktoberfest spirit! Display them on your Nixplay Seed 8” so you can always look back at the fun times you had. Get up to 25% off on your Nixplay Seed 8”, only from September 24 to October 9!

1. Munich, Germany

Date: September 22 to October 7, 2018
The Germans don’t joke around when it comes to beer. This is especially evident in the city of Munich, which is known for throwing the grandest Oktoberfest celebration in the world. Munich will be celebrating their 185th Oktoberfest this 2018, and you can expect the festivities to be grander than ever.

2. Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada

Date: October 5 to 13, 2018
The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is one of the largest Bavarian events in the world, drawing around 700,000 visitors annually. The 2018 celebration promises to be especially grand as it marks the festival’s 50th anniversary. Fun fact: The city of Kitchener was formerly named Berlin!

3. Cincinnati, US

Date: September 21 to 23, 2018
Oktoberfest festivities start early in Ohio, with some cities celebrating as early as August. Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is the grandest party in the state, attracting over 500,000 visitors. Don’t forget to take photos of the Running of the Wieners, where 100 dachshunds will race while wearing hot dog bun costumes.

4. Qingdao, China

Date: July 20 to August 26, 2018
Unlike the other places on this list, Qingdao celebrates Oktoberfest a bit early—two months before October, to be exact. This is the largest annual beer festival in Asia, with over 200 beer brands participating. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to visit the Tsingtao Brewery Museum, China’s first beer museum named after its namesake lager.

5. Blumenau, Brazil

Date: October 3 to 21, 2018
Did you know that the biggest Oktoberfest celebration outside Munich is held in Brazil? You read that right: Brazil’s surprisingly large German population marks Oktoberfest with 17 days of ale-fueled revelry. The highlight of each night: Chope em Metro, where contestants chug beer from a meter-long glass.

6. Brisbane, Australia

Date: October 5 to 7 and 12 to 14, 2018
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Australia at Oktoberfest Brisbane, the largest German Festival down under! For two weekends, you can enjoy traditional German treats like schnitzels while enjoying live entertainment and fun competitions, all while enjoying authentic German beer.

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.