Carnival Celebrations World Wide

Today marks the beginning of Carnival celebrations across the world. And the countdown of one week until Fat Tuesday has begun! The week long celebrations are usually opened with the Rei Momo (or Carnival King) with the ceremonial key to the city.

For details and a brief history of major Carnival celebrations, see MSN's World Party: Carnival Around the Globe slide show.

The roots and history of carnival celebrations date back as early as the 1200's and span the entire globe. Each country has slightly different traditions and style, but parades, costumes, masks and a good time can be found everywhere you can imagine.

Carnevale in Venice, Italy:


Venice is well-known for its decorative masks, usually made from papier-mâché or leather; their use in Carnival dates to the 13th century.

Carnival in Rio de Janiero, Brazil:


The samba is the lifeblood of Carnival here, and the creativity of the Brazilian people is expressed in dance, music and costume.

Fasching in Cologne, Germany:


More than a million spectators crowd the streets each year for Cologne’s huge street festival. The official Carnival season begins at 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11, and continues until Ash Wednesday, though most of the celebrating takes place in the final week.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana USA:


The Carnival celebration in New Orleans is one of the world’s most famous. For two weeks the city is abuzz with parades, masquerade balls, feasts and music.

Here is a special story I found: A Survival Guide to Carnival in Rio.

It's not too late to get in on the Carnival and Mardi Gras dress up action! www.MardiGrasCostumes.com offers same day shipping on most orders received by 3pm EST and rush delivery is available with shipping options as fast as next business day for orders placed by 3pm EST. See the website for Mardi Gras shipping deadlines or contact customer service: 1-877-413-8747.

Marvel Comics Creator Stan Lee Interview

What would our world be like without Stan Lee and his genius imagination? Marvel is not just the comic company's name, but also a verb describing what a fan like me does while revering his work. It's hard to imagine a world with no Spiderman, no Hulk, no Iron Man, no X-Men, and so many other characters that we have grown up with and love; not to mention hundreds of other super heroes whose creators were inspired by this man's imagination and talent. The costume scene would be pretty baron without these classic characters to dress up as.

So glad that Mahalo Daily recently interviewed Mr. Lee, who answers Marvel Comic fans' questions in this video:


Notice the subtle shot at Superman (a DC Comic Hero with dandruff?)
Plus:

• Stan lee's favorite and least favorite cameo appearance?
• Who would win a battle Hulk vs. Iron Man?
• Hugh Hefner (The Hef) a secret agent spy man?
  

EXCELESIOR to Mahalo Daily for a job well done!

Star Trek Enterprise Video Cams

Trekie Alert!

J.J. Abrams has released a new website in relation to the new Star Trek movie that is slated to be released Christmas Day. The web site appears to be live cams filming the construction of the USS Enterprise.

Easter Sunday is March 23, 2008!

Easter always falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon of Spring. In 2008, this happens almost as early as possible, so we have an early Easter as well as an early Mardi Gras this year.

Please plan early for your Easter celebrations. EasterBunnyCostumes.com carries over 30 different Easter Bunny mascot costumes for you to choose from.

As well as all the multiplying rabbit costumes, they also have a full selection of biblical character costumes for both children and adults, which can be used for Passion Plays and displays for church and school presentations.

As well as the costumes, you will also find accessories: wigs and beards, hooked staffs and more.

And for makeup for your stage productions, visit www.StageAndTheaterMakeup.com. There you will find makeup and plenty of fake blood for reenactments of the death and birth of Christ.

Valentine's Day Dress-Up

What better way to make this Valentine’s Day special than to play a little dress-up?

You’ll really get his motor running with a sexy costume from anniescostumes.com.

And whether you’re feeling a little devilish or a little angelic, we’ve got fun, sexy costumes for you, as well.

Want to take matters into your own hands and play cupid yourself? This Cupid Cutie Costume should fit the bill. (Watch where you aim those arrows!)

Mardi Gras Cams - Watch the Parades & Celebrate New Orleans Style

Check out the Mardi Gras cams set up on www.MardiGras.com. They show the action on St. Charles Avenue from Fat Harry's.

Watch the Parades & Celebrate Mardi Gras New Orleans Style!

You can prepare for Mardi Gras with the fabulous masks and beads available at MardiGrasCostumes.com/beads.htm

Heath Ledger - Joker Star - Found Dead

So sad to hear and report that actor Heath Ledger was found dead in New York today. I am such a fan of his work in movies and feel so saddened and the news of his death. The New York Times web site blog reports he actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday afternoon in an apartment in Manhattan, according to the New York City police. Signs pointed to a suicide or an accidental overdose, police sources said. Mr. Ledger was 28. More Heath Ledger story details.

Coincidently for me, we are currently here in Vegas at a buying show previewing the costumes for Batman The Dark Knight movie and just yesterday we were watching the new Batman movie trailer and commenting on what a great job it looks like he has done in his role as The Joker.

And rather ironic is the "Why So Serious?" tag line for what will be his last character role. Evidently, he was a troubled young man and maybe should have took that saying a little more seriously.

We mourn the death of this great star and pay respects, but as they say in Hollywood, "The Show Must Go On" and business must go on too.

So for us in the costume industry, it begs the question, will this increase the popularity of his character and subsequent costume sales? After all, we are RIGHT in the middle of placing our orders as we speak (or type).

So with this make him a Hollywood Icon with a cult following? Comments and messages welcome.

Current Batman Costume selections at AnniesCostumes.com

2008 Halloween Costume Preview

I know that some big Halloween fans may already be thinking and planning for Halloween 2008. It will definitely be a big year for Halloween parties since Leap Year puts Halloween on a Friday this year. We here at Extreme Halloween pretty much have Halloween on the brain all year long. Of course we pay attention and have costumes for every holiday and event, but Halloween is always our main focus.

Harold (my dad) and I are currently in Las Vegas at buying show put on by the largest costume wholesaler and manufacturer, Rubies Costume Co. Over the next 4 days we will see costumes from several different branches of costume wholesalers owned by Rubies and Rubies new 2008 costume line.


The most popular Halloween costumes are always driven by movies, TV, pop culture and fashion. Halloween 2008 will be a big year for movie costumes. I can already tell you what some of this year's most popular costumes and top selling Halloween costume themes will be.

1. Batman The Dark Knight (July 18, 2008) - Christian Bale returns as Batman in this sequel and getting much attention for his role as The Joker is Heath Ledger. Adults and Children costumes for Batman and The Joker will be very popular this Halloween.

2. Star Wars TV Series "The Clone Wars" (Fall 2008) - There are many Star Wars character costumes that will be coming out from this series, which is set to premiere this fall. Costume styles will be available for this new series as well as new classic Star Wars costumes never before available, like Hans Solo costume for children and adults and the Princess Leia Sexy Slave Costume for adults!
3. World of War Craft (Online Multi-Player Video Game) - This year there will see the debut licensed World of Warcraft Costumes available in adult sizes. Many different characters will be available and have the Blizzard seal of approval.
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - (May 22, 2008) - Adult and Child costumes for Indiana Jones and Mutt Williams. This is one of the most anticipated films for Indy fans, since it has been 19 years since the last one.
5. Iron Man (May 2, 2008) - Robert Downey Jr. stars in this blockbuster super hero movie from Marvel Comics.
6. High School Musical 3 (October 24, 2008) The Grease of today's generation is releasing the third movie, which will be the last one to include the original actors. High School Musical costumes will be available for the first movie as well as the second one.
7. Hannah Montana (Disney TV Series) Miley Cyrus is the vivaciously adorable and talented actress, singer and dancer on this fun Disney show that is wildly popular with children of all ages.
8. Speed Racer (May 9, 2008) - There is a Speed Racer live action movie as well as a new animated Speed Racer Next Generation TV series premiering in 2008.
9. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (November 21, 2008) - the 6th installment in this series. With each new Harry Potter movie come new costume designs
10. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (May 16th 2008) - the second installment in this fantasy series based on the classic and amazing books by C.S. Lewis. Disney promises this movie will have more action than the first.
11. Power Rangers (Ongoing Disney TV Series) - These 5 jump-suited super heroes have been fighting evil in the galaxy for the last 16 years in this live action TV series and many straight to video DVD releases over the years.
12. Hell Boy II: the Golden Army (July 11, 2008) The sequel to this comic book series is based in a fantasy underground world and lends itself to some great costumes. The movie is directed by Guillermo Del Toro and Ron Perlman returns to the role of HellBoy.
13. The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008) This time Marvel's own production company has taken it upon themselves to re-do The Incredible Hulk movie. Ed Norton will make an awesome Bruce Banner and with the popularity of comic book movies and super hero movies, the timing is right and they can learn from the mistakes of the last Hulk film which did not do as well.


Check out trailers to these great costume movies:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9DF567B144C77D58

Iron Man Movie Trailer & New Star Trek Movie Teaser Trailer

Almost as exciting as Cloverfield, was the previews before it. 2008 will be a great year for costumes from movies.

More on the movie costumes later, but for now, check out the trailers!

Iron Man Trailer - the song makes it even better!



Star Trek Teaser Trailer:

Cloverfield is a Monster of a Hit at the Box Office

All the hype was definitely worth it all and well deserved - what an awesome flick! J.J. Abrams has redeemed the US for the Godzilla debacle. Cloverfield is set to break the 3 day January box office record according to filmjabber.com. The mystery, the marketing, the internet hype were all done so well and they had a great movie to back it all up too.

Well done - BRAVO!

Santa of the Year Photo Contest Winners

From the Easter Bunny to Santa Claus . . . .

Announcing the winners of the Santa of the Year Photo Contest

SantaSuits.com just announced the winners of their annual Santa of the Year photo contest. There are 5 categories: Santa of the Year, Funniest Santa, Jr. Santa, Most Original Santa and Pet Santa.

And the winners are:

Santa of the Year:



Funniest Santa:


Jr. Santa:



Most Original Santa:

Pet Santa:


We had so many great entries, we thought we would share some of them with you. See more Santa of the Year entries.

3:10 TO YUMA Released on DVD

Based on the Elmore Leonard story, 3:10 TO YUMA is a riveting remake of the 1957 classic Western.

It's the story of Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a down-and-out rancher who lost his leg in the Civil War. With a wife and two sons, he is struggling to put food on the table, and unable to make payments on his land. When the notorious gunman Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) is apprehended nearby, a few local men are needed to escort him to the town of Contention so he can be put on the 3:10 train to Yuma Prison.

Few will volunteer for the job, as they know that Wade's ruthless gang will follow them, but Evans sees an opportunity to make some fast cash, and offers to go in exchange for $200. The small team of men set off and are later joined by Evans's young son William (Logan Lerman), who has run away from home to join them.

What follows is a race against time, as the group tries to get to Yuma without the clever and dangerous Wade outsmarting them.

Crowe is fantastic as the smooth-talking gunman, and Bale delivers a moving performance as the weary-eyed Evans. The two men are perfect foils for each other. Wade is the infamous gunman, living the high life on the wrong side of the law, while Evans, who has struggled to lead an honest life, has only faced one hardship after another.

It is a classic tale of good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, and yet, by the story's end, it becomes harder to separate the good guys from the bad. As the clock ticks down, the film builds to an emotional nail-biter of an ending, reminiscent of BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.

Get into the spirit of the Wild West with an Old West costume from anniescostumes.com.

Where did the Easter Bunny Come From?

Easter is Sunday, March 23, 2008

The traditions of painting Easter Eggs and the Easter Bunny are ancient history - literally!

The ancient Greeks colored Easter Eggs and rabbits and hares (being such famously fertile animals) represent the fertility of Spring and are symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the Vernal Equinox.. Eggs are also symbols of fertility, thusly, painted and decorated eggs were given as gifts representing new life. The name Easter is thought to have derived from Eostre, an ancient pagan goddess of Spring.

Yes, that's correct! Some Easter origins, as well as those of the Easter Bunny, come from pre-Christian lore. Dating back to the time before Jesus Christ, parents told their children to expect presents from a magic hare. Since hares are quite rare in many regions, the bunny rabbit widely replaced the hare; this is how the Easter Bunny has become so famous now. Eostre is related to the German Ostara; and according to a popular piece of folklore, Eostre once saved a bird whose wings had frozen during the winter by turning it into a rabbit. Because the rabbit had once been a bird, it could still lay eggs, and that rabbit became the modern Easter Bunny.

More Easter Bunny Origins and Folklore

Find a Costume to Dress Up for Mardi Gras

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez! In French that means “Let the Good Times Roll” and that’s just what people around the globe are doing to get ready for this year’s annual Mardi Gras celebration. MardiGrasCostumes.com offers a variety of Mardi Gras masks and costumes to dress up in.

“If you’re going to celebrate Mardi Gras, it’s a good idea to order your decorative masks and clothing early,” said Shari McConahay, marketing director of MardiGrasCostumes.com. Mardi Gras is coming early this year, it's important to order your Mardi Gras masks and costumes early.

Mardi Gras costumes can include a Jolly Jester, Venetian Sorceress, Karnival Queen or King. Or dress up in your ball gown finery and add a Mardi Gras mask. The site also offers variety of other Mardi Gras accessories to get into the Fat Tuesday spirit.

New Dark Knight Trailer and Joker Website Update

Check out the new Trailer for the new Batman movie called The Dark Knight:



This is one of the most anticipated movies of 2008 and Batman costumes will be among the most popular this year.

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the movie release. I last posted with images of the new Batman costume for the movie and Batman's new vehicle : The BatPod used in the film. There are also a few websites out that are officially related to the movie. One of which appears to be the Joker's web site (www.whysoserious.com) it formerly had a "rent a clown" theme, and now has a message cut out of newspaper clippings and if you click on each letter, it gives you a clue as to where something is that visitors should photograph and mail in, but give no address???


Official Batman Movie web site: http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com/

Also check out: IBeliveinHarveyDent.com

Go Goths, Go!

Unfortunately, the goth couple on The Amazing Race could not catch up last week and were eliminated from the race. I am so sorry to see them go, I was really rooting for them to go all the way to the $million$.

Besides their vibrant colors, they also brought colorful personalities, a special flair, and a great attitude to the show. They represented the Goth community well and showed everyone on Prime Time, that Goths are happy-go-lucky, very nice people with an awesome sense of fashion, design and music too.

So you want to acheive the fabulous Goth look like Kynt and Vyxsin? Visit ExtremeCostumes.com and StageandTheaterMakeup.com- we have what you need for the Goth makeover you've been craving every Sunday night while watching the Amazing Race on CBS.

Check out Manic Panic hair color for that vibrant, shocking pink hair: www.extremecostumes.com/manic.htm - choose the Cotton Candy Pink or Hot Hot Pink for Vyxsin hair*; for Kynt's jet black hair choose Raven. See the Hair Color Chart

For makeup beyond the "everyday" check out Manic Panic's Lust Dust or Bloody Mary's Rebel makeup line. See the list of all of our Extreme Makeup.

Notice their light foundation. This is achieved with foundation colors like Alabaster or Geisha. Choose a light color, but NOT white. White foundation is called "Clown White" for a reason.

And for black nail polish: Check Out Bloody Mary Makeup Line.

*Please note: to get dark hair to a shocking pink color (or any lighter color), pictured results are obtained by first bleaching hair. This can be damaging! Consult your hair care professional for best results.

Cakes, Krewes & Beads--Are you ready for Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is coming up soon (February 5th)!

Are you ready?

Here’s a great website with all kinds of useful and fascinating information about Mardi Gras—its history, traditions, customs, activities and more.

Learn all about King Cakes, Krewes, beads, how to build a float, and just about everything else you’d need to know to make the most of your Mardi Gras experience.

When Fat Tuesday has finally come, there’s no better place to be than Bourbon Street, but make sure you have a great costume and mask! For a huge selection, check out mardigrascostumes.com.

Cloverfield Movie Premiere

Will there be a costume - OOPS, I mean will they show a monster?

Today is King's Day!

Happy King's Day (a.k.a. Three King's Day) to those of you who celebrate it today. For us here is the costume world, King's Day - January 6th represents the start of Mardi Gras celebrations. This year's celebrations are shortened a bit with the early arrival of Fat Tuesday/ Mardi Gras, but all the more reason to party harder, whether it is in preparation for lent, or just a good reason to throw a party - let the celebrations begin!

Mardi Gras is Coming - FAST!

Mardi Gras arrives very early this year.

February 5, 2008 is Fat Tuesday.

Make plans to celebrate before Mardi Gras passes you by.

Why is Mardi Gras on a different date every year? MardiGrasCostumes.com has the answer for you.

AnniesMagicShop.com Changes to WizardsApprenticeMagic.com

Announcing a change in the Extreme Halloween Network of Websites!

AnniesMagicShop.com is now being redirected to WizardsApprenticeMagic.com


If you are looking for magic tricks, magic supplies, and magician's tools, please bookmark: http://www.wizardsapprenticemagic.com/

This is your new online source for all things magic and magicians' supplies. The "Wizard" is actually my brother Jack Maxwell, and Wizards Apprentice is his site. All online magic orders will now be processed through his site on a different shopping cart - also 100% safe and secure online shopping and easy to use.

Jack is a magic supply expert, as well as a professional magician and has been practicing magic, slight of hand, close up magic and stage performance for over 20 years. An impressive track record for a 30 year old!


Jack's experience and expertice makes him an authority on magic tricks of all kinds for any age and any level: beginner to professional. His customer support is amazing and if you have any questions or the need for suggestions about any magic tricks, Jack is the person to consult.


To sign up for the Wizard's Newsletter, email: wizardlymight (at) aol (dot) com

and to keep up with news about The Wizard, the website and the retail shop in Hollywood, FL, check out the Wizard is in Blog.

Star Wars TV Series Coming Soon

A short time from now, in a galaxy not far from your living room...

With shooting wrapping up last week on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, George Lucas is finally ramping up production on those long-awaited Star Wars TV projects he has been promising.

The head Jedi confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that Lucasfilm has "just begun work" on a new live-action spinoff that will bring the Star Wars mythology to the small screen.

Additionally, Lucas Animation is deep in production on a weekly computer-animated 3-D series dubbed Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which the filmmaker expects to shop to various networks when finished.

Lucas considers the live-action program to be the more ambitious of the two, because it will be completely Skywalker free and instead center on supporting characters.

He admitted he was taking a risk that viewers—save the die-hard geeks who turn up at the Star Wars Celebration conventions in Greedo and Princess Leia getups—might not warm to Jedis, Sith and droids largely unfamiliar to them.

"The Skywalkers aren't in it—it's about minor characters," the 63-year-old Lucas told the newspaper. "It has nothing to do with Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader or any of those people. It's completely different. Nevertheless, the Star Wars mastermind maintained that "it's a good idea, and it's going to be a lot of fun to do."

Lucas characteristically refused to divulge details about the storylines or even which minor characters might turn up in either starring or cameos. (We're lookin' at you, Boba Fett.) Star Wars prequel producer Rick McCallum is currently auditioning writers for the live-action series, which Lucas envisions running for at least 100 episodes.

As for the new Star Wars CGI series, this is not your average Saturday-morning cartoon. Unlike its 2-D forerunner Clone Wars, an Emmy-winning series of shorts that aired on the Cartoon Network, Lucas says the 3-D Clone Wars will break new technological ground.

As a result, Lucas acknowledged that some network suits have been a little skittish about the projects—perhaps recalling the so-so ratings of Lucas' Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which eschewed the thrills of its big-screen progenitors in favor of history lessons. (At Celebration III two years ago, Lucas said the live-action series will be similar in tone to those tube adventures.)

"They are having a hard time," Lucas said. "They're saying, 'This doesn't fit into our little square boxes,' and I say, 'Well, yeah, but it's Star Wars. And Star Wars doesn't fit into that box.'"
If old-school Stars Wars and high-octane action is what you're looking for, fear not, young Padawans.

Anthony Daniels, who played C-3P0 in the original trilogy and its prequels, has signed on to voice the protocol droid in Clone Wars, alongside animated versions of R2-D2, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker, General Grievous, Princess Amidala and Count Dookoo. A trailer is now up at the official Star Wars Website.

In an interview with TV Guide last month, Lucas said his team of animators has completed more than 40 episodes and that he believed the CGI series needs "to go after 9 o'clock, and it can't be a kiddie channel."

These aren't the first Star Wars TV spinoffs. There were the animated Ewoks and Droids Saturday-morning cartoons, two live-action made-for-TV Ewok movies and, most infamously, the universally ridiculed 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special.

For fans of the big screen, Lucas is also planning to tweak his Star Wars movies yet again and release all six episodes in a 3-D digital format. No word yet on a release date.

****

Find an astronomical selection of adult and children's Star Wars costumes at anniescostumes.com.

Got Santa Pictures?

There is still time to submit your Santa Claus pictures and family photos from the holidays for our Santa of the Year Contest!

Last day to submit pics for this year's Santa Awards will be January 10, 2008.

Winners will be announced and pics posted here on the Extreme Halloween Blog on January 15th.

So, get crackin' and send in your Best Santa Photos!

Prizes will be awarded for the following categories:

1. Santa of the Year (Grand Prize: $500 Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificate)
2. Most Original Santa ($50 Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificate)
3. Funniest Santa ($50 Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificate)
4. Jr. Santa For ages newborn to 17 years old. ($50 Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificate issued to Parent or Guardian)
5. Pet Santa ($50 Extreme Halloween Network Gift Certificate)

5 Ways Extreme Halloween Helps You With Your New Years Resolutions!

1. Save Money!

I bet most people can count "Save Money" on their New Years Resolutions lists today, so Extreme Halloween has got you covered! We are extending our After Christmas Sale - 25% off of Christmas Costumes and Santa Suits and End of the Year Sale - Up to 60% off Select Costumes until January 10, 2007. That is on top of our already low prices!

2. Be prepared!

Everyone likes to be prepared and no one likes the stress involved in waiting until the last minute. So, here is fair warning, Mardi Gras and Easter come very early this year! Mardi Gras is February 5, 2008. (That's right, only 35 days away!) And Easter Sunday is March 23, 2008. See our Holiday Costume Page for more suggestions on how to celebrate in costume in 2008!

3. Travel More!

Make plans to celebrate your vacations in costume this year. Not only are there domestic based costumed events for you to celebrate, but there are plenty of holidays celebrated around the world:

- Fasching in Germany
- Carnaval in different parts of Europe
- Carnaval in Latin America
- El Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico
- Fantasy Fest in Key West, FL

There are also Renaissance Faires and Festivals all over the country - check out information on anywhere you are traveling to and plan to have even more fun in costume!

4. Embrace Technology!

Check out Extreme Halloween videos on YouTube.
Join the Costume Lovers - AnniesCostumes.com Group on FaceBook
Visit Annies Costumes' MySpace Page
Stay tuned to AnniesCostumes.com and The Extreme Halloween Network for exciting changes in early 2008!

5. Have more fun!

We always say: It's More Fun in Costume!