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1. Halloween on Church

This epic street party is the perfect place to wow people with your costume! With accuweather.com predicting an extended summer for October, this street party is a great way to take advantage of the good weather.

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2. Haunted Toronto

Scare your pants off with the Haunted Toronto Scavenger Hunt! Get a group of friends together and work as a team to uncover Toronto’s spooky past: if scary is your thing, this is the perfect event for you.

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3. Zombie Prom

Reliving those high school days is a terrifying thought.. but if you’re brave enough, the Zombie Prom is the event for you. Pile on the fake blood and gory makeup, and who knows: you might even be nominated Prom King/Queen!

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4. Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt

Haunted houses, rides and ghouls! With all rides open and a slew of park extras, this event is certainly not one to be missed! Wonderland will be open for 12 days so there’s no excuse to miss out of the festivities this year.

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5. The Thompson Hotel Halloween

1812 Lounge is hosting a Halloween bash for all the fabulous partiers. Put on your dancing shoes and be sure to dress to impress! The Thompson is where people go to to see and be seen, so what better place to showcase your amazing costume?

Let us know in the comments where you will be celebrating Halloween this year!

HalloweenCostumes.com shows us that 2013′s Halloween brought in some impressive sales. It’s safe to say that in 2014, the frightening amount of spending will continue.

Check out EDPR’s 2014 costume ideas here!

For Couples

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For the Creative: Katy Perry and Riff Raff paying tribute to Britney and Justin

Katy Perry and Riff Raff brought back Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ 2001 (ya.. it was that long ago!) infamous matching jean ensemble at this year’s VMAs. You and your sweetie could look this tacky with just a little extra effort! So hit up a Value Village and load up on jeans to make your gown, and hit up a craft store (Michaels is always a great option) for rhinestones and whatever else you want to add to this hilarious get up.

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For the time strapped: Kimye

This one’s almost too easy.. dress monochromatic. Lots of makeup will ensure people know who you are. Oh yea, and don’t smile Kanye!

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For the effortless: Prince William and Princess Kate (plus baby George)

For an easy costume that people are sure to recognize, dress as the most popular couple in the world! Wear modest clothes, make your hair look as perfect as humanly possible and for bonus points, carry around a baby. A crown wouldn’t hurt, either.

For Men

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For the Creative: Sharknado 2

This one will take a bit of creativity and crafting, but with the recent release of the Sharknado sequel, it’s bound to be a popular pick. Check out this video tutorial for instructions.

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For the time strapped: Rob Ford

Alright, we admit it. This whole Rob Ford mockery has gotten a little tired, but this mask is pretty hilarious. Malabar is selling Rob Ford masks for only $26, pair it with a suit and you’re good to go!

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For the effortless: Tinder

If Tinder isn’t working out for you, maybe the app will work as a costume. Grab a cardboard box and some markers and you’re all set! A halloween party is a good excuse to mix and mingle, and this costume will make it clear you’re on the market.

For Women

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For the Creative: Nicki Minaj

This year’s MTV VMAs serves as the perfect inspiration for Halloween, especially Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda performance outfit. This costume will take a bit of effort, but with the right materials we would be shocked if it didn’t impress. Materials required include green sequinned fabric for the shorts, along with green body paint or painted nude tights. You can use an old bra and layer the fabric on it to make the top — then just throw on a pair of black kicks! Maybe it’s time to start the Ab-Challenge now? If not, body paint can help you there too!

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For the time strapped: The Chandelier Girl

This is quite possibly the easiest costume of the bunch. Grab a pink leotard, platinum wig and smear some blue marker on your hands. But remember, Halloween in Toronto is notoriously chilly — so plan to party inside!

For the effortless: Maleficent

Candy’s has a “Witchy Woman” costume that is absolutely perfect for Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent. Do some contouring, big red lips and green contacts and you’re good to go! However, no effort means you will pay for it, with this costume being $98.00.

Have any other predictions to share? Let us know in the comments below.

From Beyonce to Vine, we certainly had a lot to say in 2013. As an ode to the year gone by, we wanted to share some of our top articles. Check out the top 10 below:

1. Just Ask Beyonce: Why Traditional Publicity Is On The Way Out 

2. How Mayor Rob Ford Could Have Saved Face During “Crack-Gate”

3. Our Top 10 Halloween Costume Predictions For 2013

4. 10 Steps To Eliminating That Pesky Writer’s Block

5. A Vine Love Story: Curtis Lepore and Jessi Smiles

6. How To Pick The Best PR Agency For Your Business

7. Making An Impact: How A Charity Or Non-Profit Can Benefit From Public Relations

8. The Benefits Of Hiring A Boutique PR Firm Or Agency

9. How Diverse Is Your PR Language? Check Out The Most Overused Words

10. 9 Quick Tips For Aspiring PR Pros

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DO

Pumpkins: there is nothing better than a display of creative and well-carved pumpkins illuminating your porch (or balcony) on a crisp autumn night. Carving pumpkins is not as easy as it seems, though. Think of the design you want (you’ll have to plan for which spaces will be empty or carved out), transfer the design onto the pumpkin, and use more tools than just a knife (they are difficult to carve with, can be dangerous and could ruin the end product).

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DON’T

Plastic pumpkins, skeletons, Frankenstein, gravestones, etc: Even if you’re decorating your office, there is something about those cheap plastic novelty Halloween items that are an absolute eyesore. If you share a space, please refrain from these novelty items as your neighbours or coworkers may not have the same decorating ideas as you.

The palm trees definitely don’t add to the “spook”

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DO

Wreaths: A wreath adds the perfect Halloween-spirited touch to your front entrance. You can add one to your apartment door or place one on the front door of your home. Enough said.

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DON’T

Cobwebs, fake spiders, and strobe lights: Unless you are turning your home into a haunted house for all the neighbourhood kids, refrain from fake cobwebs, spiders and especially strobe lights. There are people out there who have a terrible fear of spiders, and the sight of even a fake one might be enough to send them into a catatonic state of mind. Skip buying the strobe lights for obvious reasons: one of your trick-or-treaters could be an epileptic (the flashing lights are also just plain annoying).

This just looks like a pain to clean the next day.

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DO

Scented candles: Even if you’re decorating your office, you can decorate the space with scented candles and not have to light them (most offices won’t allow you to light candles). Some candles are pungent enough for you to be able to smell them even when they’re not lit. Scents like pumpkin spice, cinnamon apple, baked apple pie, etc are perfect for the season.

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DON’T

Smoke machines: Do you remember coming up to a house to say “trick or treat” only to be cut off by the sound of a smoke machine spraying a thick cloud of smoke, temporarily confusing you and disabling you from any sort of normal human function? We do. There is no need for smoke machines unless you’re the stage designer for The Rolling Stones’ 45th Farewell tour. They can also be dangerous by impeding a trick-or-treaters vision, which could cause an accident (like falling down porch steps – yes, its happened to one of our staff members).

Ideal for tripping over those gravestones, too.

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DO

Candy & Baked Goods: This doesn’t quite fall under the category of decorating, but if you have candy and baked goods in the office, your co-workers will love you. Have a wide variety of candy readily available for them to snack on. No matter how old, people love candy! Even if its just one bite to satisfy that sweet tooth.

Overall, be minimalistic! Think ‘less is more’. Don’t go on a spending spree buying Halloween-themed photo albums, fake leaves, banners, or other excessively spirited objects that you can only use once a year. Save your money for a vacation or for Christmas gifts. A simple wreath hanging on the door, soft-glowing lanterns, and carved pumpkins will do the trick. They are inviting and will still make you appear spirited. If you think of creative DIY crafts for your Halloween decorations, your wallet will most certainly thank you.

Sources

http://www.sheknows.com/holidays-and-seasons/articles/805916/halloween-decorating-do-s-and-don-ts

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/741181/

10. Hunger Games’ Katniss
Because everyone loves Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss (and Jennifer Lawrence as Jennifer Lawrence). A Katniss costume is fairly simple to recreate, as shown in the photo below. You might already even have some of the items in your closet. If not, head to your local thrift shop and do some digging around. Trust us, you’ll find gold without having to spend a fortune on a pre-made costume.

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9. “This Is My Costume”
We put this one up here because every year some person decides this is a clever and witty costume to wear – a t-shirt with “This Is My Costume” printed on it. Don’t be that guy, or girl. The time spent finding that shirt could be time spent finding any other costume but that. Please, help us stop this epidemic.

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8. The Royal Baby
Little Prince George is all the rage today. However, if you’re a grown man (or woman) it becomes difficult to dress up as a baby (or should we say dress down). To create this look, take a sheet that you can wrap around you to look like a diaper, buy a baby pacifier, and wear a massive amount of jewels and a crown on your head. People will understand the look you’re going for, as long as you have that royal touch of gold, silver, shine and glimmer.

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7. Dexter – The Lumberjack

Forget the saran wrap and his ‘kill costume.’ Go as the newly transformed, lame-lumberjack Dexter. Put on a messy blonde wig, stick on some hair for the beard, wear flannel and don’t forget the axe. Here’s a funny meme for all those out there who were disappointed by the series’ finale (what Dexter follower wasn’t!?)

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6. Game of Thrones – Crimson Wedding

We’ve seen a lot of Khaleesi costume ideas out there, but nobody seems to want to take on a costume that depicts the brutal ending to the recent Game of Thrones season, “Crimson Wedding,” If you have a few friends who are willing to do it with you, that will make the costume even better. You’ll need a lot of fake blood, though.

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5. The Great Gatsby

Flapper-style costumes are far too common every year. Instead, jazz it up a bit and go as Daisy Buchanan or Jay Gatsby from Baz Luhrmann’s production of ‘The Great Gatsby.’ You’ll most likely find your Gatsby costume twin, or triplet, or quadruplet at whatever event you attend on Halloween. To really be unique, you can go as the ghost of F. Scott Fitzgerald with a gravestone above your head… you can occasionally roll around while you’re at it.

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4. Amanda Bynes – the bat-*&@$ crazy days

With all this talk of Miley and twerking, we’ve forgotten about our favourite hot mess of the year: Amanda Bynes! To complete this look you’ll  need: some fake, drawn-on studs on your cheeks (or, if you’re brave and slightly crazy, get the actual piercings), a wig that is a messy mop of blonde hair, a lot of poorly applied make-up (really pout – or inflate – those lips!), and a combination of the rattiest and skimpiest threads you can find. You can also go for the shaved-head look. Be sure to have your iPhone on you at all times so you can take frightening selfies.

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3. Pregnant Kim Kardashian

That infamous photo of her in the black and white get-up while very, very pregnant is burned into everyone’s memory. We would suggest not being a reminder of that horrible time in pop culture, but if you must:

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2. Breaking Bad’s Walt &  Jesse

Don’t get us wrong, we love them. So so so much. And we were sad to see the show end. But everyone and their mother will go dressed as either of the two leading characters on Breaking Bad. Either in regular attire or the yellow hazmat suit, it will be overdone. To stand out more, go as a character not many would think to go as: think Gus Fring with half of his face missing.

The dog is optional

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1. Miley at the VMAs

We would like you to keep a tally of how many VMA Mileys you see out on the streets, at costume contests or at parties this Halloween. The short hair, the strange nude-coloured bra and shorts, tongue always out and occasionally stopping to twerk like there’s no tomorrow. Instead, you can go as her tongue – that thing has a life of its own.

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The resemblance is uncanny

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Ah, can you smell it? That lovely hint of decay in the air? Whether it be flowers, leaves, or flesh; it means October is officially here. Everywhere you look this month you’ll see orange, black, pumpkins, fake cobwebs and all things Halloween. Sure, it’s also the month for Thanksgiving here in Canada and the start of Fall, but we’re mostly focused on the fun of dressing up as our favourite characters, creatures, ghouls and other ghastly things (Miley VMAs, anyone?). But where’s the fun in dressing up if you don’t know where to go to show off your amazingly grotesque costume? (ok, it doesn’t have to be grotesque – it can be pretty, too) Here’s a list of 6 Halloween events and parties going on in Toronto this month that you can’t miss.

Toronto After Dark Film Festival – No need to dress up for this one (although, if you want to dress up, you most certainly can!). If you’re looking for a more laid-back Halloween event where you can watch all the horror, action, sci-fi and cult classics and munch on snacks late at night, this is the event for you.

Where: Scotiabank Theatre,
When: October 17th-25th. Showtimes TBD
Cost: $143 for all-access pass to screenings on all days (you also earn 2,000 Scene points). Individual tickets are $13 and go on sale Oct 3^rd.

Church Street’s Halloween Night Block Party - With three blocks of the Church and Wellesley area closed off from vehicular traffic, the annual Church Street Halloween Night Block Party is one of the biggest outdoor Halloween events in the city.  Peruse the streets in your best costume,  check out other great costumes, have a few drinks and party in one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Toronto.
Where: Church and Wellesley
When: Thursday October 31st. 7pm-2am
Cost: Free

Halloween Haunt @ Canada’s Wonderland – Every weekend evening in October, Canada’s Wonderland hosts their annual Halloween Haunt. You can run through mazes, be chased by nightmarish demons and killers, or go on their terrifying adrenaline-pumping rides. Just remember that those people chasing you through the maze are actors – they won’t harm you, so don’t try to defend yourself by, lets say, knocking them out with your fist (yes, it has happened).

Where: Canada’s Wonderland, 9580 Jane St., Vaughan, ON
When: Weekend Nights in October until Sunday, Oct 27^th. 7pm-12am
Cost: $29.99 online or $37.99 at the park

Toronto Zombie Walk – The internationally famed Zombie Walk is coming to Toronto on October 26^th. The pre-show starts at 2pm, with the actual walk starting at 3pm. We recommend getting there at 12, so you have plenty of time to check out the different vendors, take pictures of zombies and mingle amongst your fellow living dead. For full details and a map of the walk, visit the website. This is strictly a cannibal-free event.

When: Saturday October 26^th, 2013 12pm
Where: Nathan Phillips Square
Cost: Free

Screemers – The legendary Screemers has been around for 21 years and is known as Canada’s #1 haunted indoor park. The park features live actors, special effects and images that will keep you up at night for the next month. If you get scared easily or have a weak heart, we wouldn’t recommend Screemers. The live actors make the experience all too real. We have to stress this again, however: they’re actors and they will not harm you! We promise.

Where: Screemers, 160 Princes Blvd, Toronto, ON
When: Every Friday and Saturday from Oct. 11^th to Nov 2^nd 7pm-12am.
Special Halloween hours: Wednesday Oct 30^th 7pm-11pm & Thursday Oct 31^st 7pm-12am
Cost: $24.95 online w/ $5 off coupon