Halloween Special - How to make a Jack O Lantern

A basic item for Halloween decorations is a Jack O Lantern. Making a Jack O Lantern is very easy. Here are a few simple steps to make a lantern for yourself :-

Jack O Lanterns

• Choose a dry pumpkin with a hard shell. Consider size. The pumpkin should be big enough to carve eyes,nose and mouth on.You can choose a pumpkin of your desired shape,for e.g. moon-shaped,or round.
• Wash dirt off the pumpkin.
• Mark the features on the pumpkin slightly smaller than you want them to be with a pen or pencil.
• Cut the top off by putting the knife all the way through the shell into the pumpkin. Draw a circle around the stem and lift it off.
• Clean the inside, discarding the seeds and sticky interior. Make sure the inside of the face is free of clinging tissue.
• Carve out each feature by pushing the knife through,then cut on the line until the piece comes out.
• Clear away the rough edges and your lantern is ready.
• To light up your Jack O Lantern,open the top and press a candle down into the bottom of the pumpkin. If needed, cut a little bit out of the bottom so that the candle properly fits inside.
• Light the candle with a long'stemmed match or an electric kitchen lighter.

So, go ahead, make your own Jack O Lantern this Halloween and make sure it looks scary enough to make others have goosebumps!

Halloween Special- The Tower of London

The Tower of London

Dating back over nine hundred years, the Tower of London is known as one of the most haunted spots in Britain. The first stone section of the tower was built and authorized by William the Conqueror. Much human sufferings went on inside the dark, stone walls of the tower, including execution,imprisonment and torture.

There are reports that the ghoul of Anne Boleyn haunts the creepy corridors of the White Tower. She was one of the two wives who were ordered for execution by their husband,Henry VIII; the other being Catherine Howard. Anne's spirit is also spotted in the Chapel of Saint Peter and Vincula where she keeps a watch on her own grave under the altar. On the other hand, Catherine can be heard screaming behind the door of the room where she was kept locked up before her execution.

The tower is also a haunt for famous spirits like Thomas A. Becket who was chopped down at the Traitor's Gate with a crucifix, witnessed by a priest. People have also seen twelve year old King Edward and his nine year old brother Richard Duke of York in the deadly tower, still wearing the white gowns they were imprisoned in.

Misty figures, soldiers, and sixteen year old Lady Jane Grey visits the embatllements of the Tower of London. Whole squads of soldiers have been seen marching the grounds.

Several paranormal investigations were made to try and capture some of the ghostly images using special cameras and temperature gauges. Most of their experiences did not fail to baffle the investigators.

So, if you make a trip to London in future, don't miss out the opportunity of visiting the Tower of London. Who knows, you might as well have an encounter with some of the spirits that haunt the tower.