Tricks are Treats: Last Minute Style

Happy Halloween! The night of fright is finally upon us. By the time this edition of the Neopian Times finds its way into the majority of paws it's likely most Neopets will be dressed for their Halloween festivities. These Neopets may have spent weeks searching out and saving up for the perfect outfit. They've waited anxiously for this night for a long time and well prepared. This article is not for those Neopets; this article is for Neopians who want to engage in Halloween activities but haven't had the time or energy to plan.

Halloween Paint Brush

Painting a Neopet Halloween is the easiest way to show off Halloween spirit. It is also a fairly expensive color and not available to all species. It is likely that any Neopet who has put off getting ready for Halloween until the night-of is not likely to commit to changing color for the evening.

Customization is an easier way to show off holiday spirit. A whole Halloween scene is the most enthusiastic option with regard to customization but on the Neoboards, only the part of the customization near a Neopet's face shows. There are several options for Neopets who wish to focus on their face, the most noticeable part of a customization.

Species wearables are one of the easiest options for a Neopet rushed for time to find a whole Halloween costume. While some wearables like the Pretty Kau Cloud Dress would be difficult to work into a Halloween costume, there are many options for all species. A clever Neopet may even be able to turn something like a Pretty Kau Cloud Dress into a lovely Halloween costume. Most species have wearables more obviously fitting to the Halloween theme, however. The Lenny Plague Doctor outfit is simply stunning and would make a great costume for a Lenny. There are cuter options as well such as the Chomby Sleuth outfit that lets a Chomby try being a gumshoe. One of the huge benefits to species wearables is that the clothes were designed with a specific Neopet in mind and are tailor-made to fit just right. While it's more common of an issue for quadrupedal Neopets some clothes just don't look right on certain Neopet types. A holiday is no excuse to let bad fashion occur unless there's an ugly Day of Giving Sweater Party. Many species wearables have interesting hats, masks or face paint as well so Neopets can show off their spiffy outfit on the Neoboards.

Jack-O-Lantern Mask

Nothing says Halloween like "Jack-O-Lantern"! This mask is a bit generic, but perfect for Neopets wanting a quick costume. Any Neopet can pretend to be a Jack-O-Lantern or simply pretend to be headless with this mask. On a JubJub, the mask almost looks like the Neopet in question was painted Halloween. This mask isn't strictly cute, but even for a "headless" Neopet it stays on the cute side of creepy. This item tends to stay well under the unbuyable mark so it's also a good option for Neopets low on Neopoints.

Headless Cape

Similar to the Jack-O-Lantern Mask, this cape makes your Neopet appear headless! The way this is done is unknown to all but the creators of this very creepy cape. If a Neopet wants to focus on their appearance on the Neoboards this cape is less ideal than the mask because it calls for a creepy background and ideally includes a creepy outfit as well. It is, however, absolutely terrifying to see a Neopet wandering around without a head and is great for a Neopet that wants to spook others out of candy.

Masks of Dread

In Year 14 and Year 15, a mysterious Cybunny named Saskia visited the Haunted Faire and introduced a number of masks to Neopia. These masks had a special influence on those who interacted with a Neopet wearing one. These are one of the very few wearables that can be worn by all Neopets including Baby, Maraquan and Mutant. Each year saw the release of 6 Masks of Dread so there are a total of 12 floating around Neopia. They range from elegantly enchanting to seriously scary and fit into a variety of outfits from steampunk to theatrical to tiki. Neopets may choose to base an outfit on the mask or just wear it with their normal customization. Because so many were released most can be found for under 1k neopoints so this is likely the best option available to Neopoint-strapped Neopets.

Creepy Geraptiku Mask

This Mask was a reward for redeeming a NeoCash Card. While it was retired about six months ago, there are many floating around as it never became a very popular item. Depending on the Neopet this mask can range from absolutely adorable to delightfully devious. Almost as iconic as the earlier mentioned Jack-O-Lantern Mask this is great as far as a close-up picture on the Neoboards, because it's a very Halloween-friendly skull. The details in paint just make the mask even more creepy. A more adventurous Neopet could base a Geraptiku native or Witch Doctor costume on this mask. It's similar to the MME13-S4b: Voodoo Skull Face Paint but so much more affordable and available.

When creating a customization for Halloween, please remember to take safety into account. If a Neopet is going trick-or-treating make sure they can see and be seen in the dark. If a costume simply must be dark, reflective tape can be added to parts of it to make a Neopet more noticeable. A torch or flashlight is also a very good idea on Halloween night if a Neopet chooses to go trick-or-treating. The fastest way to ruin a fun Halloween night is to need a trip to the Neopian Hospital because of tripping on a curb or bumping into another Neopet. Injuries at night can be quite serious! It's also a good idea to be versed in your Neopets allergies. Apple and Negg treats are common treats given out for Halloween but should be kept away from Kyrii and Tonus respectively.

Have a safe night and remember - trick-or-treat! (And always say "Thank you!")