Value Village At Halloween Why Moms Love It!

I love shopping at Value Village at Halloween....year round but Halloween is the best time because you can really make a fool of yourself and no one notices because they are too.  I shop at Value Village to purchase clothing and shoes at a great price during the year, but during August and September, I do so to get the makings of Halloween Costumes for my (4) Kids.   UPH, asked me to write an article about my experiences because I have to be very very thrifty. I hope some of my ideas will help someone.    I am a widow on a fixed income and I am raising (4) kids alone.  They range in age from 4 - 15.  My husband was in the military and died due to complications from a surgery.   I receive alot of family support but right now I am not working and some months it has been really tough.   My kids are resilient and accept shopping at a discount store because I firmly believe in buying things at a good value and recycling.   Value Village offers locally the biggest bang for the buck, especially when they are having their sales when things are 50% off.  I go to the University Place store and the staff is great.   They are always willing to help and many times guide me to the best sale prices.   If you have a "Super Savers" Card you can be given notice of upcoming sales.   http://www.valuevillage.com/super-savers-club-card.aspx

Value Village, Super Savers Card

Somedays we even go earlier a day so we can shop as cardholders.  I generally shop in the morning when the staff is less tired, or late at night when the store is emptier.   Sales days you have to come early but it is always worth it!  Sometimes people try to hide things in the store to buy them later but this is a very bad idea and creates extra work for the staff who already work pretty hard and actually if you think about it adds more to the cost of Value Village doing business.  Value Village also takes Washington State EBT cards, so if you need to buy clothing for yourself or School Clothing for your kids you can using your state issued card.  Last year this is how I outfitted my teen age daughter and it was on an emergency basis.  

The History and Roots of Halloween!

My family came to the United States like many European descended people...as immigrants.  We first came through New York City, and then I travelled as a young woman to San Francisco where I met my fiance George Parker.  My family brought our traditions with us, celebrating Halloween in America by carving pumpkins instead of turnips.


Irish or Celtic Roots of Halloween, Samhain

History of Halloween

I would like to give you my famous receipe for fried turnips
Fried Turnips


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4 or 5 medium size turnips

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp. caraway seeds

1 tsp. finely chopped garlic



Peel turnips and cut into quarters, cut each quarter crosswise into very thick slices. Should be about 4 cups. Heat oil and butter in a heavy skillet and add turnips. Add a generous grinding of pepper. Cook, tossing the skillet and stirring the pieces of turnip to cook evenly. When pieces start to take on color, add caraway seeds, stir, cover closely and cook about 5 minutes. Uncover , sprinkle with garlic and cook briefly until liquid evaporates. Yield: 6 servings.

Vintage Turnip Receipe

Our Favorite Vampire! Blondie

Blondie Vampire

Traci Kelly Equal Time Radio


Our favorite local vampire who grew up in University Place....is our own Traci Kelly of Equal Time Radio.  Click on the link to find show times and give this beautiful Vamp a call live on the air!    The classy and sophisticated vampire also hosts "Drinking Liberally" Thursdays at the Hub in Downtown Tacoma!
Traci a music fan and night owl is hip on local music scene in the Northwest.
We have link to top ten music songs for Halloween just for her!

Top 10 Halloween Songs

We Love Halloween In University Place!

As we search online and nearby for loads of fun we discover we can  stay right in our own neighborhood of University Place on Halloween.  We are inviting community members to join us to start a tradition of Trick or Treat Lane.  Starting on Grandview Drive West.  Participants will register and agree to be home on Halloween night, which this year is Sunday October 31, 2010 at 6:00 pm - 09:00 pm in order to pass out treats to trick or treaters.  We would also like to start a contest for homeowners to decorate their homes and the best decorated homes win by votes.   Halloween, originally a Celtic Holiday called Samhain and then a Christian Holiday called All Saint's Day and now an American Holiday for everyone to have safe fun!  Please contact us at universityplacehalloween@gmail.com  for more information!

Green Halloween Treats

We do not always give out the traditional stuff for Halloween, partly because we think it gets boring, but also because some of the candy and treats are very unhealthy.  We have given out things like small tooth brushes, golf balls, tennis balls, juice boxes and small toys... and organic food treats from our local health food store.  Here is a great link for
healthy and green treats for Halloween, in addition, our own Trader Joe's sometimes get specials on candy that is healthier than your typical fast food candy.  For these we head over to Marlene's  Natural Food Market forHalloween sized bites.  Many of the new healthier natural and organic candies do not contain as much sugar or transfats, or corn syrup which is a genetically modified product which can contain high levels of pesticides and herbicides.  We still give out old fashioned fruits and organic popcorn balls, which we label with our name and address so people know where they came from.  Better choices for health mean better choices for kids. 

Washington Midsummer Renaissance Kelley Farms, Pierce County

 In one month's time the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire will open its castle doors for the first three weekends in August, 3,4,14,10,11,17, 18, 10-7 on those days.  It is under the management of the Washington Renaissance  Arts and Education Society.Org located in Gig Harbor.  Approximately 40 thousand people showed up to last year's faire located at.  This is a good event to attend to get into the Halloween Season.  Actors, Actresses from all over the State, and USA, arts, crafts, great food and wonderful equestrian shows.   great sponsors like Tacoma News Tribune.  This is a wonderful and safe family and friends event chock full of educational historical things and plain ole fun.  We went with several families and the kids ran and played all day.  I personally could not get my two sons out of the Game Matrix area, nor my husband out of the beer garden dressed in a pirate outfit!  We had great fun.  It's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes even if you dress in costume, but there are also plenty of vendors to buy duds from!  Our family and friends highly recommend it!  Thank you,  Julie Somers , Tacoma and University Place

University Place Events: Apples on Halloween!

University Place Events To Kick Off Harvest Season

Every year in University Place there are great events to kick off the Harvest Season and get into the Spirit of Halloween, one of the best is the Curran Apple Orchard Cider Squeeze, where residents and non-residents alike can experience the thrill of turning crunchy apples into a rich delicious juice that is healthy for all.  Apples have been part of the tradition of Halloween for centuries.  The apple in ancient times was thought to have "magical powers" being used to predict the length of one's life or future.  In the tradition of "Apple Bobbing,"

putting apples in a large container of water and "bobbing" for apples, in olden times it was used much like the wedding bouquet, when thrown the person who catches it will enter into marriage next; in apple bobbing it was predicted that the first person to "bite" into a bobbing apple would get married...now it is just a fun tradition for old and young alike and some people use their Curran Apples for this purpose...just don't get too soaked in the process!  Curran Apple Orchard Apples