Halloween is a night kids look forward to all year. It’s fun for them to dress up as someone else and head out into the night in search of yummy delicious holiday chocolates. Since it gets dark so early in the Fall, children Trick or Treat in the dark. Keep some safety tips in mind so that everyone makes it home safely.

• Never let small children out to Trick or Treat alone. Even if they know the neighborhood, it’s not a good idea to send them without supervision. Not only are the decorations spooky for youngsters but with people out in costume it may be hard for your child to recognize stranger danger.

• All costumes should be checked for visibility. If you’ve dressed your little one as a ghost and they can’t see out of the eyeholes or might trip on fabric, it’s best to alter the costume so it’s shorter and easier to see out of. Same goes for store bought masks. Often they look ideal on the outside, but inside your child can’t see well enough to walk or their breathing may be impaired. Double check before purchasing anything that will cover a child’s head.

• All halloween candy that Trick or Treaters collect should be thoroughly checked by an adult before any child touches it. Pranksters have been known to tamper with candy and children have gotten poisoned or worse. The urban legend of the razor blade in the apple is a word to the wise.

• Not every neighbor is friendly. Teach your children to avoid any houses that are dark or that are unfamiliar to them. Instruct them never to enter anyone’s house, especially when they don’t know the people. They may get so excited about going in for free candy that they forget your warning. Another good reason for you to stay closely by their sides.

• Cars are a hazard on Halloween night. Children often head out for Trick or Treating right about the time people are driving home from work. A tired or distracted driver may not expect a child to be walking down the road in the dark and may not see them until it’s too late. Have your child wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight. Make sure they stay on the sidewalks and never cross the street alone or when a car is coming.

• Older siblings may offer to take younger ones out on the big night. Depending on your level of comfort and your neighborhood, you might consider driving them or walking along. While an older sibling will often be a perfectly fine babysitter at home he could get distracted by a fancy light show at one house or a ghoulish display at another. One distracted moment and your younger child could get lost or worse. On this one night you may want to insist that you chaperone.

• Check your child’s costume not only for warmth if you live in a colder climate but also for mobility. That dog suit may seem fine in the house when your child tries it on, but out in the 40 degree night, your child may end up miserable and shivering. When in doubt, add layers under the costume so you can still see the costume but your child will stay warm. Also, have your child test walking outside in his costume. It’s one thing to try a costume on in a store aisle and another to have to walk in it in the dark. Any clunky shoe covers (paws) or oversized gag shoes (clown) will have to be monitored.

• You want your child to have a good time, but Halloween often brings out the zanier people. Don’t cave in if your child insists you’re being overprotective and unfair by coming with them. If they’re whining about you being there, they’re not mature enough to be out on their own at night.

else. If you have children, it is fun to dress them up and see them happily trick-or-treating, and if you don’t have children, you can indulge in some trick-or-treating of your own. Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party for children or for friends, you’ll need some scary, fun invitations. Here are some ideas to get you started. Remember, it’s halloween: go wild, be crazy, and above all, have fun.

If you need to get invitations out in a rush and don’t want to spend money on pre-made ones, you can pop online and find plenty of free templates. These come in various themes and for various ages. If you are inviting older friends, for instance, a vintage invitation can be a fabulous idea. One example, available at Make-Your-Own-Invitations.com has a creepy black cat and a skull on either side of a giant pumpkin. On the pumpkin is written:

Timid? No. Then on Halloween

At _________ of the clock

Let your highness be seen at:

(your address goes here).

It is fun in that melodramatic old horror movie way. Simply copy these for your guests, write in your party info, and send.

Another great idea that is perfect for children or adults is the Moonlit Halloween card. For this, you will need black cardstock, white or cream cardstock, glue, and foam cat shapes. Onto the folded black sheet of cardstock, glue a circle of white for the moon. Simply glue the foam bats (available at craft stores) so they look like they are flying in the moonlight. Inside, write with silver gel pens to give guests the party information. You can do similar cards using a witch or a black cat in front of the moon.

Purchase a package of brown paper lunch bags at the grocery store. For a very cute children’s invitation, fold the bag in half firmly. Trim a white piece of paper or cardstock so it will be about a half inch to one inch smaller than the paper bag on which it will be glued or stapled.

Write the party information on the white paper, either using your computer or printing it yourself. Adorn with Halloween scrapbooking stickers and staple or glue it to the inside of the folded bag. Cut out five or so orange construction paper pumpkins, writing “Boo” or another Halloween message on one of them. Glue three to the front of the bag and two on the inside cover. On the pumpkin with the message, use a length of green ribbon as a stem and staple or glue into place. Tie a length of black ribbon down the spine of the card, which creates a nice border look. Put the party information inside, and you’re done.

Buy blank cards or cut cardstock in half to make your own for this chic web and spider invitation. Around the edge of the front, draw a thin border and outline it with black felt tip marker. Draw a swirl, either with pencil first or just your felt tip marker, starting at a central point and looping further away from the center. From the center of your swirl, use a ruler to draw straight edges that extend all the way to the edges of the card. These will be like spokes from a wheel. Draw a little dot at the intersection of each point with your black marker. From a point in the swirl, draw a thin line straight down with a spider dangling down. A simple circle for the body, smaller circle for the head, and creepy legs will do it. Color the spider’s body red for contrast – and for blood, of course. On one of the web’s strands, write “Happy Halloween,” in very subtle handwriting. Inside goes your party information.

Happy Halloween!

Wax fangs and lips

The wax candy of yesteryear is back. Offer wax fangs and lips for guests to take home. They can go around scaring each other and then chew the wax. There are also other shapes that come filled with a sugary liquid that kids love.

Pumpkin Containers

Dollar stores and discount stores sell two-piece pumpkin-shaped containers just perfect for filling with treats. You’ll find them in every size imaginable. Fill them with all kinds of Halloween candy gifts. Or, get creative with what you fill them with. Online stores offer Halloween toys in bulk. You can include plastic monsters or ghouls or erasers in Halloween shapes and messages.

Silly Bands

Halloween is the perfect time to add to kids’ Silly Band collections. These shaped rubber bands come in every design and color you can think of. For Halloween, you’ll find them in the shapes of witches hats, ghosts, pumpkins, cats and more. They come in packs by theme and are very inexpensive. Kids love to trade them with each other.

Bendables

Raid the shelves at the dollar store at Halloween time, and you will find adorable bendable characters in the shape of skeletons, witches and more. These bendables are so much fun to offer as part of a goody bag. The stores will also have the bags in Halloween themes.

Stickers

Stickers and sticker tattoos are hot this year. Offer Halloween themed stickers by the roll or individually. Fill up a goody bag with all kinds of stickers and add in some Halloween erasers and pencils.

Caramel Apples

You can make or buy caramel apples that are rich and delicious treats. You can buy them dipped in everything from nuts to chocolate chips to pretzels. You can easily make them yourself and dip them in sprinkles, walnuts or anything else you like. Create a delicious Halloween caramel apple by wrapping  each one in cellophane with a pretty orange bow for kids to take home to eat.

Pumpkins

Set a table aside to hold an abundance of mini pumpkins. You can buy the gourds that look like mini pumpkins or small sugar pumpkins. As kids leave they can take home a small pumpkin as a favor. Or, as part of the party, have supplies ready for kids to decorate their pumpkins without cutting. They can use paints, markers, glue, googly eyes, felt and more. Then, they get to take home their creations as party favors.

Glow Prizes

Anything that glows is hot for Halloween. You can now find inexpensive glow sticks that are shaped as necklaces, bracelets, wands, swords, headbands and more. They come in an array of colors perfect for the night. They don’t start glowing until you crack the seal inside by bending them. Kids can take them home and use them for Trick or Treating. Or you can shut off the lights and have an all-glow party.

Passes to Fun

Many places will give you a pack of passes for free entry for kids. Try roller skating rinks, bowling alleys, kid gyms and theme parks. Many times they’ll offer you a whole book of coupons that you can pass out as fun favors for kids.

1. The Puppy Dog. This classic costume never goes out of style. Whether he’s dressing as Clifford the Big Red Dog or just as a mutt, this is a fun costume. You can either buy some fabulous one-piece dog suits or make your own. Think floppy ears and spots made with felt. A collar made out of reflective material will not only look great, but will help him be seen by cars.
2. The Pirate. The action-adventurer will want to go as his favorite swashbuckler this year. Pull out an old bandanna, make an eye patch and tear up some jeans. An old vest completes the look. A stuffed parrot on the shoulder is a nice touch.
3. Superman. Your little guy can emulate the Man of Steel very easily. Make him a cape out of a pillowcase. Have him dress in all one color. You can find leggings appropriate for boys and add a big "S" on his chest and you’re up, up and away!
4. Star Wars Figures. The Star Wars movies are as popular now as they ever were. You may have to purchase a mask for this costume, but you can dress a Darth Vader all in black or a Luke Skywalker in all brown. Get creative. Add a light stick from the dollar store for a Light Saber.
5. The Cowboy. The movie Toy Story 3 has caused a resurgence in the love of the cowboy. Dress your little Woody in a cowboy hat, bandanna, funky vest and cowboy boots.
6. Super Mario. The Super Mario Brothers games for Wii and Nintendo have sparked a love of dressing as the Mario character. You may have to purchase this one. Or get a red hat, red shirt, blue overalls with oversize buttons and a big black oversize mustache and do it yourself.
7. Crayola Crayon. Every year you find at least one adorable child dressed as a crayon. What fun this is! And if you have siblings, why not dress them as several colors from the box? You can do it yourself with felt. Make sure you include the Crayola stripe and the color name (remember burnt sienna?).
8. Clown. If you’ve got a real kidder in your family, turn him into a clown for the night. This one’s fun to do on your own or you can go ready-made. The key is a wacky wig and a big red nose. An oversize tie and shoes work well too.
9. Penguin. Break out the black and white felt for an easy penguin getup. Make flippers out of long pieces of the black with a white circle for the tummy. A black hood with a beak becomes the penguin head. Cover shoes with orange felt cut to look like webbed feet.
10. The Ghost. There is no Halloween costume more basic or more fun than the ghost. If your son likes to scare people, he’ll love this time-honored sheet with holes. He’ll love the fact that no one recognizes him. And you get off easy on the sewing skills.

No matter what he dresses up as, he's sure to bring in a bounty of Halloween Treats!  And if you have a daughter, be sure to check out the Top 10 Most Popular Halloween Costumes For Girls.

Don't forget to decorate the inside of your home as well. I have also included some great interior decorating tips to make your haunted house eerily fun and festive - also perfect for a Halloween party!

Interior Halloween Decoration Ideas:

Fake Cobwebs - You can buy bags of fake cobwebs at local party supply stores. These days they come in various colors, but we personally use the white ones to make them look a bit more realistic. Use them on corners, trees and around door frames.  One bag goes a long way - they really stretch!  A small black plastic spider is usually included in each bag of webbing, but buy some extras so that you can have several spiders 'crawling' on each web.

Bloody Hand prints & Footprints - Many companies sell sets of window clings that look like blood spatter and bloody hand prints and/or footprints. Place some across your front porch to send a chill through guests' bones!

Reusable Jack O'Lanterns - Realistic-looking foam pumpkins are available with sizes ranging from small to gigantic. They are worth the money as you will be able to use them for many years to come.  Most plug in to outlets with a small lightbulb inside.

Candles & Holders - Place candles throughout the house for an eerie evening effect. If you are using real flame candles, be sure to keep an eye on them so that they don't burn down too far creating a fire hazard.

Spooky Music - No haunted Halloween house is complete without scary music playing, so be sure to buy a Halloween themed CD featuring organ music, blood curdling screams and shrieks.

Exterior Halloween Decorating Ideas:

Lighting - Many spooky lighting kits and accessories are available at stores near you. Lights can be used to set the mood for the yard - from scary to fun.  To create a really frightening haunted house feel, replace all your outdoor lights with black lights then create spotlights on your decorations for eerie effect.

Tombstone Graveyard - Transform your front yard into a graveyard! You can either purchase vinyl or wood tombstones at a local party store or you can make them yourself if you are crafty. The best thing about making them yourself is that you can create interesting shapes and funny epitaphs and scary names like Rob DeGrave or Miss N. Cranium. This can be a fun project to do as a family.  I recommend that you place the tombstones in the yard and if possible add some mounds of sand in rectangular shapes (like you might see at a freshly dug grave in a real graveyard). Then place the fencing around the outside and add a grim reaper or crypt keeper motion sensitive Halloween monster for the ultimate graveyard!

Half-Buried Monsters - Many online Halloween gift and party companies and party supply shops sell the ground torsos or head and hand sets that light up for a great effect in the dark. You can also find light-up skeletons that are meant to be half-buried as well. Place them along the sidewalk or driveway where the party guests or trick-or-treaters will be walking up to your house.

Motion Activated Decorations - There's nothing scarier than walking past a decoration that looks harmless, but then it starts moving or making noise!  Check your local stores for a variety of scary decorations that sense when someone is walking near.

For even more great decorating ideas, check out this Halloween Decorating Ideas lens at Squidoo!

Jack-O-Lantern carving has become an art in recent years. The artistry and innovation people are coming up with is amazing. There are new tools, stencils, and designs coming out every year for pumpkin carving enthusiasts. But if you’re not an artist, don’t despair.  You can still carve your pumpkins the old fashioned way simply and with beautiful results. Here’s how:

• Choose a pumpkin that is firm and regularly shaped. Avoid any with damage or a flat side. Your Jack-O-Lantern won’t look as good if you start off with a lopsided pumpkin. However, if you want to do a cute variation of the standard pumpkin, then you might want to go with oddly shaped or colored specimens.
• Don’t carry your pumpkins by the stem as the stem could break off. If it does break off, you can always carve it from the bottom and still have a lovely finished product. But if you have your heart set on the traditional pumpkin, be gentle with the stem.
• Decide what you want your pumpkin’s face to look like. Are you going for the triangle eyes and wide, toothy grin? Are you aiming for a more serene or sweet looking end result? Plan it out on paper first. You can then either draw freehand on the face with a permanent marker (water based markers will wipe off the pumpkin’s skin) or you can cut out the individual pieces from your paper and trace around them.
• You’ll need a sharp knife. More injuries happen with dull knives than sharp ones. With a duller knife, you’ll have to press harder and may slip. Don’t let children do this part of the carving unless they are closely supervised. Kid-safe tools are now available that allow them to punch and scoop out the pumpkin’s design, and there are no sharp edges to worry about. These tools usually come in kits that can be found in grocery and discount stores during the Halloween gift season.
• To carve your pumpkin, start by cutting out a circle around the stem of the pumpkin. Lift the top of the pumpkin off. Reach in and scoop out the pulp and seeds. You’ll want to use a heavy metal spoon to scoop down the sides and bottom to really clean it out. If you want, place the seeds in a bowl and wash them off so you can toast them later in the oven for a nutritious snack. Make sure you get out every bit of the pulp as it will make the pumpkin decay faster if you leave it in.
• Now you’re ready to cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth you drew on. Insert the knife and make short cuts, doing a little of the design at a time. Don’t make large, broad strokes as this can lead to cutting off more of the pumpkin than you meant to. Pop out the cut material and continue on until the whole design is cut out.
• Decide on how you will light your Jack-O-Lantern. There are many choices on the market today, some of which were not available in years past. You can buy flame-less flickering votives in white or color that run on batteries. You can also get flashing strobe lights designed especially for pumpkins. Glow sticks also work well. If you want the traditional look, you’ll want to go with votive candles. You will, however, have to keep an eye on them if you have an open flame.

Halloween is my favorite holiday hands down.  One of my favorite things is having all the kids dressed up in their adorable costumes coming to our door saying 'Trick or Treat'.   We almost always go all out decorating our house for Halloween so the kids love venturing up the driveway just to see the decorations including the spiders on the doorbell and skeletons coming up from the ground.  They always know they'll get a good treat at our door too!  In fact, my husband is at Wal-Mart right now stocking up on Halloween candy.  Last year, we had nearly 300 kids stop by our door and I expect even more this year.

Apparently the tradition of dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door to beg for treats goes back to the Middle Ages.  The costumes are said to be a Celtic tradition which placates evil spirits.  The handing out of food originated in Britain and Ireland where poor people would go door-to-door on November 1st. They would be given food in exchange for their prayers for dead souls on November 2nd. This practice was known as 'Souling'.  The practice of trick or treating in America is believed to date back to the early 1900's and it became a more widespread activity in the 1930's.   Whatever the origins, I am glad that this is one tradition that has caught on for the long term.  Happy Halloween and be sure to check out these Halloween safety tips to keep your pets, children and yourself safe this year!

1. Celebrate the Season:  Take advantage of the fall harvest and have partygoers bob for apples.  Make sure to have plenty of towels on hand!
2. Have a Pumpkin Toss:  Choose some small pumpkins and mark off a place in the yard where it's OK to make a mess.  Have participants choose their pumpkin, mark it with their name and see how far they can throw it from the starting line.  I recommend separate pumpkins for each guest just in case they go "splat!"
3. Decorate in Black and Orange:  Hang crepe paper in the doorway, light the path to your house with friendly jack-o-lanterns, and utilize balloons for decorations.  If you don't have helium balloons, hang some balloons down from the ceiling and let others float around on the floor.
4. Create a "Friendly" Witch's Brew:  Using a large black cauldron, flavored drink mixes and dry ice (if available), give each child an ingredient to pour into the brew while you stir it together using a large ladle.
5. Don't Forget the Candy:  Have a large bowl of candy or a Halloween Treat Basket on your table for the kids to nibble on.  Bake sugar cookies in advance, and have colored frosting on hand.  Give each child a cookie, some frosting and a bunch of candies (red hots, candy corn, M&M's, etc) so they can come up with a unique Halloween cookie creation!

With this simple tips, you can host a fun Halloween party with no need for scary parts!

There was just one thing the young man used to wonder about. His mother used to be a gentle, sweet little woman. But when she got to be about eighty years old, he began to notice that she had long, sharp, pointed teeth. She used to eat her fish, tail, eyes, and all; she even seemed to enjoy crunching up the raw bones.

One night a fish peddler of Kowashi's village was walking home through the mountain pass after . a day's work at the market. He had not sold all his fish that day. And those left over were in the fishing gift basket which he carried on a pole over his shoulder.

He was not afraid of night robbers, because it was a bright moonlit night and he could see every stick and stone in the path.

Suddenly he was set upon by a whole horde of cats. They smelled the fish in his basket and were determined to get it.

He fought them off with the long pole. And he fought so smartly that finally the cats gave up the fight. Then one of them said, "Go call Old Woman Kowashi."

"That's funny," the peddler said to himself, for young Kowashi and his mother were his neighbors in the village.

So the man quickly climbed into a pine tree, wondering what would happen next.

In the moonlight the man could see the path and all the cats and their shadows as plain as day.

Soon one of the cats said, "Here she comes." Another said, "Here comes Old Woman Kowashi."

The man looked. And what he saw was a big tough old gray cat coming through the pass.

"He won't give us the fish!" all the cats said together.

So the big gray cat climbed up into the fish peddler's tree. The peddler was lying stretched out along a branch. The cat crawled out along the same branch until she came close to him - eye to eye!

Inch by inch she came nearer. Each of her sharp claws looked six inches long.

What could he do?

Suddenly he remembered that he had his fish gaff with him. (A fish gaff is a heavy barbed hook with a wooden handle, used for hauling heavy fish into a boat.)

Quickly he grabbed the fish gaff and gave the big gray cat a whack on the head.

Just about then the sun peeked over the horizon, It was morning, and all the cats vanished instantly. One minute they were there, and the next minute they were gone - just like that.

The fish peddler climbed down from the tree and hurried home. And that morning he went and told young Kowashi the whole story.

The young man listened and nodded his head.

He was thinking about how his mother had changed, and how her teeth had gotten so pointed. And just this morning he had noticed a deep gash on her head.

Now he asked her how she had cut herself, and she glared at him with baleful eyes and snarled, baring her long pointed teeth.

So young Kowashi suddenly understood: a cat witch had taken his mother's place! Quickly he seized the witch, drew his long sword, and cut off her head at one stroke.

Then he looked down, and what lay at his feet was a bloody old gray cat.

Not long after this, Kowashi discovered that the wicked cat witch had killed his real mother and buried her in the garden.

In Sicily, legend has it that the dead leave their tombs during these days, raiding the best pastry shops to bring children gifts or special treats such as these Dead Man's Cookies.

Dead Man's Cookies (makes about 5 dozen)

These cookies are eaten in Italy on All Soul's Day, when they are shaped to look like fava beans, a symbol of the dead in ancient Rome. Recall the May ritual to the dead spirits, the Lemuria, where beans were used to propitiate the dead.

"The grappa [an Italian brandy] in this Venetian sweet gives the cookies a distinct and slightly bitter edge. The same cookies are made in Rome without pine nuts or grappa by reducing the almonds to a fine powder, adding at tiny bit more butter, and flavoring them with cinnamon."

• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups blanched almonds
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon grappa
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg white for glaze

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade or with a sharp knife, chop the almonds into fine grains, but not a powder. Move them to the bowl of an electric mixer or to a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, flour, pine nuts, grappa, lemon zest, butter, egg, and egg yolk. Mix on the lowest speed in the electric mixer or stir together by hand. The dough initially seems very dry, but does eventually smooth out and come together. If you are really having trouble, add egg white, a teaspoon at a time.

Butter and flour baking sheets or line them with parchment paper, Divide the dough into several pieces. On a lightly floured work surface roll each one into a long narrow log about ¾ inches wide. Cut into 1-inch segments, about the size of a fava bean. Roll each one slightly to smooth out the edges, and then press a small indentation in the center, so that the cookies really do resemble the fava beans. Set on the baking sheets. Whip the egg white until it is frothy and brush a little bit on each autumn themed cookie.

Bake cookies at 300 degrees until pale gold in color. 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on racks.