Ideas for your next Halloween Party

There are many traditions associated with the celebration of the holiday termed Halloween. Trick or treating, dressing up in costumes, practical jokes and more. One method that has been gaining increased popularity over the years is the Halloween party. Adults want to enjoy halloween too, but can't go trick or treating, so a party is the perfect fun. Kids want to dress up, eat candy and have fun with their friends. Many parents are now opting to dismiss the activity of trick or treating in favor of safer halloween fun. A party makes the ideal replacement.

To host a great halloween party isn't difficult or expensive. For decoration you can carve a few jack o lanterns. During that time of the year pupmkins are readily available at supermarkets and local growers. They don't cost a lot and it's a great activity to share with your kids and friends.

You can use your computer and printer to create signs and banners. There is free halloween clip art readily available all over the internet. You don't have to be an artist.

Save your plastic bags from grocery or other shopping. Stuff them with crumpled up newpaper and tie them together with twine to assemble the body form for a scary zombie, vampire or witch. Dress them up in your old costumes or clothes.

Make a computer recording of yourself and your friends screaming and making various scary sounds. Leave some soundless spaces between the yelling and spooking. Use your computer or portable media player hooked up to a stereo and play it on a loop.

Add red food coloring to the bobbing for apples water to make it creepier. Add green and yellow food coloring to ready-made whipped topping and sprinkle dollops on top of the water. It'll look like pus and ooze.

For adults: you can make your beer red or green too.

Have costume contests during your party. Scariest, cutest, most original, etc. Your guests can vote just by clapping and cheering. Give out inexpensive prizes to the winners. Plastic trophies or home-made goodies.

Theme your halloween party. It's already halloween themed, but you can take it a step further. Ask guests to wear costumes based on a specific theme only. For instance: their favorite real life hero, star wars characters only, villains or video games. Or come up with your own unique costume theme based on your interests and those of your friends.

Whatever you do, and however you celebrate, we wish you a safe and happy Halloween!