Set up a sound system outside (or just a portable stereo) and play spooky music. It's the perfect way to "welcome" trick-or-treaters to your door. There are many cd's to choose from, or create your own mixed cd of scary sound effects.

At a loss for a costume…take an old idea - witch or zombie - and add your own personal twist to it. For example you can be a roller skating witch, or a rock-star zombie.

If you dress your pet in clothing the rest of the year, you can do it for Halloween as well. There are hundreds of costumes available for your dog, and even some out there for kitties as well. However, don't dress your pet up if they don't like being dressed up, or you have to fight to get the outfit on them.

Have fun decorating your home for the holiday with fake crows, jack-o-lanterns, and fake spider webs. You can also use scarecrows and mini ears of Indian corn, mini pumpkins and gourds on smaller tables.

Never let children carve a pumpkin. Allow them to choose the design, or to draw the face on it, but then the parent/adult should be the one to use the knife and carve. Also, if you place a candle in the pumpkin after its carved, keep children and pets away from the open flame.

Go trick or treating in a large group of parents and children. Make sure to do a head count after each stop. Obey traffic laws if there are no sidewalks.

Before allowing children to consume their "treats", a parent or adult should go through their bag and toss out anything that looks spoiled, or opened.

Keep children safe by choosing costumes that are bright enough to be seen in the dark. However if the costume is dark, apply reflective tape to the outfit so that the child can be sign by other cars and people.

Make sure the path to your door is safe for trick-or-treaters. Move anything that might trip them up or block the path. Make sure that the path is also well lit.

A good alternative to trick-or-treating is taking the children to an organized party hosted by a church, school, or community group. The kids will have a blast playing games and eating junk food, and the parents can feel better knowing that the kids are in a safe environment.

After Halloween, give the birds and squirrels a treat by letting them feast on the ears of Indian corn you used to decorate your home!

Many churches also offer "trunk or treat" activities on or near Halloween. Church members park their cars in the church lot while the costumed children go from the trunk or tailgate area of one car to the next to collect their goodies; it's often tied in with other organized activities!

Many communities may decide on their own that "trick-or-treating" should only be done in specially-designated times, to alleviate any problems they have had in years past with vandalism and juvenile delinquency. Should your community go with a designated "trick-or-treat" time, only use the timeframe that is set. Remember, this time may even be set on a weekend day instead of on October 31 itself!

There are now electronic candles you can buy at stores that run on button cell batteries and flicker like real candles. I like that they are safe for kids and don't dry the pumpkin out.

In addition to doing the traditional trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and hay rides, throwing a Halloween party is another fun way to get creatively festive! For an adult party, consider having a couples theme (movie stars, movie/book characters). Whether your planning a party appropriate for adults, children or both, consider activities such as graveyard dashing (a spinoff off of easter egg hunting), bobbing for apples, pumpkin tossing, or mummy wrapping with toilet paper. These are just a few ideas. Think of existing games and activies and apply a Halloween element.

Have fun and be creative with Halloween themed party foods. Make cupcakes look like ghosts or cookies like spiders.