Frightfully Easy Halloween Party Tips...

Halloween is fun. We don't get into all that dramatic stuff about it being evil, we just use it to have a good time. The best gatherings are always the ones that combine good food, friends and a relaxed atmosphere. With our quick and easy tips, you'll have time to spend making sure that great costume looks just right.

• Send email invitations. Always easy, quick and very much in line with the younger set, email invites are where it's at so visit celebrations.com and design your very own. They also have lots of party planning tools.
• Make a list and a budget. Write down what you want, what you have and what you need to buy. Cut back if need be. Put out a bright vinyl tablecloth and no one will even notice your white serving tray. Once you decide how much you can afford to spend, stick to your budget. If you need to cut the decorating budget, read on...
• Keep it simple. Really, the gathering of one's friends is its own reward, so if you've got good food (of course you will), drinks and people, the rest is extra. Consider using borrowed decorations (who threw the party in your group last year?) and easy decorating ideas like drawing your own chalk outline of a body on the front steps. Find or make your own Halloween music cds to set the mood. Use low lighting and don't clean the house, the cob webs will fit right in!
• Food is king...so you'll need a few rabbits to pull out of your hat. Ordering pizza to be delivered is always a good idea, but if you do that, make a couple of signature drinks and something sweet to balance it out. Here are some recipes to makes things easy on you:

Butter Beer

4 parts Cream Soda

1 part Butterscotch Schnapps

Mix together and serve cold.

Green Witches Brew

1 carton lime sherbet

2 liter lemon-lime soda

Let sherbet soften at room temperature. Remove from carton and place in the bottom of a punch bowl. Pour soda over sherbet; mixture will foam. Serve immediately.

Vampire Blood Soup

Tomato soup (boxed is great, canned is good too)

Test tubes (glass or plastic)

Heat soup according to package directions. Season to taste. Pour into test tubes and serve with cheese crackers.

Spider Web Layer Dip

1 can refried black beans

1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 package guacamole

2 cups shredded cheddar, Colby jack or Mexican blend cheese

8 oz. sour cream

whole black olives

In a medium, shallow dish, layer the following ingredients in this order: refried bean, drained tomatoes and chilies, guacamole and cheese. Put sour cream in a zipper type plastic bag and seal. Cut one corner, push sour cream to opening and pipe on 'spider webs'. Next, take your black olives and cut in half; use one half as the body of the 'spider' and cut the other into the 'legs'. Serve with tortilla chips.

Worms in Dirt

Chocolate pudding

Chocolate cookies, crushed

Gummy worms

Clear glasses, different shapes and sizes

In the bottom of each glass, put a dollop of chocolate pudding. Cover with chocolate cookies (dirt) and stick gummy worms into each glass, sticking up out of the 'dirt'. The different sizes and types of glasses make great presentation!

Now you have all the keys to an easy, cool party that won't break you or the bank. Pat yourself on the back and smile!

"Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title." ~From Scooby-Doo