forms, particularly with families who want to bypass candy gathering for wholesome, child-centered activities…and the options are numerous.

Some families choose to celebrate Halloween by decorating their homes with their growing collections of homemade Halloween décor, ranging from hand-made goblins hanging from the branches of trees in the front yard or miniature versions suspended from a branch secured in a six- or eight-inch flower pot.

carved, these pumpkins make wonderful porch decorations or can be placed in the front window with lights or candles lit to glow on Halloween night.

Schools, churches, hospitals and other groups plan parties for the community and embrace many Halloween traditions, such as dunking for apples, pin-the-smile on the Jack-o-Lantern, pumpkin carving and, of course, plenty of hot cider, caramel apples and candy for the young as well as the young at heart.

Check with your local mall to find out what they’re planning for Halloween night activities, and be sure you save plenty of time to create a costume for the local costume contest.

Prizes are usually awarded for the scariest, most “bootiful” and most original costume.