Happy Halloween

"Trick or treat!" You hear the kids screaming from the porch. You swing open the door to see a Captain America, a Chewbacca, a Dora the Explorer and a lady bug. The kids costumes are all so cute and the Halloween masks are so creepy this year, but something is missing.

It may feel as though you've lost the spirit of Halloween and that deep down, you're just not so excited about this day anymore. Often times, adults forget to do something for themselves and instead look toward Thanksgiving for gratification. Here are some sure-fire ideas that'll have you shouting "happy Halloween" in no time.

It's a lot of work, but if you want to have a really great Halloween costume party, then plan months in advance! Perhaps you'll choose a theme to get started, such as a masquerade, Renaissance vampires, pirates, monsters, 1920s gangsters or any other decorating and costume theme. If it's your first time, then you might want to host a simple dinner of ghoulish delights, followed by a movie.

If you're looking for something outrageous, then just throw some Halloween drinking games or board games into the mix and watch the party explode with laughter. Murder mystery parties come in a box that provide suggestions for food, decorations and costume accessories, as well as providing invitations, character booklets, scripts and a CD/DVD with the compelling conclusion for your "whodunnit" mystery. Check out the Bepuzzled brand for the best selection of murder mystery kits.