#1. About two weeks ahead, pick the date, time and theme for your Halloween party; make your guest list. Because a party, especially for small children, can involve a lot of steps, don't try to do it all by yourself. Consider enlisting the help of other parents or hire a couple of teenagers.

#2. Set the mood of your even with the invitations. You can purchase them or make your own. For a bewitching idea, use color-changeable markers and write your invitation on white paper, using the white marker (the words will be invisible). Then send each invitation in a heavy envelope with a color-changing marker. Include instructions to color the entire invitation--the words will appear like magic. For another idea, send your guests invitations written on masks. Simply buy inexpensive paper eye masks and write the words on the backsides.

#3. Ten days before the party address and mail or hand deliver the invitations. Don't forget to ask for an RSVP so you know how many guests will be coming!

#4. A party wouldn't be a party without lots of good eats. You are welcome to visit my kitchen on this site to find lots of great recipes. Make a shopping list of the ingredients you need to buy. Be sure to include film or buy a couple of disposable cameras, so you can place them around the room and let guests share in the pleasure of capturing the moments of fun.

#5. Buy your pumpkins early, while the selection is still good. Look for a variety of sizes and shapes for making different jack-o'-lanterns with interesting faces. Also, pick uy some miniature pumpkins--they'll make great decorations and party favors.

#6. As part of the party planning, buy or make costumes for your family. 

#7. Have the youngsters help choose games and activities for your party. Be sure to have some extra activities, in case a game you're expecting to last 45 minutes only lasts 14 minutes, If you like, make trick-or-treating or other Halloween activities part of the party fun. For example, you may want to pan an outing to one of the haunted houses in your area or to a mall. most larger shopping malls offer parties or trick-or-treating for little ones on Halloween.

#8. Get a head start on the "haunting" of your house by gathering together family members and making a special tape of spooky sounds. Also, remember to make or buy the decorations you'll need.

#9. Make or buy party favors so each guest has a treat or gift to take home.

#10. Inject some Halloween fun into an ordinary afternoon by asking your kids to invite a few friends over after school to help make treats for the part. Let the kids mix up Trick or Treat Snack Mix, Candy Corn Popcorn Balls or even some Pumpkin Cupcakes (click here for recipes).

#11. Two or three days ahead of the party, shop for groceries and any other items that you may need. If you're having a scary party, make some creepy-crawly ice cubes. Just fill an ice cube tray with prepared KOOL-AID Soft Drink Mix and add a gummy worm or candy bug to each cube, then freeze until solid. Kids will love the surprises in their drinks.

#12. The day before the party, begin preparing the food. Carve the pumpkins--double check to make sure you have enough candies for the pumpkins or plan to use small flashlights, so you don't have to worry about potential accidents.

#13. On party day, finish making the food and hang the decorations. Put out the disposable cameras or assign a couple of your helpers to be photographers and encourage them to take lots of photos. When party time comes, get involved and participate in as many activities as you can. Enjoy!