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Halloween is a unique holiday celebrating all things spooky and scary and is always a favorite for kids and adults alike. Trick-Or-Treating from house to house is tops on the list for many youngsters, of course, but there are many other ways to have Halloween fun at home. With a little planning and a lot of imagination, you can create special decorations, food and activities for a memorable Halloween party that's perfect for all ages.

Alyson Chugerman lives in upstate New York with her husband and two young daughters. A former PTA president, Chugerman is a member of her community's board of education and a big fan of Halloween. Here she offers suggestions and tips for throwing a fantastical fright night fiesta:

• Homemade ghosts. The spookier your Halloween decorations are, the better. One of Chugerman's favorite tricks is to take a large piece of cheesecloth, dip it in a product called Stiffy, and then drape it over an inflated balloon. When the cloth hardens into a spectral shape, you simply pop the balloon, add some eyes and a nose and voila — a perfect ghost decoration!

• Dangling donuts. Bobbing for apples is an October favorite, but bobbing for donuts might be an even more enjoyable way to play with your food. Simply attach a string to a donut, attach the other end of the string to a tree branch or the ceiling and allow the donut to swing freely in midair. Have guests hold their hands behind their backs and try to get the donuts off the strings using only their mouths. It's harder than it sounds!

• Witchy refreshment. Witches' Brew is a type of punch made with milk, pineapple juice and orange soda, with orange sherbet or a similar dessert floating on top. It fits perfectly with the Halloween theme, and tastes great too.

• Creepy cookies. It wouldn't be a proper party without cookies, and Halloween is the perfect time to play tricks with your treats. Just as Christmas cookies should be cut in festive and jovial shapes, Halloween cookies are best when they taste great but look gross. Chugerman likes to make almond finger cookies in the shape of real fingers, with almond slivers and jelly serving as creepy fingernails.

• Imagination. These are just a few of the thousands of ways you can make your Halloween gathering fun, festive, and a little frightening. It's a rare chance to dress up as someone else and go a little wacky, so put your imagination to good use when planning your decorations, food and activities, and remember to have a good time!