Toe Jam - They tell me this is the alternative to bobbing for apples. Fill the bottom of a tub or basin with marbles, and then add a layer of jello. Take off shoes and socks and reach through jello for marbles. Have towels and newspapers available to catch mess. (Well, you guys do what you want, but I'm not playing.)

Centerpiece - A Spook Tree. "Plant" a shapely branch in a flower pot, and cover pot with black net. You can hold the branch with rocks, or stick it in Styrofoam, though you may need to weight the pot to keep it upright. Tie tiny spooks made from circles of white fabric with stuffed heads to branches with orange and black ribbon. Ghost features go on with black marking pens or will look especially good made with fabric markers or luminous paint. Top the tree with a puff of orange and black ribbon curl, and put garlands of ribbon curls on branches. If you want it to be a Trick or Treat Tree, you could make heads out of a sucker or packaged candy and provide scissors so kiddies could snip a spook off the tree.

Make bigger versions of the spooks to hang on outside trees. These could be decorated with could have glow in the dark tape or paint features for an eerie glow. If the kids will be outside, do add glow in the dark touches to their costumes.

Variation on the Spook tree if you have a little extra time and are feeling ambitious. Wring cheesecloth out in fabric stiffener (available at craft stores). Shake vigorously to clear excess. Drape fabric over forms made from big coke bottles. Shape isn't too important. Who knows what shape ghosts should be? Add features from felt with waterproof glue. They can be hung in trees or bob over the front door.

A more fragile inside version can be made with a solution of 2 cups of sugar dissolved in 1 cup of water, Dry over form in a warm place for 24 hours, then take off form and dry on a cookie sheet indoors for another 12 hours. Add features. Surprisingly sturdy, but will melt outside.

For a Multi-generation party - or an alternative to trick or treating, try a horror movie festival. Rent two or three movie classics and take it easy.

Odds and Ends - Send one of the kids over to answer the door for an elderly friend or relative. Getting to the door can be a real chore and its fun to have someone younger to share this holiday .

A grown up party - Not all October parties are Halloween parties. if you're looking for party for adults, here's an easy decorating idea. Use pumpkins. Lots of pumpkins. Use a big pumpkin for the punch bowl. Hollow out, remove "threads" completely. Wash and chill the pumpkin. Fill with your favorite punch just before serving. Pumpkins can hold stew or be soup bowls. They make great centerpieces. Just cut off the lid, add water and fill with flowers. The insides will help hold the flowers in place and the whole thing is biodegradable. Apples and tiny pumpkins can hold candles.

Party Centerpiece - Use mini-brown bags with a small vase inside to hold flowers at each place, with a big one in the center.

My Favorite Easy Centerpiece, for Halloween and all year round. Make Jack O'Lantern Flowers - Find big orange chrysanthemums. Hot glue with googly eyes and a pipe cleaner smiley mouth, for big bright smiley faces at all the tables.

Quick Snacks - Praline Squares. Line jelly Roll pan with graham crackers. Melt 1 1/2 sticks of margarine, 1/2 c. of sugar, 1 cup chopped pecans. Pour over crackers. Bake at 300 o for 12 minutes. Cool on wax paper.

Or dip pretzels and oreos in melted white chocolate. Decorate with orange and brown drizzle.

Dorothy Wilhelm is a professional speaker, writer, humorist and radio/TV personality. She is the host of My Home Town on AT&T TV. Reach Dorothy at DOROWIL@aol.com or at her website www.itsnevertoolate.com

Dorothy Wilhelm - Porcupine Trainer - Creativity for change management Host of "My Home Town" on AT&T TV 1-800-548-9264