Tips to take the fright out of a Halloween bash

Scary decorations, dazzling pumpkins, spirited treats, frightening costumes and hauntingly inspired party ideas teem inside Better Homes and Gardens’ “Halloween Fun: 101 Ideas to Get in the Spirit.”

With just a month until the spookiest holiday of the year, this could be the ticket to fright-filled fun. The book, which retails for $15.95 and is widely available, contains straightforward instructions and plenty of how-to patterns and color photographs to illustrate the projects.

Costume ideas include a magic tree, milkshake, spider, animal masks, flowers and a jesting jester.

Food offerings feature haunting hot chocolate, Transylvania punch, puzzle cookies and the ever-popular cheesy goblin head. Yum.