Halloween Gifts

While Halloween might not be the prime-time for gift giving, it is nonetheless still an event that warrants some attention. Did you know that its origin dates back to the times of the Celts in Ireland, nearly 2000 years ago? They burned bonfires, dressed in costumes,  and sacrificed animals to the Celt deities on the eve of November 1, the date in which the fall harvest officially ended and the winter began. Due to harsh conditions to come, this date often represented death and travesty. If that wasn't enough to spook the Celts, they also believed that All Hallows, as the holiday was later called, was the time when the boundaries between life and death were not so clearly defined. Hence nowadays you see the streets filled with kids dressed as mummies,  ghosts,  and ghouls  on October 31st. What about the angels,  devils,  and witches?  That tradition stems from the Roman Catholic influence over the holiday after they captured Celtic lands in A.D. 43. They believed that the eve of All Saint's Day (Nov. 1) was a time when the devil and his cohorts would attempt to disrupt the day of pious commemoration of the Catholic saints. Thus, today, you see such costumes representing this ancient assumption.

Now whether you have haunted houses to visit, a scary costume  to wear, or trick or treating to attend to, you have to kit yourself (or your host) out for the occasion. Below you'll find some of the spine-tingling gifts to make your Halloween a bit more ghoulish!

For Children

It is a fact that despite the morbid connotations associated with this celebration, kids still love Halloween. From the costumes to the candy, Halloween is a culminating point in the school year -- one last bit of fun before summer vacation is far behind. It goes without saying that costumes are a must-have for this holiday, and while a great gift idea, chances are that unless you're the parent, the kid has already got one planned. Here are some other ideas that can suit most kids no matter what they are dressing up as this season.

Also see Halloween Crafts for more ideas from craft kits to costumes and more.

Trick-or-Treat Bag  Sugar might rot away your teeth, but these bags will last for several seasons. They're cute and perfectly sized for tots.	Scary Backpack of Fun  Little devils will love this bag full of creepy supplies to tease their siblings, traumatize teachers, and trick their friends.	Ooeey Gooey Slippery Slimy Gift Set Girls and boys will love this gross gift full of sticky hands, putty, egg splat, and more.	Nightmare Before Christmas  This and other scary movies are perfect for Halloween parties and scary slumber parties. Don't forget the popcorn balls!	Glow Sticks  These come in big packs so you kids don't have to fight over who gets one. Safe and fun for trick or treating.

If you are a teacher and are looking for gifts for your students, here are some simple ideas that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Some of the ideas below also make good gifts to give to trick or treaters if you prefer not to give candy.

• Halloween pencils  are both fun AND practical, or for something a little different, try Halloween pencil tops. 
• Magic Color Scratch Halloween Shapes  are perfect for a quick arts and crafts break.
• Halloween stickers  are fun for decorating.
• Halloween bookmark craft kit  is a good activity to complement a reading lesson.
• Halloween lolly pops. 
• Harry Potter Bertie Botts Beans Gift Box  full of gross jelly beans flavored like rotten egg, earwax, and dirt! Harry Potter Bertie Botts Beans Gift Box 
• Halloween Spot Glow Necklaces  to wear while they trick or treat.

Halloween Slumber Party Must-Haves

Here are a few ideas to get your gears churning, from spooky board games to entertainment, such as books and movies.

Ouija Board	S'Mores Maker	Resident Evil Video Game	A Book of Ghost Stories	Harry Potter DVD

Other movies you might want to consider for young children are:

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown 
• Hocus Pocus 
• Bedknobs and Broomsticks 
• Casper 

Other books for youngsters:

• Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat 
• Arthur's Halloween 
• Too Many Pumpkins 
• The Monster Trap 

For Your Host

Big kids like to have fun on Halloween too. If you have been invited to a Halloween party, don't be a ghastly guest and not bring something. Here are some gifts to light up someones dark and devilish night.

Gourmet Caramel Apples  Chocolate, caramel, or candy covered -- just make sure they're gourmet and you have a tantalizingly tasty gift that any host with a sweet tooth can appreciate.	Candle Globe  Not everyone loves a Jack o' Lantern, but a harvest hued candle holder is fitting for the season. Plus your host can use it all year round.	Gargoyle  People who enjoy lawn art and decorating outdoors may enjoy a scary statue of a gargoyle or other ghoulish creature of the night.	Brain Mold  So your host told you to bring dessert? Make some jiggling Jello in the shape of a brain! Not exactly a class act, but perfect for someone who is a class clown.	Wicked Mug  Know a host who is a real witch? Let her know what you really feel about her with these comic mug. Perfect for wicked witches of the east or west!

Home Décor

If you are decorating your place for Halloween or if you want to help out your host get into the spirit, here are some Halloween-inspired decorations that you might want to invest in.

Creeping Hand	Jack o' Lantern Candle	Severed Head	Hanging Bat	Spider Confetti

Halloween Tombstone	Black Light Bulb and Fixture	Grim Reaper	Skull Bowl	Floating Ghost

Great Games

An excellent choice for Halloween entertainment that doesn't involve decking your home out like a haunted house are games.  For adults, murder mystery games are the perfect choice for an evening full of sophisticated fun and fright. Here are the most popular brands, from which there are several theme variations to choose. You might also be interested in the classic game of Clue. 

• How to Host a Murder  -- Go from Chicago to Ancient Rome with the best-selling mystery game. Also check out How to Host a Teen Mystery. 
• Murder Mystery Party  -- The themes for this series are based on the food choice that you plan to serve for the party rather than a time in history setting.

With all of these dinner party games, it is a good idea to plan well in advance, determine how many people you will need to play, and how difficult the preparation of the food will be.

Scary Movies

Halloween is certainly a time to watch scary movies  (and I don't mean Scary Movie 4 ). Here are some great horror flicks to catch after the lights go down and the ghosts come out. While some are knock-your-socks-off scary, others are just, well, plain entertaining.

• Psycho 
• The Exorcist 
• The Shining 
• Frankenstein 
• House of 1,000 Corpses 
• Shadow of the Vampire 
• The Ring 2 
• Dracula 
• Saw 2 
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers 
• The Birds 

Scary Stories

Telling ghost stories is part of the Halloween tradition for many. Whether you are a book lover or simply enjoy a little chilling literary entertainment, here are some books to send your hair on end.

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow  -- Washington Irving's book is synonymous with Halloween.
• A Halloween Reader: Poems, Stories, And Plays From Halloweens Past  -- The best from Poe, Joyce, Burns, and others.
• The Pit and the Pendulum  and The Raven  -- Two classics by Poe  that cannot be forgotten.
• Great Ghost Stories by John Grafton  -- A compilation of several works by different authors.
• Mary Shelley's Frankenstein,  Bram Stoker's Dracula -- Classics not to be missed.
• The Three Imposters and Other Stories: The Best Weird Tales of Arthur Machen, Volume 1 
• The Halloween Tree  by Ray Bradbury.
• The Turn of the Screw 
• The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle  -- If you loved Sherlock Holmes, you may be interested in this spooky book.