....and it's time for some links to get you in the Halloween mood -- or at least better informed about it.
-- First, a little history -- the History Channel presents The History of Halloween, with video clips, ghost stories, recipes, and more.
-- Entertaining at Halloween? Then these pages from AllRecipes and Epicurious should get you started. Try the brain cupcakes....yum!
-- There are more pumpkin-carving sites out there than you can shake a magic wand at. Jack-O-Lantern.com (unavailable when I last checked) will give you a basic intro into the art, along with patterns and carving techniques. Those who are more adventurous should check out ExtremePumpkins.com -- gotta love that head on fire! You won't find any patterns at Pumpkingutter, but than again, you probably don't want to carve Albert Einstein's face in a gourd.
-- What to do with all that goop you scoop out of the pumpkin? Check out these Resources for Home Preserving Pumpkins for some ideas.
-- And lest we forget that Halloween should be safe as well as fun, here are some Safety Tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.