Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. That means bedtimes and early-morning schedules won’t be on your mind. So, host a Halloween party — you’ll love spending quality time with your friends and family.

Are you having an adult Halloween party or are you inviting children? Consider a split party: One kids’ room (the basement works great) and one adults’ room. That way everyone can attend!

Create a Halloween party menu. Kids and adults will love the fun themed munchies! Provide a handful of beverages, entrees, snacks and sweets. No ghoul will leave hungry!

• Witch’s Brew: This hot concoction is creepy and comforting. Spice up simple hot cocoa with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and even a dash of salt. Vanilla powder and cloves provide a seasonal zest while a quick shaking or beating creates fun foam.
• Wicked Watchers: Iced eyeballs give drinks a spooky view. Peel radishes, but deliberately leave some of the red skin intact to create a bloodshot effect. Carve out a small hole in each radish’s surface. Then, stick a green olive — with the red pimiento facing out — into the hole. Next, submerge the eyeballs in an ice-cube tray filled with water. Freeze overnight.

• Slimy Pasta Salad: Kids will love this slimy meal! Combine 4 ounces of cooked pasta (half regular and half twisted) with 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup pea pods, 1 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, 1 cup pitted ripe olives, 1 cup cheese cubes, a sliced yellow squash or zucchini, and sliced green onions. Add 8 ounces of Italian salad dressing and shake the salad. It’ll help coat the lettuce. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.
• Snake Sandwiches: Slice six breadsticks in half vertically. Spread the insides with a mixture of sour cream and salsa. Cut eight slices of American cheese into strips, then place four strips on the bottom half of each breadstick and cover with the top half. Create “eyes” for the snakes using pieces of olive dotted with cream cheese. Place a strip of cut red pepper between the two breadstick halves to make a tongue. Place the snakes on a bed of lettuce — it’ll look like grass.

• Cheesy Eyeballs: Decorate your favorite cheese dip with a pimento olive in the center. Your guests will think they’re eyeballs!
• Scrumptious Spiders: Spread peanut butter over 12 round crackers and cover each with another cracker. Use eight miniature pretzel sticks to create “legs” for each. Spread a little more peanut butter on top, and add two currants to create eyes. Black and orange sprinkles finish off these spooky snacks.

• Bloody Fingers: Place some lady fingers on a serving tray and cover them with strawberry jam. Almond slices create the fingernails, and confectioner’s sugar gives them a sweet finishing touch.
• Crunchy Ghosts: For a super-simple, sweet treat both kids and adults love, combine mini-marshmallows, popcorn, chocolate chips and a stick of butter. Microwave about 40 mini-marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of butter in a bowl, until completely melted. Pour your buttery, marshmallow mix over the popped popcorn and toss. The popcorn should be evenly coated and sticky. Then, using well-greased hands, form the popcorn into oval shapes with flat bottoms. Two chocolate chips give your “ghost” eyes.

Now, relax and enjoy yourself. If the host is having a good time, the guests will follow suit.