So you are getting geared up to go trick-or-treating with your little one. If it's your child's first time, welcome to the fun! If you're a veteran, then we hope you'll chime in with your stories and suggestions.

First things first: are you ready? What is the status of the costumes? Have the little ones made up their minds? Does everything fit right? Have the hairdos and make-up had a trial run? Do you have the right bags for all of the treats?

Once the little ones are all decked out, you'll also want to make sure that you, their devoted escort, have the essential gear ready for this momentous expedition.

After several years of freezing fairies, hungry Harry Potters, grumpy ghosts, moody mermaids, bleeding Batmen, sticky Sleeping Beauties and tripping Transformers, we've learned a few things. We know what it takes to have a happy, meltdown-free Halloween.

Here are the essential items we'll be packing in our tote or backpack when we head out with our kids for

We all have thousands of photos of our little ones zipped into their first giraffe costume, of ninjas at the ready with foam nunchucks and little princesses swathed in glittery tulle.

So why is it that we treasure most those snapshots of the newborn screaming like a kitty-cat onesie is the worst thing to happen to him since he emerged from the womb? Or can't stop giggling at pic of Grandma wearing a pirate's beard? And put all the others aside to frame a photo of the family ferret looking particularly sad to be all dolled up in Barbie clothes?

While Halloween certainly comes with many wonderful treats, it's those fall-apart, kooky, funny moments that really make it a great holiday. In honor of all that goes wrong with those $50 costumes and despite the kid carrying a huge bag of sugar, we're highlighting the very best Halloween photos.

They can be funny, silly, even kind of pathetic. They can be of kids, parents, pets, or even the pics of you that your one-day children will be

By Alyssa Kolsky Hertzig, Allure magazine

Now that you've got your costume under control, take a moment to consider this Halloween factoid: Americans buy 600 million pounds of candy the week leading up to the big day. Want to avoid gaining 600 million pounds? Then, nibble on this:

Related: The Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Curb your candy buying. Sure, you need some for the trick-or-treaters, but do you really need ten jumbo-size bags? Buy only what you're likely to dole out to the neighborhood kids, and go for something you hate-that way you're less likely to pilfer from your stash. "If you're a chocolate person, buy something like SweeTarts or gummies," suggests Lauren Slayton, a registered dietician and founder of Foodtrainers.

Related: The 6 Most-Requested Long Hairstyles

Choose the lesser evils. When it comes to candy, there's bad, and then there's bad. "If you're dying for chocolate, try 3 Musketeers or Tootsie Rolls, which are lower in calories than most," says Slayton.

Photo by Kimberly Sentner



By Tanya Steel, Epicurious.com

Ah, Halloween. The night when some of us pack much of the 25 pounds of candy we each consume annually into a few short hours (well, at least I do). This year, at least 41 million kids will be trick-or-treating, snagging bite-size Snickers, Twizzlers, and Twix. So how do we keep them from then going into a roller-coaster ride from blood sugar highs and lows? Follow these five tips, which will reinforce the importance of moderation, and this Halloween will prove to be delicious and yet (semi) healthy.

See also: 5 Mistakes Parents Make When Feeding their Kids

1. Square their Three Meals: One of the keys to not overeating is to feel satiated and full. Make sure they have a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner before they head out. Those meals should be filled with fiber (from fruits and veggies and whole grains) and protein (lean-cuts of red meat, or chicken, pork, or fish) which keeps them energized and full.

2. Keep the Marathoners Hydrated: Just like

Source: Trick or Treat: 8 Alternatives to Handing Out Candy

There's no law that says a Halloween treat must contain copious amounts of sugar to fit into the category. There are tons of great options for nonedible goodies that will please everyone - tots, parents, and especially dentists! - this Halloween. From itty-bitty dinosaurs to mini packages of Play-Doh and glow-in-the-dark pencils, tots will be so thrilled with their stash that they won't even miss the sugar high!

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A Great Halloween Bash Doesn't Have to Break the Bank!By: Juliana Weiss-Roessler

Celebrating Halloween with friends and family is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. But for some, the idea of hosting the tricks and treats of a Halloween party may seem far too terrifying on the budget. With Christmas just around the corner and budgets already tight, it's understandable to be more concerned with ensuring that you have enough to buy gifts for all your loved ones.

Throwing a spooky bash doesn't have to cost much at all! Here are some great - and not so scary - ways to throw a festive Halloween party on a budget:

Ask people to wear costumes.

Half the fun of attending a Halloween party is checking out what everyone put together to wear. If you have to skimp on decorations, don't worry! Costumes are a great way to still create a festive holiday atmosphere that doesn't cost you a dime!

Send out an email invite. Unless you're having a formal affair like an engagement party or a baby shower, there's no reason to waste money on

By Tara Weng, GalTime.com

Hands down Halloween is my favorite holiday. I try to dress up with the kids when I go trick-or-treating but some of my costume ideas (like the scary witch) were not always big hits when they were youngsters. I just thought you couldn't beat the idea of the holiday: costumes, spooky decorations, candy and, well, free candy. Having learned from my own experience(s), however, I get how the idea of people dressed up as ghouls and goblins and knocking on strangers' doors who have shrilling goblins on their walkways could potentially frighten the young psyche. So how should you tackle preparing your little ghosts when the holiday approaches?

Related: Spooktacular Halloween -- For Less!

According to licensed family therapist Arlene Licata-Miller, it's important for parents to tune into their own feelings when it comes to how much their children can handle on Halloween. "Pay attention to how your children react when you initiate the conversation about