The world is a scary place and getting scarier every day. This is unfortunate for today’s kids that can’t go wander around trick or treating for hours that one night of the year.

Most of us spent Halloween’s walking all over town with a friend, getting as much candy as humanly possible before we had to get home, which was usually well after dark. This is not the world we live in today.

Zoos all over the country have stepped up and filled a need for a fun, safe alternative on Halloween. Zoos are drawing huge crowds of families for Halloween events that offer rides, hayrides, the animals and, of course, lots of candy. Often the zoo offers costume contests and special displays like letting the animals smash pumpkins.

Special zoo sleepovers are becoming popular also. The haunted houses are quite child friendly as well and not filled with lots of blood and gore.

Many people are reeling from the economic issues facing us now, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up a good time on Halloween.

There are many inexpensive ways that you can liven up your Halloween. For example making your own decorations. You can make ghosts out of tissue paper or a cemetery out of cardboard boxes and spray paint. Make scary guys or victims out of old jeans and shirts that you can stuff with anything. Splash some red paint on them and you have blood and gore.

You can even come up with some great ways to get or make Halloween costumes for the big night. For example, you could do a costume swap with some friends or look at thrift stores. Dig into your closet and see if you can’t come up with a good nerd look or a tourist for a free costume. Keep things more quiet by renting some scary movies and carving pumpkins.

Despite scary economic times, the fun, and wackiness shouldn’t end this Halloween season.

According to 2007’s Halloween Spending Report, courtesy of the National Retail Federation, Halloween is the most popular holiday, with nearly $5 billion in sales annually, second only to Christmas. In tough times, however, the usual Halloween trappings may not be an option.

When it comes to decorations, ghosts made of tissue are a ghoulish option for sure. Just crush a tissue into a ball, put another tissue on top and stick a piece of string underneath the ball. Draw an appropriate face on the top tissue and hang with fishing line.

For costumes, thrift stores, costume swaps and rentals are three options that will save you a significant amount of money. In the costume idea department, make your own. Not only will you save money, but you can also have your kids help. It’s a perfect way to spend a little more quality time with your family.

Halloween entertainment is a key component too. Free family Halloween events and savings vouchers can be found online, as well as in community fliers and other publications.

This year’s annual Halloween Fun Run will have a record number of participants—and the event promises to be fun and freakish.

The 5-kilometer race is so popular, and this is attributed to its costume component. Individual creativity rules the day here, but prizes are also awarded to teams.

Race director Lance Dlouhy says: “There are just so many creative costumes that it’s great to come to the event just to watch.”

Some colorful examples from years past included one male participant who ran dressed as a nerd—pocket protector, checkered shirt and of course the requisite black-rimmed glasses taped down the middle. Another more outlandish costume was a man garbed head-to-toe Raggedy Ann paraphernalia.

An entire team, one year, came to the competition as a pack of zombies, covered in eerie pale makeup and black attire.

Dloouhy has noticed attendance at the race spike 144 percent since the event’s inception five years ago.

If you are in the St. Peter’s area, be sure to check it out. It promises to be fun for the entire family.

For some unknown reason people love to dress up their pets in outrageous Halloween costumes (myself included). I don’t know why I do it, I simply know it’s cute as all hell and I just can’t stop myself.

Here are some of the craziest pet costumes I’ve seen. I’m going to save my super duper favorite for the last picture. I simply can’t stop smiling and giggling when I see it. I hope you enjoy seeing these dog costume pictures as much as I enjoyed putting them together.

What’s Cooking? It looks Dogone Good!

Do You Giraffe To Go?

It’s costumes like this that proves your dog must really love you.

Honest, I don’t bite.

Welcome to the Bark Side!

This Golden is Bootylicious!

K9 Cop to the Rescue!

Sir Woofsalot is here to save the day!

This dog is G-R-E-A-T!

This costume seems logical to me Captain!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Dog!

How Freaking Cute is This!