It's that time of year again: Halloween. Pumpkins and apples are ripe and kids are trying to pick the perfect costume for the Halloween party at school or at the local community hall. Adults are eyeing that invitation they got from their friends and wondering what in the world they can dress up as this year. Witches, French maids and Harry Potter are so last year. There must be something new and exciting for this year, but what? How can you come up with a costume that everyone else doesn't think of?

Well, you could choose anime and look for an obscure character - like Folken from Escaflowne or one of the least known Pokemon. Cosplay, as appearing in anime character is called, is very popular right now. Just make sure that you're ready to explain who you are when you knock on a door and someone says, "Who are YOU supposed to be?" If you've forgotten that you're Mareep, who evolves into Flaaffy, you may not get any candy. There are several places online where anime costumes are sold.

TV characters are always popular, but you know that there are going to be several Grey's Anatomy characters in any adult party you go to this year. Ditto for Desperate Housewives, although you have to have the figure for it. If you don't, there's always The Simpson's and other 80's programs. Who couldn't look like Homer or Marge given the right costume? And a wig for Marge, of course.

If TV isn't your cup of tea, how about movies? Classics like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, all those Chick Flix - there has to be a character you can relate to in one of them. Or go way back and capture Marilyn Monroe, WC Fields, Groucho or one of the Three Stooges. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk. Old cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Roadrunner and Coyote can work too. Everything loves them and recognizes them, so you'll have a fan base wherever you go.

You might be tempted to throw a sheet over your head and go as a ghost or wear a Hawaiian shirt and call it a costume, but that just doesn't make it. If you're going to show yourself in public, make an effort to look like SOMEONE. Even if you just buy a mask and wear your best suit or your mother's old housecoat and slippers, try to get into the spirit of the holiday.

Halloween can be fun and doesn't have to cost a lot. Often, buying a costume online is the cheapest way to go and you can sell it on an auction site when you're done. Or you can keep it until next year and sell it then. It's worth it to look authentic rather than tacky. Homemade costumes usually sound like a good idea, especially if you've waited until the last minute, as usual, to come up with a costume. But procrastination shows and your friends will not be impressed if you show up looking like a loser from the Amateur Hour at the local Bar and Grille. Make an effort. Start early and find a costume that you really like. Come the witching hour, you'll be glad you did.