Lemondrop

It's time to face facts: You might be a tad old for trick-or-treating. But that doesn't mean you have to put an end to senseless candy-eating. Instead of mourning your childhood alone, gather your friends together to honor the 24-hour national sugar coma that is All Hallow's Eve with a party for the sweet tooth in all of you.

Invite
Have pals over to indulge in all the confections without the costumes. To avoid gorging alone on discount candy, invite a host of your friends to join the gluttony. Pick a day post-Halloween festivus, so people have time for all the other bumps in the night on their agenda -- and to take advantage of post-season sales. Make sure you're well stocked, candy-wise, but also ask guests to bring a bag of their favorite confection.

Food
Folks will bring their faves, but make sure you're covered on the basics: fun-size classics, candy corn, Halloween Peeps, and some old-school faves like wax lips, candy cigarettes and Bit-O-Honeys. Have some unsweet snacks on hand as well, like chips and dip, pigs in a blanket and crackers and cheese to avoid total sugar crashes. Ensure that you don't have the temptation of keeping too many leftovers at home, by gifting guests their own classic plastic pumpkin pail to carry their treats home.

Decor
Crank up the candy-themed tunes to get folks in the mood. From Mandy Moore's career-defining hit to Lil Wayne's ode to the Wizard of Oz, "Lollipop," to less obvious choices like Nancy Sinatra's "Sugartown." Then elevate the evening with serving vessels that present the candy in its most delicious light. Separate various confections into individual bowls and platters. (If you're short on servers, fill wine glasses with tiny candies.) Don't forget the creepy adornments -- if you're crafty, be sure to check out Martha's favorites.

Fun
Obviously, scary movies are the order of the day. If you're cult-film fans, get some gory, silly fun with bloody old faves like "Leprechaun" and "Frogs." If you're more of the "Hey, people are eating here!"-type crowd, choose a goo-free ghost tale like "Lady in White" or "The Changeling." But don't forget the most important Halloween candy event of all -- bargaining for your favorites. Have guests lay out their bounty, grade-school-style, and then trade for their take-home favorites.