(ARA) - A trip to the mall, with stores featuring Halloween décor, costumes, greeting cards, party favors and more, drives home the point that it's not just kids who are looking forward to celebrating this holiday.

The increasing popularity of Halloween among adults has helped to make it a $5 billion holiday, according to a leading national retail survey. Halloween offers something for everyone -- it can be cute and fun or scary and creepy.

A look at the Halloween greeting card section reveals a trend toward catering to adults who celebrate with other adults. "Since greeting cards are like mini time capsules reflecting larger cultural trends, it's only natural that our latest greeting card designs and messages are showing a strong influence from the adult side as well," says American Greetings' Mr. Halloween (a.k.a. Chris Riddle).

The company's crop of Halloween cards incorporate a broader range of humor, from dry, understated jokes to sarcastic one-liners to edgier themes. The card that reads "Roses are withered, Violets are dead. Halloween is here, Let's paint the town red," could be used as a party invitation. Or for those with more refined tastes, go for the card featuring the words of the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth, "Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble," are etched out of a purple card to reveal a lime green background. Inside, the message reads, "Here's to Halloween."

Another way adults are embracing Halloween is by throwing grown-up parties. Halloween offers adults the perfect opportunity to get together with friends before the hectic winter holiday season gets underway. Here are some easy entertaining tips from Mr. Halloween to help you throw a great party without a lot of fuss.

* Set the tone - choose invitations that match your theme. Is it a costume party? Sophisticated cocktails? Let your guests know what to expect.

* Set the stage - line your sidewalk or driveway with a glowing row of carved pumpkins. Greet your guests with a glass of champagne or sparkling apple cider. Consider adding your own personal twist like white pumpkins instead of the traditional orange ones.

* Add Boo to the buffet - your food doesn't have to be elaborate, but remember that presentation is everything, so display your food artfully, in Halloween-themed serving dishes. If you're serving soup or stew, consider using hollowed out miniature pumpkins or gourds as serving dishes.

* Serve a special drink - fancy cocktails are in vogue, so why not mix up a batch of Halloween drinks? Adding dry ice to your punch bowl is an easy way to create an eerie fog effect.

* Candlelight helps set the mood for a party, and is especially appropriate for Halloween. American Greetings' spider candelabra is the perfect accent.

So this year, don't let the kids have all the fun - celebrate Halloween like a grown-up.

Visit www.CarltonCards.com to find a store near you that carries American Greetings' home décor products, or look for American Greetings cards at your local grocery, drug store or super center.