CREEPY COSTUMES

Scaring up a creepy costume this Halloween should be more ghoulish than ever this year as more people opt for traditional terrors like witches, vampires, ghosts and mummies.

"We don't have a trendy item that is really selling," said Debra Moore with Younghouse Distributing. "Before it has been things like the Flintstones. This year we're selling vampire, skull masks, clowns and the Grim Reaper -- more traditional characters."

At Younghouse, Moore said, accessories are especially popular. "We have wigs, hair spray, makeup, just a real large selection of items."

She expects the next week to be Halloween rush time. "We'll be very busy."

Traditional ghouls are among the best-selling costumes at Target as well, said Tim Tolbert, team leader for seasonal merchandise. "We're selling a real variety including witches and Dracula," he said.

The store is promoting Goosebumps, a popular series of scary books for children. Tolbert said the Goosebumps masks are selling well.

For the youngest and oldest tricksters, Tolbert said, Disney characters from the Hunchback of Notre Dame movie are doing well.

Pam Carroll with Holiday Happenings said she too has seen an interest in the movie characters.

"What's really popular this year are Disney characters," Carroll said. "Anything Disney, Mickey Mouse, Esmerelda and Quasimodo, Pocohontas."

The business caters strictly to adults. "I think it's getting to be an adult holiday more and more," said Carroll. "Adults are getting as much enjoyment out of it as children."

Folks from M&Ms candies surveyed parents and kids from across the country about their haunting habits. They say to prepare for another Elvis sighting. The King topped the list of famous people children would most like to dress up as. George Washington placed second, followed by Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan.

However, bearing out the views of local merchants, the survey found the top costume choices for children this year are witch, vampire, ghost, princess and clown.

Almost 83 percent of children say they select their own costumes. More than six of 10 parents send their children out to trick-or-treat in something they made, and 46 percent of parents said they spent three or more hours making their children's Halloween get-up. Only about a third bought a ready-made costume.

The majority of parents, 73 percent, said their children wear makeup as part of their costume instead of a mask, which accounted for 18 percent. Makeup is most often used to complete characters, such as a clown, cat, vampire or monster. Makeup is also used to add accents to the face like whiskers or a black eye.

M&M's candy and Universal Studios offers a Haunted Helpline (1-800-865-4406) with ghastly advice on costumes, makeup and decorating.