On a chilly October afternoon, before the little goblins come knocking for treats, summon friends to your neck of the woods for a little merriment. Take a wonderfully warm beverage and a tasty, crunchy snack along on a hayride, and bask in the brilliant beauty of fall. Afterward, serve a scrumptious meal that features simple, flavorful flank steak over grits, and end with a cake that's spook-tacular. Costume the setting with jack-o'-lantern luminarias, and offer a grab bag of disguises for guests. With our great recipes and party ideas, the only thing frightening will be the ghost stories told around the flickering flames of a campfire.

The Season's Best Menu (Serves 6) 1. Hot Spiced Wine 2. Trick or Treat Popcorn 3. Assorted Cheddar cheeses and crackers 4. Flank Steak With Tomato-Olive Relish 5. Garlic Grits 6. Mixed green salad with Creamy Garlic Salad Dressing 7. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 8. Crispy Sticks 9. Pumpkin Cake With Little Ghosts

"Celebrate Fall" is from the October 2003 issue of Southern Living.