According to Hallmark research, Halloween now ranks No. 2 in holiday home decor, just behind Christmas. And Hallmark wants you to join in the fun! The company is introducing a new line of exciting Halloween home decor, known as the Hauntington, U.S.A., collection, available at Hallmark Gold Crown(R) stores, and is holding a nationwide Halloween house-decorating contest.

Hallmark Halloween House of the Year

If you are planning to turn your home into a fun-filled haunted house, deck the walls with monster-inspired art, or create your own ornament-covered Halloween tree, the Hallmark Halloween House of the Year contest is for you.

To participate, just visit http://www.hallmark.com to submit a photo of your decorated home - inside or out - and a 25-word summary describing why your home deserves to be named Hallmark's Halloween House of the Year.

The contest runs now through midnight (CST), Oct. 20, 2005. Judges for the contest will include a panel of Halloween experts, including Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on the popular television show "The Munsters." One grand prize winner will receive the entire Hauntington, U.S.A., product line and a personal visit from Butch. In addition, five national winners will receive the Hauntington, U.S.A., line just in time for Halloween. Complete contest rules are posted on Hallmark.com.

The Hauntington, U.S.A., collection is being introduced to help families get into the Halloween spirit and jumpstart their home decorating plans. This new collection, which focuses on fun over fright, features the nation's only true "ghost town." Stop in for the chill of a lifetime at the I Scream Shoppe or get a hair-raising experience at the Curl Up and Dye Beauty Parlor, where you are likely to catch a glimpse of the scared-silly citizens of Hauntington, U.S.A., who double as Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments.

Decorating Tips From the "Bat Pack"

Hallmark's team of Halloween experts - nicknamed the "Bat Pack" - are offering up some decorating tips to help your family get into the Howl-o-ween spirit:

- Create a Halloween scene that will appeal to both children and adults. Focus on bringing out the fun of this fall celebration.

- Make the entrance to your home a focal point. After all, it is where you will have the most visitors this holiday season, and it is important to set a good first impression of your (possibly haunted) home.

- When you give out candy, be the hit of the neighborhood by keeping the goodies in a whimsical snack jar, such as Hallmark's Spell Book Candy Container, and answering the door dressed in costume.

- Decorated trees are not just for Christmas, either. Hang your favorite Halloween ornaments on a landscaping tree or on a door wreath to greet visitors when they arrive.

- If you are looking for advice, inspiration, and ideas, turn to http://www.hallmark.com. The Web site offers more decorating tips to help you create the haunted house of your dreams (or nightmares).

About Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kansas City-based Hallmark is known throughout the world for its greeting cards, related personal expression products, and television's most honored and enduring dramatic series, the Hallmark Hall of Fame. The company's Hallmark Entertainment, Inc. subsidiary is the world's leading producer and distributor of movies and miniseries made for television; its Binney & Smith subsidiary, maker of Crayola(R) crayons and markers, is the leading producer of art materials for children and students. Through licensing leadership and joint ventures, Hallmark continues to expand its product formats and distribution avenues. The company publishes products in more than 30 languages and distributes them in more than 100 countries through a multi-national strategy. In 2004, Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.4 billion.