Editor’s Note: Today we have the super fun and friendly Marcie Dumais serving up some tips on laughing your way to better health. Get your costumes ready… Halloween’s just around the corner. Here’s Marcie:

At this time of year our “tickle trunk” is in high demand. Knights, storm troopers, super-heroes, ghosts, fire fighters, pirates, farm animals, dinosaurs – you name it, we got it. My boys (Dad included) LOVE to dress up (okay, me too). By the time Halloween rolls around, we’ve dug to the bottom of the trunk and back again and are more than ready to take our disguises to the street.

This is my favourite time of year to hit the thrift shops. You can find all kinds of great costumes and Halloween props. I also try to go to the big box stores two or three days after Halloween when they’re clearing out their seasonal goo. It’s a great way to refresh the costume box without breaking the bank.

Around this time of year, we also like to host some kind of adult-oriented craziness. Sometimes guests have their kiddos in tow but usually they don’t because we find it’s easier for everyone to let loose when those with delicate ears and inquisitive minds are peacefully asleep. These events have evolved over the years, particularly since we’ve had children – less booze, less late. What remains the same, however, is the dress-up silliness. Even when we try to plan something civilized, we end up in weird costumes playing doodle charades or in wigs singing karaoke.

So how does all this monkey business relate to wellness?

Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun and free.

Laughter is a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Yet with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the importance of this birthright can get overlooked.

I’m sure you can think of many ways to bring more humor and laughter into your life. To get the ball rolling, I’d like to share some great opportunities for fun and laughter that we’ve enjoyed over the years.

Before I go into detail, I should say that my husband and I love the process of preparing for a party.  Not everyone does, I realize. For us, half the fun is planning the menu and the activities, cooking the food and getting the house ready for the festivities. That said, there are times when potluck is a beautiful thing. I mean really, what’s not to like about a potluck? Everybody brings something yummy and you end up with a plethora of goodies without tons of work. Our parties go either way depending on our energy level prior to the event.

October Fest

For this Munich-inspired party, we asked our friends to bring two beers of one variety that they wanted to put to the test (two bottles were necessary so everyone got a small taste). My husband developed “serious” judging criteria with the brews critiqued on such things as bite and belch-factor. We made giant pretzels, pumpkin soup, spooky-looking desserts and other snacks. The evening ended with our wigged friends belting out karaoke tunes. Did you know that you can get free karaoke through Shaw On Demand? Good times.

80s Night

I was a brace-faced, perm-haired, big-belt-wearing geek in the 80s. A couple years ago, I found myself “braced” again and we decided an 80s party was in order. Costumes ranged from Flashdance wanna-bes to Rowdy Roddy Piper. We had a wall-o-shame, an Atari station and various 80s paraphernalia on display. Old year-books and 80s music added to the fun.

The Heinous Hat of the Year Party

This started as a simple games night and evolved into something far more interesting. Prior to the event, we gathered various craft supplies and odds and ends that could be used to make hats (the weirder, the better). These supplies were set aside during the games portion of the night. My husband devised a scoring system (he’s not competitive at all) so that guests could earn points throughout the evening. Top scorers got first pick at the hat-building supplies. Once everyone had their stuff, the frenzied hat-making began. The results were hilarious! I can’t remember how we judged the hats, but I do recall a tacky homemade trophy was given to the lucky winner.

Poker Night

New friends of ours host a family poker night once a month. They keep it simple by starting early, ordering in food and including the kids (no sitters are required so the night is more apt to happen on a regular basis). This past month, families came in rocker get-up. Kids got to see their parents laughing and having a good time (I think this is really important) and got to play with other little people while the grown-ups played cards. It reminded me of “TGIFs” growing up—our family friends would gather for food and fun on Friday nights.

As a kid, I loved the giddy atmosphere and getting to be with a bunch of my friends and my parents at the same time. The other TGIF parents were a big part of my upbringing. If you ask these folks, I’m quite sure they’d tell you these TGIF rituals were all about the fun, but what was also created was a community of great people rooting for all of the children to succeed in life. Cool!

As said, laughter can benefit you physically, mentally and socially. Dress-up parties for grown-ups are a sure way to get the laughter started. Other opportunities include funny movies, comedians, the funny pages, funny people, funny stories, funny jokes, playful pets, goofy kids, fun activities… the list goes on.

Wishing you lots of laughter today and always.