We cannot explain Halloween mania. It is not a gift-giving holiday, and it used to be merely an eating occasion for kids and sugar addicts. Now, every year, it starts earlier and grows, and grows, out of control, like one of those evil monster rabbits in Night of the Lepus.

Economy in the toilet? Sure, but that’s not stopping your neighbor from buying more spooky stuff to out-boo you. There are only two solutions: fight or give in. Shopperati is giving in with enthusiasm, and we’re starting on your front porch.

Perch your own 26″ gargoyle on the roof (above, from brandsonsale.com), to let your guests know that, yes, they are being watched from above ($140); then hang a set of animated skeleton wind chimes from brandsonsale.com ($20, above) to flitter menacingly in the midnight breeze. An Oriental Trading Company cauldron fogger will complete the ambience, kind of like a Zen fountain, only not ($55, right).

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Though the Fourth of July brings to mind fireworks, barbecue and a day off for many of us, it’s also a time to contemplate the spirit of American freedom and independence as it is expressed in so many mediums. Think of Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA , James Brown’s Living in America, Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream (read lyrics here), Janice Joplin singing Me and Bobby McGee, Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July, Howard Zinn’s book, A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to Present, and David McCullough ’s narrating the audio version of his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1776 (pictured). At the National Archives, review the the history of July Fourth and download, high resolution, printer-friendly copies of the original Declaration of Independence. Browse excerpts from books on the American Revolution at Questia. At PBS, check out Liberty! The American Revolution (three-DVD set $50), hosted by news anchor Forrest Sawyer and featuring reenactments about the birth of the American Republic and the struggle of 13 loosely connected states to become a nation. More recently, the acclaimed HBO series John Adams is now out on DVD ($39). Also consider Thomas Jefferson (on sale for $17.76) starring Sam Waterston and directed by Ken Burns. Take a look at The American Film Institute’s list of the 100 most inspiring American Films (scroll down). Fourth of July sales offer an excellent opportunity to exercise your patriotic right to shop. Check out the Independence Day sale and discount coupons at HerCoupon.

What defines a “real” man? A “good” man? A fully developed, “self-actualized” man, untroubled by fears of weakness, inadequacy, or old school stereotypes? With Father’s Day approaching, we decided to take a look at books old and new and Web sites on the subject of manhood. The introduction to therapist Thomas Hart’s 2004 book, What Does It Mean to Be a Man? ($12) begins, “The trouble begins when a little boy is told that boys don’t cry.” The table of contents promises a rich read, with chapters on “Mastering Anger and Violence,” “Putting Sex and Love Together” and “Being a Dad.” Sam Keen’s 1992 best-selling Fire in the Belly: On Being a Man ($11) is still an extremely high-ranking seller at Amazon. It offers a brief history of manhood and asks men to look at their unconscious bondage to certain ideas about “woman,” their dependence on work for self-worth, and their “warrior psyches” and it even promotes ecological awareness as an alternative to destructive, domineering tendencies. It wasn’t too long ago that much was made about the “crisis” for boys as they fell behind in school due to supposed neglect and denial of their gender-specific needs. From higher rates of attention deficit disorder to lower test scores than girls and greater abuse of alcohol and drugs, the crisis gave us the important work of therapist and educator Michael Gurian. His 1997 blockbuster, The Wonder of Boys: What Parents, Mentors, Educators Can Do to Shape Boys Into Exceptional Men, ($10.50) is the bible for how to understand and raise boys. Read Gurian’s Amazon blog to check out his philosophy. And check out Menstuff, an expansive Web site started by Gordon Clay as a not-for-profit educational clearinghouse/resource center for all things related to men’s issues.

Mom always said not to procrastinate. But we guess you weren’t always listening: Mother’s Day is just four days away, but thanks to a wide range of last-minute gift options on the Web, your Mom doesn’t have to be empty-handed Sunday. Wow her with a fabulous blue box from Tiffany & Co. — order online by Friday at noon and you’ll have it in time for Sunday’s visit. Try a Mom heart locket pendant in sterling silver ($250) and a chain to hang it on ($50). If you’re looking for a lower-priced option, the silk scarf is chic and budget-friendly ($50). Go the traditional route and send Mom a bouquet of flowers. 1-800-FLOWERS offers same-day delivery on select arrangements. The strawberry floral margarita is a unique take on the standard gift ($70), while the Mother’s Love bouquet goes the more traditional route ($80). Order by 1 p.m. ET Thursday at Harry & David for overnight delivery on a variety of foodie gifts. The deluxe Mother’s Day tower features pears, Moose Munch, chocolate truffles and gourmet brownies ($50). Appeal to Mom’s sweet tooth with a Tower of Chocolates ($40). Order up until 2 p.m. ET Thursday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art store for Mother’s Day delivery. The Parisian dragonfly pin is a nod to spring’s nature-inspired fashions ($85; pictured), while the shoes card case can help Mom look stylish while networking ($30). Expedited shipping today from Sephora will ensure the arrival of Marc Jacobs’ limited-edition Daisy gift set, including eau de toilette spray, body lotion and a purse-sized cologne ($75). Can’t personally deliver Mom breakfast in bed like the good old days? Send her Philosophy’s Breakfast in Bed kit, which features three scented hair and body cleansers in flavors like Cafe au Lait, Belgian Waffles and Fresh Cream ($30).

Celebrate Easter — it’s Sunday, March 23! — with a sweet basket of edible goodies and little toys that will surprise your children and give the whole family some fun. Whether you create the basket yourself or buy one from the pros, Easter just isn’t the same without the seasonal basket left by the Easter Bunny. Cherry Moon Farms wins the prize for biggest and best variety of fully assembled gift baskets, such as the Hoppy Easter Basket ($39.98, pictured). Select from cookies, dipped berries, nuts, fruits or a combo of any of the above. When I was growing up, See’s Candies ruled every holiday, with its hand-decorated chocolate cream Easter eggs being everyone’s favorite — and we weren’t even religious, unless you consider chocolate worship a form of devotion. Check out the See’s home page to begin your hunt for fabulous holiday sweets. Of course, you may look forward to doing the basket yourself each year, in which case the people at Williams Sonoma have some advice, as does a web site called Robin’s FYI. If all you need is a nice empty basket and no advice, visit Peterboro Basket for an impressive selection. As for candy to put inside of it, you’ll find everything you could possibly want at Candy Warehouse’s Easter page. Add some toys for the occasion, and you’re done. Almost. Don’t forget to show the kids how to decorate real eggs. It’s a fun activity that let’s them create and participate in Easter. As always, Martha Stewart has several DIY pages on just the subject. Shopperati wishes you a wonderful Easter Sunday.

Gung Hay Fat Choi (Happy Chinese New Year)! In many Asian countries, celebration of the Lunar New Year lasts for three weeks, with many people taking vacations, visiting their relatives and enjoying food, music and time with loved ones. This year, which started on February 7, is the Year of the Rat. Asian astrologers say people born during the year of the Rat (1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 or 1996) are realistic, shrewd, inventive, curious and ambitious (you’ll have to decide for yourself if that’s true). If your kids are curious about Chinese New Year, Kaboose.com explains the holiday in a child-friendly way, including easy crafts, such as making lucky red paper envelopes. For a more general history of the holiday, you can look at 123holiday.net. Traditional foods during Chinese New Year are noodle dishes, dumplings and whole fish, and the Food Network has a whole page of Chinese New Year recipes. It’s also a good time to buy a new wok for those new recipes. Williams-Sonoma has a good selection of stainless-steel woks at various prices, as well as rice cookers and rice pots. And if you can resist giving a gift, FindGift.com offers some ideas, such as a silver-plated fortune cookie ($19.95, pictured) or this lush lucky braided bamboo ($69.95). Traditionally, the Year of the Rat is supposed to be a good year for hard work, activity and getting a fresh start in your life – not a bad suggestion for anyone.

As much as we hate the Hallmark-ization of seemingly every holiday (really — who’s out there buying cards for Friendship Day?), we get some kind of nostalgic rush from doling out the cards on Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s our Save Charlie Brown complex, but there are too many funny, unexpected ways to say “I love you” — or just “You’re Kind of Cool” — out there for us to let this holiday pass us by without using up all our LOVE stamps. Jack Cards is stocked with simple, straightforward designs and motifs (a shamrock-stamped card ensures “You’re getting lucky tonight. (Just thought you should know.),” with an off-kilter sense of humor (a cross-stitched Adam-and-Eve-motif card suggests: “Let’s Do It.”). The New Yorker Store.com has stacks of Valentine’s Day notecards reproduced from classic illustrations from New Yorker covers as well as cartoons (a snail convinces his fellow shell-dweller that he’s in love with a tape dispenser). Cupid goes mod with Seltzer Goods’ cards with simple graphics and irresistible one-liners (a mustachioed paramour stares out at you and commands: “look into my eyes. we are destined to be lovers.” Who could argue with that?). Kate’s Paperie offers charmingly retro choices plucked from old-fashioned ephemera. But perhaps our favorite collection comes from the uniquely twisted sense of humor over at Selfish Kitty, like the Happy Valentine’s Day wish from a secret admirer . . . ”You may remember me from outside your window.”

The stockings are unstuffed, the wrapping paper picked up, the books and toys and sweaters are still on display all over the living room. And you, once again, blew it and failed to get a gift for someone important in your life. Don’t dispair. Yes, you’ll be a little late, but you can act quickly and get them something they can appreciate immediately. Consider an appropriate magazine subscription: Sign a loved one up for The New Yorker, say (at $47 a year), and the recipient will get an email card announcing the year-round bounty to come. You can even go the extra mile by grabbing a current copy off the newsstand and gift-wrapping that. Another brilliant subscription-type idea is Netflix, the online DVD-rental service that’s a godsend for film buffs who don’t live near a well-stocked video store. (Yearly plans range between $100-$200; shorter terms are available.) More specialized movie clubs, like Film Movement, send pre-selected movies to fans with a taste for alternative cinema (terms available from $35.95 to $131.95). There’s also the charity option — chances are good that any non-profit you favor has some sort of e-card gift promotion available, from targeted plans like this plant-a-tree service to umbrella sites like Redefining Christmas that aim to provide givers and recipients with a broad range of charitable options. You may have just salvaged Christmas with just a few mouseclicks (and a credit card number).