Today, Google announced a set of new features for Google+, including apps integration, a “What’s Hot” trend finder, and Ripples, a way to visualize how your posts flow through the Google+ graph.

They also launched the Creative Kit, a simple set of photo editing tools that builds upon the basic tools already available in Google+. With the creative kit, you can run your photos through filters, add stickers and items, or even add text. On first glance, it looks a lot like Picnik, an online photo-editing service that was acquired by Google in 2010.

As part of their rollout of these new creative functions for photos, Google wants you to get in the Halloween spirit on Google+. They have added Halloween-themed photo effects to the Creative Kit for a limited time only, and they have also announced a competition to go along with these effects.

Through the end of October, simply add some spook to your photos, and share them publicly on Google+ with the hashtag #gplushalloween. We’ll assemble a surprise panel of celebrities, and next Thursday, Nov 3, they’ll announce their favorites. In the meantime, you can see early submissions from community members below. After all: we take our fun very seriously. 🙂

So far, Google has offered up this collage of celebrities who have taken the #gplushalloween challenge:

I’m sure you recognize celebs like Britney Spears, Snoop Doog, Tyra Banks and Rose McGowan. A quick hashtag search for #gplushalloween gives you a nice stream of people halloween-o-fying their photos for the contest.

Here’s a masterpiece, of fellow WebProNews writer Chris Crum:

Wanna learn more about the new Creative Kit for Google+ photos? Watch this video. and be sure to get in on all the #gplushalloween fun.