Throw A Terrific Halloween Party
People from nearly every culture and religion celebrate the fall holiday of Halloween in one form or another. This very popular holiday dates back to the early sixteenth century and is still going strong. Children love dressing up to go trick-or-treating door to door collecting candy. Teens and adults love to dress up in Halloween costumes too, but you’re more likely to find them at parties rather than trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
Of course, to get dressed up, you need to have somewhere to go. The best thing to do is to throw a Halloween party and invite your friends. To throw your own party on Hallow’s Eve you’ll have to obtain a number of items and accessories. Start planning the event at least a few weeks ahead of time. That way, when the big night comes, you will be completely prepared and ready. To make things easier on yourself, make a list of the tasks you’ll need to accomplish.
Food is a key ingredient at any party, but there are some edibles that help make it a holiday. You’ll definitely want to have munchies like candy corn, popcorn balls, caramel apples and gummy worms on hand. These are foods that make people think of autumn and/or Halloween. Other ideas include making cookies shaped like ghosts and vampires or decorating cupcakes with scary faces.
Let you guests participate in the party preparation by encouraging them to wear costumes. Put together a costume contest for all of the partygoers who dress up. Ask participating party goers to contribute five to ten dollars. At the end of the night, vote on the party’s best costume and award the winner with the collected money.
To give your party a scarier vibe, set apart a few rooms of the home and transform them into a makeshift haunted house. Have a CD of scary sounds on loop in the background and hang up fake cobwebs in the corners. Lighting is a major part of the special effects. Try black lights or a strobe - but not in the same area. You probably won’t terrify any of your guests but it will make for a fun and entertaining night.
You’ll need a few games to keep your guests entertained. There are a number of activities that are traditional at Halloween parties. The tried and true favorite fall game is bobbing for apples. This is great for all ages, and is one of the few games that puts adults and kids on a level playing field. Get a large clean tub, and fill it with cold water. Then add plenty of ripe apples. They’ll float to the top and look easy to get. Throughout the evening, add a few cups of ice to keep the water nice and chilled.
Another popular and slightly spooky activity is a blindfolded tactile tour of scary Halloween substances. In separate bowls, place chopped peanuts, hot dogs, grapes and cooked spaghetti. As guests put their fingers into each bowl, tell them what they’re touching: eyeballs, guts, witches fingernails and amputated fingers. Ewww! Have younger children skip this activity and have them decorate their own cookies or cupcakes instead.
A Halloween party just wouldn’t be a Halloween party without the right decorations. Dim the lights and hang stuffed witches and plastic skeletons around the house. Get Halloween themed paper plates, cups and tablecloths at your local party store. Not only will this add to the ambiance, but it will make cleanup a breeze. Get a fog machine or pick up some dry ice at the grocery store. The fog will send a shiver up your guests’ spines.
Tags: Halloween