Halloween parties with all its opportunities for strange sounds, projected images and crazy food are the most fun to prepare. All age groups enjoy it. You have permission to be crazy. Plan now for your 2016 Halloween celebration.
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| Halloween. Source: fllanora |
Hosting a fun gathering for family and friends of all ages can be challenging for any holiday, but it can be especially challenging with a holiday like Halloween if you have family members and friends who fall into a range of age and interest demographics.
After all, the little ones like the lighter, sillier side of Halloween, while teenagers are more into the scary and thrilling aspects of the holiday.
It can get even more complicated if you have some fuddy-duddies in your group who think they've outgrown the childlike appeal of this anything-goes holiday.
So, start your planning now and make it a memorable Halloween party ever.
After all, the little ones like the lighter, sillier side of Halloween, while teenagers are more into the scary and thrilling aspects of the holiday.
It can get even more complicated if you have some fuddy-duddies in your group who think they've outgrown the childlike appeal of this anything-goes holiday.
So, start your planning now and make it a memorable Halloween party ever.
1. How to be ghostly creative
How can you be ghostly creative? Believe me, it's in your mind, it's in your head, just open up and be inventive. Scrap those boring century-old designs.
Let your imagination go wild so people will come to your party, not the thousand others being planned for Halloween. Your competition is all the bars and restaurants about town as well as the five-star dudes in the hotel industry paying the top planners to organize this day for them.
Let your imagination go wild so people will come to your party, not the thousand others being planned for Halloween. Your competition is all the bars and restaurants about town as well as the five-star dudes in the hotel industry paying the top planners to organize this day for them.
Not to worry. You can outdo all these. Homespun is a winner. Start doodling your invitations now. Anything goes as this is Halloween. But remember, hand-done invitations are much more personal than flashy commercial products.
2. Your Halloween Costume Trunk
Everyone loves a party and family parties where people dress up are the most fun of all. Imagine the Bat-family, Mom and Dad and two kids arriving all in their winged outfits. How about the royal family Queen, King, and maybe a princess?
Balls in the 18th century often had dress-up themes because it made the events different from the usual experience. Imagine all the planning, the sorting, the making of costumes and then guessing who's who in the party and debriefings at post-party lunches. Too much pre and post fun.
So, if you don't want to be outdone, start preparing your costumes now. I belong to a family that seems to be planning parties all the time.
I don't know sometimes if there are other things that occupy them. But anything fun, they're in. And this is as well all they talk about afterwards until the planning for the next party begins.
In fact, when it comes to costume parties, they keep the preparation of their costumes hidden away from each other so it has maximum surprise on the day of the event.
Designs are secretly guarded, ideas not shared just in case someone wants to steal their most creative thoughts. The intra-family rivalry is savage.
I don't know sometimes if there are other things that occupy them. But anything fun, they're in. And this is as well all they talk about afterwards until the planning for the next party begins.
In fact, when it comes to costume parties, they keep the preparation of their costumes hidden away from each other so it has maximum surprise on the day of the event.
Designs are secretly guarded, ideas not shared just in case someone wants to steal their most creative thoughts. The intra-family rivalry is savage.
Pull out that trunk and air out the costumes. Do you have one? We have a trunk where all the old party and unusual costumes go along with old bits of cloth and random masks.
The kids rummage through this when they want to play dress-up. I know some will always want to do their own unique costume so the old trunk is for the lazy ones who just can't be bothered.
Prepare masks and hats that those who don't have costumes can wear. You don't want some people to feel left out.
Start with your kids. What costumes will your kids wear this Halloween? Have they expressed their wish? You can make them decide what they want to be on this day. There are many costumes to try out. They don't have to be expensive. Make sure you have a budget. You can make use of what they already have.
By now, you must be tired of looking at same-same costumes and accessories. Why not put your creativity at work and make that one of a kind mask for you and your kids?
Or just get ready-made hats or masks
Yes, if you're not the type to do the costumes or masks yourself, not to worry. There are so many choices around. Here is one they can easily wear and with even just this, they are ready for the party. The more important thing is to have fun.
3. Fun Activities for your Halloween Party
Fun activities should be a big part of your Halloween get together and a costume contest has to be among the best you can include in your party plan your party plans.
If your gathering will be fairly big, consider having a costume contest with multiple categories. Best costume for different age categories is one option, or you can go with categories like the cutest, scariest, most creative, and best overall costume, for instance.
There's got to be a prize in each category, and it doesn't have to be something big. Maybe give out little certificates marking the placement in the "best" categories and a small bag of candy. That should suffice.
There's got to be a prize in each category, and it doesn't have to be something big. Maybe give out little certificates marking the placement in the "best" categories and a small bag of candy. That should suffice.
You can really add fun to your celebration when you prepare well. One of the things you can do is have ready-made hats or masks for your guests who are not in costumes. You can then engage them immediately in the fun.
- Kids love face painting. You can have kits ready and let them paint each other. They can do this the moment they come in and each guest can just join in easily as they come.
- Traditional games like bobbing for apples and activities like spooky storytelling can be a blast, or you can get creative and make up your own games and traditions.
- Halloween-themed bingo or perhaps a Halloween-themed trivia game are just a couple of concepts to consider.
Of course, prizes should be awarded to the winning teams or players in each game or activity you include in your party, and again, the prizes don't need to be elaborate, but awarding something always makes people feel good about their achievements.
5. Sneak in Halloween Surprises, Sounds and Drama
The Bose is out. Drums are dusted. Speakers are flutter tested. Make one person responsible. Not YOU. Plan with this person the music and sound effects you want for the start of the party.
The key is you want to make your guests feel they are in for the greatest fun of their lives. Build it up from here. Make family members join in. Tape the scariest sounds they can make and blare this out as soon as the guests come. Get wireless speakers you can scatter around the house.
The key is you want to make your guests feel they are in for the greatest fun of their lives. Build it up from here. Make family members join in. Tape the scariest sounds they can make and blare this out as soon as the guests come. Get wireless speakers you can scatter around the house.
Make sure that there are no blah moments by sneaking in surprises using sound effects and drama. Rent a fogging machine and give them a blast once in a while. Get one in the group to dress as Vampire and come in at one point of the party throwing treats or candies and lunging at a naked neck. Or, get some in the group to come in procession with candles and a coffin.
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| Halloween Surprise. Source: aesta1 |
Have a DJ. It is even better if you have an amateur one in the family or your circle of friends. It is always fun. In fact, if you have a karaoke, this is the time to let those off-tune members of your circle belt their hearts out. You will scare off even the ghosts, witches and vampires.
6. Halloween Party Treats
Why not ask each invitee to bring a dish? When you do this, it makes the guests feel it is their party, too. It is hard to be a good guest but it is fun to be part of the party. Just ask them to bring whatever they like: food, drinks, treats, music, whatever. This is the time of year when you can be crazy and not be embarrassed about not being a good cook. Who cares on Halloween?
- Prepare mostly finger food so people can mill around as they eat. Have a good variety.
- Have a corner for drinks so people can help themselves. Make sure you have enough water jugs in there.
- Prepare several corners for food so people can spread out.
- Decorate your serving bowls and plates with items that you can make, easily find in the supermarket or online. There are lots to choose from.
- Use red food colour and splatter the table with it. Make sure your table cloth is one of those throwaways.
- Provide big garbage bags visible to people so they don't go after you each time to ask where they can throw things.
7. Halloween Party Place
Decorate, decorate, decorate. Will it be a wizard's den? A haunted house? A vampire's Airey? An enchanted forest? Or, a spooky graveyard?
Have an ugly pumpkin contest with voting at the party. They'll love it.
There are many themes you can choose from. Involve some of your friends and family members to bring some of their Halloween decors so you don't have to invest so much on creating the spookiest Halloween party place.
Ask them to come early to help set up the place. You start them having fun early when you do this. Involve the kids in preparing. They'll love it.
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