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Halloween is considered by many to be America's favorite
holiday. It is enjoyed equally by children of all ages, so if you plan
only one party a year, Halloween is the perfect occasion. When planning the
party, be sure to consider the age of the guests. Decorations featuring pumpkins
and cute spiders are more appealing to small children than skeletons and
monsters. Be careful that the music and sound effects aren't too scary for
the youngest children on your guest list. For adult and teenage parties,
the scarier the better! A good variety of food or snacks is the key to
every successful party and Halloween gives you the opportunity to unleash your
creativity. Even if you plan to serve standard party foods, adding a couple of
ghoulish treats will help creative a mysterious atmosphere. Halloween
serves as its own theme, however if you want to impress friends with your
creativity or are simply tired of the same old routine, the ideas below
may be just what you are looking for.
Masquerade Ball
Costume parties have been around for centuries, but never seem to get old.
Although they are held year round, Halloween is the most popular time for
costume or masquerade parties. The terms are often used interchangeably,
but guests may assume that Halloween costumes are expected at a costume party
and other types of costumes are to be worn to a Masquerade party. Be sure
to let guests know if costumes are supposed to fit a specific theme.
Popular themes are movie heroes, cartoon characters, historical figures and
famous couples. If your guests are all part of the same group, occupation or
organization, a very specialized theme can spark a lot of creativity.
Masquerading as "a famous doctor" can include anything from actual
historical characters to Dr. Jekyl. A limited theme can be a huge success
with the right group of guests, but make sure that you can think of a variety of
ideas that fit the theme you are considering. Since guests often go to a
great deal of effort planning their costumes, prizes in several categories are
appreciated. While prizes don't need to be expensive, try to come up with
something that will actually be used. Costume parties usually
include dancing, but also provide a perfect opportunity for a karaoke
contest. Guests may enjoy singing "in character" or choosing a song
that fits their costume. For more elaborate parties, a magician or
wandering entertainer can provide an added attraction. Last, but not least
. . . Even if you specify on the invitation that costumes are required,
keep a couple of masks on hand for guests that insist on showing up without
them.
Haunted House Halloween Invitation
Heads Up Party
Most people love to plan a costume and dress up once a year, but occasionally
guests insists on showing up dressed in their every day attire. A Heads Up
party may be the perfect compromise if you have guests that resist wearing
complete costumes. Heads Up means to "dress up" from the neck up. This includes face
paint, wigs, hats, tiaras, bandanas, sunglasses, etc. Be sure the
invitation includes enough information so that the guests know what is
expected. Guests may choose to come up with a prize-winning idea, or
simply adorn a silly hat. The promise of an enticing prize can encourage
guests to put some thought and effort into their creation. If you can come
up with creative prizes that apply to the neck up, you can further promote the
theme of the party. And . . . If you need a consolation prize, consider a
bottle of the well known dandruff shampoo!
Heads Up - Halloween Party Invitation
Halloween Swimming Party
If you are lucky enough to have access to a heated pool, or live in an area
where it is still warm enough for swimming in October, a Halloween swimming
party is fun. Although a costume contest isn't practical, all of your other
favorite Halloween activities can be easily incorporated into your party
agenda. Since most Halloween swimming parties are held outside and after
dark, less preparation is needed than for more elaborate parties. A few
spooky decorations, some tasty food, and "spooktacular" music is
all you need . For safety sake, make sure the party area is amply
lit and if your guest list includes youngsters, be sure that there are plenty adults
available to serve as lifeguards.
The Swamp - Halloween Invitation
Monster Movie Marathon
Who says slumber parties are just for teenage girls! Complete with popcorn
and movie-type treats, a "Scare-a-thon" is the perfect way for a
small group of friends to enjoy Halloween. You may ask for
suggestions for movie
selections ahead of time, or just have an assortment of your favorite
scary movies available. Your guests may enjoy making their own pizza,
chocolate chip cookies, or other favorite treat between movies. In
addition to being fun and delicious, the "intermission" gives added
time for chatting and socializing. The movie marathon theme can be adapted for
children simply by substituting cartoons featuring monsters. Be sure the
cartoons are age appropriate and short enough to match the attention span of the
children.
Vampire and Cake
Halloween Hayride
For family or group parties that include guests of varying ages, a hayride is great
fun. Whether you live in a small town, or a large city, there are bound to
be a number of farms available which will take care of most of the preparations
for you. If the hayride is for adults only, you may chose to have a romantic
theme or even a haunted hayride. Although hayrides tend to be more
mysterious at night, it is easier to keep track of a group of each children if
the event is planned during daylight hours. If the farm has a pumpkin
patch, you may want to treat each child in the group to a small pumpkin, or
suggest that they bring some extra money to purchase their own. Traditional
hayrides often include a wiener roast, which can be as much fun as the hayride
itself. Even if you choose to have simple snacks or picnic foods
instead, making s'mores is a perfect grand finale.
Scarecrow Hayride Invitation
Pumpkin No Carving Contest
Pumpkin carving contests are often an added feature of a Halloween party, but
consider pumpkin decorating with a new twist! Fill a wheelbarrow or
metal tub with pumpkins and let each guest pick one to decorate as they
arrive. Provide markers and assorted decorations, and let the imagination
of your guests take care of the rest. You can specify prize categories
(scariest, funniest, most original, etc.) but the only rule should be that the
pumpkin is not damaged. Since no carving is required, the contest is safe
and suitable for children as well as adults and the pumpkin will still be
edible.
Halloween Birthday Party
Halloween seems to become more popular with each passing year, and if you or
someone you know is lucky enough to have a birthday on or near the holiday, you
have a ready-made birthday theme. Halloween birthday parties are
popular for children and adults, and custom invitations
are available that combine both grand occasions.
Costumes are a must and kids will be excited to have another chance to wear
their beloved costume. Black and orange are the obvious color choice for
decorations, but as long as the guest of honor is pleased with the end result,
it isn't important if everything is color coordinated. Bowls of candy corn
double as tasty treats and colorful centerpieces. For children's parties,
a paper trick-or-treat bag can be filled with inexpensive trinkets such as
plastic spiders and pumpkin rings. Kids love goody bags and usually
appreciate a group of small items more than one larger item. A
Halloween birthday party offers a lot of photo opportunities, so make sure to
get both group pictures and individual photos of guests in their
costumes. These photos can be used as thank you notes after the
party.
Skull and Candle
Halloween Baby Shower
If you are in charge of planning a baby shower, it probably won't surprise you
to learn that many of the intended guests have recently attended other
showers. Friends usually tend to be in the same age group and stage of
life, so planning a shower that stands out from the others may take some
creativity. If the shower is in October, a Halloween theme baby
shower may be just what you are looking for! Orange is the obvious color
choice for decorations and can feature small pumpkins and rattles tied with
orange bows. Instead of mints, set out bowls of colorful candy
corn. Shades of purple are also popular for Halloween baby
showers and decorating tables with several cute stuffed cats (which will also
serve as baby gifts) carries out the Halloween theme. If you prefer to the
stick to the traditional colors of pink and blue, invitations are available
which feature pink or blue pumpkins. Although most of the decorations will
probably be related to Halloween, be sure to keep them on the humorous side and
avoid dark or scary themes. Pumpkins and cute spiders are good
choices, and a good variety should be available in most areas. A fun
addition is to request that guests bring a small item for the baby's trick or
treat bag. If you are serving several food items, consider including a
special treat like pumpkin bread or pumpkin cheesecake. If you plan to include a
baby shower game, try to incorporate the Halloween theme into the game. If
you know what the baby will be named, hand out sheets of paper and see who can
come up with the most Halloween-related items starting with the letters in the
baby's name. The perfect prize for the winner is a cute children's book
with a Halloween story . Jars of pumpkin baby food tied with an orange
bow may also be used as a prizes or table decorations. Unless the guest
of honor especially enjoys games, limit them to one or two. Opening
the presents and socializing with friends should provide most of the
entertainment.
Pick of the Patch
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