Costumes & Accessories (41) / Party Supplies (65)

Halloween Party

Table of contents

Introduction

Scary, spooky and creepy - it’s the time of year when many find themselves trembling on their beds with the covers drawn over their heads; it’s the time of year where the little demons, ghouls and ghosts come out to play, but… it’s also time for the greatest party of the year! ‘Tis in fact the season to be as monstrous as you can and with the information provided below, you’ll be able to set the scene for history’s most haunted party. But first a little historical information:

 

We celebrate Halloween on October 31st each year, but little do people know that there is more to it than a couple of scary masks and a glowing pumpkin. This date was historically believed by the Gaelic folk as that time of year when the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest. Perhaps for this reason, as well as to evade the curses of illness and bad crops, did these ancient folk place skeletons on their window sills in representation of the dead.

 

But still their superstitions haunted them as they thought that the malevolent spirits would come for them nevertheless. As such they decided to blend in with the dead by wearing garments and masks that would look like them.

 

Aside from the superstition, however, this was a day that the ancient Celts used to celebrate the end of the harvest season and was known as Samhain. One event that stood out at these festivals was the lighting of a bonfire into which the bones of slaughtered livestock (in preparation for the coming winter) were thrown. In some cultures this bonfire was believed to ward off evil spirits.

 

Today this day has lost most of its religious connotations and has become a commercial celebration known as Halloween. The name itself is derived from "All Hallows' Even", where "Even" was another version of the word "evening" and "All Hallows'" was the official name of the day. As such, during the day it was known "All Hallows' Day" and at night, as previously mentioned, "All Hallows' Even".

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Halloween Party Invitations

As it is the season to be scary, you’ll be able to let your imagination run wild and be creative whilst making Halloween invitations for your guests. Below we’ll relate a couple of ours to you which you are free to use and fill with the following information:

  • Party Name: Give your party a name, and make it scary! Here are a couple of ideas: “Jimmy’s Ghoul Gathering”, “John’s Zombie BBQ” or even “Agnes’ Coven Bash”.

  • Salutation: What better way to get your guests into the mood by addressing them as “Dearly departed Mr. & Mrs. Sinclair”?

  • Date & Time

  • Venue/Location

  • Dress Code

  • Contact Details

  • Additional information…

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The Ghoul’s Pass

If you haven’t read our introduction, now’s the time to do so as this invitation is meant to separate the real dead from the living who are simply wearing masks. For this invitation you’ll simply need a computer with the applicable software, a bit of ghoulish ingenuity and a printer (No printer? No problem! Just take it down to your local printing firm and make use of their services). For quality purposes, it would be advisable to print these invitations on good paper.

 

For this invitation all you’ll need to do is find images appropriate to your invitation. Naturally these can include ghouls, tombstones or anything that fits with the topic. Once you’ve found your image and made the necessary adjustments, add the word ‘PASS’ in bright red letters that have been rotated diagonally. Once that’s done, add the details above to the inside or the back of your invitation.

 

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The Reaper’s Calling Card

This invitation has the ability to send some serious chills down the spines of your guests! We all know the Grim Reaper as the herald of death; that timeless individual stalking through the night on its mission to collect the next life.

 

To make this invitation you’ll need to get your hands on some black,charcoal or grey marble (granite should be fine too). In addition you’ll need to find someone who’d be able to cut the stone into a tombstone shape and add the necessary decorations to it so that it resembles a miniature tombstone. Once that’s done, it’s time to add the text:

“R.I.P”

or

“Here Lies…” are classic tombstone headings. Naturally you’ll place the name of the individual you are inviting below the heading. Add the details of your invitation to the back of the miniature tombstone.

 

As you may have guessed, this invitation is intended for those with a slightly higher budget. If you’re having trouble finding someone to cut or engrave the marble, just have a look on the internet.

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Jack-O’-Lantern

What many people don’t know is that the Jack-O’-Lantern has a little story behind it…

 

Long ago in Ireland there lived a man called Stingy Jack, a farmer with a couple of nasty habits which included getting drunk, greed and gambling. Upon a day Old Jack tricked the Devil into climbing a tree and carved a cross in the trunk of the tree once the Devil got caught in the branches. Subsequently the Devil couldn’t get down and was, quite naturally, rather upset. To reward Jack for his evil deed, the Devil cursed the man, condemning him to walk the earth, only at night, for the rest of his days with naught but the light he was carrying with him… a hollowed turnip with a candle inside.

 

Making this invitation will require you to get your hands on a couple of small pumpkins. Once you have the pumpkins, hollow them out and give them nasty faces. The next step will require you to carefully scratch our your invitation on the back of the pumpkin, without piercing it all the way through. Now place a candle inside the hollowed pumpkin and instruct your guests to light it to see your invitation glow!

 

In addition we’d like to state that it would be a terrible waste to throw the contents of the pumpkin away. Rather use it to prepare a dish for your party.

Halloween Party Dress Code

No one needs any introduction to Halloween dress code. Unless you want all your guests to attend as zombies or any of the other creatures of the nights, just let them know that dressing as vampires, witches, ghouls, ghosts, Death, etc. will be the only requirement… those showing up in plain clothes will be severely haunted!

 

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Halloween Party Decorations

Here are a couple of ideas for your Halloween party decorations which will be sure to encourage that haunted atmosphere. Should you need any additional Halloween decorations, just pop down to the appropriate retailer in your area.

  • Paper mache tombstones: create your own spooky graveyard by making your own tombstones! In addition, it will be a good idea to get your hands on a couple of fake skeletal bones and fake spider webs to emphasize that derelict haunted feeling.

  • Halloween Sounds: Did you just hear a wolf howl? Is there someone banging against the walls? Collect a couple of eerie sounds and play them from another room or throughout the entire house. Just remember to adjust the volume that it’s not too loud to keep your guests wondering… “What was that?!”

  • Jack-O’-Lanterns will make the perfect table decorations. Dim the lights and place as many as you can on surfaces throughout the party area.

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Halloween Party Guest Arrival & Announcement

Announcing your guests should just add to the fun. Have a friend dress up as an Igor or Frankenstein to answer the door with a low, dragging “Yeeeeeeees?”. Once your guests have identified themselves to the doorman, instruct the doorman to announce them in the same, low slur. 

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Halloween Party Favors

Party favors for Halloween are available in all shapes and sizes, both on the internet as well as in applicable retail stores.

 

Some of the best ideas include Halloween mugs, wineglasses, goblets, bookends, candles, lamps and, of course, skeletons.

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Halloween Party Activities

Ghost Stories

What better way for ghouls, ghosts and witches to spend their time together than recollecting some of their scariest stories? For a bit of help, just pop into your local bookstore and get your hands on a copy of the eeriest, scariest ghost stories. Remember, the object of this activity is to encourage that Halloween feeling by telling your guests a couple of stories they would never, ever forget.

 

For added effect, this is best done in an environment where the only light present is that on the face of the speaker. Your guests should be submerged in darkness, wondering whether something is about to creep up on them from behind!

Horror Film Marathon

Can’t think of any scary stories to tell? Well why not let modern entertainment do it for you? Rent a couple of movies that you know will give your guests a number of sleepless nights especially for this occasion. And, as said above, ensure that there are no lights on for that added Halloween scare-factor.

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Bonfire

Not interested in being ghouls, ghosts or vampires? No problem – but be sure to keep that bonfire burning to ward off all the evil spirits! As mentioned above, in the olden days the Celts tossed the bones of the animals they had slaughtered (to add to their winter food-stock) into the fire to drive off the unwanted dead. Though times change and you needn’t attempt to find animal bones… a couple of wooden logs should be sufficient.

 

For this activity it would be best to take all necessary safety precautions and adhere to state/regional regulations.

Halloween Whodunit

Who killed Igor? Was it the hag, the zombie or the werewolf? Find out by playing a classic game of Halloween whodunit.

 

For this game you’ll typically just need a number of motives, clues, suspects and the actual guilty individual. Should you require assistance with this activity, just drop by your local toy store and get your hands on a whodunit set. This will provide hours of fun for everyone involved and a pretty ghoulish sentence for the murderer.

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Witches’ Ball

What finer way for all the misguided spirits of the night to come together and shake their limbs at the witches’ ball?

 

Now you needn’t organize an entire town hall for this occasion as your own makeshift graveyard should do fine enough. Just ensure that your guests have enough space to move around, enough light to see and, of course, some good spooky music to dance to.

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Food & Drink

“Waiter! Another bowl of Eyeball Surprise, please.” - Give your guests something they won’t be able to resist, but inspires a measure of dread at the same time. Halloween is a time for normal foods made scary and given the appropriate names. For recipes and more, just browse the internet or have a look in your local bookstore. Here are a couple of ideas:

 

Coffin Surprise: Sandwiches shaped like coffins.

Bloody Beetroot Salad: As the name says, it’s simply a beetroot salad with the beetroot diced and sliced in all shapes and sizes.

The Ghoul’s Eyeball: As a snack, consider using a small hardboiled egg, an olive and a small piece of red pepper. Stack them with the egg at the bottom and the pepper on top and pierce with a cocktail stick.

 

As for drinks, well, the sky is the limit. Mix your own bloody cocktails or have a bottles of fine red wine at the ready. Ensure that you have a couple of goblets at hand for that added Halloween effect.

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