Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Hosting a Haunted Halloween Party

No one says that you have to go out to have a good time on Halloween. Parties are one way to spend the evening at home and still have fun. Guests have fun and also find safety. Maybe this year you will host a Halloween party of your very own.

Send out invitations well in advance of the event. We know the date of the party so that is not a problem. Most people will either be attending another party, going trick or treating with the kids or attending your party. Let’s hope they attend your party.

Come up with a menu for the event. Ghoulish treats such as witch’s fingers or Jell-O eyeballs floating in the punch may be great for kids but a bit too macabre for some adults. In that case, stick with spooky decorations and normal looking food.

The best thing about Halloween parties is that they can be planned for both adults and children. Careful planning will give the adults time to unwind while the children are otherwise occupied. Tend to the children first.

In the early evening take the kids for a little door to door fun. While they are going through their snacks and eating finger foods that you prepared in advance, the rest of the work for the adult part of the party can begin.

If you want to serve drinks, keep it simple. Beer and wine involves less work than an open bar. Anyone drinking can’t drive home. Designate a driver or walk from home to the party. Neighborhood Halloween parties have the convenience of close proximity.

Have a few age appropriate Halloween videos for the kids to watch in the family room or living room when the guests retire to the patio or backyard for fun. Host a costume contest or a pumpkin carving contest. A little Halloween karaoke might break a few noise ordinances, but it will thrill the guests. Who knows all the words to “Monster Mash”?

Since the kids are a consideration, hosts can ask each invited guest to bring a dish to the party. This way, cleanup is faster and the host doesn’t have to do so much hard labor. They will appreciate the help.

Any types of games that are planned should be played before drinks are served. Too many accidents occur when someone’s judgment is impaired by alcohol. Want to host a Halloween party? Grab the most frightening decorations, some eats, and creepy music, mix with a few friends and you’re sure to have a great time!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Most Popular Halloween Costumes for 2008

Each year, some costumes pop up more than others. Everyone seeks to be original, but the only way to be truly individual is to make your own costume. Barring that, you will look like someone else on that night. The trick is to look better than they do.Here are some of the most popular costume ideas for 2008.

Diehard Halloween fans are preparing as we speak for that one night of scary fun. The good thing about some of the popular costumes this year is that they work for kids, teens, and adults.Trends in Halloween costumes often follow trends in movies. Popular movies always spawn a costume idea or two for October 31st. The most popular film so far this year is The Dark Knight. Batman has achieved a new level of cool that everyone wants to emulate. Tall, dark, and mysterious is in this year as many scout the stores for Batman paraphernalia.Who doesn’t love a villain? They allow us to imagine we are bad without actually being bad. All votes this year are for The Joker. The super villain of The Dark Knight is not the whimsical psycho we’ve seen in the past. He is the real deal and scary. Adults will take pleasure in dressing up as this character.There have been several super hero movies of late.

Super heroes are always in season because they champion the cause of justice, and their costumes are really cool. For this year, kids and adults will emulate Wonder Woman, Superman, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, the X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, and Spiderman. Adults will add a little sex appeal to those costumes so as to differentiate themselves from their kids.Religious costumes are always a family favorite.

For those who celebrate Hallelujah Night at church, dressing up as Noah, Moses, John the Baptist and Jonah still highlight these events.

Cartoon characters are popular for kids. Some of the most popular are Japanimation creations like Naruto, Yugioh, Digimon, and Pokemon characters. These characters are joined by Disney favorites like Hannah Montana, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and Alvin and the Chipmunks.But, the life of the party is still the costumes with timeless appeal. We are speaking of the 20’s flapper girl, Betty Boop, doctor and nurse, witches, devils, and of course, sexy Elvira.

It wouldn’t be a party without at least one of these people showing up.What will you wear this year? Go with the popular crowd or set your sights on a more unique invention. Either way, have fun not only the night of Halloween, but putting your costume together too!