Greetings from Quebec

**NightRowan** · 08-28-2008,05:50 PM

Hi everyone. I stumbled across the forum during my hours of web searching for ideas, and I haven't left since, except to follow links provided by posters. This is only my second year hosting a halloween party, and I fear that I may share the same disease as most of the members here. I swore to my husband that after the first year, the parties wouldn't cost as much. I am such a fibber. We're on a pretty tight budget and yet I'm having a hard time getting everything down to a $300 - $400 budget. Currently, even with lots of cuts on things that I'd love to have the budget is hovering at $1000, lol. To make matters worse, since I live in Quebec (the province, not the city) I can't take advantage of a lot of the awesome deals online since most of the deals are no longer deals when you have to pay duty fees. Border crossing to go shopping in Vermont (it's only 15 minutes from where I live) is even becoming problematic. Doesn't really matter though since the towns that are nearby are small and don't have a lot of great shops for shopping. I can here all of you moaning, alright, enough with the complaints. Instead I'll just tell you a bit about what little experience I do have. Last year my friend Pat and I held a party for my oldest son and her two children in my basement. The guests ranged from 10-11. Not to bad. It was actually a huge hit and when the parents arrived they were all super impressed with the decor. This year we're trying to one-up ourselves by including an outdoor scavenger hunt (my property only). Unfortunately, all of last years expenses when to interior decor and lots of goodies! Anyway, thanks to all the great and creative posters here, this year's party is already looking pretty awesome, if I can just lower the budget and figure out how to do some technical stuff!

**maleficent** · 08-28-2008,07:11 PM

**ahwahneeliz** · 08-28-2008,09:13 PM

Welcome to the forum! You are right, lots of great ideas here, and great creative people.

**Buggula** · 08-29-2008,03:18 AM

Bienvenue! I'm from the province just south of you, New Brunswick!

If your having a kid's party again this year, may I suggest you issue invitations with a request for the donation of a decoration? Offer a prize for the best decoration given.

**spookineer** · 08-29-2008,04:20 AM

Welcome! Glad you found your way here.

**NightRowan** · 08-29-2008,04:41 AM

Bloomin' Lovely - I have considered something like that. Not for the decorations (mostly because I'm terrified I'd end up with a lot of cutsie stuff), but for the grand prize of the scavenger hunt. I'll provide the boobie prizes, but I thought that if all the guests (15 guests + 3 preteen hosts) brought something for the prize it would be three pieces per Scavenger Hunt winner (we're doing 3 teams of 6). Actually, what the kids really seem to love about my party is that instead of goodie bags, they get to keep things from each game. For example, we have a version of the 'stick your hands in something gross game' where my 'werewolf' is chained up in an unlit closet and they have to go in and grab toys from his 'slop'. This year it will be little werewolf figures. Last year it was monster head balls. The get to keep these. This way I can avoid kids on a sugar rush, they actually WANT to participate in the game and everyone always gets a prize. For competitive games I just give the winners a cheap Halloween medal so that none of the other kids really get upset that they didn't win. Worked great last year, not once did I find a kid sniffling in the corner because they didn't win. I'm actually more likely east or south-east of you since I live right by the border, but I'm always happy to see other Canadians, especially if they feel the urge to pass on any Canadian online halloween stores (nope, I'm not hinting at all, gosh I'm subtle, lol). Maybe I should actually start a thread about all this over in the experiences section, stole some great ideas from over there, including coffin invitations!