Thread: Halloween Parties--what do you do at them?

Tweet

What do you guys do when you host a or go to someone's Halloween party besides look around at decorations, talk, drink, eat, and possibly play a game?

Does everyone dress up? Is it required?

Do you talk Halloween or is it just like a get-together?

Anything else?

I've only had a party once last year but I think it was mainly as you said - people dressed up for the most part (there's always one who doesn't bother....), ate food, talked and played games. I don't think anyone really danced, but it wasn't that sort of party.

I definitely have to do games because otherwise I worry that people will turn up and just sit around staring at each other!

Like HKitten said, what you mentioned is pretty much what happens at our parties. I'm luckily enough to have everyone come dressed up (some more extravagantly than others) and we eat, drink and some participate in the games. The games I have going are usually only simple and can be done independantly (like Tempt of Fate or movie guessing) so that those who want to play can and it doesn't stop others from just socialising.

Last year was our first party as well. Everyone dressed up, which totally shocked me. I would have nightmares about throwing this costume party, and then my husband and I were the only ones wearing one! LOL But everyone showed up in costume which made me SO happy! I had all the main rooms decorated, so I imagined guests in every room, mingling in groups. But the majority of everyone hung out in the kitchen and sun room lol. Occassionaly, a few would wander off into the dining room and living room....cuz thst's where all the food was LOL. I'm hoping it'll be more spread out this year. But we all pretty much ate, got drunk and laughed all night. It was a blast! This year I'm planning some games though. And we will have the costume contest again this year

Most of our guest just mingle or play cards...we have 5 card tables set up and another long table that they play Phase 10 on. We don't do any dancing just eating , cards and socializing!!! It must work out well cause we have more and more ppl each yr. !!! But then nothing better than good food, good friends and great costumes....that's what life is about !!!

Yup. Talk, eat, drink (thank goodness not excessively) and play games. About 75% show up in costume. I do tarot cards, and we have lots of stuff to look at and music in the background... We also do a door prize that is tied into the theme, (draw names and award or use props that were sent out with the invites that randomly assign the door prize winner) and a costume contest. We are not above bribery to get folks to show up - DVDs, good/expensive candy, hardback books, cool toys, Halloween-themed candles, wine and gift cards are all stuff we give away...

Our group is filled with arty types and us arty types tend to be BIG flakes, but if we can get them to come, then they enjoy themselves.

We had our first one last year and ended up with--at peak time of the night--about 20 folks at our place. Much of the action, as ANY party seems to always do, hovers around the island in the kitchen and it made for great conversation. We made ours a costume party for adults only quite clearly in the eVite, so everyone came in costume and there were some good ones.

The only 'game' or activity we had was costume contest. This year, I'm planning on beefing that up and trying deliberatly to also spread the activities outside of just the kitchen. Our party went from being a normal adult shindig to a drunken college rager at some point (I believe this coincided with one attendee bringing a big bottle of Jagermeister and shots ensuing!)

I like Frankie's Girl's idea though--offer some prizes, incentives and really do it up right.

One thing I want to do too (and God, please don't be 80 damn degrees) is set up some hay bales on the patio in back or side driveway for people to hang out too. I've also already begun to compile a Halloween playlist for the iPod.

I'm also hoping my mancave will be done by halloween so that, for those so inclined, they can play Rock Band, etc.

I also kicked around the idea of setting up a big white sheet and proejcting a movie on it outside, if only as an added ambience thing. I'm thinking Evil Dead.

We dance alot.

We Typically have about 25-30 guests at our parties (all in costume-it's a must). Our entertainment usually goes something like this:

Weenie & Marshmallow Roast At The Fire Pit
Snacks, Desserts, Candy & Drinks Inside
Jello Shots (A Staple At Our Halloween Parties)
(2) Beer Pong Tables
Cornhole Outside
Dance Floor With Disco Light (Gets Used More Some Years Than Others)
Approximately 2-3 Planned Games
Costume Contest (3 Categories)
Pumpkin Carving Contest-Optional (Guests Bring These To The Party Already Carved)
Halloween Music Mix Upstairs & Dance Party Music Mix Down Stairs
Photo Op Of Some Sort
Lots Of Decor Inside/Out For Guests To Walk Around & Check Out

We have been having parties for the past 10 or 11 years now. They have changed over the years as the kids have grown and gotten more and less involved. Unfortunately, now that they are all grown and on their own we don't have as much help as we used to, so the parties are not as elaborate. We try to have all of the party outside, we have a big and small firepit, so even if it is chilly, we are good. We have food, games, music and a lot of fun. We have gone from having a full fledged haunted house, to having rooms with scary scenes because we don't have enough "actors" to do the haunted house, but everyone still seems to have a good time. We average about 45 people, kids and adults.