Thread: Burnt Out Yet?

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So after all the dust has settled and my decor is mostly put up. I can't help but look back and feel a little bummed. I feel as though I spent so much time and effort for a party that ended too soon. Anyone feel like that?

The party has gotten more and more ambitious every year and the amount of help I can round up seems to be getting less and less. I meant to get almost everything done earlier in the week so that I could mostly enjoy the day of without too much work but ALL the people who were supposed to help out bailed on me. So it translated into me spending EVERY spare second of non-work time I had on it for the week prior to the party. We also seemed to have a lot of no-shows and last minute cancelations this year

I spent prob 17 hours decorating just one room (3hrs gathering branches+ 5hrs spraying them+ 4hrs covering walls+3hrs putting up fishing line and 2hrs putting up branches and glow spiderwebs.) and it looked FANTASTIC but I found myself so tired from working on everything that I couldn't hardly enjoy myself.

On another sad note: I forgot to charge my camera battery so I have hardly any photos AND I over-imbibed with absinthe (TOO EASY TO DO! NEVER AGAIN!) and don't remember anything after 11.

I don't feel overall that the night was a failure I just feel that with the amount of effort that went into it that it SHOULD have been BETTER. Ah well!

Anyone else feel a little let down or just burnt out after their party? Any advice on hosting a VERY grand and over-the-top party without burning yourself out?

I felt that way 2 yrs ago when we had our party. I hardly got any pictures because I was too busy and that made me feel awful!! All that work and NO pictures to show for it. I was a little more prepared this yr but let me say that every body part hurt. Three days leading up to the party I was taking 800 mg advil so I could push through the day. It seemed to work. LOL Once the meds kicked in and I had a pot of coffee I was good to go. LOL!!! The day of the party I was running on pure adreneline. Lots of people showed up to help (5 of my best buds + my husband) and it took everyone to pull it together. You just don't realize how much time even the smallest tasks take up, you know? I would have never made it without them. I can still think of things that could have been done ahead of time and will learn from that and will use it on the next party. I can't pull off a party like this every yr. I have to alternate every other yr. LOL I can't afford it every yr. My budget was looking ok up until the 15 last minute trips to the store for this and that. Budget went downhill at that point. Everyone had a GREAT time. Kids are talking about it at my sons school and told him it was the best party ever. That's what makes it all worth it to me!! I hope it's one of those parties the kids will always remember. They will be 30 yrs old one day thinking of that crazy lady who used to throw huge parties for them every yr. LOL My advise to you is to get good help that you can rely on. There's no way you can pull off a grand over the top party by yourself!!!!

I've been there. At one point I got so fed up with not have any help before or after the party I quit having them. We would have a Halloween party every year but it go to the point where it became more work than pleasure and having to do it all myself, everything became a chore. So I stopped - for 4 years! Then one year I lent my decorations and party goods to my niece for her party. Going through and looking at my stuff I wanted to have another party. All the fun and excitement came back. Still doing everything myself but at least I'm enjoying it. I noticed this year that a lot of the old time forum members seem burned out or have lost some of their Halloween spirit. I think it's inevitable because it is a lot of work!! A lot of work that always goes unappreciated.

I mentioned to Miss Mandy on another thread that I don't decorate because I'm having a party, I do it for myself, and then have a party because I'm all decorated. Sometimes, I think, I like the planning more than the actual party. lol You busted your @ss this year, star girl, and it's understandable to feel burnt out and wondering "was it all worth it?" By next year you may get your mojo back but if not, take a break. Don't feel obligated to anyone that you have to have a party. Do it for yourself, because you find it enjoyable.

Our Halloween spirt never entirely leaves us, sometimes it just goes underground for a while to rest.

Originally Posted by Tannasgach

Our Halloween spirt never entirely leaves us, sometimes it just goes underground for a while to rest.

I like this!

After the work I put into my parties this year, I don't know if I can go this big again next year. I think that I'm going to need a break. I spent what felt like every minute of my spare time getting ready for this year's parties for about a month! That's a lot of time! The parties were awesome & everyone really enjoys them, but people just have NO IDEA what really goes into them. NO IDEA!!! Oh yeah, and I'm still putting time in because we don't have the decorations put up yet I hope to have everything done by the end of the weekend...then it's on to Christmas I guess.

I feel a little burnt out this year. October was busy month in general, was only in town one weekend before the party so did everything the weekend before which turned into the entire week before. Everything turned out great, party was a huge sucess, triple the people from year before. Cleaned the house for the following 3 days after. Now, I am sooooo tired and need a weekend to rest. I am sure once I see all the Christmas stuff going up I will miss my halloween decor. So for me the spirit will go underground for a month, then come back. BTW I still went to Spirit for the day after 50% sale, so I must not be too burnt out.

yes, i feel that same way. The weather ruined our party plans as did the calendar...many folks had other obligations. We were going to re-schedule but, frankly, i just ain't feelin it. I'm ready to take the decos down and just move on.

We had crappy weather so everything I did last year was not used.

HOWEVER, I feel energized and have been working on my groundbreaker and another skull. I have ambitious plans...but I'm going to space it out all year.

Sending you all some good Mojo for next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had relatives that held a great indoor and outdoor Halloween party for years. They spent weeks setting up, had outside games, bonfire, hayride, and a new theme each year. Put up a bingo tent and had tons of food, drinks and props. Easily over 100 every year. And then they started stressing more and more, and I suggested they should downscale, make it less work and invite less people. Unfortunately they have given up having any at all, and we even helped them the last year they had one, which is about 4 years ago now. If things become too much, sometimes it can lead to giving up entirely, which would be a shame. Be sure to keep it manageable. I would rather see people hold smaller ones and keeping them going as opposed to getting so demoralized that they give up totally. Always make sure to give yourself enough time to enjoy the season. As much fun as our guests have, I like the process and work just as much.

Ditto to all of the above. Even though I got lots of positive feedback after the party, I still felt a bit let down. A significant number of regulars didn't show this time, but that was offset by several who came but hadn't RSVP'd. Additionally, the friend who ALWAYS prepares my shots for Trick or Trivia didn't come (even though she said she'd be there), so I spent an inordinate amount of time at the party preparing the drinks. Thank goodness my husband played host and photographer while I was busy. I may take Paul's advice and downscale a bit next year, since I'm feeling a tad burned out. Time will tell.