Hi Everyone, I,m a newbie to halloween forum ( 1 month) and I wanted to thank everyone for all of your great, creative ideas and enthusiasm. I used many of the ideas and had a very successful Friday night adult party and Saturday night kids party. We had roughly 40 be people each night, nearly everyone we invited came. We did a pirate theme party, a scavenger hunt, murder games, etc., We had a 30 foot pirate pirate ship with a 20 foot hight mast out front, graveyard, and decorated our garage. We had TOT from blocks away saying they heard there was a huge pirate at our address. Our neighbors Sunday said they all ran out of candy from the increase in TOTS. Anyway, thanks all. This is a great site everyone is so helpful, encouraging and supportive.

We really went to a lot of expense and hard work that was really worth the effort. To those whose party didn't go quite as well because guests didn't show I can only suggest a couple of things. Do Hallowween because YOU like it, not for anyone else. TOTS will definitely appreciate any effort you put towards it, also forget making all the food, it's costly and time consuming with everything else you have to do. Have guest bring food. So, if there's not guests or guest's forget to bring food so be it. It's not your fault.

Thanks again. I'll be posting pics soon.

Good said ~scurvy dog ~ I do it for myself and close friends ~ and each year the word gets spread and more and more come ~

Next year Im doing a take on the Pirates of Caribbean ~ so I look forward to your pics

I totally agree about the food. My invitations say "It's a Pot Yuck Party!" and each year, we notice more and more guests are trying to out do each other by bringing great scary as well as just plain yummy dishes to share.

Then -- we keep about 5-6 "back-up" pizzas in the frig -- just in case.

I do actually serve a big batch of Dracula Spaghetti (Put lotsa extra garlic in the Prego sauce and on the bread) --- or a Thanksgrieving Feast that is simply deli turkey with potatoes and gravy. Both are easy -breezy to make in a pinch. I don't even start boiling the spaghetti until about 8:30 - when I have a chance to see what everyone else brought. The turkey breast "loin" can go into the oven for 30 minutes and the potatoes are ready made (like the Bob Evans kind) to pop into the micro. If we don't need it - I keep it in the freezer until the real Thanksgiving in 3 weeks!

Thanksgrieving Feast theme was this year. We filled my new skull server ( a gift from my neighbor) with cranberry in the brain area where cheese dip would ordinarily go. Then spread the canned slices where the chips would go. It was a hit.

SO for the record - I totally agree with the pot luck food aspect to your Halloween party. BOO!

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