Thread: Atmosphere makes the Halloween Party

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Creating a suitable atmosphere is paramount in perfecting your Halloween party. People who frequent this board are all home haunting pros, so this isn't really news.

But what are the special effects you have going on? I've listed mine below, so let's compare and see if anyone can find an interesting addition.

Music -- In our garage I'll have a CD playing for atmospheric background music, usually something from Midnight Syndicate. Our driveway is about 80 yards long, and we live on a wooded property on a mountain, so the natural environment is already there. Upstairs I'll play "A Night in A Haunted House," my favorite Halloween CD. Again, for background effect.

Video -- On our TV in the family room I play the Ghoul Log. Although it drives some of the less enthusiastic revelers nuts, it's my party, like they say...In the basement den and bar area I'll turn that TV on and find a black and white classic. I'm thinking of putting one of the small TVs in the kitchen and putting an old black and white classic movie on as well.

Fireplace -- I keep the fire going at a comfortable level. This is usually the first one we light for the year. We've had some cool nights, and some warmer, but typically it's seasonable enough to start one.

Fog -- A must have, of course. On the front porch, I'll usually have a cauldron with some pouring out. On the dining room table are a number of decorations, including another cauldron, with ample dry ice. On the kitchen bay window are a lot of decorations, including a vintage motionette witch (with the annoying whine) and glowing eyes, and I place yes, another cauldron with a blue LED, in front of her with dry ice. On the other end of the bay window is a skull which makes its own fog coming out though the eyes and mouth.

Other Effects -- Projector with a haunted house display shining on wall as people come up. We have one of the Spooky Shadows rotating projectors in the living room on the piano. Lots of candles, flickers candles, and blinking skeleton lights. Plus an assortment of vintage blowmolds including an orange haunted house, scarecrow, pair of owls, several "Jacks," and the witch on broom. Scary noisemaker outside hidden in the bushes. Some years we'll place bags with candles in them. Also a hanging candle at bottom of driveway.

I better stop or I'll end up describing every decoration we have! Hope you enjoy my descriptions.

Paul.

Totally agree. I play halloween party music and decorate the whole darn house, but the basement is primarilly where the party is. I have fog, lights, a halloween village and decorations every place you look.

We also have lots of atmosphere at the Boo Bash with every room decorated and music too. All of my food is spooky or frightful in name or looks or both. Last year we had a full dinner with the main dish being Freshly flayed flesh, which was barbecued brisket.

We just spread out through the house with most congregating in the living/kitchen dining area and the large screened in porch.

This year I will also have card tables set up in the backyard by the cemetery.

I am changing up things inside and doing a lot with witches since my theme is a Witches Ball and I am also hosting my first party for women only that is called Be WITCHY. Is is based on the wonderful ideas from this forum of the Witches Wing-ding and the Bewitched Bash.

The party is set at my sister, Spookyone's house. I dont know what is going on on the decorations yet, becuz mainly there was a change and then it ended up being changed back.

Music and sounds are essential to set the tone for the party. We have scary sounds & noises playing on front porch when guests arrive. Upstairs (where the food is), we have Halloween themed music playing to get everyone in the party mood. Songs from "Thriller" by Michael Jackson to the "Monster Mash". In the basement, where the most of the props & the walls are wrapped, we play scary sounds until everyone arrives & then we start the music we can dance to.

I agree lighting plays a huge part as well. Just halloween lights on porch and possibly a black light. Lots of candles, flicker candles & strings of purple lights upstairs. Our living room/dining room/kitchen is open so we replace the recessed lights in kitchen with red ones. Gives everything an eerie glow. Lots of candles & jack o lanterns throughout, esp in basement & we string orange & purple light on the rafters of the basement along with replacing the bulbs with red or black lights. We like enough light so everyone can see what they are doing & no one falls or gets hurt but too much light isn't scary at all.

Sounds cool. I like the sound of that barbeque brisket.

Lighting should be dim, but too much spoils the effect. I totally agree. I turn the lights down, and my wife will sneek them back up.

Paul.

Unfortunately, I am still pretty novice and haunting so I don't have a lot, but candles are my number 1 ambiance tool. I am addicted to buying Halloween candles and candle holders. Going along with the lighting theme...flickering candles are a great way to set the mood. Of course...always be safe and don't leave candles unattended. Also, not for the big drunken party. Dangerous times. Not that I know of experience or anything...

This should give you some idea:

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The "blackout" from last years party which was totally over the top insane. Listen for the hum, buzz and bang right before the place blacks out (was all part of the opening soundtrack).

3000 watts of strobes in the back woods blasting through the back windows. Old candelabra lights with flicker bulbs, etc....

55 people there had a blast....

I didn't have a fire but put these guys in the fireplace with lights. I put a bulb that changed 6 different colors in my lamps.



This was the powder room. It turned out better than I thought it would.



This was my dining room window.



This was my foyer. I made black curtains for every room entrance out of a black plastic tablecloth and it really added a nice touch to every room.



I have more pics in my album. So yes atmosphere and lighting and music really does make a difference for a party. The food and spirits help to mostly the spirits....after a few drinks everything looks better lol!

Great stuff; to me LIGHTING is the number one item on the list.
I can take a relatively lame prop... put it in the right lighting- an presto! It can look scary/cool/crazy.
I do lighting EVERYWHERE- from the front door/lawn to the main party area to the bathrooms. I don't want my guests to ever forget that they are at a party!!!
Favorite lighting combo is red low wattage with UV lights; always a great effect.