Halloween Party Planner, Part 2©

Written by American Author Sky Taylor

Part 1 of Our Halloween Party Planner

 

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES & TIPS

Canned Sprays That Color Your Hair

Buy early or face the possibility that a sell-out will occur.  If a sell-out does occur, think long and hard before using an over-the-counter hair dye.  You may have a difficult time explaining your cap of orange hair to your boss the following morning. 

Face Paint & Makeup

Carefully consider your face paint and makeup.  Remember that you’ll be wearing the get-up over the course of an evening, and after a while some applications can become quite miserable.  For example: females wearing glued on mustaches or witch’s noses.  These apparatuses are fine for about an hour before they start to drive you absolutely crazy!

Did I Do That?

Make sure that your costume is in good taste and will not offend anyone.  Your Miss America bikini costume might send Fred and Brad into orbit, yet it may have their wives wanting to tear your perfect set of tonsils out.

Please Don’t Bend Over

Check your costume for durability before going to the party.  Most Halloween costumes are not made to last. If yours is on the flimsy side, take care and do not bend over unless you absolutely have to.  Sometimes dropping napkins can be hazardous to your health!

This is the goody section of this special Monster Bash party planner.  Games are great fun, food is a wonderful treat, parties can be fabulous, safety is always important – but dressing for Halloween tops it all!  

Ghoulish Adult Costumes

Marilyn Monroe, 5 o’clock Shadow – Male or Female Costume

A man dressing as a woman is always a huge hit, as is a woman dressing as a man.  The key to a man dressing as a woman is to include a lot of potential cleavage in the costume, as well as in the derrière section.  Or, if you’re really a pretty boy then go for voluptuous.

 If you are a woman dressing as a man, ties are always a big accent piece, as are unlit cigars, top hats, Army boots and facial hair.  See some tips below if you decide to use the scruffy look.

Pippi Longstocking – Female Costume

Part hair and make two pigtails.  Spray head with orange hairspray.  Wear a loose fitting, plaid shirt, some tights and a pair of oversized Army boots.  Dot freckles all over your face.  Do not try to fly.  Leave the flying to the witches.

Scarecrow – Male or Female Costume

Wear any comfortable long-sleeved shirt and pants.  Stick straw up the sleeves of the shirt and out of the legs of the pants.  A straw hat will complete your simple, yet adorable outfit.  Painting your face is optional, but fun!

Couples Costumes, Ideas & Suggestions

SO - the night of the big Halloween bash is coming up soon and you have no idea of what you should wear. Worse yet - neither does your partner.

Consider the following if you attend a Halloween party as a couple:

Two Hippies: let the dog sleep on your rags before the big event for that authentic look and feel to the costume.

Raggedy Ann & Andy: you can use a mop head (the old-fashioned variety) and dye it red to use as your hair if an accommodating wig isn't available. Add a couple of dark red circles to your cheeks - and there ya go.

Bo Peep & a Wolf: a plain cane serves great as Bo's staff as does a white apron over a blue and white checkered dress.

Magician & his Assistant: for the assistant costume, add sparkling sequins or jewels to an old or outdated black swim suit. A bit of net works well in crafting a cute hat to complete the outfit.

Boy George & Boy George: because rockers tend to change their looks as fast as the seasons, you'll have a myriad of looks to choose from.

Rhett Butler & Scarlet O’Hara: an umbrella is a must; be sure to add lace as the trim.

KID'S HALLOWEEN COSTUMES IDEAS

The Mummy

Yes, I know – this one’s a classic.  But, it’s easy and adorable.  Take some gauze or ripped sheeting and slowly wrap around the child to form a mummy.  Take care not to get the wrappings too tight.  Make sure the child can clearly see; it’s okay to leave the mouth sealed. 

 Fairy Princess

Pink tights, a matching shirt, some slippers and a bit of netting creates the most adorable little girl outfit for Halloween.  You can make a nifty wand and headband out of cardboard and foil.

Gory Grape

Use a colored bed sheet; cut a hole for the child’s head; attach purple balloons to the sheet.  Using green or brown felt, cut out a leaf and fasten as a hat using a bobby pin.

Other Kid Costume Ideas

Super Hero – so easy!  A cape, some tights and a mask!
Robin Hood
Animals – there’s so many different ways to paint a little face!

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES for PETS

Unicorn At Large Pet Costume

If you have a large dog, this idea works well.  Use a party hat for the horn; you can cover the horn with Halloween fabric if desired.  

The band on the party hat that is generally used to fasten the hat under the chin can now be used to secure it to your pet.  Check the fit.  Don’t make your pet suffer just because it looks cute.

Next, make a cape using satin, netting – or any other fabric of your choice.  Don’t be concerned about patterns.  

This is Halloween, not Cinderella’s ball.  Just lay out the fabric and cut; it will work.  

The ‘I Didn’t Do It Costume

Find some material that has large black stripes circling it; or buy a prisoner’s Halloween outfit. Attach the fabric around your pet.  Using a large circle of felt, some scissors and a glue gun, work with the felt until you’ve formed a tiny hat for your pet.

MUSIC FOR YOUR BASH

Live Bands (as opposed to a dead band??)

Your party will really swing with a live band!  Ask the band-gang to dress up as ghouls, if possible, to add to the eerie effect.

If you cannot afford a professionally known live band, consider asking a teen band to play.  Odds are, they’ll jump at the opportunity for a reasonable fee.  Be sure to ask them to enjoy the party treats.  Also, pay them as a group or give them movie tickets, or gift certificates, to a local music shop for their performance.

The Song List

Great songs to play are:

* What Kind of Ghoul Am I?
* Happy Treats To You
* Bridge Over Troubled Trolls
*  Frankenstein, I Love You

If you cannot locate these newly invented, non-existent tunes, then try for these:

* The Monster Mash (THE all-time classic)
* Thriller (who doesn’t like Michael)
* Little Red Riding Hood (wolf story in more ways than one)
* Purple People Eater (a great but oldie tune)
* Spooky (another great but oldie)
* Wild Thing (well, it is suppose to be a wild night)
* Puff the Magic Dragon (more for kid-oriented parties)

Other Music Modes

Use CD’s, cassettes and records that have only scary Halloween noises on them, such as groaning, yelling, chains, screeches and ha ha ha’s (in very deep, defined scary tones).  Better yet, record your snoring spouse as they sleep. That’s guaranteed to be frightening!

Radio stations have been known to get into the act for Halloween.  Tune in and see!  You may encounter some really wild tones to add vibe to your monster bash.

RECOMMENDED MOVIES

Scary movies are groovy, especially when Halloween comes a-howling!  Rent a few in advance for your Halloweenparty.  

Kids love them; but of course discretion is advised.  

You can also opt to allow the movie to just play throughout the course of your Halloween party as an added perk for your guests.

Some great movie Halloween pics are:

* Casper(both the real movie and the cartoons)
* The Mummy (old and new versions)
* Young Frankenstein (or is that Frankenstene?)
* Ghostbusters (that giant Marshmallow Man is scary!)

JUST FOR KIDS

Halloween parties for children can be overwhelming and frightening.  Plan ahead for fun, not fright.

Friendly Haunted Houses - As Mr. Ed said to Wilbur on Halloween when he saw the neighborhood ghost flying door-to-door collecting goodies, "IIIIIII’m scccccared, Willllbur!"

A few adults tend to go wild during this festive time of year, without considering how frightening their haunted house ideas can appear to small children.  Fact is, most kids enjoy a little scare. However, one bad experience can leave a child having nightmares way into Valentine’s Day, so use care when creating your Halloween atmosphere for a haunted house whenever small children are included as part of the event.

Example:  Eyeball recreations can be fun and scary.  It’s one thing to create this illusion using recognizable items; however using real cow eyeballs is a different story.  A good rule for planning is: Gory is a different story.

Magic

Children are fascinated by magic!  Having a magician appear (pun is intended this time!) at your child’s party is always guaranteed to be a hit.

Theme-Oriented Children’s Party

A theme-oriented party for your child can be a lot of fun.  If you and your mate are giving the party, try dressing as Snow White and her handsome Prince.  The children can be the dwarfs.

You can follow this type theme using other popular story bases such as, The Wizard of Oz, the children can play the part of the Munchkins; or 101 Dalmatians where the children can be puppies.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

These tips are good to keep in mind if you plan on staying at home and celebrating a traditional Halloween –tradition as in taking the kids through the neighborhood, braving barking dogs, other small ghosts and goblins and either the chill or heat of the night.

* An adult or teen should always accompany small children.

* Buy flame-retardant costumes and try to stick to white or light colors.  If your child is set on a black costume, tape strips of glow-in-the-dark tape onto the garment.  Your child will probably like this technique because it will add to the aura of the suit. 

* You may remember the olden days when children wore face masks for Halloween.  The mask created a wall which became more humid (and wet) as the night progressed.  It was miserable behind those masks!  

You could only hold your breath for so long, and the moment you would begin breathing again, the mask would fill with a wet vapor, simoustaneously impeeding your sight.  Those were the days of the tried-and-true trick-or-treaters!  

In today’s world, face paint is readily available as a mask substitute.  If you’re creative, you’ll have a lot of fun with this tool. Nonetheless, it’s best to paint your child’s face rather than seal them with a miserable, potentially dangerous mask.

* Make sure that your child’s costume fits properly and does not drag the ground.  Falling in the dark on concrete, gravel, or grass isn’t fun, not to mention losing all your candy.

* Provide each child with their own flashlight or neon lights that glow in the dark.

If your child is intent on wearing a costume that has a lot of accessories, try to limit the amount that accompanies him/her during trick-or-treating.  The load can get rather heavy for your child as the night wears on.

Smather insect repellent, specifically those products containing DEET onto you and your child. It’s hard to reach an itch in a Halloween costume and you’ll keep your risks low in regards to the West Nile Virus.

A small bottle or canteen of water for each child (and you) could come in handy.

In the event that you become separated from your child (and yes, it’s a definite God Forbid occurance) be sure and place a sheet that contains your address, phone number and enough change to make a phone call, somewhere on your child – but not in the Halloween bag/bucket. Your child may accidently eat the note.

Limit trick-or-treating to areas that you know.

If you are driving, especially in a residential area, take special care.  They are usually a few pranksters who enjoy pumpkin and egg tosses.  Also, the streets tend to be very jammed-packed with cars, and little ghosts and goblins and other parents who have that deer in the headlight look on their face.

Check the candy stash closely for potential hazzards, the worst tricks of all.

Some of the top foods that children choke on are:  nuts, popcorn, ALL hard candy, grapes, cheese sticks and peanut butter.  Do not allow any child under the age of six to eat these items without adult supervision.

Whatever you choose to do this Halloween, have fun!  

As discussed in the beginning of the Monster Bash party planner, Halloween is one of the non-stress holidays of the year.  Make the magic special, but have fun during the process.  

And always remember, that all work and no play makes Mummy a very dull Ghoul.

Enjoy your party!  Make it a bash to remember!

CAPTURING THE MADNESS

Don’t forget to load up on film or disposable cameras.  You’ll want to capture the madness so you can enjoy it throughout the year!  What a great way to remember your annoying friend Ethel who came dressed as a witch - and never looked so good!

HALLOWEEN PUNCH RECIPES

Pack your punch with a fist!  

A few days before your party begins, wash and fill a latex glove with water (or the punch that you plan to use at your party), then freeze.  

It’s a little tricky until the water begins to set so you may need to do a bit of baby-sitting.  You can seal off the end of the glove with rubberbands or binder clips.  

 The rubberbands tend to work best.  You may set the glove into a small pan to catch any run-off.  Just before the party begins, unleash the hand from the glove and place it into your punch.

Another idea is to fill a mask with punch, freeze, then unmold and place it into your punchbowl.

You can tape any openings of the mask with duct tape to seal before filling.  As your mask melts during the course of the party, your punch won’t lose its punch!

The Witch’s Brew

1 large bottle of cranberry juice (any mix)
1 large bottle of apple juice
1 large bottle of club soda
½ cup sugar
grapes & oranges

Mix the first three ingredients.  With a peeler, shave off some orange worms. Add to the punch with the grapes. You can add additional sugar if the punch is too tart.

Use a black caldron as a punchbowl and decorate with tiny brooms for an added witchy punch! Black plastic caldrons are quite popular in craft stores during the pre-Halloween season.  

Be sure and purchase early. 

Vampire Punch Recipe, Without the Bite
1 large bottle of red grape juice
1 large bottle of Hawaiian Punch
1 large bottle of club soda
whole strawberries
small rubber bats

Mix first three ingredients.  Add the strawberries.  Decorate punchbowl by attaching bats around the rim.  Now, that bites!

Skelley’s Scary Skeleton Punch
2 – two liter bottles of orange soda
1 – one liter bottle of club soda
1 container of orange sherbet
1 small container of whipped topping
marshmallow ghosts, either homemade or purchased

To make your own ghost marshmallows, roll out marshmallows, cutting them into small ghost shapes. Sprinkle with some ‘sugar glitter’ - a product used when making wedding cakes - if desired for an illuminating effect.

Small plastic or rubber skeletons – about 6-12 inches long.

Mix the two sodas together; gently add the sherbet, then dollop the whipped topping onto the punch.  Carefully add the ghosts on top of the punch, then drape the skeletons around the punchbowl by their arms (rather arm bones!).

Blood Punch Recipe

You will need the following common ingredients to prepare this haunted punch recipe:

1 can of the reddest punch you can find
1 two-liter bottle of sparkling water
1 large bottle of cranberry juice, any flavor
1 rubber glove
2 clothespins 

As a note, Hawaiian Punch in the undiluted bottle works very well and is about the reddest variety of punch that can be purchased. Two nights before your gothic party, fill the glove with either water or some of the cranberry juice.  

Clip the glove end shut by using the clothespins and place into your freezer.  To make the punch, mix all of the liquid ingredients and pour into a large container. Use your imagination when choosing your container. You can use anything from a tin pail to a crystal punchbowl.  The container can also be decorated in gothic fashion.  

Right before the festivities commence, carefully remove the ‘ice hand’ from the glove.  It will float nicely in your river of Gothic Blood Punch.

HALLOWEEN PARTY TREATS & RECIPES

Recipe for Hobo Stew Base

The base for this sometimes fabulous, and sometimes really raunchy stew is: canned tomatoes, green beans, sliced potatoes (preferably peeled), corn, sliced onion, celery, parsley, your favorite soup spices, salt & pepper.

Adjust the amount of ingredients according to the size of your party.  Hobo Stew is always an estimated dish. Do not take leftovers to the local retirement home unless the stew turns out well.

If you're planning on preparing this type of recipe for your party - then you'd better dress the part. First, begin by letting the family dog - or any dog for that matter, sleep on your tattiest outfit. Next, place the outfit into a container filled with moths.

Better yet, turn on an outdoor light source and hang the outfit nearby. The moths will be drawn to the flames and will dine in sweet ecstasy - achieving your directive of adding more holes to your clothing without all that extra work. After all, Halloween is a fun time of year - not one where we should be working our fingers to the bone.

And on that line, you'll also need a set of old gardening gloves to complete your spiffy look. Just snip the fingers out of the end of the gloves. Be sure to remove your hand, first.

Add a large jarred cherry to your nose along with some ashes from the fireplace to your cheeks. Don your obnoxious uncle's favorite fishing hat - yes the one that smells like trout, and you're all set. How easy was that?

Recipe for Halloween Nutter Ghosts  

Your guests will adore cute little Nutter Ghosts.  Mummy loves making these because they are so easy to make!  This is what you’ll need: 

Nutter Butter Sandwich Cookies

white chocolate bark – for dipping
small 6-oz bag of mini-chocolate chips
wax paper

Melt bark over low heat or in microwave on low power, constantly watching. Dip cookies completely into the melted bark one at a time and place on wax paper. Before they cool completely, add 2 chocolate chips to each cookie for the eyes.

Witch’s Trash, an Original Halloween Party Recipe 

1 can of cashews
1 jar of roasted peanuts
assorted Chex cereals
pretzel sticks
melted margarine
popped popcorn

Mix all the ingredients, except the popcorn, and warm in a preheated oven on 350 degrees until crisp.  Remove, then add the popcorn.  

Put mixture into a witch’s hat that has been lined with white or dark tissue paper.  Lay the hat onto its side on the table, like a cornucopia, and allow the trash to flow out of the hat.  

Top the hat with a large spider to complete the display.

Pumpkin-Colored Marshmallow Treats Recipe

Marshmallow treats can be turned from friendly into spooky in as little time as it takes for you to get out your ghost cookie cutter.  

Use your standard Marshmallow Treat recipe.  

Add a bit of orange food coloring to your melted marshmallow mixture to create pumpkin-colored treats.

Decorate with candy corn or Halloween candy. While still warm, attach candy corn to treats. 

Gingerbread Haunted House

A gingerbread haunted house is an adorable item that you can serve at a Halloween party that is designed for small children.  

Purchase a small witch craft (pun not intended) to guard your haunted house.  As an added treat, have someone read the story of Hansel & Gretel.  Carry this a step further by having the storyteller dress up like a witch, or a wolf – a friendly one, of course!

Cozy Chili  Recipe

Chili is a fantastic dish to serve at a Halloween party.  It can be made well in advance.  Time allows the chili to season.  It seems like the longer that it sits in the refrigerator or freezer, the better it gets!  Within reason, of course.  

Serve the chili in a witch’s caldron and set about some little caldrons filled with a variety of cheeses, crackers, chopped onions (white, purple & yellow), peppers (cherry, banana, red, green), hominy and relish.   

Be sure and load a couple of dispensers with catsup and chili sauce.  A basket of corn chips might be appreciated by some of your guests.  

Another idea is to consider having a Chili Cookoff, where guests bring or cook their own chili recipe at the party.  One note: provide a cask of water for your guests.

Ingredients for This Easy Chili Recipe

1 medium can of kidney beans
1 pound of lean ground beef
1/3 cup of chopped onions, sweet variety
1 medium can of diced petite tomatoes
1/8 cup of ground chili powder
1/2 cup of Mexican salsa

Start by browning the ground beef with the raw onions and continue to cook until juices run clear.

Add the ground chili powder and the salsa, then add the drained beans and petite tomatoes.

Serve with crackers, shredded cheese, hominy, pickled jalapeno peppers, cornbread - or any cast iron bread.

STONE SOUP RECIPE

The Stone Soup Base Ingredients: water, one well-washed smooth stone, random goodies that you add to the pot. A ham bone makes an excellent item as a base for Stone Soup.

Add a bit of beans, spices, smoked sausage cubes, and cilantro and you have a meal that will satisfy any monster’s appetite. Adjust the amount of ingredients according to the size of your party. Stone Soup is always an estimated dish.

Halloween Deviled Eggs - Devilishly Delicious!

Need a quick and tasty treat to take to the Halloween party? Try this very simple, very divine, very scrumptious recipe for deviled eggs. They are guaranteed to be devilishly delicious!

These spooky eggs will scare everyone at the party - from children to seniors. But, it's all in fun, of course.

Recipe for Halloween Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs boiled eggs, shelled, cut in half and hulled with yolk in one bowl and white 'egg boats' in another
½ cup of Miracle Whip (it's zippy)
1-2 tablespoons of mustard (adjust to your own taste)
1-2 tablespoons of pickle relish
chopped black olives, drained
salt & pepper
paprika
parsley for decoration

Mix Miracle Whip, mustard, relish, olives, salt and pepper with egg yolk. Use care when adding the Miracle Whip; this will allow you to control your preferred consistency of your mixture. If you like deviled eggs 'loose' then add more Miracle Whip. If you like them 'thick', then add a bit less.

Arrange on a colorful Halloween platter or a pretty plate. Sprinkle with paprika and thread parsley sprigs between the eggs to fill in any empty spots. Decorate the tops of the eggs with black plastic spiders. Eek!

This recipe may be doubled, tripled or quadrupled! Have fun at the party and have a safe and Happy Halloween!

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