Halloween Entertaining

With a little advance planning, some fun ideas from Paradise Organized and your creativity, you can throw the best Halloween party ever and even have fun yourself!

Planning is the key to any successful entertainment venture - and Halloween is certainly no exception.  Make room in your planner for a party section, or (as I do), make a section in your party book for each party you host.  Make a page for each of the following areas, and you'll be right on track.

The ideas here are for mostly adult entertaining, since our children have been grown for some time. There are excellent websites devoted to children's Halloween parties - just do a Google search.



Pick the Date, Time and Place: Halloween is a good night if you and your guests don't have to supervise trick-or-treating, or you want to replace trick-or-treating activities for your younger guests. Otherwise, the weekend before is probably the best time.

If you have a large number of guests, you might consider having your party at another location: a park, the beach (we can do that here any time of year!), community center, etc. Being a resort island with numerous luxury hotels, many families on Guam rent meeting rooms or ballrooms for their gatherings.

Have a backup plan if your party is outdoors. October is still in the rainy season in the islands, and the skies have opened up on us more than once. Have canopies big enough to shelter your entire group, or have an alternate location available.



Plan Guest Lists and Make or Buy Invitations: Make your guest list ahead of time, so you're sure not to forget anyone.

If you'll be mailing the invitations, be sure to get them out in plenty of time - and be sure to include an RSVP with your phone number and e-mail address. Telephoning or e-mailing invitations is also acceptable.

Be sure your invitation specifies your party theme and whether or not you expect your guests to wear a costume. Also, be specific about what they should bring and make your guests commit to it. I once hosted a potluck dinner, and although guests had specific assignments, we wound up with 15 pies and the only real food was what I could frantically put together while the party went on without me!



Plan Food and Beverages: Keep your menu simple with only a few tried-and-true recipes. You don't want to spend the evening in the kitchen while your guests are having fun.  (See Halloween Foods for some of my favorites.) Provide finger foods such as cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, finger sandwiches cut from Halloween cutters, mini hotdogs, popcorn, etc.  Your adult guests will also enjoy a bowl of Halloween candy, even though they'll protest.

If one or more of your guests is a vegetarian, diabetic, or has food allergies, provide foods for them that your other guests will enjoy also, so as not to call attention to them.

Plan foods that can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Make extra ice and store it in plastic bags in the freezer. Clear out the refrigerator and freezer to make room for your holiday foods. Plan the cooking schedule as well for your oven - have a dress-rehearsal if possible - to be sure party day goes smoothly.

Offer Halloween-themed drinks such as Nuclear Waste (blue curacao, vodka and orange juice. Serve up your favorite punch embellished with food coloring and keep it cold with frozen "body parts."  You can use one of your signature cocktails and give it a scary name. (See Halloween Foods for more ideas).

Following are some general guidelines for the amounts of foods to serve at a party. If your friends are big eaters, as ours certainly are, allow considerably more:
 
Appetizers: 3 per person (for a cocktail party, allow 8 pieces per person per hour)
Meats: 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person
Main Dish: 1-1/2 to 2 cups per person
Vegetables & Side Dishes: 1/2 cup per person
Salads: 1 cup per person
Dessert: 2 portions per person
Beverages:
    Wine: 12 ounces per person
    Beer: 24 ounces per person
    Non-Alcoholic Beverages: 24 ounces per person



Plan Your Costumes: Decide early whether you will want your guests to wear costumes.  It's easy to find costumes for sale beginning in early September, and if you want something extra-special, consider renting a costume for the evening. However, some of the best costumes can be put together with your own clothing, and there are countless online resources to help you get started.  (See Halloween Costumes for ideas I have collected over many, many years.)



Plan Your Decorations: Your party decor can be as simple as using what I call "generic Halloween decorations" with crepe paper streamers and balloons, or you can go all-out with a fancy theme.  (See Halloween Decorations) Some common items you might want to buy are spider webbing, jack-o-lanterns, light sets, glow-in-the-dark stars,  or Halloween candles.

For a dark-themed party, plan scary cd sounds, spider webs everywhere, candles instead of light bulbs, and dry ice. For a light-hearted theme, keep the lights on and use fun decorations.

Be sure to purchase some Halloween plates, napkins, cups and cutlery - or Halloween-colored ones in colors to match your theme.



 Plan Games and/or Activities: An activity, game or party theme can help break the ice and make your party fun for everyone. Even adults can enjoy musical chairs, bobbing for apples, or charades with a Halloween theme. Don't overdo it, though - many adults would prefer to sit and talk. (See Halloween Games)

Make pumpkin party favors - fill small plastic pumpkins with candy or other treats so adults can relive their childhood by taking home loot.

Whatever your theme or party plans, one of the best things you can do is have a camera and take pictures of your guests in their costumes. If you have a Polaroid camera, even better - you can give them their pictures as they leave.



[Halloween Countdown]  [Pumpkins]  [Halloween Entertaining]  [Halloween Party Themes]  [Halloween Games]  [Halloween Foods]  [Halloween Costumes]  [Halloween Decorations] [Halloween Music]  [Tips & Ideas]



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