[Jessley2]

I know it's a way off but we promised DD1 a Halloween themed party for her b'day last year and it never eventuated, so I am planning well ahead this year.

She will be 7 on Oct 29th and is quite excited at the prospect of her first party since being at school and having so many friends to invite.

I have started looking for Halloween themed things on ebay so I can buy bits and pieces over the coming months and not worry about last minute rush and expenses.

I know from past years there are quite a few EBers who go all out for Halloween and am after some of your wonderfully spooky and fun hints to make this a great day for her and her friends.

Any ideas on food, drinks (was thinking punch?), decorations, entertainment, games, loot bags etc etc.

I am notoriously bad at organizing anything more than nibblies and pass the parcel so really want to be super organised well beforehand.

I've told her she can invite maybe 10 school friends plus there will be cousins so probably 16 kids all up.

We have a largish backyard and half of a double garage to utilize, and are in the Newcastle area so weather should be fine.

If you got this far, thanks and I look forward to any suggestions.



Charlene

[pium]

Oooh! Some ideas...

Games -

Spooky boxes. You have a row of shoeboxes (decorated spookily) and put something inside each one. The have to stick a hand in a hole and feel something. You can tell them the spooky answer or put a picture on the box, eyeballs (really peeled grapes) and see what he or she guesses. The second dish is said to hold brains (damp coarse sponge). The third is said to hold veins (cold, cooked spaghetti). The fourth is said to hold cut-off fingers (cocktail sausages) and the fifth to hold skin (pieces of a soft flour tortilla). Guess what the items really are to win a prize.

Pumpkin carving contest (older kids) for jack-o-lanterns

Mummy wrap - Divide guests up in pairs; give each pair a roll of toilet paper. One team member will be the wrapper, the other will be the wrapped mummy. The first team to use up its roll wins. Or you can give each team two rolls of toilet paper and after the mummy is wrapped, he or she must wrap his partner. The first team to empty both rolls of toilet paper wins.

Apple pass - Divide guests into teams and line each team up. The first in line for each team is given an apple under his or her chin. Without using any hands, the apple must be passed to under the second team member’s chin and from that chin to the next until all the members of the team have held the apple. If the apple drops, it must start at the beginning again. The first team to successfully pass the apple down its row of members wins.

Bobbing for apples - You fill a large tub with cold water and set it on the ground (outside!) Float some clean, stemmed apples in the tub and invite guests to try to catch an apple with their teeth—no hands allowed. Anyone who gets an apple deserves a prize

Snake punch - put jelly snakes in bowl and top up with lemonade. The colours in the snakes will dye the lemonade.

Virgin Marys to drink - looks like blood of course.

Blood clots & Pus - make red jelly and scrunch it into clots with your fingers. Dot with custard blobs.


There are stacks of Halloween recipes out there if you google - ghost or vampire cupcakes are quite easy to decorate, as is a graveyard cake.

Same with decorations, although you can do a lot yourself with black, orange and purple craft paper and a good pair of scissors.

[Jessley2]

Thanks pium, some of those games sound fun.

With the prizes, should I carry on the Halloween theme or go with more traditional party prizes?
I was thinking books, colouring books, smiggle is quite the rage with DD and her friends.
Maybe a few Halloween related gore for the boys but most of the girls are, well, very girly

Off to finish dinner, baths and bed right now and hoping to come back to some more fabulous ideas.


Charlene

[kirstyannb]

Here are some halloween cupcakes I made one year.
Cupcakes

[**Xena**]

Shrunken head punch is good. You just cut an apple in half, carve out a face, dry it a bit and put it in a punch.

[baddmammajamma]

Oooh, Xena, I must try that!

Charlene, my son has an October birthday & we do a Halloween theme every year. I feel it is my obligation as an American.

I have some great Halloween music (various CDs and itunes songs I've purchased over the years). If you'd like a mix for your party, just shoot me a PM. As various EBers can attest, I like making CD mixes.

P.S: The Mummy wrap game has been a massive hit for us, too!

[Majeix]

Oooh! Some ideas...

Games -



Mummy wrap - Divide guests up in pairs; give each pair a roll of toilet paper. One team member will be the wrapper, the other will be the wrapped mummy. The first team to use up its roll wins. Or you can give each team two rolls of toilet paper and after the mummy is wrapped, he or she must wrap his partner. The first team to empty both rolls of toilet paper wins.

We did wrap teh mummy for my daughter's 8th birthday. The kids loved it except it kept breaking, and it was a bit much for them. I would seriously consider using a few rolls of white streamer instead or at least a decent brand of toilet paper. Apart from that a fantastic game.

We also played pass the eyeball (A hard boiled egg) instead of pass the parcel taht was alright but not fantastic.

This post has been edited by Majeix: 22/08/2012, 01:17 AM

[Shanski]

In the newest edition of super food ideas magazine they have a kids party special which has a recipe for cupcakes decorated like brains, it also has a cake in the shape of a wizards castle but you could easily change this to a spooky castle.

Jelly cups set with snakes or sour worms would look cool

Here's a link to a mag in the US and she does some really cool, really easy Halloween food. You could even have the kids create their own gory cupcake or pizza
http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/speci...lloween-recipes

Enjoy your ghouls and ghosts

[**Xena**]

Oooh, Xena, I must try that!

It looks awesome, especially if you make a red punch. Here's a pic (not one of mine but the same thing)