# i need help/input



## stang233 (Sep 20, 2010)

Hello, I hope all is well.


MY wife and I are doing another Halloween party this year and I have been working on props this summer. Last year was our first party and it went what I say okay. Not great. We went over the top decorating food punches and drinks. I can forward u some pics. But.... yes it looked great and 30 or so showed I feel like people got bored and left early. What type of activities do you do at the party. I had beer pong and a costume prize giveaway. Anyhow I hope we can touch base and learn something. Thanks richard. Ps sorry if any typos on the mobile phone. Oh yeah its an adult party..21-60. This year we have a great backstory and plan for decorating.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

the great thing about the adult parties is that you don't have to worry about scaring children. don't hold back with the games...or the music. the louder the better. 

maybe take some kiddie games and update them into adult games. that's something i learned last night. the fun of partying is that you get to act like a kid.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

We are doing our last party this year (yeah, I know, we ALWAYS say that). We rent out the local firehouse, decorate it, hire a dj, have a costume contest and always tons of food. The DJ is there so people can dance. We've only done a game once and then switched over to just making it a giant dance party. This year, we're throwing a few twists into the night, but I can't say cause some of those invited may see it and it's gonna be a secret....


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Take a look at this thread - some good party game suggestions:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=16747


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## VampyTink (May 19, 2011)

*Halloween themed pictionary can get pretty interesting too. It is amazing how far from you think it should look like than how it actually turns out, lol.*


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## Allen H (Feb 13, 2010)

play the game werewolf or winking murderer.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Allen, what's werewolf or winking murderer, I've never heard of that.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

If the party is boring you need more booze & nakedness. Works for me.


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## stang233 (Sep 20, 2010)

*Here is two rooms from our party last year*


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

this looks pretty sweet!


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Allen H said:


> play the game werewolf or winking murderer.





howlin mad jack said:


> Allen, what's werewolf or winking murderer, I've never heard of that.


that almost sounds like the 'mob' game


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## Doc Doom (Aug 28, 2008)

I previously posted this on another thread, but here it is again.

We use large orange balloons to have a contest to see who can carve (with a black felt pen) the best jack-o-lantern. Voting is by crowd applause. Competition is head to head. Loser meets instant death by sewing needle, winner takes on the next one until only one stands alone. It's always a big hit.


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## JustJimAZ (Aug 19, 2010)

debbie5 said:


> If the party is boring you need more booze & nakedness. Works for me.


Too bad I am too far away to crash that party!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You need to taylor your festivities to the age and type of guests. Blasting out heavy metal music to a group that likes classical music won't make you friends or keep them hanging around.
If it's a costume party then have costume contests with prizes.
If they are into horror movies maybe pictionary or trivial pursuit based on that genre of movies, if it's a dancing type of crowd then maybe a dance mix of music in the horror/magic/halloween realm in the appropriate style or genre of music. Maybe showing Young Frankenstein, Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, Dawn of the Dead, Little Shop of Horrors, Sleepy Hollow, Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc. Don't show all of them, just pick one, have popcorn and movie snack type stuff available. Maybe pick a movie and make that the theme for the party, get people dress as one of the characters. Trying to mix radically different crowds for a party is difficult at best, and more often than not more trouble than it's worth.
Maybe ask people to bring food for a potluck meal.
How about asking people to bring canned food for a food drive.
The more you get people involved the more likely they are to hang around and have fun, once they are involved they have a personal investment in the party. Asking people what they would like to see in a party can be a major help in making your event a success.


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## 8 Nightmares (Oct 3, 2008)

*Our Party*

Our 2nd year we had a parade down the street about 10:30 pm 60+ people singing the Addams Family song. We have Raffle give aways like Seasonal beers, Rums with weird names Prizes for 1st 2nd & 3rd place Best couple & most original but we don't do it till later in the night This year we are having a theme party TV Sitcoms So everyone can compete This is our 4th year & the crowd get bigger & bigger every year :jol: Hope that can help you


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## Peyjenk (Oct 26, 2010)

Stang233, I love your pictures. The lighting is incredible. Did you just use various colored partylights in your regular lamps? What brand did you use? I would love to have spooky lighting like that for my ghost party this year.


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## Lot13 (Sep 7, 2008)

This is the 5th continuous yr for my halloween party. We held one in 2002 and then not again til 2007. 2002 didn't go so well for us. But since then, we get more people each yr and people talk about it all yr. Every group of friends/family will be different so you have to find what works for the ones you invite - or else invite different people. lol

My party in 2002 I pretty much over planned with too many activities and things to do for the guests, plus a DJ and dancing. Nobody liked it and all split fairly early. I rented a bldg in the park that yr for it and that made me limited on what I could do outside as well because of no electrical outlets.

What works for me is pretty much letting people do their own thing. Until last yr, I supplied all the food but last yr finances didn't allow that so I had a potluck and people seemed to love it (although to be honest I didn't so much cause I didn't especially like the foods brought lol) so it will be that again this yr.

Our party is held at our house now. We have a 24 x 36 heated garage that is used for the most part with the house open for the "facilities" and decorated as well with lots of surprises for them to encounter on the way to the bathroom and while in there. <insert evil laughter here> We have a campfire and a hayride and I gave up on games completely cause they seemed to run for their lives for home when I tried that. lol Even the kids didn't want organized games. Since I do have some kids there, I have coloring books, colors, and some halloween bean bag tosses, spider rings, and halloween twister all available for them when they want, if they want. It is a costume party but my friends didn't really like the contest idea - ok, so I have weird friends...lol My friends/family are a diverse group of people from different backgrounds with assorted interests. The majority are adults but a few kids always show up.

My point is that maybe you are trying to hard to please and "hovering" over them? At my house, they like to mix and mingle and they can sit and talk and/or eat in the heated garage, go on the hayride, sit by the fire, or wander around. There are always groups of people standing around outside, inside, all over the place chatting and drinking and laughing. And my biggest work of the night is they each think I should give them a "personal tour" of the house. lol

Your decorating was awesome! I LOVE IT! So you just need to think over what kind of friends you have and if they would like to have a mystery game, a scavenger hunt, dance, planned halloween games, or be looser like mine.

Sorry so long...I just love the halloween party and can get carried away. lol


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: My suggestion is start with a spectacular invitation. If the invitation is incredible, people will come just to see if the party follows suit. I had a party the weekend before Halloween a couple of years ago. I had a knock out invitation and a catered party. The catering kept me from have to work all night fixing drinks and food for my guests. We played "Who Am I?" which is a game that as you entered the party, a name was pinned to your back and you had to figure out who you were by the night's end by asking people questions about who you are. It was a fun way to get people talking that didn't know each other. We also had a karaoke machine that was probably the biggest hit of the night. Lots of food, lots of alchohol and fun people. This was a costume party and you had to have a costume, or you couldn't come in. At 2:00 am I had to start kicking people out so I could go to sleep!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Keep in mind that at parties, most people want to just hang out..they are happy just to NOT be home & to be out somewhere that deosnt cost a fortune! There is usually a need for some ladder ball & that thing where you throw the big washers into the box with holes cut out (name of game?). A friend had a potluck barbeque, and on her e-vite, she listed the stuff she suggested for people to bring, saying that she didnt want us to show up to find there was 20 bowls of cole slaw. It wasnt demanding, it made it easier to see what was needed...I saw no one was bringing a dessert, so I went to the bakery & bought cannoli- which were a huge hit. 
You guys have great suggestions!

Catering is a great idea, but there are also a LOT of things you can make ahead that can be frozen, then thrown in a crockpot to keep while party is on.

Damn..now I want to have a Halloween party! LOL.


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## EvilQueen1298 (Jul 27, 2007)

There are so many GREAT ideas out there to keep your guests busy but don't over do it. Just google "adult games for Halloween" you'll get tons of great ideas. Decorations, food, and drink are at the core of any great party but it's not enough as you know.
You can also have a Tarot reader, DJ, if you're a musician have guests bring their instrument and have a jam session.

P.S. Don't forget to decorate the bathroom!


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## easycraig (Aug 30, 2011)

I have always loved Halloween, so when my daughter turned 5, ( her birthday is mid October ) - it was my excuse to throw a party for her ( and our friends ).
This will be our 8th consecutive year! The party has definitely changed since its beginning. We are in CA and throw it in our backyard (so we always prey for no wind or rain on that evening). On the bad years, we have had only 35-50 people show.... last year we had 100+ As many of you mentioned, most folks like to come and relax and check out the backyard. Keys (for us) to having a fun party.... lots of booze... beer,wine, and hard stuff... first thing I do is get some folks doing shots and it loosens up in a hurry... - if you can afford it... have it catered.... ( I have cooked a few times... and its way too much work... and no fun ). Last year, I asked some of my closer friends to bring an appetizer... < this really helped.... folks munched while waiting for the food to arrive.... and later, closer to midnight when folks had the munchies, folks were eating anything they could find!!! My daughter is a big dancer (ballet, tap , jazz, etc...) so many of her friends dance... so I prerecord a couple of cd's with popular dance music (just for dancing). Prior to dancing... when the party starts... I play Halloween themed or related music for a couple hours prior to dancing. Under our patio I set up a disco with lights and the whole bang.
I have found that listing the night's events really helps.... - i send this out with the invite... ours this year reads: 6pm : drinks and appetizers, 7pm Dinner, 8pm to midnight - Dancing and General Madness. Also... ( and I realize this is a bummer for freaks like us ) - but I have learned, that I get much better numbers if I don't require a costume.... The year I put " Kids and Adults wear costumes" - was our worst attended year.... Now, I always put something like: " Kids please wear a costume, Grownups: costume optional but greatly appreciated .... thanks! " This way... folks know they can come even without a costume.... ( I would rather have them, versus not have them at all.... - just because of all the work i put in ).
What bothers me the most, is when they don't rsvp... and you don't know if they are coming or not.... last year, we ran out of food because so many came.... -this year i was thinking about also sending out an email evite (just so I can remind folks the party is coming).


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## EvilQueen1298 (Jul 27, 2007)

I really can't believe people show up to a Halloween party without a costume. It's just so odd to me. Costumes are the core of any Halloween party. 
We host a huge Halloween party (5th year--all adults) at our club--the costumes are awesome--the contest BIG!! And still there is that one or two individual who refuses to put on a costume. whatever! To each their own...but wow...they don't know what they are missing!!!


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## stang233 (Sep 20, 2010)

Stang233, I love your pictures. The lighting is incredible. Did you just use various colored partylights in your regular lamps? What brand did you use? I would love to have spooky lighting like that for my ghost party this year. 



Yes I used CFL colored bulbs. I am not sure of the brand but I bought them all at lowes. I pretty much went with blues greens and reds. The garage was eight 4ft black lights and red CFL bulbs. Thanks again.


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