# Halloween themed 50th Birthday!



## dusty588

Hey there. My dad is turning 50 this year, on October 29. My Mom and I want to have a party for him, nothing huge, just with some friends and family over. I'm looking for any and all ideas and suggestions as to what we could do for a Halloween themed 50th birthday party. 

Thanks!

Dustyn


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## scarrycher

Wow, how cool is that your options are endless...go to lowes or homedepot and get a couple appliance boxes and some 99cent spray paint and you can make head stones; arch ways; bats; spiders ect... then you can use them on halloween too...dont forget the black balloons of course


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## Draik41895

I saw a candle once that was a tombstone and Said "Over the hill, Too old to count." I know he's not that old, but I think that type of candle would fit well.


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## fontgeek

I know it may sound odd, but how is your dad's sense of humor?
Some people are really touchy about their age, especially with gravestones, I mean milestones like turning 50. If he's like me, the age doesn't make any difference. Turning 50 was the same as turning 17, or any other age for that matter. If that's the case then how about having a wake for him, it can be themed to a period, movie, book, or TV show (e.g. the Addams Family), so that the guests can dress the part. You can make up funny epitaphs and obituaries for him, and even do a "reading of the will", though that wouldn't have actually been done at a wake. You can do the headstone, and even a fake, open grave for him, providing you have a lawn and are allowed to do that. A two meter stretch of tar paper laid out on the lawn with dirt piled around the edges looks like a deep, freshly dug grave. The tar paper is flat black which helps fool the eye. You can leave a shovel or two near by to help sell the scene.


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## dusty588

Great ideas everyone! Frontgeek, that is a really cool idea! He has a great sense of humour, so that could work. I also like the idea of the tar paper grave. I'm planing on doing a graveyard theme this year, and I could use that on Halloween as well. Where do you buy that paper, and do you know approximately how much it is?

Thanks!


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## dusty588

Some ideas I thought up, get some cheesecloth from a fabric store and soak them in coffee or tea, then drape them over our curtains, furniture, etc. I'm also going to go to the dollar store and get a bunch of frames. Then, I'll print off some creepy old images to put in the frames. Any ideas as to what I could print out that would work for the 50th theme? Any other ideas? Keep em coming!

Dustyn


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## Haunted Spider

Your tar paper is sold at most home improvement stores. You want to get what is called roofing felt. It is sold in either 15 or 30 pound weight. That means the thickness of the paper. For what you are doing 15 is fine. 30 is overkill and more expensive. It should only cost you 15 to 20 dollars for a massive roll. If you don't like the thought of tar paper, you can always use weed fabric as well.


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## fontgeek

You might look around your neighborhood or area for construction or remodeling going on. You may be able to get a stretch of it for free from the construction guys. The roofing felt would do fine too. The idea is to have a flat/non-shiny black rectangle for the grave. You can put your dad's name on the stone and list it as his youth that has "passed on".
In Victorian times, mirrors, windows, and sometimes portraits, were covered with black crepe, not decorated with it, but actually covered. Hay or straw was strewn in the street to silence the passing horses and carts. a black wreath was hung on the door, and people tended to avoid the homes in respect for the mourning family. If it were me, as I said, I'd probably go with a mix of a traditional wake, maybe a masquerade party, and an Addams Family (TV show or movies) ambience. Silly and fun enough for all to enjoy.
Do up the lawns and the household but keep it fun and light for EVERYONE. You working yourself to the point were it's not fun for you and the family will keep you from enjoying the party. Maybe make it a potluck with the stipulation that people have to come up with the weird names and labels for their dishes/food.


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## fontgeek

Do a tombstone cake, and put a single candle on that's already half burned away. If you are going to have a cake made at your local bakery or grocery store, you can set up the text however you want, they may be able to shape the cake for you too.


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## scareme

dusty588 said:


> I'm also going to go to the dollar store and get a bunch of frames. Then, I'll print off some creepy old images to put in the frames. Any ideas as to what I could print out that would work for the 50th theme? Any other ideas? Keep em coming!


Dollar tree has some changing portrait pictures. They come in cheap plastic frames. I cut them out of the frames and put them in some old frames I pick up at the thrift stores. 
In the old days, people wore black arm bands at funerals. You could make some up for your guests to wear.

http://www.1900s.org.uk/1900s-funerals.htm
http://friendsofoakgrovecemetery.org/victorian-funeral-customs-fears-and-superstitions/
http://mdah.state.ms.us/museum/manship/manship_mourn.html


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## fontgeek

You might look at the portraits done by Marc Davis for the Haunted Mansion. Those are always fun. I don't know what you would use that's specifically for the 50th birthday shy of photos of families in mourning.


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