Halloween Eve Party

Halloween is an interesting holiday. My childhood memories include Trick or Treating with a group of friends after we came up with costumes we could put together from stuff around the house. It’s become a much bigger event now with fancy costumes to buy or rent and decorations that are really imaginative! Have you thought of throwing a Halloween Eve Party? Make it a family event so both kids and adults can have a ghoulishly good time!

Throw this party in your backyard. Even if you live in a climate where the weather can be a little chilly, using patio heaters and firepits can keep everyone warm. Here are a few ideas to make this evening memorable:

ideas for a Halloween Eve Party…

Do a little decorating!  Here are a few ideas that are fairly easy, inexpensive and not too scary for little kids.
Tomato Cage Ghost

1. Grab an old tomato cage and wrap a string of white Christmas lights around it.

2. Cover the tomato cage with part of a white sheet or white fabric cut to the correct size to drape and puddle around the bottom of the cage.

3. Cut out eyes and a mouth from black construction paper or black felt and glue onto the fabric.

Place your ghost in the yard and run your electrical cord to the nearest outlet. Once the sun goes down, let the ghosts come out!

Lounging Skeletons –

Another very easy way to decorate! Purchase a few plastic skeletons at a discount store.  Sit your skeleton in a lounge chair (complete with a drink by his side) or, if you have a pool, float your skeleton on a pool raft in the pool! Be sure he has his sunblock right next to him!

Glowing Jack-o-Lanterns**–**

Make a trip to the dollar store or discount store and purchase a variety of the plastic jack-o-lantern candy pails. Also, grab a few bags of glow sticks. When it’s time for the party, activate the glow sticks and put a few in each jack-o-lantern. Set them around the yard or float them in the pool!

Flamingo Skeletons –

This decoration takes a little more time and talent but is well worth the effort. Buy a few cheap, plastic yard flamingoes. Spray paint them black using a paint that adheres to plastic. Let that fully dry. Take white craft paint and draw on the skeletons you see in the picture. Better yet…purchase glow in the dark paint for the skeleton part so your flamingoes will glow at night!

snack time ~

Provide easy snacks for your guests. Chips and dip, pretzels, popcorn, caramel apples and, of course, Halloween candy! Here is a cute idea for treat bags if you want to have something special to hand to the kids:

Ghost Treat Bags-

These bags are easy to create and cute to receive!

Items needed-

white, vellum or waxed treat bags (about the size of a lunch bag)

package of googly eyes

thin, black ribbon

Treats to fill the bags

Trim the top of each bag with a rounded edge (as seen in the photo). Glue on two eyes. Punch two holes towards the top of the bag. Fill the bags with treats (popcorn is a good topper to make the innards appear ghost-like). Tie the bag shut with a piece of black ribbon secured in the two top holes.

Serve these easy, adorable drinks for the kids (and adults) to enjoy:

*The Spooky Shirley Temple- *

Ingredients:

orange soda (or other orange-colored beverage)

Peeps – the Ghost shaped variety

Pumpkin patch orange Pop Rocks

Directions:

Dip the rim of each cup first in the orange beverage and then immediately into the Pop Rocks. Pour the selected orange beverage into each cup. Cut a slit into each Peep Ghost from the bottom up the middle (about 1/2 inch) and slide him onto the rim of the cup. Serve immediately!