This file is one of the Wolfstone archives of the Halloween mailing lists. You can find out more, and reach the entire collection here: http://www.pobox.com/~wolfstone/_r/HalloweenArchive.html This particular archive deals with "party and decoration" topics. This includes: o party games o food It does NOT include related topics: o themes - - - - - Subject: Re: Help, Help! long From: "Kathy Slicker" Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2001 03:13:41 -0500 i do a scavenger hunt every year. it is always a hit. i start with a cover sheet, and then i use riddles to go from 1 clue to another.1 person is assigned to be the reader/leader, thus they all work together, and they = have to go in order.at the end i bury or hide depending on weather and such, a treasure chest filled with stuff: lipstick, glow in the dark polish, CD's (pawn shop or flea market) bleeding candles (those were a big hit) etc. i rhyme everything, yes i am insane,and then download clip art for each = clue. example: cover sheet: there are 12 clues for u to find, so be wary and = bide your time.look high, look low, look all around, for some of the clues are upside down.so come on,let's go, don't hesitate, the very first clue is = down by the gate. here they have to go to the front of the house and look by = the gate, upon finding it, they find the next clue: example: clue number 2: = that was easy, was it not, but be warned the next clue will take alot. clue: i whirl, i twirl all through the day, the wind moves me for fun and play. = here i would put it on a whirl a gig in the back yard, that way they have to go back and forth. sorry for the length hope this helps. email me if u need more ideas. Sanity is the playground for the unimaginative. -- Unknown ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Duncan" To: Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 9:58 PM Subject: Hall: Help, Help! > I'm going to do a team scavenger hunt for various generic-ish halloween > items in and around my house this year and I'm having trouble with the > wording of the list I will be giving out. One example is (1) A VC > Andrews novel. They'd have to figure "Flowers in the Attic" then I'll > rig a ghost holding flowers to pop out at them when they go in the = attic. > This is my best idea so I need lots of help. Thankyou. - - - - - Subject: re: ideas for my party (long) From: Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 15:05:14 -0400 I live in a 100 year old mansion that was originally a single family home = and then converted into a mortuary for over 50 years. We live there now = and have had several very successful halloween parties. Each year, I have = a different theme. This year is the houses' 100th birthday and I am = trying to come up with a fabulous theme for this year. The house is over = 10,000 sq ft so we always have some type of hunt through the dark = decorated house and I have live "spooks" haunt the hunt, just like in a = commercial haunted house. My ideas will need a theme for the party, and something that can tie into = the hunt through the house. I usually supply some type of small light for = each couple to use for the hunt. Then I have prizes for the most = successful hunt, whether it be most pieces of whatever collected or for = finding a certain specified piece, etc. My idea so far is to base this years theme around a birthday party for the = house. I need some help after that!' Thanks! Roxanne - - - - - Subject: RE: Hall: re: ideas for my party (long) From: "Rob Withoff" Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 14:43:56 -0500 > I live in a 100 year old mansion that was originally a single > family home and then converted into a mortuary for over 50 years. > We live there now and have had several very successful halloween > parties. Each year, I have a different theme. This year is the > houses' 100th birthday and I am trying to come up with a fabulous > theme for this year. The house is over 10,000 sq ft so we always > have some type of hunt through the dark decorated house and I > have live "spooks" haunt the hunt, just like in a commercial > haunted house. > > My ideas will need a theme for the party, and something that can > tie into the hunt through the house. I usually supply some type > of small light for each couple to use for the hunt. Then I have > prizes for the most successful hunt, whether it be most pieces of > whatever collected or for finding a certain specified piece, etc. > > My idea so far is to base this years theme around a birthday > party for the house. I need some help after that!' > Thanks! > Roxanne =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Okay, twisted idea. How about if you have a party/haunt as normal, but evidently the first owners of the house have come back, and they've = brought all the spirits of the mortuary customers with them. It would be like = things would just be going wrong with your regular party, and as the night progressed, things would get weirder and weirder. People could disappear under "Mysterious Circumstances". Another thought comes to mind-- I'm a little ashamed, but I've been caught up in the new "reality" show "Murder in Small Town X". The group all act = as investigators, go on searches, find clues, but the twist is that they have to select two from among them to "play the killer's game". Each of them = has to go on a mission. One of them comes back with a clue, the other becomes the killer's next victim. It's a massive party game waiting to happen. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Re: re: ideas for my party (long) From: Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 20:21:20 -0400 It definitely is the PERFECT halloween party house. My biggest decorating = goes on on the first floor as you come in I have double parlors that get = the most decorating - I have a victorian style coffin that my brother = built for me that looks VERY real, I always use that somehow. I even have = two real headstones left from the mortuary. I do my wildest decorating = here and then try to do scary things in dark corners, etc., through the = rest of the house for the hunt. I need to be able to tie in the hunt to = my theme. If I am having some kind of haunted birthday party, what do I = hunt for? The only thing I could come up with was 1901 coins (that are = the same year the house was built). A penny, nickel, dime and quarter of = that year. Other coins too, but only the 1901 coins are the winners. Got = any better ideas? Roxanne > > From: "Nez" > Date: 2001/08/05 Sun AM 11:42:48 EDT > To: "Halloween List" > Subject: Hall: Re: re: ideas for my party (long) > > My first question would be, please please adopt me??? > I mean, imagine, a 100 year old house that was a mortuary... > this is practically a halloweeners dream.... > oh a theme, a theme, let me see...how about Nightmares?? Have all kinds = of > different stuff from people's nightmares...or just very surreal, = dreamlike > scarey landscapes.. - - - - - Subject: Re: RE: Hall: re: ideas for my party (long) From: Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2001 20:24:41 -0400 Actually, funny you should mention that - I was thinking about those new = shows like survivor where you're in a team and you vote people out or off = or whatever. Maybe I could have teams hunt and vote somebody out? What = ends up happening is so many people come now that when I start the hunt = there are too many people and when my spooks come out to scare them, they = aren't scared. I need to be able to break them up into smaller groups so = we can scare them effectively. Roxanne > > From: "Rob Withoff" > Date: 2001/08/05 Sun PM 03:43:56 EDT > To: "Halloween List" > Subject: RE: Hall: re: ideas for my party (long) > > > I live in a 100 year old mansion that was originally a single > > family home and then converted into a mortuary for over 50 years. > > We live there now and have had several very successful halloween > > parties. Each year, I have a different theme. This year is the > > houses' 100th birthday and I am trying to come up with a fabulous > > theme for this year. The house is over 10,000 sq ft so we always > > have some type of hunt through the dark decorated house and I > > have live "spooks" haunt the hunt, just like in a commercial > > haunted house. > > > > My ideas will need a theme for the party, and something that can > > tie into the hunt through the house. I usually supply some type > > of small light for each couple to use for the hunt. Then I have > > prizes for the most successful hunt, whether it be most pieces of > > whatever collected or for finding a certain specified piece, etc. > > > > My idea so far is to base this years theme around a birthday > > party for the house. I need some help after that!' > > Thanks! > > Roxanne > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > Okay, twisted idea. How about if you have a party/haunt as normal, but > evidently the first owners of the house have come back, and they've = brought > all the spirits of the mortuary customers with them. It would be like = things > would just be going wrong with your regular party, and as the night > progressed, things would get weirder and weirder. People could disappear > under "Mysterious Circumstances". > > Another thought comes to mind-- I'm a little ashamed, but I've been = caught > up in the new "reality" show "Murder in Small Town X". The group all act = as > investigators, go on searches, find clues, but the twist is that they = have > to select two from among them to "play the killer's game". Each of them = has > to go on a mission. One of them comes back with a clue, the other = becomes > the killer's next victim. It's a massive party game waiting to happen. - - - - - Subject: RE: RE: Hall: re: ideas for my party (long) From: "Rob Withoff" Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 01:54:18 -0500 > Actually, funny you should mention that - I was thinking about > those new shows like survivor where you're in a team and you vote > people out or off or whatever. Maybe I could have teams hunt and > vote somebody out? What ends up happening is so many people come > now that when I start the hunt there are too many people and when > my spooks come out to scare them, they aren't scared. I need to > be able to break them up into smaller groups so we can scare them > effectively. The way the show is done, those things are nicely addressed: First, the team selects one of the two investigators; the other is = selected by the "lifeguard" (team leader). They don't select which one gets killed, but only one comes back. The second little detail is that *whenever you = are alone*, you are vulnerable to the killer. And they will occasionally set = up situations where you *must* be alone (like guarding a freshly-dug = gravesite at night with just a flashlight). Bear in mind that they have a bunch of actors that play the townspeople. There are 15 of them, and one of the 15 is the killer. For each successful "mission", one of the townspeople is exonerated, and a major clue is released. The second part is that you send out one person at a time, and they have a fifty-fifty chance of dying. One at a time is much easier to handle. Hee. - - - - - Subject: RE: Hall: Re: re: ideas for my party (long) From: "Rob Withoff" Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 01:53:17 -0500 +--------------------------------------------------------- | Rob Withoff http://www.magic-marmot.com | Big Kahuna | Magic Marmot Studios Sound, Vision, and Digitalia +--------------------------------------------------------- > It definitely is the PERFECT halloween party house. My biggest > decorating goes on on the first floor as you come in I have > double parlors that get the most decorating - I have a victorian > style coffin that my brother built for me that looks VERY real, I > always use that somehow. I even have two real headstones left > from the mortuary. I do my wildest decorating here and then try > to do scary things in dark corners, etc., through the rest of the > house for the hunt. I need to be able to tie in the hunt to my > theme. If I am having some kind of haunted birthday party, what > do I hunt for? The only thing I could come up with was 1901 > coins (that are the same year the house was built). A penny, > nickel, dime and quarter of that year. Other coins too, but only > the 1901 coins are the winners. Got any better ideas? > Roxanne > Mahe the hunt objects fit into the theme of the party-- maybe some old victorian birthday cards (or funeral cards), or a series of objects, or maybe each of the objects is the piece to a puzzle. Maybe work it like a game of Clue=AE (Polyethylene Pam did Colonel Musterd In the Conservatory = with the Lead Wench), so they have to assemble a series of clues to guess the "killer", or find the grand prize, or sumpin. BTW< if you do this, don't do serial clues (i.e. clue #1 leads to clue #2, and so on); if someone stumbles across clue #39 by accident, your little game gets really short. Building a bigger picture out of smaller clues = gives your guests a bigger sense of accomplishment and holds their interest longer. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: re: ideas for my party (long) From: "Nez" Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 08:56:15 -0400 I LOVE this show!! Actually, if I had had any clue they were recruiting = for this, I would have definately applied!! The premise is really cool, I = love the serial killer aspect, it's just my idea of a good time! Hauntingly yours, ~Morganna~ http://zombie.horrorseek.com/home/halloween/morgannaland/ > Another thought comes to mind-- I'm a little ashamed, but I've been = caught > up in the new "reality" show "Murder in Small Town X". - - - - - Subject: Re: Haunted Bathrooms From: "Ann Gratis" Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 22:26:03 -0400 Every year for my party I do the bathroom up as the shower scene from = Psycho. I have blood and bloody hand prints everywhere. There is a knife with raw meat and blood in the tub. It really grosses out my guests. (very = evil grin) Whitefang On Tuesday 07 August 2001 2:31 pm, you wrote: > Speaking of haunted bathrooms... I remember seeing in a gag catalog a = roll > off toilet paper that was made out of Tyvek or some other untearable = paper. > Now THAT's a frightening Privy... - - - - - Subject: Hall: Halloween Tree From: "brandon champlin" Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 20:06:11 -0500 What about a Halloween Tree? you know, like a Christmas Tree but with Halloween Ornaments? i big pumpkin or bat at the top. I think it would be cool - - - - - Subject: Re: Halloween Tree From: "Haunting Heidi" Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 21:37:09 -0400 I have a large Halloween tree I put up in my living room each year. I use old gnarled bark free tree limbs in a tall urn. It's strung with purple lights and covered in Halloween ornaments. - - - - - Subject: Oh no ... a party From: "WebMistress" Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 12:15:32 -0700 (PDT) Well I've been talked into having a costume PARTY on Friday Oct 19th .. = 7pm - till me all pass out. Anyone in the Northern Utah, Southern Idaho = area is invited. I'm in Ogden, Utah. Now I've never decorated for a PARTY, just a haunt. I'm going to bring in = a few things from outside. But I need some indoor stuff now. IDEAS = ANYONE!! I'm also going to make a T.S. coffin cooler (book#1). What kind = of food/drinks should I make. Any good PARTY games out there? I'm = thinking of making it a poker night ... hubbie knows a bunch of weird = poker games or should I have a poker room and the rest of the PARTY just = be socal? Oh god!! I'm out of my league on this one!!! - - - - - Subject: Re: Oh no ... a party From: "Aileen Wedeking" Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 13:10:31 -0500 Hey Webby, Your not out of your league here! LOL Nothing to it dear! I have been = doing Halloween Parties (adult) for years and we have a blast. Anything I do is from this list and years of coming up with ideas and projects between = hubby and I. We love Halloween so much we tried to work out our wedding date but it didn't fall on a Saturday (31) so we married on the date closest to it....Oct.27. This is our anniversary gift every year giving a Halloween party. We have been together 20 years now and our grown kids think we are nuts but have fun with it too. First no kiddy decor! It's props that react with you or the like. We have (2) real church candelabras that we place around a wood six foot coffin on = a stand. The stand of course is draped. The coffin has the decease in it. I tell all it's my old Uncle Willy and he haunts the place. We have foggers going, music and lighting machine and flickering lights all over as well = as black lights. We have bought professional props through the years as well = as making our own. Anywhere the guest are to be that room is done up. That would be the kitchen, dining room. bathrooms, living room and family = rooms. This is besides the front and backyards done up as grave yards. We have spiders going up and down walls to a lab that bubbles and smokes. We have props that have continual bleeding faces to rats darting out at ya! Our dining room is set up with food but you have to figure out what food is = real and what is not! LOL We have a dragon head that smokes at ya from the = shower in the bathroom to the toiled that says as soon as you turn on the light "Shut that damn light off and let a few spirits have their privacy! Oh boy do we hear a few screams from that one! LOL Our couches are rigged so if = you sit on the right spot you hear "Get off of my lap who asked you to sit = here any ways??" Always a hoot! Now we don't play games but we do have two professional blackjack tables and we hire dealers to run. We also hire a psychic for the night to give readings. Between the two people are plenty entertained! :) Let's not = forget the things that go boo at ya too! :) We have a bartender friend that = watches the booze and drinking so nobody gets too much in their system. Webby each year we add more items and each year our party list keeps = growing and all through the year we hear, "You are going to have another Halloween party aren't ya?" We start doing the house about a month before to get things going. Break down is way fast but boy do we have a good time = putting it up as well laughing away as we pack up once more. I have Gravely The Butler up year around in our dining room or by the = front door. He is a member of the family now and I am telling you the fun we = have with him year around is great. We do so many things so to list them here would take forever so if you = have any questions please ask them! I love to help! :) Aileen The Fairy Please check out my website: http://www.geocities.com/fairy_bluetopaz/ - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Oh no ... a party From: "Wyatt Furr" Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 14:48:05 -0700 (PDT) Webby.... I've had a Halloween party on and off the last 10 years. Rule 1. Dont fuss with your food.Most people will be happy with non-messy finger = foods.The less they can spill on themselves, the better. Rule 2. Dress up the table with rubber rats,spiders,ect. anything that will glow = under a black-light.A fixture mounted above the table turns any food = creepy looking. A couple of electric flicker candles,a skull or two,maybe lost body = parts.Tons of plates and napkins,plastic glasses,toothpicks. Rule 3. Above all HAVE FUN.I always stress out when I give a party,it ruins the = night for me when I fuss over everyone. Rule 4. If you run out of food,feed them leftovers.Or more alcoholic drinks.It's = your call. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Oh no ... a party From: "Butler Family" Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 18:55:09 -0700 Check out my Halloween party website at: http://halloweenparty.htmlplanet.com I think it should have a lot of ideas for you! - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Re: Oh no ... a party From: "WebMistress" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 07:56:02 -0700 (PDT) Wow ... now that does sound like fun. I have a bartender hired ... but I = also hired a cab company to talk folks home. They have hearses, so that = should be fun. No party games ... easy less for me to worry about. We are going to set = up two poker tables. As for props everywhere ... aren't you afraid of people braking things? Webby --- "Aileen Wedeking" > wrote: >Hey Webby, > >Your not out of your league here! LOL Nothing to it dear! I have been = doing >Halloween Parties (adult) for years and we have a blast. Anything I do is >from this list and years of coming up with ideas and projects between = hubby >and I. - - - - - Subject: Party advice? From: "Dan & Robin" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 13:00:50 -0400 For all those who have given parties....I could use some advise too. For the past 3 years, we have given a party for our eldest son and his class mates. Two of the 3 years we have had the luck of having this party in a great old gothic looking mansion where we also made a walk thru = haunt. But as good as that sounds...it's getting old. Lots of little problems like, it's a historical building with alot of it's original artwork, furniture etc. You can't attach anything to walls or ceilings and have to be pretty careful in general. Also, we are only given about 24 hours for setup and have to tear down and leave the place spotless the same night. The older these kids get too, it seems the rowdier... and I am beginning = to be a little concerned about using this house. Plus, there is an addition on the back that is a retirement home. One of the "deals" of throwing the party there is that the residents can attend, their families, employees = and their families. It got WAY out of hand last year. Too many people, not enough space and serious CHAOS. Nothing bad happened, it just had too = many glitches to want to repeat it. We gave a pretty good show...but I had NO fun and was stressed out ALL night. My idea this year is to have the party in my father's indoor riding arena. It's basically a metal building 130x50. It has a big sliding door that leads out to an outdoor riding ring where I thought about having a = bonfire. The theme would be something like "Sleepy Hollow" perhaps. So anyway, = LOTS of room, kids can run around and be wild if they want. My ideas on activities and attractions are just starting to gel now. I thought for a change to invite entire families, that way *I* wouldn't be responsible for other people's unrulely kids. I have to add too that this in Vermont, = and it may be cold. Sometimes it's great but when we were leaving the party last year after clean up, it was spitting snow! This building is NOT heated. I was hoping that dancing, running around and the occasional stop near the fire (which would have it's own attendant) would be enough. I don't know... Now here is a question....should there be or should there NOT be alcohol for the adults who care to have some? Does alcohol and family parties = mix? Is it uncouth (sp?) to offer it at all where kids will be? I don't worry about kids getting into it. It just seems like it would be a nice offereing to let the parents enjoy a beer and conversation while the kids have fun (we have a great local micro brewer who makes a beer called "Octoberfest"). I don't want people to think badly of me for having alcohol. The idea is not for people to get wasted. I just don't want to offend anyone either. Any ideas on how to set up props in a building with rafters 20 feet in = the air and no interior walls? LOL! Thanks, Robin - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "WebMistress" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 10:16:19 -0700 (PDT) First .. I'm glad I'm not the only one with party questions ;) And GOOD LUCK on not being responsible for other people's wild kids.=20 I think that responsible alcoholic consumption and family parties are ok. = You just have to know who turns into the BIG BUTTHEAD when they drink. My = hubbie=92s bro-in-law is that way =85 so we don=92t let him drink at our pa= rties .. and he knows why. My party is not going to have kids. So I see it as a falling down drunk fe= st J If kids are going to be there, do a kids party in daylight or dusk ho= urs and then let the patents have fun at a different time where they don=92= t have to worry about their kids. Just my .02 cents =85 but I don=92t give many parties .. I prefer to go to = them. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "brandon champlin" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 12:31:42 -0500 Ok, First, you should not have to pay for Beer, Make it BYOB if they want, = they can bring it, you shouldn't have to waste your money obn other = peoples habits. I suggest hanging a body from the rafters, That happens here a = lot. For an extra suprise, you can drop the body from a pulley system right in front of some one. If it is in a barn, have hay bales for people to set = on, Use plenty o pumpkins. Low Flying fog is a must for any party indoors, = About the heat, you could set up space heaters the night before while you are setting up and turn it on full blast, the next day you could turn it on = for additional heat that night. Try to keep the doors shut that way any = outside light dosent bother the light inside. Also try to use colored bulbs, if = they are up high, it will light thingsa a bit but will also cast sspooky = shadows. for an added bonus, have creeps in black you walk around and ack like = party guests, you never know what could be sneaking up on you in the dark. Maybe = at a certain time you could cut the lights and someone could scream and = you could sneak in a few monsters. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Re: Oh no ... a party From: "Aileen Wedeking" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 11:41:47 -0500 Hi Webby, Nope in over 15 years we have yet to have a broken anything and I mean anything be it prop or anything in the house. The thing is to have plenty = of food with the booze and have a bartender that knows when to say enough or water down the drinks. No body has gotten drunk out of control and keeping people interested in each other and the BJ tables and reader helps. The parties go into the wee hours and this year we believe will be about 100 people and that is not the first time either. Believe it or not most know each other or at least large group of people. I love the idea of a cab company that has the hearses! LOL Very cool! :) - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Re: Oh no ... a party From: "Aileen Wedeking" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 11:43:44 -0500 Webby, If the tables play for money it goes to research for cancer in my parents name. Otherwise those that have the most fake monies by mid evening will = win prizes. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "The Weeble" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 20:42:41 +0000 This is our 4th year for a big halloween party, but we've had huge fourth = of July party's since I was very small (it happens when a sibling is born on = a holiday). For the crowd we have, we've tried both ways, with and without alcohol. It seems to work better without for either party. For Halloween, = it's easier because we can make all sorts of weird looking and tasting punches and no one is really sure if anything is spiked or not, even if it = isn't. There's no rule that says you have to divulge your punch = recipes.... There's also the liability of a pool in the backyard. It's easier to keep = people from falling in if they have all of their senses about them. They years we had alcohol, (and again, this could be because of the crowd we = had) we had a million more things to worry about. For instance, people would literally disappear and show up hours later, we had people wandering into places that were severely off limits due to breakables/messes/pets/weapons = etc. , more things went missing besides guests....you name it, it probably = happened here. Makes me think I should pick my friends more carefully. Hmmmm. Now, we usually save any alcohol for after the party in case the haunt helpers need to unwind after scaring the stuffing out of people. But not being a drinker, I usually end up buying the beer with the prettiest label...found out from the faces of last years haunters that the stuff I = buy usually REEKS!!! Anyway, enough of my rambling. Good luck with your = party! Christine. >>Now here is a question....should there be or should there NOT be alcohol for the adults who care to have some? Does alcohol and family parties mix? - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Halloween Tree From: "Thanatoz" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 14:50:46 -0700 (PDT) > > To: Halloween-l at WildRice.com > Subject: Hall: Halloween Tree > Date sent: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 20:06:11 -0500 > Send reply to: "Halloween List" > > > > What about a Halloween Tree? you know, like a > Christmas Tree but with > > Halloween Ornaments? i big pumpkin or bat at the > top. I think it would be > > cool We did this one year with a old C-tree. I painted it black and hung orange and purple lights all over it, with little Halloween ornements we found in a store, it was cutesy. But the black paint kept flaking off and it made a huge mess, the wife wasn't happy. No if we could find a C-tree that was already black, that would be cool. - - - - - Subject: Re: Party advice? From: "E Ratliff" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 17:57:10 -0400 Robin- My party has always been for families the youngest to date was 6 month = (that record will get broke this year as my new nephew is just now a week old) = and the oldest was something like 78 or 87 can't quite remember, also this = party has always been alcohol free and we get compliments on that fact every = year. As for using the arena, our party is held in an old barn every year it too is not heated and we also have the bonfire going. You can see pictures of some of the decorations we've used on our website in my signature, If there's anything else I can help you with feel free to e mail me off list. Edd the VampireBear ICQ 16533099 www.barnparty.ratliff.com - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Halloween Tree From: "Michele Slack" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 17:00:02 -0600 Last year the Miles Kimball catalog had a 3 foot artificial C-tree that was black for halloween. Don't know if they have it this year or not. hallowbeanie > We did this one year with a old C-tree. I painted it > black and hung orange and purple lights all over it, > with little Halloween ornements we found in a store, > it was cutesy. But the black paint kept flaking off > and it made a huge mess, the wife wasn't happy. No if > we could find a C-tree that was already black, that > would be cool. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Oh no ... a party From: "Nez" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 10:29:47 -0400 Here's my big solution to avoiding the party blues....especially since H'ween is MY night and I want to have fun, not anxiety attacks!! I get a keg of beer and usually leave the alcohol at that. If someone = else wants to do a punch bowl, fine, but I don't. I make 2 or 3 snacky foods = and then delegate to the other women in the group to make or bring something = to eat. The men are in charge of picking up the beer, ice, sodas and chips. = I make sure most of the food is made the night before so that way I'm not cooking at the last minute and have plenty of time to work on putting on = my costume. If anyone offers to bring something let them!! If anyone offers to help, let them!! It WILL pay off!! Decor can be spiderwebs everywhere (I personally cobweb the entire inside = of my kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom) with nice big spiders prowling the webs...gargoyles, candelabras, flickerlights...I hang a FCG inside as well. Basically, use what you have! All in all, try to make = sure you don't sacrifice having fun for being the "hostess with the mostest" or you'll end up fainting from sheer anxiety. Been there, done that, and it isn't worth it. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "Nez" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 01:11:08 -0400 I've had a bar area where kids were totally 100% off limits...parents = could smoke and drink in there...and hiring a teenager to kinda watch over = younger kids isn't a bad idea either. Actually, I'm doing this myself this = year... - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "Nez" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 01:15:08 -0400 For the crowd we have, we've tried both ways, with and without > alcohol. It seems to work better without for either party. Here is a HUGE 'do' for people having alcohol at your H'ween parties: = Have a ton of food, especially stuff that'll soak up the alcohol...like = crackers, etc... People who are well fed will not be likely to pass out/puke and or get really stupid. At least this has been my experience, but this does = NOT apply to New Years Eve parties... Seems like no matter what, there is always a puker on New Years Eve... - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "The Weeble" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 11:47:41 +0000 We always have TONS of food. Way more food than people usually. Even = then, we still have our rowdies that insist that alcohol is 3 of the 4 food groups. Or is it 5 now? I forget. >a ton of food, especially stuff that'll soak up the alcohol...like >crackers, etc... People who are well fed will not be likely to pass >out/puke and or get really stupid. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? From: "Nez" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 07:58:37 -0400 *laughing* That's funny!! Maybe the reason it works for me is because = not a one of my friends can cook well...so everyone eats like mad when they = come over. I'm not exactly a chef...but when eating is one of your favorite hobbies, you learn to cook REALLY good!! Last H'ween I made crab stuffed mushrooms and served them up as poached eyeballs...those dissappeared as soon as they came out of the oven. Oh, and unfortunately FoodTV is a favorite of mine....staying a size 10-11 is a huge struggle for me, by the way... Hauntingly yours, ~Morganna~ "It is NOT a beer belly...it's a liquid grain storage facility." ~Morganna's fiance~ ----- Original Message ----- From: "The Weeble" To: Sent: Monday, August 13, 2001 7:47 AM Subject: Re: Hall: Party advice? > > We always have TONS of food. Way more food than people usually. Even then, > we still have our rowdies that insist that alcohol is 3 of the 4 food > groups. Or is it 5 now? I forget. - - - - - Subject: Party advice? From: "Dan & Robin" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 09:16:06 -0400 Thanks for all the advice. This crowd that I would be inviting would not be the type to get fall down drunk though. We are from a pretty conservative small town and the guests would be the families of both our son's class mates, one is a kindergartener and one is a 4th grader. My worry was that a select few would think it extremely unclassy to have al-cee-hol to the party. It would be a different story if we just invited friends! LOL! I have been to a few weddings (two actually in this very building I am talking about!) where there was drinking, dancing, kids dancing and = running around barefoot...just having a GREAT time. No one got stupid and I felt great for days just thinking about it. ( I don't NEED alcohol for a good time...but ya have to admit...it enhances things! LOL! ) I thought it would be fun to create that same sort of feeling. My husband thinks that some of the parents would not be impressed though, and since he works for the school system, guess we better keep it dry. OR just invite those that would appreciate revelry! But then the others feel left out and that causes bad feelings. OY! To the Hillbilly woman (sorry, forget your name!) I LOVED your dog buiscut game! I think that would be a big hit with the kids. How do you award prizes to the winning team? Thats what I always wonder when you have a team event like that. Could get pretty expensive after awhile. = Especially after playing a couple times! I have never been a big fan of the" haunted carnival" theme but it looks like thats the way we are going. I thought I would have a couple carnival type games w/barkers, a tent set up with a gypsey fortune teller (the = scary thing is...we actually have a real one in the family! LOL!). Any other ideas? I think someone last year did a theme like this? I have a Boris, dropping spider and a fog machine. And thanks to Mike (from this list) a great talking statues illusion. Need to some how work that stuff in.... What else can you do with a bonfire besides stand around it? Jokes aside...is there anthing traditional that one can do without offending anyone? - - - - - Subject: Re: Party advice? From: "Evil Eric" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 09:59:17 -0400 Sounds like you need an excellent story-teller. Some folks are very = natural at it. Do you know a Scoutmaster or an adult scout? Most seem to have = the knack. (plus they know how to maintain safety around the fire) Evil Eric > What else can you do with a bonfire besides stand around it? Jokes > aside...is there anthing traditional that one can do without offending > anyone? - - - - - Subject: Re: Party advice? From: "Nez" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 10:03:39 -0400 I have done campfire stories...get a really great scarey story together = and have the best actor you know tell it...then set up a good boogey scare... > What else can you do with a bonfire besides stand around it? Jokes > aside...is there anthing traditional that one can do without offending > anyone? - - - - - Subject: RE: Hall: Party advice? From: Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 10:27:11 -0700 I'll share one thing that everyone comments on and/or remembers from a party a couple years ago (and I'll look up the recipe later when I'm at home). We'd been somewhere for dinner and the dessert had a caramelized sugar syrup thing sticking out of the top - cook the sugar syrup until it starts to brown, then just drizzle a design onto a greased baking sheet and when it cools, slide it off. A few days later I was flipping through a magazine and they had a similar project. Instead of the cookie sheet, you drizzle into a greased mixing bowl. When it cools & hardens, you cross your fingers and push on the sugar one direction while twisting the bowl another and out pops this dome. We'd done a cake frosted in orange with spider web on top and some plastic spiders and we served it under the caramelized webbing, which had a few more spiders on top. It was really simple to do and got a lot of comments. Anyway, I'll look it up when I get home. - - - - - Subject: New D56 Halloween Items From: "Vincent Solfronk" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 11:02:51 -0500 Just went to my local D56 store and saw that there are a lot of new Halloween items. There are several Halloween Glass Ornaments (bats, cats and eyeballs!), plus several new haunted houses. There is even a haunted front yard, with tombstones and light-up skulls and pumpkins, that several here would be interested in! - - - - - Subject: Re: Party advice? From: "E Ratliff" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 18:45:23 -0400 To the Hillbilly woman (sorry, forget your name!) I LOVED your dog buiscut game! I think that would be a big hit with the kids. How do you award prizes to the winning team? Thats what I always wonder when you have a team event like that. Could get pretty expensive after awhile. = Especially after playing a couple times! First of all I object to being called a woman!! Secondly we usually just get boxes of candy bars from our local wholesale club and give each team member a candy bar. It's best to have a standard Chocolate bar type (Reese's PB cups, Milky Way, Snicker's etc.) and something chocolate free (Cracker Jacks, Taffy etc.) that way if someone = is allergic to chocolate they can still get something. Edd the VampireBear ICQ 16533099 www.barnparty.ratliff.com - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Styrofoam for Tombstones Question From: Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 16:49:44 -0700 >Are they that obvious? I use the pink stuff and yes the score lines >are there but I have never had a problem with them and never noticed >them once I was finished (Although it sometimes makes the epitats hard >to carve) But I've always put a texture paint as a final coating (like >Fleck Stone) so I'm covered. I've never seen the line after the finish >coat. I used 2' x 8' sheets of 1.5" Dow blue foam. It didn't have any score lin= es, but I found that the stamp which was used to apply the Dow logo actually left a very slight impression in the foam. I didn't even notice it until I applied the primer, then I figured that the textured paint would cover it. Nope. If you're standing at just the right angle, off to the side of the stone, you can see this diamond pattern. I'm far more anal than most,= but it drives me nuts. I'll definitely sand the face of tombstones next time. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Styrofoam for Tombstones Question From: "Sue McDonald" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 17:15:36 -0700 I have not touched my foam of that texture but I can give you data that I have found. Using the white-booger foam, I had one epitaph partially started and found there was a printing and spacing error in it. I used monster mud to fill in the epitaph and after it dried, I started over. I can definitely say DO NOT use fixall or plaster to fill in mistakes unless you never plan to put another epitaph on that side. I have sanded the white booger foam and found that it does take well to sanding and even looks pretty good after you are done (none of the boogers show). It all depends on how deep the score marks are as to whether you want to try to sand them out. If less than an eighth of an inch, you could sand. - - - - - Subject: Re: Oh no ... a party From: "Haunting Heidi" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 21:24:16 -0400 We're on our 4th annual Halloween party. It's always been a big success with a crowded house of friends and family ALL in costume. No one gets through the front door without one (and everyone knows it before hand). The party is held indoors since No. Michigan weather is usually cold the end of October. We've never had (knock on a wood coffin) anything broken. We have beer, wine and liquor and mixers. I learned the first year to provide simple finger foods > the fancier they are the less they get eaten. Bad when all your guests are drinking. We decorate every room in the house with moving and static props, Halloween music in some rooms, Halloween sound effects in other rooms, etc. Outside to greet the guest are our FCG, graveyard, pumpkins, etc. For games > we have been playing Halloween pictionary - which always goes over well as does Dirty Minds. This year I'm probably going to be the Halloween Charades game I've seen lately in magazines. If anyone has this game, let me know......... - - - - -