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Halloween Boo Bash

© Becky Doland

Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays since my childhood. It's one holiday that can be just as much fun for adults as it is for kids. You can go totally wild with decorations -- in fact, the wilder the better. All the discount stores, drug stores, even grocery stores are loaded with Halloween paraphernalia right now, and most are very inexpensive. Personally, I carry the theme throughout my house: Halloween doormat, finger towels, liquid soap dispensers, etc.

Pick up a bag of "spider webs." This artificial webbing can be pulled apart and draped on everything: picture frames, windows, doors, plants, clocks, etc. The trick with this stuff is to pull it into very thin strands so that it looks authentic. Lumpy webs are just not too creepy. Replace regular light bulbs with black light bulbs. Black and orange candles can be found on sale everywhere, as well as small votives with bats and skeletons on them. Place them around the food on the table, and in several places around the party area. Do keep in mind that they should not be where anyone in a flowing costume might come in contact with a flame. Try putting hurricane lamp globes over any candles in high traffic areas.

Place a scary jack-o-lantern by the front door, and one in the foyer to greet your guests. If you have a deck or patio, put some outside as well, as if they're looking in on your party. If you can obtain pieces of dry ice, put pieces in containers and set them out of the way in different areas. This will create a low fog to drift throughout the room for great effect. Make sure never to handle dry ice with your hands, always use metal tongs.

Along with your favorite party food - chips, dips, veggie trays, sandwich trays, brownies, Halloween candy - make something really ghoulish and fun to drink. First, a couple days in advance, purchase several pairs of rubber gloves. Wash and rinse them well inside and out. Fill each with water that's been mixed with red food coloring, tie the open ends with twist ties, and set them on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Make green "Ghoulish Punch" and refrigerate. When it's time for your guests to arrive, fill a punch bowl, and cut the glove off of one of the frozen "hands." Float the ice hand in the punch bowl.

So, put on your vampire fangs, fill your stereo with your favorite party music, open the door to your friends, and have a great Halloween!

The copyright of the article Halloween Boo Bash in Party Planning is owned by Becky Doland. Permission to republish Halloween Boo Bash in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.