”
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
”
– George Bernard Shaw
This party is going to be awesome. No. No, better than awesome.
It’s going to be The Most Stellar Halloween Bash Ever
… at least in your brain.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
– George Bernard Shaw
This party is going to be awesome. No. No, better than awesome. It’s going to be The Most Stellar Halloween Bash Ever … at least in your brain.
After inviting your friends over for a Halloween Spooktacular, you’ve realized that it is now Saturday and Halloween is sneaking up faster than you can say “Monster Mash.” Don’t give up yet! You still have a day to pull this thing off (and we’re even going to give you a shopping list).
Before rushing off to the store, take a moment to adjust your expectations. Your party isn’t going to look like a fête at Oprah’s house, but you can still make it a fun and memorable night.
The most key aspect of a party’s success is personalization, according to Patty Sachs, a celebration expert in Jacksonville, Fla., who’s authored 10 books on party planning and gives away some of her advice for free at www.PartyPlanPlus.com.
“Of course, a gift with their name on it is a real winner, but the personal touch is what’s key,” says Sachs. “It doesn’t have to be fancy, but that’s what people remember the most, when they feel like their presence at the party was required to make the party complete.”
In a mixer situation, personally write out name tags for all of your expected guests before the party. Otherwise, do something special and practical by writing attendees’ names on disposable cups prior to their arrival. At the very least it will reduce drink mix-ups.
Before shopping, think about what you’d like to accomplish for the evening. Planning the menu of a dinner party that fits everyone’s eating habits may be too much, so stick with appetizers. If you don’t have time to make your own, a wide selection is available in your grocer’s freezer case. Consider whether you’d like to make one room in your house a dance area (it will need to have furniture cleared to the far walls) or whether you’d prefer a more laid back family atmosphere with activities like pumpkin carving, apple bobbing and a do-it-yourself caramel apple station. Knowing what kind of atmosphere you want will help you to decide what’s really important on that shopping list.
Decorations don’t have to be extravagant if they’re present at all. Make sure all public areas are clean, dim the lights and add some mood lighting in the form of twinkle lights or candles, says Sachs. Place a nice display of pumpkins on the porch and you’ve got the basics. For a more elegant look, place a white tablecloth over your main serving area and decorate the tabletop with pumpkins, apples and candles. Kid-friendly decor is even easier – Safeway and K-Mart both carry large selections of fun plastic trays as well as disposable paper Halloween cups, plates and decorations.
Finally, advises Sachs, avoid the temptation to just put out candy. Because of the holiday, most people will have sweets at home, so focus on more hardy fare and try to provide a selection. Folks on a diet will appreciate a vegetable platter, while those who are out for a good time will enjoy a little more indulgent fare.
With so many ready-made options available, you may just get the opportunity to sit back and relax for a little while, too.
ULTRA LAST-MINUTE
If your party is completely impromptu (a 24-hours-notice or less affair), don’t deter potential guests by insisting they dress up. “Assign them a costume effect, something like wearing a hat they feel best expresses their personality,” says Patty Sachs, a Jacksonville, Fla.,-based author of 10 party manuals. “It’s sort of a costume, but it’s something people can do easily. It will be really funny what people will come up with even in the shortest of time.”
