I'm throwing a party at my house, and I want to do that hand coming out of the punch bowl trick. I can easily modify my table to make a hole in the middle, but what about that punch bowl? Is that a party gag you can buy, or can I make a home made one that won't leak from the bottom?

"Something wicked this way comes..." - Shakespeare

Do you know where you saw this idea? I'd check Mark Butlers Monster Page of Halloween how to's:

http://markbutler.8m.com/monsterlist.htm

maybe you'll find help there! I've never seen that prop...sounds interesting.

I saw this idea from watching T.V. shows like America's Funniest Home Videos. Where an unsuspecting cook will stir up the "chili" (I'm sure it was cold) and from out of the blue pops out an arm causing heart attacks everywhere, not to mention a few laughs. I'm not really sure if this is can be pulled off using punch since the consistency of chili is a lot thicker, thus not making as much of a mess. I didn't find this from the website you posted, but there were a lot of ideas that I'm definitely going to use. Thank you very much.

"Something wicked this way comes..." - Shakespeare

This is just an idea, not sure if it would work. But what if you put a whole in the bottom of the bowl and then attached a wide enough piece of pvc that your arm could fit through. Then just use great stuff to seal it. The punch should cover up the pvc so its not visible. Hmmmmm...

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch!"

I use an ice sculpture of a hand. Made in a rubber glove. It's not animated, but effective.

otherworldly

"You're off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters."

Maybe you can find a big bundt cake pan to use as a punch bowl, there's already a hole in the middle.

Yagottawanna!