# Which kind of Halloween party do you prefer?



## Geekella (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm planning my first halloween party this year. Every year we have a bonfire with creepy music and everyone dresses up, but this year I want to throw a real party. Indoors, with decorations, halloween themed food and drinks, you name it. 

So I'm trying to figure out what all I should plan to have happen during the party, such as activities and such. But I don't want to over-do it, or under-do it.

So I'd like to hear from you guys! If you're attending someone else's party, which do you prefer out of the three as a guest:

1) just an atmospheric halloween party with food and music, where all the guests can comfortably talk and relax. 

2) a party filled with games and activities for both kids and adults, door prizes, constant action!

3) a party in the middle where there are indeed activities and maybe door prizes, but also time to relax and talk with the other guests. 

Thanks for your feedback! Any tips or suggestions are welcome!


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

I have a "Party" everytime someone arrives at my front door for a tour of my house, it's a "Party" have control over as far as if they get to come in, if they get to remain, once in.
Each "Party" lasts 60 to 90 minutes and covers most of my house as they laugh, scream, jump, sometimes swear!
Ravens Grin Inn Mount Carroll, Ill.


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## Geekella (Aug 18, 2010)

Gym Whourlfeld said:


> I have a "Party" everytime someone arrives at my front door for a tour of my house, it's a "Party" have control over as far as if they get to come in, if they get to remain, once in.
> Each "Party" lasts 60 to 90 minutes and covers most of my house as they laugh, scream, jump, sometimes swear!
> Ravens Grin Inn Mount Carroll, Ill.


awesome!! I hope one day I can live in a house large enough to do stuff like that


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## dane82 (Sep 24, 2012)

i'd say #3 personally, and from what i've seen from hosting an annual halloween party for the last few years, #3 would be the general consensus--at least among my friends. it seems people like things to do, but things that don't tie them down and that allow them to come and go between activities as they please.


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

If kids are included in the invitation, then it's a good decision to have some things for them to do - not only for the kids' sake, but for the parents too! 
So no matter what kind of party you end up throwing, consider buying a pin-the-whatever Halloween game to put on the wall, having some Halloween crafts (stickers, coloring pages, glow sticks, mini pumpkins to draw on, masks to make, etc) and some food specifically for the kids. 

I think the majority of people would like #3 - time to talk & eat & hang out as they please, but a few things to help people mingle & and focus on. There are all kinds of things you can do, but again, if kids are included in the party, choosing activities that either can include some of the older ones, or won't be ruined if little ones need attention is a good plan. 

If you wanted to just have a costume contest, you could do that & have prizes or trophies for different categories. You could hang donuts from string & have everyone hold their hands behind their backs & see who can eat the donut the quickest. You could have a pumpkin carving station or contest. Maybe some pumpkin bowling on the lawn. You could do some karaoke. You could make a scavenger hunt around your haunt or make a horror movie trivia sheet where people could fill in the blanks. Knowing your audience is important, though. If most of the people you are inviting are a bit shy, karaoke might not be the best plan. 

We host an open house party on Halloween night, so we don't really have many activities since people are out TOTing & come here to eat, sit at the fire pit, watch the TOTers who come to our yard haunt or just relax. I do have a few things for kids though, all Halloween related - a beanbag toss, pin the skull on the skelly, interactive decorations, and coloring pages with a Halloween theme.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 10, 2010)

Typically ours is mostly of the #1 variety. The last few years we did our party on 10/31 in conjunction with ToTing. Family and friends come over, ToT the neighborhood, then hang around our place for pizza, wings, and drink. There's usually a bit of atmosphere. The adults hang around and relax while the kids swap candy and stories. Then need the end of the evening I perform a bizarre magic show which is mostly spooky card tricks wrapped in a spooky story (definitely NOT the cheezy kids magician kinda stuff).

This year we're running the party on the weekend before separate from ToTing. One of the things I want to try is making the story telling more interactive and allowing the kids/guests to participate or tell their own stories. Kinda like how in the olden days villagers would gather around the fire while the shamans and storytellers entertained.


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## c910andace (Aug 17, 2010)

Jenn&MattFromPA said:


> If kids are included in the invitation, then it's a good decision to have some things for them to do - not only for the kids' sake, but for the parents too!
> So no matter what kind of party you end up throwing, consider buying a pin-the-whatever Halloween game to put on the wall, having some Halloween crafts (stickers, coloring pages, glow sticks, mini pumpkins to draw on, masks to make, etc) and some food specifically for the kids.
> 
> I think the majority of people would like #3 - time to talk & eat & hang out as they please, but a few things to help people mingle & and focus on. There are all kinds of things you can do, but again, if kids are included in the party, choosing activities that either can include some of the older ones, or won't be ruined if little ones need attention is a good plan.
> ...


Great ideas!!!!!


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## c910andace (Aug 17, 2010)

Terrormaster said:


> Typically ours is mostly of the #1 variety. The last few years we did our party on 10/31 in conjunction with ToTing. Family and friends come over, ToT the neighborhood, then hang around our place for pizza, wings, and drink. There's usually a bit of atmosphere. The adults hang around and relax while the kids swap candy and stories. Then need the end of the evening I perform a bizarre magic show which is mostly spooky card tricks wrapped in a spooky story (definitely NOT the cheezy kids magician kinda stuff).
> 
> This year we're running the party on the weekend before separate from ToTing. One of the things I want to try is making the story telling more interactive and allowing the kids/guests to participate or tell their own stories. Kinda like how in the olden days villagers would gather around the fire while the shamans and storytellers entertained.


This sounds amazing too!


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## dbruner (Aug 23, 2012)

If I were a guest I would like #3, my party is mostly #1 with a costume contest. Most of my friends prefer hanging out and eating and drinking, I guess it depends on your audience. This year I am having a masquerade party with masks and no costumes, so no contest. I was thinking of putting up pictures around the house of famous people zombified and having any one who wants to guess who they are for prizes. Or same principle with famous horror movie villains. How does pumpkin bowling work? That sounds fun.


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## Halloweenutter (Feb 6, 2015)

I'd say #3. It will also depend on how well people know each other. Once you have kids in the mix, it's a good idea to have activities, even if you don't end up doing them all. You never know if things get rowdy otherwise!


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## Halloweenutter (Feb 6, 2015)

BTW I always do a zombie autopsy (put hand in box and guess which food is the body part - gross!), eating donut hanging from strings contest (this one adults participate in too), and one or two other things like a search and find on arrival breaks the ice nicely!


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Mostly, #1. We have an all ages party with 60 people. We have a bartender so the guests eat, drink and mingle all night long. I like to have very detailed rooms. For the kids I usually have a scavenger hunt involving the props in different rooms.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

I personally have done all 3...to start all our parties r heavily themed from decor, music to food and games. We've had parties with an overload of activities (carnival) and parties with less were we focus more on just hanging out (zombies)...in all I as a host prefer the more relaxed (as with lots of games and food prep it's often hard to steal time to enjoy your guests) however our guests still talk about the carnival...figures lol

I think it's best to just figure out what u can handle...though the games do help from having lulls in the party they do require a ton of added work.


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## carolinefox (Jun 26, 2016)

My pick will be the 3rd option, since I will love to enjoy game activities with my kids while being able to relax and have a good conversation with my friends at the party


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## Dratier (Aug 3, 2016)

We kind of mix all three.


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## CherryBrandy79 (Nov 20, 2013)

Our party is like #3...We don't allow kids under the age of 16 to come (16 with drivers license can drive their parents home if needed) We usually plan a couple of activities, have food and drinks and mingling, talking and just really a lot of fun.


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## Kenneth (Feb 14, 2014)

We always offer a nice mix for everyone. We have a set up for food where people can stand and eat/chat, a beverage station where they can do the same, the main living space is cleared for dancing, and then we usually have anywhere from 2-3 areas where people can go away from music and just relax. We typically only do a costume contest and that's it. This year, however, we are playing a game where clues will be scattered throughout the house that will lead to the name of a "ghost" that goes along with our story/theme. The person who guesses the ghost's entire name, first, middle, and last, wins what we are going to call a "gift casket" (our theme is gothic graveyard this year, hence the casket).


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## tarpleyg (Oct 28, 2014)

Geekella said:


> Every year we have a bonfire with creepy music and everyone dresses up...


I'd say you already have a winning formula. Add some activities and you'd be all set. I love outdoor parties, especially when it's chilly out and you can get a roaring blaze going.

We host an annual outdoor movie every year a couple weeks before Halloween. The kids sit and watch the movies and the adults converse, eat, and drink.


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

Gift casket - I love it, Kenneth!


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## Halloween Happy (Apr 26, 2016)

We have an annual halloween party most like #3. When we started off none of our friends had children, there are only a few that do but they have said they like to get away with heir partner and enjoy the evening! We have a mix of games, mingle, dancing, it's so much fun! We usually get any where from 40 to 50 people. We have a costume contest, we also love tempt your fate! As there are more children around, who knows it might just be child/adult party! From inviting people each year they have formed a bond so it's like seeing family for them! Which I am very happy about  I've gone to other parties and either type is fine with me just as long as it's halloween but like others have said depends on your group!


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