# Haunted Luau



## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

I have been struggling for a theme this year and last night my dear hubby came up with the idea for a haunted luau I am really excited about it I only hope my guest will be last yr was the first yr we didnt do a theme b/c my friends complained that it was to expensive to follow a specific theme well a luau is about as cheap of a theme as I can think of. So anyway I would love to hear any ideas for spooking up the decor for our luau and wonder if anyone else has done the haunted luau before


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## Peniwize the Clown (Sep 20, 2009)

Tiki's totems are fun to make, and are relatively easy out of chunks of foam. You can make 'em all creepy and stuff, after you drylok 'em, a little rough painting with brown, then watered down black. Put 'em everywhere. Add some straw all over. Maybe go crazy and make a thatched roof that you can roll up and store - but can be attached to the ceiling of one of your rooms. Add some LED flickering candle lights to some tiki torches, along with green and red regular bulbs for that much needed ambient light, and you should be straight.

As far as friends who complain about "themes" - what I have done (just recently) to circumvent that is to not "require" they come dressed in theme, but offer an award for best themed costume. So if we are doing a zombie theme, they get a best zombie. Next year - is carnival, so there will be a best Carnie Trophy (which would include sideshow attraction, clown, ringmaster, etc..)

We had two Indian Jones attendees one year. One of them spent just at $500 on all the pieces, authentic whip, movie replica gun, real fedora, authentic leather jacket, special ordered gas mask bag with custom leather strap, etc... the other bought a $40 "kit" and looked pretty good too. Luau is pretty open ended, but depending on where you are - Michigan in my case - it's too cold to pull that off in October on most years. We were thinking about doing a Haunted Luau in June / July as just a party some year.

Good luck with your party! Hope this helps.


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

Thanks so much those are some great ideas and we are in Alabama so its usually still fairly warm we always have our party outside around the pool some ppl even still swim at our haunts lol they are braver than I but these ideas are great thanks


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## Gnome (Mar 4, 2005)

silent_cries_go_unheard said:


> we always have our party outside around the pool some ppl even still swim at our haunts


see if you can find some spookie submersible color changing lights to but in the pool, looks spiffy at night.
Also toss some white flowers in the pool, the give off a voodoo vibe floating on top if the water, or maybe thats just me

makes some shrunken apple heads as party favors!

oh yeah decorate you bathroom and kitchen countertop (if you have a bar) with 
"voodoo bottles" and "potion bottles" like:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TcySxYpZoU8/Sp3PHpfb3kI/AAAAAAAACdM/seCqZYI3egA/s400/danni+spell+jar+1.jpg
&
http://www.facelessautumn.com/images/Props/VoodooSoulBottle02.jpg

and dont forget to hang a "dead" rubber chicken up somewhere ^.<

oh yeah, and seve zombies > http://www.drinksmixer.com/cat/3236/


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

I hadnt even thought of the voo doo aspect thats awesome I love it thankyou this is why I love this site when I am on total brain lock which is most days lately you guys pull thru Happy Haunting


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## peeweepinson (Aug 18, 2003)

If you do spooky shots or jello shots, like many members serve at their parties, I noticed today at my local Dollar Tree had those little shot glasses a bunch for a buck. They also had a bunch of luau items: blow up palm tree (something spooky in it or behind it), lais: all colors, all kind of stuff you could bloody up or make creepy. I think a Halloween Luau would be an awesome theme. I will search around and see if I see any ideas. This place has a ton of stuff for that kind of party, just got to scary it up a bit: http://www.shindigz.com/catalog.cfm?cat=14832. Read up on Hawian urban legends, ghosts, etc. and see what you can find that might spark something to add scary. Good luck!


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

thankyou peewee I will definately be checking out the dollar tree this week the first chance I get I am so excited I never would have put luau and halloween together b/c luau you think summer so i am interested to see how it goes over and thanks for the links and ideas


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## 22606 (Aug 11, 2008)

In addition to the other suggestions, skeletons with leis around their necks (and maybe coconuts bras on some) and, of course, tiki torches would be very fitting. KMart has some light-up tiki solar lights that could be ideal, too: http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_...keyword=friki+tiki&sLevel=0&prop17=friki tiki

Good luck with your party, silent_cries


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

Those are awesome thanks Garth I dont usully shop at kmart but I will be for these thanks


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## 22606 (Aug 11, 2008)

You're welcome


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

The hubby and I were going to do a Haunted Luau this summer....just an excuse to decorate and have people over. We started brain storming and both noticed that we were concentrating more on the voodoo aspect of things. So needless to say, our Luau is turning more into a "Zombie Island" kind of theme. 

I was thinking about decorating the inside of the house to look more like an abandoned plantation. Cob webs everywhere, sheets on the furniture. I have a few skeletons that could be hung outside. I had also thought about getting some fake vines from our local craft store and hanging them from one of the trees by the patio. I'd set up the cemetary in the back yard...which is what we do for Halloween...but I'd do a smaller more segragated version of it...fenced in. I also have some small jars hanging from another tree in the yard (left them up from this past Halloween) I'm going to hit the dollar store and see if I can get more. They are SO creepy and just cool looking with tea lights in them. 

Anyway, I hope some of that helps. I know we're kind of going in different directions...but let me know what else you come up with and vice versa. It seems like the two themes could intermingle a bit.


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## LilsheDevil (Aug 30, 2005)

Don't forget to look on oriental trading website, get grass skirts and put them on skeletons that have a drink in their hand(philanges)and on the cup maybe write something such as toxic waste...sure someone could come up with something in the lines of a luau,they roast pigs in luau's too...lol..if you could find some small bones and get some black flowers,you can make your own leis.


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Tiki torches for sure you can get them for a 1.00.Also whats any kinda theme without some skellys.You can deck them out in swim shorts/bathing suits and leis.


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

That sounds like a very fun theme! I have a pair of flamingos that are black with glow in the dark bones, i keep them out all year. 
The dollar tree has a little garland of skeletons, you could use those and hang one each on a lei....at least i hope they have those again this year!


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

Awesome ideas guys sorry took so long to get back to ya'll been working alot anyway Trinity I will keep ya updated on the ideas as they come and thanks for yours as well


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## NOWHINING (Jul 25, 2009)

keep in mind i did not yet read all the post. Just yours. Sorry to say my sister and I had that idea. It was funny. so ideas, do you have them big skeleton human sizes that you can get from Big Lots? well shark attack is one idea, put one in wig, binki sunglass, a girl verison of it and do one of a boy with or without a wig. dont forget the flower neckless things and flowers in the dead girl's hair.

we did this and pose them. we had this sun setting background which was a shower curtain, with tombstones and bugs and snakes around them.


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## Spookilicious mama (Feb 27, 2008)

*Bette Midler (SP) Use to do an annual Hula-ween party every Halloween. You might want to google her for some ideas on what she did. IT was a haunted Halloween Luau hence the name Hula-ween party Oriental Trading use to have a complete party package for this type of theme. With skeletons in hula skirts and the plates had skeletons all dressed up for a luau. Put lays on your props, grass skirts on your skellys, and your on your way Good luck*


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

Thankyou All For The Tips And Ideas Unfortunately My Party Planning Is Now On Hold Due To Medical Reasons So If I Am Not Active There Is A Reason For It ...I See A Surgeon Next Tuesday They Suspect I May Have Breast Cancer So I Have To Take Care Of That First


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## Blumpkin (Aug 5, 2009)

silent_cries_go_unheard said:


> Thankyou All For The Tips And Ideas Unfortunately My Party Planning Is Now On Hold Due To Medical Reasons So If I Am Not Active There Is A Reason For It ...I See A Surgeon Next Tuesday They Suspect I May Have Breast Cancer So I Have To Take Care Of That First


Sorry to hear that.


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## HeatherEve1234 (Sep 5, 2008)

I think of Lord of the Flies/Lost - feral devil children, heads on pikes, scary native cannabilistic tribes, volcanoes, etc


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## BooBoo (Jun 14, 2010)

How about a Volcano, build foam rocks up around the pool. Red, Yellow, lights. A fountian from a garden shop. If you have a slide build a face ( with more lights behind ) with the slide coming out the mouth & let the Sacrifices begin.


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## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

*silent_cries_go_unheard* I hope you're OK. 

When you're back in party planning mode, I recommend visiting Party City. Several have had quite a lot of luau-themed props and accessories, some on clearance (particularly the locations that used to be Factory card & Party Putlet).


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## Spooky Chef (Aug 14, 2008)

silent_cries_go_unheard said:


> Thankyou All For The Tips And Ideas Unfortunately My Party Planning Is Now On Hold Due To Medical Reasons So If I Am Not Active There Is A Reason For It ...I See A Surgeon Next Tuesday They Suspect I May Have Breast Cancer So I Have To Take Care Of That First


So sorry to hear that, I will be sending positive thoughs your way.


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

So sorry to hear! Definitely keeping you in my thoughts and prayers! Let us know how you're doing when you can.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

You also might want to consider using those tubes used for pouring concrete pillars and creating tiki poles out of them. Here's a link to some sold at Home Depot in case you're not familiar with them: http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...+tube&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I haven't done any projects with these yet but am pretty sure you could cut out holes in them (probably with a jig saw) to create the eyes and mouth areas. Run lighting inside. As for the design on the outside I wonder if you couldn't attach rope caulk or something like that to shape the mouth and eye areas, etc. Either that or maybe glue on areas cut out in blue or pink foam and then cover all with a latex paint primer and then paint brown for a wood look.

I know a number of people on the forum have used tubes for various halloween projects and could help out with suggestions on using them.


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## ChrisW (Sep 19, 2006)

Silent Cries... - You'll be in my prayers that it's a false alarm.
Our friend's wife went through it, and I'm happy to say she's been cancer free for over a year now - actually, sitting here I can think of quite a few survivors we know - Have faith, be strong.

When you decide to start planning your party again, check myths and legends of Hawaiian culture. You'll find a wealth on information to use for your Luau.
Here's a start
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_in_Polynesian_culture


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Prayers for you.


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## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

Continued best wishes, *silent_cries*.

Two words: carved pineapples.


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

I Want To Thank Everyone For The Thoughts And Prayers I Am So Happy To Report I Am Cancer Free I Am Sorry It Took So Long To Update But My Father-In-Law Got Sick Right After I Got My Results So My Time Went To Caring For Him He's Getting Better SO I Am Back To Party Planning Mode So Bring On The Ideas And Thanks For The Ones Already Given Happy Haunting


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## Spooky Chef (Aug 14, 2008)

That's great news!! Glad you are back and cancer free


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## silent_cries_go_unheard (Sep 2, 2004)

Thankyou so much Scarebear its great to be back


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

So thankful for you!


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

I am so happy to hear that you are cancer free!!! I've been thinking about you! Great to have you back and am looking forward to hearing about your party planning. 

The hubby and I had planned on doing a summer haunted Luau...but time got away from us and we just couldn't swing it. We'll be planning our anual party though for Oct.


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