# What will your 2012 party theme be?



## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Between the great party, new props that exceeded expectations and a record-breaking number of trick-or-treaters, Halloween 2011 was magical . I've enjoyed the last few days with the house back to normal and I'm looking forward to Christmas, however, I can't help but start to imagine what Halloween 2012 will look like! I've already decided that my 2012 party theme will be Nightmare Before Christmas, and it will be a combined celebration with my 30th birthday party. I'm sure many of you have already thought about your next theme, if not chosen it already! So, what will your 2012 party theme be?


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

I don't know if we'll have a party next year or not. We haven't really thought about that. But I've definitely given the theme of my decor some thought. And I think I want to go with a more simple vintage look next year. I'd also like to play around with lighting outside for our cemetary. Instead of doing a lot of string lights...maybe play around with different colored spot lights. We'll see though....I'll change my mind a million times no doubt 

Celebrating your 30th b-day with Halloween next year sounds like an awesome idea!!!  And I love your theme! One of my favorite movies EVA!!!


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

Hi Halloween Scream!

Came accross this at partycity.com about the same time I was looking at this thread! 
http://www.partycity.com/product/ni...?sortby=ourPicks&pp=60&size=all&navSet=178462


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

My theme next year will be Zombies! 

Its really hard for me to picture my decor though... I don't think I will be living where I currently do so I have no idea what the house that we will hopefully be renting will look like... its frustrating!


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Stochey said:


> Hi Halloween Scream!
> 
> Came accross this at partycity.com about the same time I was looking at this thread!
> http://www.partycity.com/product/ni...?sortby=ourPicks&pp=60&size=all&navSet=178462


Thank you!! I love it and might order today!


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Trinity1 said:


> I don't know if we'll have a party next year or not. We haven't really thought about that. But I've definitely given the theme of my decor some thought. And I think I want to go with a more simple vintage look next year. I'd also like to play around with lighting outside for our cemetary. Instead of doing a lot of string lights...maybe play around with different colored spot lights. We'll see though....I'll change my mind a million times no doubt


I love the vintage idea! And I can definitely say that our yard stepped up several levels when we ditched the string lights (not that there's anything wrong with them, my mom has about 20 sets she puts out and they look great) and went with colored spots. Here's a quick picture:








Keep us posted with what you decide!


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## natascha (Jul 21, 2004)

Not sure how next year will go, I can tell you if we do it ( I know we will decide to closer to the time) it will be smaller. the Theme will be - It's the End of the World as We Know It - That will also fit with changing the whole halloween party around!


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

Halloween Scream said:


> I love the vintage idea! And I can definitely say that our yard stepped up several levels when we ditched the string lights (not that there's anything wrong with them, my mom has about 20 sets she puts out and they look great) and went with colored spots. Here's a quick picture:
> View attachment 103327
> 
> 
> Keep us posted with what you decide!


See...that's what I'm talking about!! That looks fantastic and definitely how I was picturing the lighting.  Plus...it'll be much easier to pack up and put away. Pulling down a plethora of string lights can be a daunting task to say the least 

Natascha: love your idea for your theme. Can't wait to see how it progresses!


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Halloween Scream said:


> I love the vintage idea! And I can definitely say that our yard stepped up several levels when we ditched the string lights (not that there's anything wrong with them, my mom has about 20 sets she puts out and they look great) and went with colored spots. Here's a quick picture:
> View attachment 103327
> 
> 
> Keep us posted with what you decide!


Love the shadows!!!


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

I am thinking pirates for my party theme.
haunted mansion for my yard theme.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Stochey said:


> My theme next year will be Zombies! Its really hard for me to picture my decor though... I don't think I will be living where I currently do so I have no idea what the house that we will hopefully be renting will look like... its frustrating!


That is very difficult when you can't picture your space exactly! Maybe start planning things that you know you'll have no matter what, like how you want your tabletop/decor to look. I love zombies - should be a great theme!


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## 13ghosts (Aug 16, 2008)

Hahaha  My next theme too! 
This year's was Movie Monsters, my hubby's idea. I had planned on only having parties every other year, and all of the work that went into movie monsters reminded me of exactly why I wanted every other year parties!! My halloween hating, video game loving son asked if I could please do something cool next time for halloween like zombies. I've already started to have a million different ideas for decorations and invites. 
Its going to be hard to wait 2 years to have this party, but I need a year off, I really love decorating, and throwing the party, but I miss having time to take my little girl out halloween shopping, taking the kids to the pumpkin patch, and carving pumpkins......


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## Zoemorgan2 (Aug 4, 2011)

Well… I was going to skip next year but I don’t want to disappoint anyone. This year’s party was a blast!  I ended up with only 40 people (out of 80 invited) for my Carnival of Horrors Murder Mystery party. People are still talking about it.  I will post pics soon, waiting for others’ photos. Next year I’m getting a photographer- LOL.

Next year my theme will be “Slashback to the 80’s” and no murder mystery. My décor will all be focused around Slasher films and everyone will need to be a character (TV, movie, music, and politician) from the eighties. I already have Jason and Ghostface and I bought costumes and masks for Freddie, Leatherface, Chuckie and Michael Meyers. I have dummies I’ll just dress up. I’m also going to have slasher movies projected on the wall. I’ll be setting up a dance floor and getting a DJ- this is a must! Contemplating playing a version of Tempt Your Fate and I could just dole out the responsibilities of it to the DJ and bartender. I have many people on the lookout for 80’s themed toys and novelties (My Mom is the garage sale queen). I’ve already started creating slasher movie posters using http://www.blockposters.com/ . I figure if I start now, it’ll be a lot easier for next year.


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## rockplayson (Jun 7, 2008)

I'm really loving all the themes you guys have/had for your partys. For this upcoming halloween party I'm going with a game board theme. 
I'm going to go as the patient from the classic operation game but I'll be a zombie and have things like rat poison,slit wrist,acid,razor blades,black widow spiders. I'll probably make the costume out of felt.


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

I was so excited to see this post, because I'm also thinking about next years party...but wondering how you switch things totally up when you have so much $$ invested in the props you have. This year was my 6th party, and each year we added a few things, mostly my decor is spiders, skeletons, more gorey looking stuff, nothing cutesy...so how could I switch it up from a River Road Mortuary theme to something different with the stuff I have? I feel stuck!


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

marigolddesigns said:


> I was so excited to see this post, because I'm also thinking about next years party...but wondering how you switch things totally up when you have so much $$ invested in the props you have. This year was my 6th party, and each year we added a few things, mostly my decor is spiders, skeletons, more gorey looking stuff, nothing cutesy...so how could I switch it up from a River Road Mortuary theme to something different with the stuff I have? I feel stuck!


Great question! I know some people have the budget, time and creativity to do a completely new party theme every year, from scratch (I saw pictures from an egyptian-themed party on this forum that blew me away). Budget being my biggest restriction, I've come up with the following plan:
-Each room of my house is a different theme, and these themes stay the same year after year. For example, "Hell's Kitchen" (devil-inspired kitchen), haunted living room, Dia Del Los Muertos office, etc. I'll add a little to them each year so guest have something new to look at, like this year I bought the tall snake candelabra for the haunted living room.
-The exception is my vaulted entryway and connecting d dining room. I'll decorated this space a little differently every year to match the party theme. I've only had three parties so far, so I decorated this space with "classic Halloween" items (see picture). For next year's Nightmare Before Christmas-themed party, I plan on putting a giant vinyl decal of spiral hill on the dining room wall and hanging Christmas decorations in orange, silver and black. 

By doing this, I can use the majority of my props/decorations year after year but still have room for a new theme. I suggest just changing up one room in your house each year. Other ways to incorporate a new theme might be your invitations, names for your food, table decorations, subtle lighting changes (green lights for a swamp/bayou theme, red lights for a vampire/devil theme). I'm sure all of the creative people here have other ways to incorporate their theme without breaking the bank!


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## Stochey (Sep 22, 2009)

One thing I do to kind of change things up but still use old props is to sort of reuse themes in smaller ways. 

For example, 
A couple of years ago I did a spider theme, I bought a $40 big spider and a $30 hanging web guy plus lots of smaller tarantulas and stuff. I also had lots of body parts that I wrapped in the web. This year I did a vampire theme but I did my entry way in spiders. I used the big spider above the front door with web everywhere and the hanging web guy nearby. The body parts that I had wrapped up in the web two years before, I put in my bathroom this year hanging with fishing line... with a red light and bloody gel stuff on the mirrors... as kind of a vampire meat storage room thing... 

That works for me at least!


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

I agree with Stochey, you try to take your current props and think of ways to change them up for your current theme. I try to stick with the staples - skeletons, spiders, rats, etc... you can usually reuse them with any theme. Last year, I had a spider's lair in the bathroom so this year (a witch's theme) the spider became the witch's pet. Next year, I'll be doing a Scary Tales party so I came up with the premise that all the fairy tale creatures live in a charmed cottage that an evil witch has put a hex on. This way I'll be able to reuse my witch display and still have it fit in with the theme. And you can always put a costume on a skeleton for an easy theme change.

Another way to change a theme cheaply is with material. Buy lace curtains and tablecloths at yard sales, the black or gray creepy cloth from Dollar Tree, and cheese cloth in bulk, which you can tea stain or dye green. You may not use all of it every year but it will alter the look of your place easily; last year I used a lot of lace and covered the furniture with sheets. This year, I used black creepy cloth everywhere, a totally different look.

Buy black picture frames at thrift shops and for each theme you can replace the prints with pictures from online. For a one year prop, try to use cheap materials. For a Voodoo on the Bayou party, I made a 3 foot Mardi Gras mask out of a foam core board, a little paint, a little glitter and I had a disposable prop that had big impact.

For serving pieces, platters, bowls, etc... I buy everything in black, this way I know I can use it every year. For the witches party, I went with a purple/green/black color theme but next year I'll use orange/white/black. I'll just have to change out the flowers, candles, ribbons, add some orange accents and I can cheaply change the look of the table.


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## Mz Skull (Nov 18, 2005)

My theme next yr. is a Zombie Baby Benefit with 2 non perishable food items as entry fee....then I'll donate them to the local food bank. Going to pick up babies @ yard sales and bloody them up. Have them in a playpen and sitting in a highchair and maybe behind some bars for the least "tamed" ones...hee hee Have my wording done for the invite but not sure how I'm going to present it yet.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

rockplayson said:


> For this upcoming halloween party I'm going with a game board theme.
> I'm going to go as the patient from the classic operation game but I'll be a zombie and have things like rat poison,slit wrist,acid,razor blades,black widow spiders. I'll probably make the costume out of felt.


Very creative! It's a theme that gives people a wide variety of options for costumes - they could be a piece from the game, like the mouse from Mousetrap, or a character, like "Colonel Mustard" from clue. If you go as the Operation Man, you have to come up with a way to "buzz" if people try to touch you!


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## Daytonagp4 (Sep 19, 2011)

> I was so excited to see this post, because I'm also thinking about next years party...but wondering how you switch things totally up when you have so much $$ invested in the props you have. This year was my 6th party, and each year we added a few things, mostly my decor is spiders, skeletons, more gorey looking stuff, nothing cutesy...so how could I switch it up from a River Road Mortuary theme to something different with the stuff I have? I feel stuck!


TRADE!!!! i would love to get rid of some of my stuff to change it up a little! I don't have any zombies at all and my theme next year is zombies. So i would love yo trade some of my stuff for other things.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

Trading is a fantastic idea. I wish we could all get together for a giant Halloween swap meet. One potential problem - most Halloween enthusiasts (myself included) are borderline hoarders! Most of us think "hmmm, I'm not using this prop this year but what if I do ______ theme in the future?" I think it would ver very difficult for everyone to let go!


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

Well there I was, just innocently changing around the drapes in my house, when The Thought popped into my head: "These drapes would be perfect for an EDWARD GOREY-themed Halloween party. I was perusing around the interwebs for costume ideas, and I realllllly love this - LOVE the urn hat!


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## BlueFrog (Oct 20, 2009)

BadTableManor said:


> The Thought popped into my head: "These drapes would be perfect for an EDWARD GOREY-themed Halloween party. I was perusing around the interwebs for costume ideas, and I realllllly love this - LOVE the urn hat!
> View attachment 106569


Where is the "Love" icon?! The idea is killer, and those costumes are all kinds of fantastic.


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## talkingcatblues (Jan 30, 2009)

Will you have a curious sofa upholstered in scarlet velvet with nine legs and seven arms (in a windowless room lined with polar bear fur and otherwise empty)?


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## Ecula (Oct 21, 2007)

My theme this year is plague


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

It's hard to change themes. I want to do a voodoo/vampire/masquerade theme using what I already have. But I will also use some really cheap ideas from other forum members like staining mason jars, dropping a candle inside and using them as path markers. I think I'll redress my witch with the cauldron in a voodoo priestess costume. I have lotsof skulls already and I can make new potion bottles with voodoo labels. My expense is going to be one of those huge realistic alligators, camo netting and cat tails for a swampy feel. Oh and some shrunkens heads. The swampy voodoo theme will be my outdoor haunt, but once inside it will be Gothic vampire with a hint of New Orleans. Not sure how to do that part yet.


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

LOL, now you're talkin', talkingcatblues!
I know for sure I'll have the little girl falling (looks more like 'floating') down the stairs, and lots of urns. Also, since my daughter's a ballet dancer, gotta have Gorey's ballerina; Dracula; crawling ivy; and perhaps even cardboard tombstones on the backs of chairs with guests' epitaphs on them, kinda like this:


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## talkingcatblues (Jan 30, 2009)

That is going to be a kick-arse party for sure. I used to love the "Mystery" intros with the Gorey drawings - didn't necessarily watch the show, but we always stopped to watch the beginning.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

We are doing Scary Tales...can't wait to get started. Luckily most of my props can b used again this year...starting with the apothecary hutch and potion bottles in the kitchen we will decorate the kitchen similar to last year but adding a cooking pot with Hansel and Gretel and add moss and stuff to the room(I'm not much for the candy covered kitchen idea) then the livingroom will b covered with spiders and webs with Lil Miss Muffet covered with bites and blood. The foyer will b Snow White themed and the yard and porch will b Alice in wonderland with large flowers dripping with blood and a dismembered White Rabbit. Along with a riddle/search scavenger hunt and a "drink me" game...


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## ELH(Erin Loves Halloween) (Nov 5, 2008)

We are doing a 1980s prom, but a 1980s ZOMBIE Prom. I already have the invites.Yes I know I am crazy it is only January but my party was cancelled last year due to a family surgery. So now that things are getting better I am so excited I cant stand it! YAAAAAAAAA Hallloween


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## Ecula (Oct 21, 2007)

I told my theme plague to the quests already and they are
all very excited. So I am happy. Am already sketching the life
size plague doctor prop in my head. And my friends their costumes.


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## marigolddesigns (Sep 5, 2010)

Thanks everyone for some ideas! We had a very good friend pass away this past October of ALS at 51. This year I would love to have my party also be a benefit in his memory....2 years ago he came to our party as Superman (in his wheelchair with his trach.)...I have a great picture of him, and I also bought a superman costume at the end of the year to try to use somewhere?? His name was "Marc" know as Mr. Re-Marc-able. Anyone have any ideas for an invite?


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## ThAnswr (Dec 17, 2008)

In honor of the end of the world, I'm thinking of a "Happy No Year" celebration at the "Disco Apocalypse". It's just an idea.


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## ssflipo13 (Nov 8, 2008)

Zombies, monster and witches o my! I cant decide.


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## ThAnswr (Dec 17, 2008)

ELH(Erin Loves Halloween) said:


> We are doing a 1980s prom, but a 1980s ZOMBIE Prom. I already have the invites.Yes I know I am crazy it is only January but my party was cancelled last year due to a family surgery. So now that things are getting better I am so excited I cant stand it! YAAAAAAAAA Hallloween


I know what you mean. My husband passed away 2 months before the 2011 party we had planned for. It was a zombie theme. The invitations had a photo of our family on the front with the heading: Have you seen these people? They may be zombies in disguise".

The invitations were sent out. My daughter and I tried to go on, but we did cancel our party. It is so heartwarming how many of our friends and family have kept those invitations as momentos and remembrances. 

I'm already planning for this year's party. It will be poignant, but my husband loved our annual parties. 

Enough of my tale of woe. Life goes on.


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## walk7856 (Mar 21, 2011)

So sorry to hear of your loss ThAnswr.  I hope this year's party will be a celebration of your husband and your passion for Halloween, rather than time of mourning... 

The plan as of now is a SAW party... idea is for the party to take place in Jigsaw's "workshop" with all the torture traps on display, almost like art work throughout the party venue. I already have round cocktail tables and was thinking of dressing them with white tableclothes and painting the signature red spiral from the billy puppet on the top of the tables. Also wanting to do some type of blackout at a certain point in the party and have a Jigsaw tape play... might mention a few friend's names in the tape. But... I have no experience with video splicing or editing! Yikes!


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## ThAnswr (Dec 17, 2008)

Thank you. Some of the best photos of my husband were taken at our Halloween parties. We have one picture of him in his "Jason" hockey mask sitting at the kitchen table.

Life goes on and a "Happy No Year" party is starting to take root.


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## stormygirl84 (Sep 4, 2009)

BadTableManor said:


> View attachment 107150


BAAAAW! THE GASHLYCRUMB TINIES!!! I'm so thrilled I'm not the only one who remembers this!!


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## beautifulnightmare (Oct 31, 2010)

I have so enjoyed this thread. Loving everyone's ideas. Makes me so want to have a party but I really don't know enough people here. I travel back home to go to my best friends' party every year. It's the highlight of my year!


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## ldyaleena (Sep 18, 2008)

Playing off of the Mayan calendar, our theme will be the obvious.... The end of the world! How many Apocalypses can you think of? So far we have zombie, alien, nuclear war.....


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## victoriamische (Mar 8, 2012)

i still have to figure out what would be the best theme in our halloween party. I will still looking and searching 5 days before so I can still manage the entire set.

_____________
Looking for Satin Chair Covers - visit http://www.yourchaircovers.com/ co'z this is the best place to shop for all your event needs.


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## LadySherry (Oct 4, 2011)

My theme this year is Carnival gone wrong.....very wrong. I will have lots of clowns.
I reuse alot of my props sometimes its just a change of clothes or mask. Paper mache is my new friend.
idyaleena-----how about volcano eruption....lava covered bodies.


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## Shadowbat (Sep 27, 2009)

We always have a general Halloween theme going on. However this year I am completely stuck in a rut. Im not 100% sure Im even having a party this year.


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## broevil (Jun 23, 2011)

I think we're going to do a Voodoo/Swamp theme this year. I'm pretty excited to try it out. We've never done an actual theme, just general Halloween.


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## rosella_au (Sep 23, 2010)

We had never gone for a theme before last year, and even then, it wasn't as cohesive as what many of yours are. That being said, last year we did the classic sort of haunted abanded mansion, with lots of creepy pictures and silverware and serving trays, with our random Halloween decor mixed in.
We enjoyed having a central theme much better than just random decor we are doing a Witches house this year. Going to have lots of potion bottles and spell books around, brooms, couldrons, black cats, greenery garlands mixed w cob webs and hang from curtain rods. Instead of our regular graveyard in the front, we're going to have some witches around a big couldron with expanding foam coals. 
Any other ideas for decor would be helpful ?


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

Most likely, I'll be house sitting at a place that I am not permitted to throw a party. If I can do a party, it will have to be all about the ambiance and vibe of the group this year. Seeing as the 29th is the full moon and it's a monday which is when I'm off from work, was thinking of throwing a full moon fever party and creating some type of glowing giant moon decoration and having an area in the yard where people can feel weightless on the moon by piling sand on a trampoline and then taking their pictures of them in their costumes in mid bounce in the dark of night. The food will be space themed easy stuff like astronaut ice cream and alien cakes and things of the outer reaches of the universe. The great mystery of space party. I'll put up some glow stars and paint murals of spiral galaxies and have people dress up as what they think other species in other realms might look like. I find my parties do best if I give people a theme that's easy for them to want to dress up with. Maybe play the movie Signs in the background and put out glasses of water like that little girl and then have alien people in the house come out of closets while the movie is on and scare people. I'd like to have people bring a pumpkin with crop circle carvings and we'll put them all together and light them up all nestled together inside the house as we watch the alien lights invade us on the screen. Instead of costume contest, best pumpkin carver contest. The winner has a star named after them in space and gets info on locating it in the night sky.


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## msmaranda (Sep 17, 2011)

My Daughter and i are planning a movie premier birthday complete with a movie projector in june. So we were thinking with the homemade ticket booth and her name in lights and the walk of fame already being built we don't want to make much more. Therefore we will just make it spooky for the halloween party. We will play hocus pocus and halloweentown on the projector and have spooky food at the snack bar. Going to price buying a popcorn machine for both parties. Lots of ideas with more and more coming everyday.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

So many great new party themes! 

@broevil - swamp/voodoo themes are one of my favorites! I can't wait to do that one year.
@rosella_au - try searching the posts for "witches party" or "witches tea party" or something similar. I know there are entire threads dedicated to witch-themed parties.


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## Wolfbeard (Sep 22, 2008)

We're joining the crowd that is doing an end of the world theme. Ours will be called:

*The 15th and FINAL* Annual Boo Bash*
*Well, final only if the Mayans have it right, otherwise. we'll be back again next year..

Eric


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

msmaranda, I can totally see you doing some kind of Dead Hollywood Star theme.

Everone's parties sound great.

Sorry to hear you might not have a party Shadowbat. Hopefully you will get out of your rut...


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## GGirl (Feb 18, 2012)

Is it too odd to have a Vampire theme, but be a Zombie?


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## GGirl (Feb 18, 2012)

I was thinking voodoo too, but am having a hard time picturing the look. I can't stop obsessing about what I'm going to do. You know how each year's party has to rock the one before? I love it, but it also stresses me. I Didn't even think of swamp. Do tell. Making all kinds of voodoo dolls and potions would be easy, but then I'm stuck.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

GGirl said:


> Is it too odd to have a Vampire theme, but be a Zombie?


Hmmm, tough one. I plan on dressing to match the theme some years (for example, I will be Sally for this year's NBC theme), but there are definitely future costumes I have in mind that will not go with a theme (like a 40s pin-up girl, which is not Halloween related). I think it might be a little strange to have a classic Halloween theme for your party and then dress in a different classic theme, but maybe that's just me.


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## GGirl (Feb 18, 2012)

No, I think you're right, at least with these two ideas. I love witch and voodoo stuff so maybe I can combine them. Thanks too for your advice on using your stuff each year. I have a room full, but it's certainly all over the place and not centered around one thing. Mostly skeletons and skulls I guess.


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## mcajq (Oct 23, 2010)

I am going crazy trying to decide on this year's theme. I'd love to create a lagoon in the yard with an alligator and maybe half a skeleton sticking up out of the water as though he had drowned or was attacked by a creature. I'm thinking dead moss hanging from the trees and things like that. I'm just having a hard time figuring out how to carry the swamp theme inside. I love the voodoo idea but I'm still at a loss. I also wanted to do a mid party blackout but not sure how to tie that in either. I swear, I think of this stuff everyday and don't get around to actually making things happen until the month before and then I have to rush. It isn't for lack of obsessing about it though. LOL!


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## badgirl (May 4, 2008)

We did a Boo-Orleans theme two years ago and it was a blast. Food and drinks were super easy, and just a couple of changes in decor set the mood. We had some party goers run away with the vampire and voodoo theme and others put their own spin on things with swamp people, New Orleans Saints & Sinners, a giant crawfish, and even Emeril showed up 
I think I have some pics in my profile.


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## badgirl (May 4, 2008)

We've kind of settled on this theme too----we were going to go in another direction, but how could we pass up the End of the World opportunity? (you know, just in case they're right)


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## badgirl (May 4, 2008)

We did Heroes and Villains this year and it was a big hit---the costumes were amazing. I will have to post some pics


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

I did a Voodoo on the Bayou theme a couple of years ago - what a fun theme! I incorporated these themes into our party:

Mardi Gras - (front of the house) There were two dancing skeletons, one had a feather boa, mask and beads, the other had a top hat, cape and another skelly was playing a saxophone. I made a three foot mask out of foam core, hung beads from the bushes and staked a lot of Mardi Gras masks on the lawn. I hot glued them to plant stakes and the day of the party taped a glow stick to the stake, it made it look like the masks were floating. There was also a life size figure, dressed as a _Mardi Ghoul_, in the cemetery, a headless jester, and Mardi Gras music was playing as the guests walked up to the door.

Mambo's (Voodoo Queen) House - (inside) I kind of went with a 19th century, Marie Laveau look. Lots of tea stained lace, a voodoo altar, cabinet of curiosities, voodoo dolls, and a table set up with ingredients to make _gris gris_ bags for the guests to take as favors. I hung pictures of _veves_ (symbols of voodoo saints). I placed some pictures of Marie Laveau and Baron Samedi around too. 

In the kitchen I had jars with names like - Five Finger Grass, Goofer Dust, Devil's Shoestring, etc, you can find a lot of names online by looking at sites of voodoo shops. I also set up jars from the swamp - lizard gizzards, egret quills, possum tails.... Specimen jars with grow-in-water animals: shark, alligator, turtle, starfish, and snake. I had a chicken sacrifice - a rubber chicken tied by the feet and under it a lot of bloody feathers.

Bayou/Swamp - (patio and pool) I dyed a bunch of cheese cloth dark green and bought 10 lbs of Spanish moss on ebay, I had it everywhere, fake vines wrapped around chairs, poles, tables etc. Lots of roaches, bugs, insects, lizards, frogs, snakes, .... I had a man-eating plant and some eyeball plants too. The pool was dyed red for the Bloody Bayou, with a skelly floating on an alligator. I had a "Crazy Cajun" in overalls grilling body parts in one corner. I strung a clothes line by him and hung up nasty stained underwear and dirty socks. I also drew a circle on the ground and put chicken bones in it for "throwing the bones". 

Baths - I have 2 bathrooms, one was a swamp monster bath with a monster that pops out of the toilet and the other was a spider's den. Cobwebs, egg sacs, bloody spider victim,, a large spider with light up eyes, a drop down spider, three big hairy spiders and 144 small spiders. Yup, I used the whole bag - poster puttyed them to the wall. I unscrewed the lights and put in a strobe with a red filter. It gave the effect that all those spiders were moving. I had teenage boys at the party who wouldn't use that bath. lol

Food - we had muffaletta subs, creole meatballs, cajun crab dip, alligator eggs (deviled eggs dyed green), etc. I served a green non-alcoholic _Swamp Punch_ and a red alcoholic _Hurricane Punch_. 

Costumes - I was dressed as the Mambo queen, my husband was the Houngan (voodoo priest) and our teenage daughter was the Mardi Gras princess. 

I hope this gives you some ideas you can use.


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## ThAnswr (Dec 17, 2008)

I think I'm going with the "End of the World" theme. I'm thinking of a "Happy No Year" party. It would be a New Years Eve party with a Halloween twist.


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## ragtopwife (Sep 18, 2009)

We have done mortuary, voodoo, and last year zombie survival parties. 

For those doing voodoo, I found cheesecloth at fabric store, waited until it went on sale at 21 cents a yard and bought 100 yards. tea stained it and then stained grey and green with waterd down acrylic paints and hung loosely to cover ceiling of kitchen/ living room. Left ragged ends hanging down and tore ragged holes here and there. Was great "wow" ambiance. Was able to reuse next year for zombie party. Still have tons left . Also look at party city at end of summer and can usually find grass/palm table skirting etc on clearance.

This year we have decided on a Wild West theme. Working to make it not "cutesy" ya know? Transforming house into saloon. Started taking pics of friends so can photoshop into wanted posters to hang around. Like to do shooting gallery in back yard. Lol nothing like giving inebriated guests water guns!


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## Ghostly Duo (Aug 6, 2007)

this year is the mass HP theme. We waited for all the movies to be out for those that didn't read the books. We've been waiting for this for a long time. Just finishing the basement as well ready for it all!!! eekk!!! So excited!! we do themes one year on one year off so as to let guests be crazy in between...lol.


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## Wifeofrankie (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi, this year we are doing a Sleepy Hollow theme. Its only our second year having a party & we did this theme last year but we just bought our house & didn't have much. So I think this year we will make it look the way I imagine it with all of the little details. But like last year there will be a bridge to walk through, graveyard, a hay ride, & a paintball shooting range (nothing to do with the theme, just fun but the targets relate to it.) Now I want more jump out & scare you stuff & more details in the house. I want it to look like you are stepping back in time when walk into the house.


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## VintageGreenZombieGirl (Apr 18, 2012)

We're doing a Rocky Horror/haunted mansion kinda theme.  I want the house to look a lot like Frankenfurter's castle, with all of the creepy touches including tons of cobwebs, drippy "candles", & a "haunted" suit of armour if I can figure that one out...lol


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## obcessedwithit (Jul 13, 2009)

I think............ I am going with the Fortune teller\gyspy/spirtual theme. One of my faithful halloween helpers is learning tarot card reading. So I am thinking of invites of a card that you bring to the party for a free reading and drop in the crystal ball for the door prize drawings. And of course have an awesome set up for the reading room with some surprises. If anyone has done this please feel free to pass on your ideas to me....thanks


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## mcajq (Oct 23, 2010)

Tannasgach said:


> I did a Voodoo on the Bayou theme a couple of years ago - what a fun theme! I incorporated these themes into our party:
> 
> Mardi Gras - (front of the house) There were two dancing skeletons, one had a feather boa, mask and beads, the other had a top hat, cape and another skelly was playing a saxophone. I made a three foot mask out of foam core, hung beads from the bushes and staked a lot of Mardi Gras masks on the lawn. I hot glued them to plant stakes and the day of the party taped a glow stick to the stake, it made it look like the masks were floating. There was also a life size figure, dressed as a _Mardi Ghoul_, in the cemetery, a headless jester, and Mardi Gras music was playing as the guests walked up to the door.
> 
> ...


ALL of those ideas sound really great, especially the tip to look for Spanish moss on ebay in large quantities! Thank you Tannasqach!


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

You're very welcome!  Sorry for such a long post but I had so much fun with that theme, I just wanted to put out some ideas for inspiration.

If you want your Spanish moss fresh, I would try to reserve it in advance and have it shipped the week of your party. I ordered mine a month in advance and the greenish/gray moss all dried by the time of our party. Which was fine - that stuff goes a long way - but it was so beautiful when it first arrived fresh. I don't remember who I ordered mine from but I did find this seller on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-lbs-SPAN...973?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb261847d


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## mcajq (Oct 23, 2010)

So very cool! Thanks! Here's a pic of the costume I'd like to make this year








However, he looks REALLY time intensive, so let's just call him a pipe dream for now. LOL! Super cool though, right?!


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

Wow!! Whadda you call that thing - "the root of all evil"?  I have to agree, that is super cool!


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## yummum29 (Oct 22, 2008)

This will be our first year of not using any of our previous props! All new this year! We are also not going really Halloween nor scary! We are doing an 80's theme! Not zombie prom 80's (which I love, btw!!) Just 80's.. Haven't started planning too much and I need to start. Thinking of doing a montage of 80's tv and movies for the invite (someone did something similar a few yrs ago on here, that gave me the idea  ) I would like to do 80's food and drinks - like Rockaberry Coolers, Strawberry Angel Wine, etc.. And for food - go "old stuff" like surprise spread, etc. I would LOVE ideas! Mostly savory, no one seems to go for the sweet stuff here. I would love to find a Simon game and some Rubiks cubes if I could find them cheap.. - Simon games seem to go for over $50. I usually do a Trivia game , so if anyone has some good ideas, I'm all ears! Questions about tv, movies, current events, etc. I have already bought a ton of 80's candy (fizz's, bottle caps, lik'n'sticks, hubba bubba, etc..) for some prizes. I also picked up some 80's movies (Ferris Bueler, Porky's, Nightmare on Elm, etc) to put in the prize baskets. I am thinking of telling everyone to come as they were in the 80's.. We will have some great stuff because most of my friends were teens in the 80's and still have stuff. Some will be coming in baby clothes, lol. Some will be coming pregnant, in cap and gown, etc.. But I would love anything you got!!


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## Mojo_majik (Oct 12, 2010)

_Mine this year is going to be the first time i've had really a theme, rather then just Halloween. Im doing Alice in Wonderland, but im taking my inspiration from the game Alice the madness returns.
_


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

So we originally were thinking that we wouldn't have a party this year. But I have mentioned before that I have had quite a few random requests for one. It's definitely got me thinking and I have come up with some great ideas that I'm dieing to implement. IF we have a party this year we're thinking of going with a haunted plantation theme. Ghostly and creepy. 

Some of the ideas I had were trying my hand at the whole plaster coming off the walls illusion. Floating candles above the dining room table...chicken wire ghosts in the cemetary. Working with lighting, which I've mentioned...moss hanging from the trees. We'll see what happens. But I am definitely feeling inspired!!!


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

My most favoritest theme was the year we did "N'Awlins Voodoo". The Spanish moss, the giant voodoo doll, the whole "haunted plantation" vibe of it all, it just makes my toes curl. 
Be sure to keep us posted; I'm excited for you!


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## Mizerella (Aug 6, 2009)

That Edward Gorey theme warms my cold blood.
My grandmother (his contemporary) was an avid fan from his beginnings and passed that love down like a family heirloom. I have so many wonderful collectors items that I will never part with.


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

Ouuu, Gorey goodies; I'd love to see pictures of those!


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## Mizerella (Aug 6, 2009)

@BadTableManor I'll post some in my album when I get a chance. I have some signed original prints.


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## AthenaHM (Oct 27, 2011)

I really like the voodoo plantation idea, that is cool! We are going to do a Victorian Haunted Mansion, and my husband and I are both dressing to the nines. I am really excited for this one.


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## cerinad (Jun 13, 2008)

I'm doing a Medieval Theme.. I already built my thrones and a draw bridge that will be the entrance to the party room...still have tons of other stuff left to do...I'm loving everybody's themes.


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## AthenaHM (Oct 27, 2011)

I had not seen the Gorey theme, previously. That sounds just simply perfect. I have some props, still in the process of acquiring others. Mostly the candelabras are giving me issues. We are stationed overseas, so lots of companies won't ship to APO's. It's a frustrating process.


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## CantHalloweenBeTwiceaYear (Aug 25, 2011)

I'm going for a True Blood theme this year. This will be my 7th party, but first year doing a theme. I decided to do a theme because my mind goes crazy with thousands of ideas every year. This way, I can narrow down the brainstorming.


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## Dead Red (Jun 3, 2012)

Sublime Nightmare said:


> It's hard to change themes. I want to do a voodoo/vampire/masquerade theme using what I already have. But I will also use some really cheap ideas from other forum members like staining mason jars, dropping a candle inside and using them as path markers. I think I'll redress my witch with the cauldron in a voodoo priestess costume. I have lotsof skulls already and I can make new potion bottles with voodoo labels. My expense is going to be one of those huge realistic alligators, camo netting and cat tails for a swampy feel. Oh and some shrunkens heads. The swampy voodoo theme will be my outdoor haunt, but once inside it will be Gothic vampire with a hint of New Orleans. Not sure how to do that part yet.


You could do cheap shrunken heads by drying out whole peeled apples with faces cut into them, I saw a tutorial on the Martha Stewart website but you could probably Google it. I'm doing the shrunken heads in an apple cider  

On another note, My costume theme for this year is "Dead", so you can come as anything you want as long as you're dead. For example, main Halloween dead things are: Vampires, Zombies, Ghosts, Frankenstein and Frankenstein's bride etc etc.. but I'm going as Little 'Dead' Riding Hood and already have my outfit planned. I'm so excited!! 

My house theme is a Haunted Abandoned Mansion with a family graveyard in the backyard. So I'm covering all the furniture in white sheets that I'm going to pick up (hopefully) from 2nd hand stores, I'm doing blood smears all through the bathroom and toilet and getting a wriggling life size mummy that you're meant to hang upside down from the ceiling but we're thinking of sticking him in the bath tub to give people a big fright! Making big draping curtains out of black sheets, also 2nd hand hopefully to keep it cheap, lots of spider webs and lots of the other material (can't for the life of me remember what it's called) draping all over everything and from the ceiling, turning our fan over the dining table into a bone chandelier and cover all the light fixtures with cellophane to get creepy colours... having fake led candles everywhere, silhouettes of people lurking outside the window, a fog machine, tomb stones in the back yard, with diy kid ghosts playing in a circle (really easy!) playing a few games and creepy food and specimen jars etc... gosh the list could go on!!!!!!  

It's my first ever Halloween party and I want it to be amazing so I've enlisted the help of one of my friends for the planning of it, it's going to be really costly for me as I have nothing I need! Hence why I've started planning in June haha.


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## mrscupcake (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm doing a dark version of Alice in Wonderland.


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## HallowsEve31 (Jul 20, 2007)

I tried to do a witches theme last year, but only one person ended up coming and it was terrible. I would like to try the theme again this year since we just moved back to our home town and have a lot of friends and family here. I would also really like to try a voodoo/new orleans theme one year but I feel like I would have to buy a ton of new decorations to pull that off. I am so excited we finally have a house with a big yard instead of a tiny apartment! My mind is already racing with all of my ideas for parties in this place.


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## poisoned and pickled (Aug 7, 2009)

GGirl said:


> I was thinking voodoo too, but am having a hard time picturing the look. I can't stop obsessing about what I'm going to do. You know how each year's party has to rock the one before? I love it, but it also stresses me. I Didn't even think of swamp. Do tell. Making all kinds of voodoo dolls and potions would be easy, but then I'm stuck.


Our party last year was Voodoo on the Bayou inspired. It was the easiest theme we have done so far and inexpensive. We built a bayou/swamp in our driveway with a wooden walkway that led to the entrance of our garage/bar. The bar was Mardi Gras and garage was a voodoo lounge with an altar on the food table. It was our favorite theme so far (our first year didn't have a theme, next was Mad Scientist Lab, then Carnival/Circus, last year Voodoo Bayou) I am stumped this year on a theme, mostly because I know we probably can't top last year!  

This is my first time posting on here (all though I have been lurking for a couple years and have been very inspired by the creativity on this site!) We have 'borrowed' lots of great ideas


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

I'm loving all these theme ideas! I can't wait to do Voodoo Bayou one year (probably Halloween 2014, it's not crazy to have themes picked two years out, right?). I love the idea of covering an entire ceiling with colored cheesecloth. Since our party was pretty much the same the last two years as we were just getting started, I can't wait to see the look on people's faces when they see an entirely new, transformed look. Man I'm getting excited!


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## GGirl (Feb 18, 2012)

*June planning is not too early*

I'm already freaking because I haven't gotten very many projects done. Just got my invites designed and some made. Have supplies, but no time! 

Be careful about asking friends to help decorate. You may find they're not as into Halloween as you are and not take your planning and Devore as seriously as you. Same goes for hosting a party with someone else. I finally learned just to do it myself so I don't have to compromise and use childish or amateurish decor, etc. 

For poster discussing getting black and white sheets 2nd hand, also watch for sales at fabric stores and get the cheapest fabric, widest width, and use a coupon. I used an off whit muslin last year to cover furniture for the haunted house effect, using Hancock fabric and Joanne coupons, collected yards of it over time, so the cost was spread out and not that much. Also made some pillows and t-towels with transfer sheets from printer with left over material. 

What a bunch of fabulous ideas and creative bunch!

Haven't decided what to be yet, I think the obvious is a very cool VooDoo woman; have been saving some pics for costume ideas for that.


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## dempup (Sep 22, 2008)

Last year i did 6 different theme rooms, and it got a bit messy, so i think i'll stick to one theme this year... with some small variations... and the 2012 theme is gonna be witches... always a good classic


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## Gerrard (Aug 29, 2009)

Twisted Fairy Tales, I have just put together the save the date video inspired all you guys. I have never done anything like it before so had a go today and it was surprisingly easy. It follows on from a party I held in 2009 where the house became an abandoned hospital.....the legend of St Vlad continues :O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFQ4fvwkXMQ&feature=player_embedded


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## Windborn (Oct 10, 2011)

We are doing a The Mummy theme (following last year's Attack of the B Movies). Showing the original and the new version of the movie and decorating the house to match! Got my scarabs made today and starting the Book of the Dead tomorrow. Still have to decide on the menu though!


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## Lisaloo (Sep 27, 2011)

This thread has really gotten me excited for my party! Great ideas from everyone! I generally don't do a theme for the party, but each room has it's own ambiance/theme. 2 of my best girlfriends and I will be dressing as zombie Disney princesses....that's sort of a theme, isn't it?


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## Gerrard (Aug 29, 2009)

Windborn said:


> We are doing a The Mummy theme (following last year's Attack of the B Movies). Showing the original and the new version of the movie and decorating the house to match! Got my scarabs made today and starting the Book of the Dead tomorrow. Still have to decide on the menu though!


Sounds great


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## Gerrard (Aug 29, 2009)

Lisaloo said:


> This thread has really gotten me excited for my party! Great ideas from everyone! I generally don't do a theme for the party, but each room has it's own ambiance/theme. 2 of my best girlfriends and I will be dressing as zombie Disney princesses....that's sort of a theme, isn't it?


Of course it is!! Dark Disney Horror.........


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## GGirl (Feb 18, 2012)

Gerard, 

Your Save the Date video is BUUUUUCK dude! Appreciate you sharing. Think you'll post a tutorial? I'm set for this year, but would steal the video idea for next year if it's truly not that difficult. 108 more days!


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## Gerrard (Aug 29, 2009)

GGirl said:


> Gerard,
> 
> Your Save the Date video is BUUUUUCK dude! Appreciate you sharing. Think you'll post a tutorial? I'm set for this year, but would steal the video idea for next year if it's truly not that difficult. 108 more days!


It really isn't, I used all free software via my iPad and laptop. Basically via the free splice iPad app you arrange any photos, videos and music you want. I used a free YouTube downloader to rip any videos I liked from YouTube and off you go! Splice is very, very simple to play with, unless anyone can tell me otherwise the only fault I have found is that I can not change the font! Anyway simple to put together, the only difficulty I had was to line the music up, once you are happy you can export it, in HD if you want, the throw it on Facebook, YouTube etc! Simples.......


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## Fright Fan (Jul 16, 2012)

since moving into a much larger home this year, I decided to create a backstory for my party guests this year and set the mood before they even step foot in the house! It's a bit long-winded, but below is what I wrote. Feel free to send me any suggestions to make the story even better!

thanks!

Fright Fan

John Musket built Musket Manor for his wife Evelyn and their two children Charles and Rebecca Musket in 1864. Known to locals as a loving father, husband, and well respected lawyer for the townspeople- behind closed doors, John Musket was a harsh man to his family and a philanderer to his wife. He often had secret affairs with many of the family’s servants, but the most noted was the on-going affair that he had with the family’s nanny- 23 year old girl Emala Parks.
Emala Parks was a slave that John Musket acquired one evening while playing poker with his business associate Ernest Blackwell. Originally from New Orleans, it is said that at an early age Emala Parks was taught the practice of Voodoo by her great-grandmother Josephine Parks- a high voodoo priestess in the French Quarter. Unfortunately for John Musket, he had no knowledge of Emala Parks’ hidden talent for the black arts, but was soon to find out…..
According to Evelyn Musket’s journal- on the evening of October 18th, 1867-no longer able to withhold her knowledge of her husband’s affair, Evelyn demanded that her husband end things abruptly with the slave girl. She threatened that if he did not do so, she would expose the hidden secrets of not only his affair, but his true nature to the friends and business associates whom respected him the most. With his reputation at stake, he did as his wife demanded.
It was on the following day- October 19th, around 8pm in the evening that Musket was attending to some business in his study, when he was jolted by the sound of his wife’s screams. He followed her screams to the main floor bedroom where the children shared a room. The children’s bed was empty, with only a few things in their place- his daughter’s doll with the eyes painted over in red, and symbols scribbled intricately on pieces of paper sounding the doll.
The house and the grounds were immediately searched, with no sign of the children. Not realizing whom was behind the disappearances, all of the servants were immediately questioned to no avail. It wasn’t until 11pm later that evening, that the nearby servant’s quarters were searched. It was under Emala’s bed that similar symbols to those found in the children’s room were found scribbled in white chalk.
Neighbors that had joined the search awoke Emala and immediately bound and pulled her into the front yard to the hanging tree. Given one last chance to respond, Emala Parks continued to deny any involvement in the children’s disappearance, and even warned the angry mob that if wrongfully punished, she would haunt the land of the manor, and the family would never know a moment’s peace.
Emala Parks was hung by the angry mob, and pronounced dead at 11:42pm. It wasn’t until around 6:00am the following day that one of the neighbors was hunting near the Musket’s property, and stumbled upon the two Musket children sound asleep leaning against a fallen tree. When questioned about them being in the woods, and about the doll and symbols, Charles and Rebecca explained that Emala Parks had taught them the symbols, and that they were symbols of protection from spirits in the night and other bad dreams, and that they had snuck out of their room to conquer their fears of the dark. As for the doll’s red eyes, Rebecca had done it herself with some berry paste as it was her favorite color, and she wanted “Dolly” to have eyes red as rubies.


Upon realizing with horror at what they had done, John and Evelyn Musket prayed to Emala’s spirit, begging forgiveness for the travesty of injustice that had happened to the poor woman. The only reply came in the late hours of the night. Doors opened and closed by themselves, pots and pans from the kitchen slammed together, phantom footsteps could be heard down the halls and upon further investigation, no-one was there. This kind of ghostly activity continued for weeks on end, beginning at 11:42pm and went deep into the night until around 6:00am when the children were discovered.
There seemed to be no end to the haunting until the evening of November 2nd, 1867. At exactly 11:42pm, while the Musket family was asleep in their beds, the manor mysteriously caught fire. The newspaper insulation within its walls reacted too quickly to the flames, and the entire family perished before there was anything to be done to contain it. By this time, stories of the haunting of John Musket’s family had already spread as fast as the flames themselves that claimed the lives of the cursed family.
Due in part to the rumors of the haunting, and partly due to the shame the town felt about wrongly executing Emala Parks, the Musket property lay dormant and overgrown until November 2nd, 1970: ninety-four years to the very day of the fire- that a wealthy businessman named James Wilkinson bought the Musket property and began construction of a new manor a few short months later. By this time, with most of the rumors forgotten by all accounts, construction continued on the new manor with little disturbance. That is until the Wilkinson family moved into their newly completed home on December 14th, 1971.
From the first night the family lived in the house, the disturbances began again. Coincidentally, James Wilkinson and his wife Meredith also had two children, a boy and a girl named James Jr. (or Jim as his family called him) and Victoria. While the Wilkinson family did not experience the same type of tradgedy that befell the Musket family, they did continue to have the same atmospheric disturbances night after night. After twenty years of handling their uninvited and unexplained “guest,” the Wilkinson family promptly put their home up for sale and moved elsewhere in Coastal Georgia.
Over the next several years, many families bought and sold the newly built manor located on the Musket family property, yet no-one ever seemed to be brave enough to stay longer than a few years, until now…….which brings our story to the current day. October 19th, 2012- one hundred and fourty-five years to the very day that Emala Parks was brutally hanged by the tree in this very yard, that we welcome you to an elegant party at the Musket Manor of Mayhem- see if you yourself can catch a glimpse of Emala Parks walking its halls and grounds, or possibly the restless souls of the Musket family that are now trapped here and punished for an eternity for their role in the senseless tragic death of Emala Parks……….


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## MissMandy (Apr 18, 2011)

Very good story, Fright Fan! To me, there's nothing like a good ghost story to get the blood boiling. Do you plan to send this to all invited guests? Or read it to everyone when they arrive?


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## Fright Fan (Jul 16, 2012)

Miss Mandy-
I created a Facebook group for the party, and posted it there. I'm also toying with the idea of printing the story and putting it in a weathered book that guests can read at the party if they'd like to :0)

Fright Fan


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## MissMandy (Apr 18, 2011)

Fright Fan said:


> Miss Mandy-
> I created a Facebook group for the party, and posted it there. I'm also toying with the idea of printing the story and putting it in a weathered book that guests can read at the party if they'd like to :0)
> 
> Fright Fan


That sounds like a cool idea. Or maybe have it in a frame next to a weathered guest book. Can burn the edges of the paper too....kinda fitting with the story and all


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## Tsloth (Aug 23, 2008)

Doing classic movie monsters. My theme-ing involves the families costumes and usually a main new prop associated with the theme. Planning on building a static flat Frankenstein's monster table prop-got some cool round 8 inch globe light fixtures from an auction to give it a mad scientist lab look. Want to do a big pvc outdoor yard spider too.

Last year did Ghostbuster's with fairly fancy backpacks and then a 4 ft high Slimer paper mache static prop. My haunt is always 90% the same, just add 1 or 2 props a year, but i decorate both outside and inside.


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## Grannie (Jul 20, 2012)

My grand daughter is going with nightmare before Christmas birthday/halloween party theme as well...I actually love the movie and just bought a a 136 inch projection screen to play the first 10-15 minutes of movie ..then I will have my son dressed up like jack skelleton behind the screen and he will emerge to open the doors to haunted forest/pumpkin /graveyard...lol I am doing this inside this year because we got slammed with snow and ice storm last year..but am sure the kids wont mind...thanks for the party city link.. Love it!


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## Grannie (Jul 20, 2012)

Love the floodlight idea..looks wonderful! I am trying to figure out how to do this and want a simple wat to do this. I started looking for plug in up lighting for the indoors and maybe some for outside...ha! I guess I'm a bit behind the times..all I can find are low voltage stakes in the ground fixtures, and I really want to use led if I can find some that are affordable..the incandescent bulbs get way to hot for indoor use..The up lighting fixtures I did find for indoors are to tiny.. Anyone have an easy way to do this for someone who is not mechanically inclined?


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

Grannie, I don't know too much about lighting and had started this thread: http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/114585-cemetery-lighting-basics.html Lots of great ideas and advice in there.


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## moonwitchkitty (Jul 22, 2012)

that is nice I like it


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## rescuedogmama (Oct 14, 2007)

Since we had no Halloween last year and our party was canceled, we're going to try the Zombie Apocalypse thing again. We had the storm of the century on the day of our party last year and most of the state was out of power for over a week. Ironic, huh?


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## Danielj2705 (Jun 17, 2012)

Twisted Fairytales is my theme  
And I am pretty sure 2013 will be Cirque Carnevil


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## Bella Betty (Sep 24, 2010)

Awww, I love this site---it warms my heart to know that there are so many other enthusiasts who start planning their parties in advance (sometimes even years in advance). This year we are doing a Voodoo Island theme. That way all of our Zombie loving friends can get into the theme. However, this year will require lots of hand work for me. I've got to build a 7 ft tiki tower (paper mache'--haven't done paper mache' since elementary school over 40 years ago), make lots of voodoo dolls to hang about, make about 150 large paper jungle plant leaves to hang everywhere, make costumes, zombie-up some props (I found a great tiki hut table top display that will need blood, body parts, skulls and zombies), glue spiders and bugs onto about 40 leis, and so much more. Reading everyone's ideas from past parties has giving some great ideas--THANK YOU!!

This will be our 7th year. We've had a theme every year except for one (which wasn't nearly as fun as the rest): 2006 was pirates, 2007 was Hollywood Horror, 2008 was Medieval (we got married at the party), 2009 was theme-less, 2010 was Famous Dead People or Dead Famous People, and 2011 was Witches.

I have lots of items that I reuse and repurpose, but I also try to find some new things to add to the theme. I love the idea of using green lights! I haven't been able to find much in the way of grass skirts or fish nets (they must not be in style these days), but I have picked up some nice long bamboo poles, bamboo table placemats/runners, some monkeypod wood serving items (that will get some buggy paint treatment, perhaps), and a couple of bamboo/wicker lampshades. My husband has been laughing at me as I have starting my planning/shopping a couple of months early this year!

Have fun all!


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## Gerrard (Aug 29, 2009)

Danielj2705 said:


> Twisted Fairytales is my theme
> And I am pretty sure 2013 will be Cirque Carnevil


We will have to swap ideas as I am doing it too


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## RedSonja (Sep 18, 2004)

Ho-hum. 
I feel totally out of ideas this year. It's been hard to get motivated. It's sooo hot here and I've been busy trying to start a new career. Its' nerve racking!!

I was thinking of doing something simple like: "bats, rats and cats"...pretty pathetic, huh? In the past I've done these themes: snakes, spiders, bats, cemetery, creepy carnival, haunted mansion, Tomb Raider, vampires lair, vintage halloween, classic monsters, 80's, voo-doo & pirates. and also done various themed rooms based on horror movies such as, Psycho, Hellraiser, Poltergeist, Nightmare on Elm St, Sleepy Hollow, and The Mummy

Now I'm out of ideas for something different and CHEAP!!

Ha!!.....OMG!....something just came to mind.......in honor of Fifty Shades of Grey...... a torture chamber!! Ha-ha


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## moonwitchkitty (Jul 22, 2012)

RedSonja said:


> Ho-hum.
> I feel totally out of ideas this year. It's been hard to get motivated. It's sooo hot here and I've been busy trying to start a new career. Its' nerve racking!!
> 
> I was thinking of doing something simple like: "bats, rats and cats"...pretty pathetic, huh? In the past I've done these themes: snakes, spiders, bats, cemetery, creepy carnival, haunted mansion, Tomb Raider, vampires lair, vintage halloween, classic monsters, 80's, voo-doo & pirates. and also done various themed rooms based on horror movies such as, Psycho, Hellraiser, Poltergeist, Nightmare on Elm St, Sleepy Hollow, and The Mummy
> ...


Paper mache always works only working with what you have at home. could make toilet paper roll mummy's, milk jug lanterns, we use $1 tree fake tea lights. face paints do wonders. if you want to go cheap but different go to the thrift store for old white sheets and dolls. LOTS of possibilities. I'm making tomb stones out of cloth and using clothes hangar wire to hold them up in the yard... hope this helps.


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## Halloween66 (Jul 31, 2012)

My Halloween party last year was a flop. I had planned most everything to be outdoors, scarey movie, games, drinks, etc because it had been seasonably warm. The night of the party we had a huge storm with strong winds, rain, lightening.. so everything was quickly hauled inside where there wasn't much room for anything other than eating and standing around visiting. We have since moved into a much larger home and I would love to try having a party this year but I don't want a repeat of last year. Any ideas to insure a successful and fun Halloween party? I don't want my quests to stand around and be bored.


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## AthenaHM (Oct 27, 2011)

Do everything inside, for one. If it is really nice out, I would make you outside space look acceptable for outside minglers, but definitely don't plan on things being out there. Try games like the Winking Game, Murder Mystery, Tempt Your Fate, Costume Contests, Scavenger hunts, etc. There are all kind of wonderful ideas in the Party ideas section of this forum, just peruse at your leisure.


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## princessdark (Jul 17, 2007)

Greetings all! We are coming up on our 10 year anniversary of Halloween parties this October and really wanted to do something awesome. Last year we did "Cirque du Freak" and did the whole twisted circus theme and had guests dress as "freaks' from the carnival, I was the Ring Master. It was a huge success. We have not always had themed parties our first was "Bloodfest" which was a vampire theme and went very well, people came as victims and vampire slayers in addition to the regular vampires which was awesome. I was thinking about going back to that theme or something similiar because it was the first theme we did. I was thinking about "vampire Disco" and have a DJ and dancing (problem is need to find another space don't have a lot of room for this in my condo! was thinking of renting space in our community space). Or thought about the Zombie Apocalpyse since the world could end in December. Someone mentioend maybe having an integration of the themes we've done but I'm just not definite yet. Previous themes include: The Witching Hour, 80's Hell Night, Pirate party, Heaven and Hell, and Aliens. (as you can see a wide variety!) Any ideas for 10 year celebration is appreciated! oh and one thing we do each year that people LOVE is we make a slide show of pictures from all our parties and keep it going on a loop all night on our laptop with freaky music in the background. A great socializing area and fun way to remember past parties!!


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## Halloween66 (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks AthenaHM for the advice. I will definitely plan indoor festivities this year and will check out the forums for more ideas and games.


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## bettyboop (Jul 24, 2010)

Great theme and ideas, Pumpkinpie!! How did your party turn out?? I am thinking of this theme for 2013. Would love to hear all about it and see some pictures.


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## bettyboop (Jul 24, 2010)

GGirl said:


> I was thinking voodoo too, but am having a hard time picturing the look. I can't stop obsessing about what I'm going to do. You know how each year's party has to rock the one before? I love it, but it also stresses me. I Didn't even think of swamp. Do tell. Making all kinds of voodoo dolls and potions would be easy, but then I'm stuck.


I found voodoo dolls 2 years ago and included them in my invitation. Our theme that year was a "Ghoulish Mardi Gras" The invitation included the voodoo doll laying on Spanish moss in a box and some beads. Attached with the pins to the doll were the party details; time, date, etc. Everyone loved them.


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## bettyboop (Jul 24, 2010)

Twisted Fairytales is my theme  
And I am pretty sure 2013 will be Cirque Carnevil 

I would like to do Twisted Fairytales for 2013. I always announce the following year's theme at the current party. 
Do you have any plans yet to share???


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## psox16 (Jun 6, 2009)

I love this place. Everyone's so creative and fun! Most of my friends, and my husband, are too cool to go all out. Sigh, I do my best though. Last year I did a Feast of the Dead themed party and encouraged everyone come in a costume related to death. I felt I left the door wide open on that one. I mean, come on, vampires, zombies, mummies, throw a friggin sheet over your head and be a ghost. Well my greatest fears came true that night as only 8 people showed up and only 5 were even in costume. How do you get people to follow the costume theme?!?!? Most people will agree to wear a costume, but they fight a theme tooth and nail!

We are planning to move from our dinky 1 bedroom apartment to an actual house this fall. I know we won't have furniture for all of the rooms. I still would like to have a party even if the place isn't fully furnished. I'm hoping to work with what I've got (just got married + buying a house= BROKE). There are woods in the back yards so I might buy some chicken wire and build some ghostly figures to stick out there. I'll wait until our funds are up to do another theme. For now, just a plain Halloween costume party will have to do.


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## jenscats5 (Oct 16, 2010)

I'm sort of thinking of a Funeral theme.........as in it could be yours! Maybe put a tag under a chair and pick a designated time to have people see if it's their funeral.....then they get a "trophy" that I'd make....


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## Vamp_girl (Oct 25, 2011)

Thinking about having a zombies and vampires themed party but not sure what to call it lol


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## moonwitchkitty (Jul 22, 2012)

Dead man rising? The blood Club? Monster mash


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## SweetnScary (Apr 4, 2011)

Leaning towards a Heaven & Hell party. Figured it'd give the guests a little variety to costumes and would be relatively easy to decorate. Going to have each room done kind of like 2-face... one side Heaven, one side Hell, in the middle - a little of both


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## frogkid11 (Aug 6, 2012)

View attachment 120865
View attachment 120865
I found this thread very interesting given that in the years of hosting an adult only party, I have never used a theme. I have always been afraid of "forcing" my guests to come up with costume ideas that go with the theme given how creative everyone is from year to year. I have always simply set the tone by decorating the house at every corner so there is something stimulating at every turn. For those of you that have hosted theme parties, do your guests ever feel "narrowed" by sticking with your theme? Here are some photos of how I decorate - I add more each year (this is from a party 3 years ago) to keep it different - your feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

Lovely set up frogkid! 

I enjoy having theme parties because it stretches my creativity every year. I have to come up with new ideas, new plans, new props. I have my core props that I can use with practically any theme - skeletons, rats, bats, spiders, etc...then I shop thrift stores all year long collecting for my new theme. Plus, I think my guests like the anticipation of seeing something new. That being said, I never "force" them to dress in theme. I'm just happy if they make the effort to get dressed up at all and if someone does show up with a theme costume, I'm thrilled. I always dress in character, so does my husband and daughter cause we have to set the stage.

The exception was last year, the only party I had was a Witches Tea Party and when some of the woman started complaining about getting a costume, I told them, "wear something black, go to the dollar store and get a witch hat, how hard is that?" One woman wore jeans _but _she did have a witch hat and another woman went all out with a WWOTW dress and green body paint - they both had fun, and that's what matters to me.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

bettyboop said:


> Great theme and ideas, Pumpkinpie!! How did your party turn out?? I am thinking of this theme for 2013. Would love to hear all about it and see some pictures.


Ours is going well so far...here is a link to my album http://www.halloweenforum.com/membe...-hands-shoes-bowtie-maybe-bloody-knife-d.html but you should stop by my thread http://www.halloweenforum.com/party-ideas-experiences-recipes/115766-cirque-du-carnevil-2012-a.html everyone on there has come up with some really amazing props


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

Wow Tanna, I could have written that post myself! 

Your setup is great Frogkid and if that makes you happy, keep doing it. LIke Tanna said, I never make anyone dress like my theme, i'm just damn happy they show up and if they are dressed up as anything it's a bonus!


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## moonwitchkitty (Jul 22, 2012)

its like now that we are grown people think that they cant be silly, or get in touch with their inner halloweenie, I alway find it as the chance to get to be my self completly with not rev.
even if they buy the costume its hard to get them into it. you are never too old to spook


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## RedSonja (Sep 18, 2004)

Ok so.....now I've been thinking I might do a batgirl type costume this year so, was thinking about some bat or Batman kind of theme for the party. I've done a bat theme in the past. 

Any ideas on how to mix it up, make it different besides just a bunch of bats? Maybe do a cave type thing?....hmmm...


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## yellow_moon (Apr 21, 2008)

Because I'm temporarily house/cat sitting a 3 level slender Victorian wooden row house during the halloween season, I will have a small gathering of folks for a dinner party and ask that guests come dressed in a time period of a past lifetime or one that they feel an affinity toward. I have a friend who is a legit medium and perhaps she will lead a seance for us following the dinner party. I just plan to set an elegant table spread and then make everything look old putrid and petrified like...martha stewart gives good ideas for how I'll go about it. I feel an affinity for the Victorian times, I was no one special a man in that lifetime and I doned a charles dickins like top hat and always dressed impeccibly.


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## Bloodstained (Jun 16, 2009)

I am not sure to be honest. I was thinking of having a party and a dinner. And the dinner would probably be victorianish. Since I like that era mixed with halloween. As for the party, not sure. Last year we didn't really have a theme, we just took stuff and made various things of them. I had lots of pumpkins outside though. Hm. What different themes are there anyway? Like, what could you actually do? zombie theme = hanging heads everywhere? XD


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## DiaboliCole (Aug 26, 2010)

This year is Vampire Masquerade. AKA a costume party for vampires,...so its come as whatever you want, as long as you are also a vampire,..lol! We had a zombie themed party like this a couple years ago and it was so much fun! Cant wait to see all the costumes! We live in a hundred year old victorian house, so it's the perfect setting!


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## masonjar (Oct 8, 2007)

I'm going with an abandoned carnival theme this year. Every party I throw has a flash website teaser i send out to get people excited. Here is the one for this year:

http://www.masonbartondesign.com/frightFest12/frightFest12.swf

Here are the ones from previous years if interested:

http://www.masonbartondesign.com/frightFest10/frightFest10.swf

http://www.masonbartondesign.com/frightFest09/frightFest09.swf

http://www.masonbartondesign.com/FrightFest08Teaser/frightFest08Teaser.swf


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## MADAM (Sep 14, 2009)

These are so awesome ... is it difficult to create or can a low tech, non-computer savvy person create one of these?


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## badgirl (May 4, 2008)

Decided to change the theme (yes, it's only mid-August, but for us this is a last minute change!). Rather than cancel our annual Halloween party, we are going to simplify and picked a theme that here in sunny Florida will be easy to pull off: Haunted Tiki .


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## masonjar (Oct 8, 2007)

They can be kind of complicated. Especially to get them on the web and everything too.


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## meloncholydolly (Oct 10, 2009)

White Trash SuperHeroes!!

I don't have too much planned yet...I'm just beginning. It took me forever to actually pick a theme. There are so many!! I do need to change up my format a bit from the last few years.. Ive always done Tempt your fate and its always been a hit but I think it might be stale for the reg guests. I also want to do a big scare. I know its only september but im SO tempted to get my halloween supplies out and decorate lol. 

Past years themes:
2011: zombie disney
2010: 7 deadly sins
2009: no theme


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

DiaboliCole said:


> This year is Vampire Masquerade. AKA a costume party for vampires,...so its come as whatever you want, as long as you are also a vampire,..lol! We had a zombie themed party like this a couple years ago and it was so much fun! Cant wait to see all the costumes! We live in a hundred year old victorian house, so it's the perfect setting!


So much inspiration!


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## BadTableManor (Sep 8, 2007)

masonjar said:


> I'm going with an abandoned carnival theme this year. Every party I throw has a flash website teaser i send out to get people excited. Here is the one for this year:
> 
> http://www.masonbartondesign.com/frightFest12/frightFest12.swf
> 
> ...


masonjar, your theme is the same we're going to attempt (though on a much smaller budget). I'll be stalking you for inspiration, for sure. Your teaser vid is quite impressive!


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## Master of Scareamonies (Aug 30, 2012)

I had planned on a Haunted Mansion theme, but as of last month I had no place to host.

In a turn of events, I found a place to have it, but didn't have enough time for such a great theme.

As a last minute idea, I chose "Haunted Game Show" in an effort to get the mass populous of attendees involved.


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## madisonmiller (Aug 29, 2012)

I Love Zombies Party Theme. It is all time favourite for me.


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## kmb123 (Oct 6, 2009)

frogkid11 said:


> View attachment 120865
> View attachment 120865
> I found this thread very interesting given that in the years of hosting an adult only party, I have never used a theme. I have always been afraid of "forcing" my guests to come up with costume ideas that go with the theme given how creative everyone is from year to year. I have always simply set the tone by decorating the house at every corner so there is something stimulating at every turn. For those of you that have hosted theme parties, do your guests ever feel "narrowed" by sticking with your theme? Here are some photos of how I decorate - I add more each year (this is from a party 3 years ago) to keep it different - your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
> View attachment 120871
> ...


frogkid11 - your place is gorgeous! Just more confirmation that we have the exact same taste!


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## retrohal (Mar 28, 2009)

We hope you'll go vintage this year, of course, and have some amazing new vintage reissued die cuts you have to see. They haven't been in circulation or in production since the 1930's, so please stop by. The party's just getting started!


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## CassandraSerenity (Sep 3, 2012)

While normally I don't have a theme for our Big Halloween party this year I'm doing a surprise theme: Spiders. About 60% of my friends and family are scared of spiders so I can't tell them about the theme. Instead I'm creating all the spider decorations in secret and plan on springing it on them. I want to see how many freak and how badly they freak out.


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## vwgirl (Jul 16, 2012)

This year we have decided on a Zombie meets old Volkswagon theme, both me and the hubbys Bugs are going to have zombies on and in them.


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