# Downsizing Our Party, Need Ideas for Small Gathering



## Chalice (Aug 30, 2008)

Hi Guys,

Well, I just don't have it in me this year to throw our usual Halloween bash, but I can't let the season go by without doing something so I've decided to have a very small Halloween get-together. There will probably be 6 people at most- so what do you think we could do that would be Halloween-themed? The year that we moved (in October) I did a small Murder Mystery In A Box party, but honestly we found it sorta boring. I have written Murder Mysteries for my larger parties, and that was a blast, but I just don't have the time to put into it this year.

I'm pretty good at coming up with Halloweenie stuff for larger groups, but I'm really stumped for ideas on a small group. Some vague ideas floating around in my head that maybe you guys can help me flush out:

- a seance/fortunetelling gathering? what would we do and how would we do it?
- a dinner party?
- we have the spooky dvd/board game Atmosphere, but the folks attending have done it before. Do you guys know of any other spooky/halloweenish board games/video games/trivia games?
- I'd rather not sit around and watch scary movies, I want to do something that keeps us all interacting together.

Thanks guys!

Chalice


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## rnrkid (Jun 3, 2008)

Chalice said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Well, I just don't have it in me this year to throw our usual Halloween bash, but I can't let the season go by without doing something so I've decided to have a very small Halloween get-together. There will probably be 6 people at most- so what do you think we could do that would be Halloween-themed? The year that we moved (in October) I did a small Murder Mystery In A Box party, but honestly we found it sorta boring. I have written Murder Mysteries for my larger parties, and that was a blast, but I just don't have the time to put into it this year.
> 
> ...


Phsycic's are great for small groups, but the odds of finding one this late are not good. They book pretty far in advance. 
I'm having my small get together on Halloween night. There will be food, drinks, and everyone will be able to see all the kiddies costumes and help give out candy. Plus it gives me extras for my haunt


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## Junit (Sep 1, 2008)

Fortune telling would be awesome! You can get books at the library or even the net about palmistry and tarot. You could have a bon fire and an outdoor scavenger hunt at night. Hide little things in the grass like bloody fingers, a heart, an axe and have your guests find them with mini flashlights, with a fire it won't be completely pitch black outside. 

You should have a friend/ family member that none of your friends know about and have them pretend to be a psychic! But before hand give them all the details about your friends to really unnnerve them!!!


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## MJDeadzines (Oct 17, 2006)

There was a creepy board game called Nightmare in the 90's that was a graveyard board game that came with a vhs and had a creepy guy on it that directed you in the game. I think they made a couple of those might find them on ebay or something. We have a board called GOTH I think it is and its all morbid odd questions.

How about a Halloween themed Pictionary with a big dry erase boards. You could have people draw horror Movies or movie characters or just anything halloween related? 


Or do a Halloween White Elephant with everyone bringing something cheap halloween related? The explanation is below if not familiar:


A white elephant gift exchange is a popular holiday party game in the United States, with many variations in name and game play. Generally, white elephant parties need a minimum of six participants, although the larger the group, the more entertaining and protracted game play will be. White elephant parties can result in vicious rivalries between players trying to get sought after gifts. The goal of a white elephant party is usually entertainment rather than gain, however.

All attendees of a white elephant party are expected to bring one wrapped gift. Traditionally, a white elephant present is something unusual, somewhat useless, or inconvenient. Trinkets, strange knick knacks, unidentifiable kitchen items, and the like are typical white elephants, and guests are asked to wrap them nicely and to leave no identifying markings on the presents. Part of the white elephant game is often a series of guesses as to who brought which present.

Usually, attendees draw numbers or cards to indicate player order. Strategic white elephant players try to end up somewhere in the middle of the game. The white elephant gifts are piled in a central location, and game play begins when one person opens the first gift. The contents are displayed to the room, and the next player’s turn begins.

The second player may either open a new present from the stack or steal the first player’s gift. If the second player takes the first player's white elephant, the first player must open a new present. A gift may only be stolen once a turn. After the second player’s turn is complete, the third player proceeds with the same options, and so forth until the game is finished.

Some white elephant parties impose a rule that a gift may only be stolen three times, requiring careful strategizing in the case of large multiplayer games.


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

I'd do a horror/mystery movie night and have each guest bring 2-3 movies they really like. Then take a vote on which movies you all will watch.

It's actually not hard to learn to do Tarot cards - all of them come with instructions, and there's no shame in having to look up a meaning on the little booklet... there ARE 72 cards in a tarot deck, each with 2 different meanings, and oodles of other interpetations depending on what card is where!

What about a craft Halloween party? Plan on 2-3 crafty things that all of you can make - even food would be fun. You could provide the ingredients, have the guests bring pans, utensils, whatever, and everyone gets to take home a tasty treat or two!


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## B Scary (Sep 8, 2007)

Here is a great idea that someone had for a small dinner party. Instead of coming in costume everyone comes in black and then they are playing the "Things" game. 

You could do a very "elegant" halloween table for dinner and have halloween cocktails too.


http://www.halloweenforum.com/party-ideas-experiences-recipes/72451-need-help-halloween-game.html


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## The Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

Two words.... *Ouija Board*!!


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

We always have fun with a Halloween themed charades, or I like the pictionary idea. How about a pumpkin carving party?


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## Chalice (Aug 30, 2008)

Thanks for all the great ideas guys! It's so nice to have a place to come and talk to people who "get it". I'm still pondering over exactly what I'm going to do, but I wanted to share these links with you:

defective yeti: Halloween Gaming, Part I: Zombies

defective yeti: Halloween Gaming, Part II: Vampires and Witches

It's reviews of some "Halloweenie" board games that would be perfect for small crowds. I'm considering picking up a few of these for a "board game night" and top it off with some spooky ghost stories or fortunetelling


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