The majority of Halloween parties and events will be themed ones.  Some groups and families opt for a traditional theme such as vampires or witches or even zombies.  There are also traditional fancy dress events such as for Mardi Gras or a plain, old-fashioned masked ball.  Children usually love costume parties which have been themed around a favorite superhero or princess or cowboy or cartoon character.  If the party is to be held at a home, then there are a few things to keep in mind.

Parties where adults dress up and have a great time have been around for hundreds of years and were popular in Europe amongst the gentry and royalty.  Perhaps even Vlad, who was the inspiration for Count Dracula and vampire folklore, held parties in his castle in Transylvania.  A modern party planner needs to think of a theme first, then plot out accessories and costumes as well as many decorations and even games.  Movies can be rented that are themed, along with the party, although this is usually for a smaller and more intimate group.

Half the fun of a costume party is trying to guess who is under that Luke Skywalker or Mr. Spock or Cinderella or mad monster costume and mask.  If children are present, a party cannot get too wild or gory.  The whole point of a great costume party is having fun and slipping into another character — if only for an evening.  A family meeting is called for in order to settle on a theme and costumes and certain accessories need to be ordered a few weeks ahead of time, so that if there’s a backorder, substitutes can be made.

Food recipes abound for Halloween parties and items such as purple punch with dry ice spilling over, and floating eyeball ice cubes always make an impression.  Kids love Gummy worms anyway and other creatures may be draped over a punch bowl.  Finger sandwiches, literally looking like fingers, can be created and any food served at a party may be laid out on a appropriately-themed buffet table.  It’s best to keep glass away from a party and often, decorated and disposable glasses and cups can be bought, along with other party supplies.

A lot of costumers love to make their own costumes year after year, or enhance and update their outfits annually.  This depends on how much time there is to do all of the sewing and gathering and hot-gluing etc.  A person’s own clothing may be used as a base for the outfit and this can also be time-saving.  One year, a movie theme may be hot, or a group of characters, and another year they are relegated to the dungeon of costume parties and outfits.  A few classic ensembles are vampires, mummies, zombies, animals, celebrities and politicians.  Some of the costumes at any random party defy description.

If there are several messy games that are to be set up then consider using the backyard.  Children should have their games and creative area and the adults may have a few separate ones.  The outside of the house or building can also be well-decorated with cobwebs and jack o’ lanterns and spiders and bats, if the theme is a generic Halloween scary one.  Remember lighting (red or purple or black lights are wonderful and atmospheric) as well as sound FX and motion.  Anytime a skeletal hand emerges from a box or a croaky voice ways “welcome” trick or treaters get a real kick out of it.  Remember to decorate age appropriately.

Costume party planners can put on a fantastic “spread” and themed party. If they use a little creativity and whatever is at hand, supplemented by a few purchased decorations and accessories and supplies.  A good and well-planned party will be long remembered and talked about at the office or at school, the next day.

Though costume parties can be held as a festive event during any time of the year, Halloween is often the most popular time for this type of event. Halloween costume parties are a great way to celebrate the holiday for both youngsters and adults. Parents often schedule Halloween costume parties right before Halloween or on the night of as an alternative to trick-or-treating. Adults, on the other hand, have come to enjoy these parties since they generally do not get to celebrate the holiday in any other form or fashion.

Brief History of the Halloween Costume

Most information seems to support the idea that Halloween originated with the Celtic celebration known as Samhain. This event marked the eve of the beginning of another long, hard, cold and cruel winter in which survival alone was a task. During this night it was believed, by the Celts, that the barrier the between spirit and mortal world was open and spirits would return to earth. At this point, restless spirits could destroy crops or cause other forms of damage. So, while the Celts tried to appease spirits and keep them from causing mayhem, they would burn great bonfires and often sacrifice animals and crops, as an offering. Also, during Samhain, the Celts would wear the hides and heads of animals and march the streets in these costumes. Hence, the first Halloween costume was born, as well, in a way, the first Halloween costume parties.

Costume Parties for Children

It begins, of course, with the selection process of a costume. These disguises come in an unimaginable amount of options that can be purchased off the rack at a retails store, or crafted at home for those craft-savvy and budget conscious types. Designing a costume at home can also be a good way to be more original or creative and avoid being a duplicate of too many other children at a party or at school.

Some schools still host costume parties in which children wear their holiday outfits to class and awards and prizes are often given out for different categories of best costumes. For home-based Halloween parties, there are plenty of other activities to include in the itinerary including judging for best costumes. Some popular activities to include are bobbing for apples, pumpkin bowling, Halloween-themed crafts and ghost story telling.

Freeze dancing is another fun way for youngsters to have holiday fun and burn off some energy. Music, often Halloween themed, is played and the party goers dance until the DJ abruptly cuts the tune off. Those who do not immediately freeze are out until only one dancing guest remains to claim his or her place as the winner.

Another fun idea for children’s Halloween costume parties is sectioning off part of the home as a haunted house event kids get to scamper and scream their way through. An increasingly popular activity in the past few years has been the addition of “pumpkin hunt.” Using either mini-pumpkins or small plastic versions of the squash, the kids hunt for hidden pumpkins like during an Easter egg hunt. This can be done outside before dark, outside with the use of flashlights or completely indoors.

Costume Parties for Adults

The beginning of this process isn’t any different than the Halloween party for kids; it begins with a costume selection. Again, costumes can be store bought, handmade but often, in usually just the case for adults, renting a costume is also an option. Adults often get a little more daring with their costume selection, bordering on risqué in some cases, especially women’s options. There are bound to me more scantily clad cats, Playboy bunnies, school girls, French maids and Indian princesses competing for an award, and some attention.

These celebrations are usually hosted at someone’s house or by booking a restaurant, pub, bar, club or other type of venue or hall. Events at adult Halloween costume parties can closely resemble the activities that take place at the kid’s parties. Though the punch may be spiked and there is likely to be a “sexiest” category during the Halloween costume contest. Scavenger hunts can be a great addition to adult Halloween parties, especially when conducted in a public place or outdoor venue.

A Wrap on Halloween Costume Parties

Halloween can be a hauntingly spook-tacular good time for children and adults. The Halloween get up is one of the most important, and fun, elements to celebrating the holiday. Whether trick-or-treating or not, just the fun of a Halloween costume party can be the best part of the season.