Halloween Haunt Gothic Party

INVITATIONS

All gather round, and listen tight, as we tell ghost stories on this Halloween night... this kit is all you’ll need to throw a spooky Haunted Tales Halloween party sure to delight and spook. Uniquely designed invitations, thank you cards, banner and frame evoke that gothic Halloween mood, sure to delight any spooky party goer. Check out B.Nute’s Halloween Haunt Gothic invitations on etsy for details.

DECORATIONS

Below are some decorating ideas for your Halloween Haunt Gothic style party.

Holiday Theme Party Ideas  >  Halloween Haunt Gothic Party

1. Halloween Haunt Banner

Hang this gothic inspired banner on your mantle, doorway, window, or any place to evoke that chilling halloween spirit. From afar, the sinister black crow, skull, gravestone and more grab your eye. But, then, when you get up close you can read an excerpt from a ghost story... the words will really spook you into a Halloween mood.  This matching banner can be purchased on bnute.etsy.com.

FOOD & DRINK

Menu ideas to come...

ARTS & CRAFTS

Depending on the timing or day of your party, an area set up with some art projects may be a perfect activity for your Haunted Halloween party.

Witches Book of Spells

Create a Spell Book

There's nothing more ghoulish than a bunch of evil spells to turn your guests into toads, snails or gargoyles! You could make this easy by writing a few spells an having kids decorate the page, or write up several lines that folks can use to mix and match to create their own wicked spell. Here are some examples of some spells, serious and silly:

1. •Sample of Varied Spells
   

2. •Samples of Playful Spells Written by Children
   

3. •Funny Spells for Halloween
   

4. •Simple Guide to Writing Your Own Spell
   

5. •Magic Spell Tips
   

Example Downloadable Halloween Coloring Page

Haunted Coloring Pages

Here's a links to many, many Halloween coloring pages online. Some are a "cute" and some are "scary." Pick the ones that fit your party best!

1. •Google Search for Halloween Coloring Pages
   

Design Your Own Gravestone

A morbid project, perfect for your gothic Halloween affair! Cut out gravestone shapes from card stock and have all guests decorate their own tombstone with an epitaph. When done, hang them all on a wall, and create your parties' own graveyard! You could turn this into a game, by having guests create their own tombstone, but leave off their name. Again, hang these on a wall, and have guests guess who's tomb is whos!

1950's Articulated Paper Glow in the Dark Skeleton

Pin the Bone on the Skeleton

Buy a pre-made "jointed" skeleton (or create your own paper skeleton) and disassemble so you have all the bones in separate pieces. Start by placing the skull on the wall, and then blindfold guests, hand them a bone/body part and let them guess where to put it. You could give them a hint by telling them which bone they have (i.e., "You have a foot bone.") or just let them guess by the shape and size of the item in their hand! In the end, you will have one mixed up bag of bones!

GAMES

Here are some frightfully fun game ideas for your Halloween party.

"There was an abandoned church at the end of the street

that no one went near for years...

until one fateful Halloween evening..."

Tell Ghost Stories

When was the last time you were told some ghost stories? This can be a great idea for your haunted party. Make sure to set the mood. Turn off the lights and only have a few candles flickering to read by. All gather around in a circle, by a fireplace preferably, and begin reading. Make sure to have lots of pillows and blankets available so folks can be comfortable, and have a place to hide when they are afraid! Here are some links to some ghost stories and tales online:

Build a Haunted Tale

An alternative to just reading a ghost story is to make the story a group effort. Have everyone sit around in a circle, and begin with one person who starts the story. He/She should only make up a few sentences, or until there's enough suspense to move on to the next person. As the story moves around the circle it should build and build, and hopefully be very different than what the first person thought it would be! To start the game, you can begin by providing a title, or have the group create a title once it's complete!

Flashlight Tag

Flashlight tag could be played in a dark house, a dark yard, or better yet, a graveyard! The rules are pretty simple; the person who is it has a flashlight. If you are "tagged" by the light, then you are out. The last person tagged becomes "it."

In general, flashlights can be a game unto itself if there are little kids around. Make sure to have plenty on hand for an evening of fun!

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment ideas to come...

TREATS

Treat ideas to come...

Inspiration Board

GOODIE BAG

Below are goodie bag ideas to come...

PICTURES FROM A HALLOWEEN HAUNT PARTY

If you throw a Halloween Haunt Party, send us the pictures! We’d love to include them on our website to show everyone the fun that was had!

We snuck into the abandoned house, butterflies twirling in our stomachs. We knew we were not supposed to be there, especially not on Halloween night. No one had been in the house since that horrible Halloween, 25 years ago... The screams, the shrieking, and the blood is etched in the minds of the towns people, but unfortunately, no one could come in time to save the family inside.

Still, we weren’t afraid... we would go in, and have our own Halloween fun, and prove to the town that this house wasn’t haunted. That stuff is all make believe... right?

2. Pre-made Gothic Style Halloween Decorations

If you are willing to spend some money and have space to store the items, there are amazing gothic-style decorations that can be bought online. Check out this link to many inspirational decoration ideas: Gothic Halloween Decorations.

3. Framed Cemetery and Graveyard Pictures

Head to your local graveyard and start snapping some pictures. Try close ups, funny angles and distorted perspectives. When home, in you favorite photo program, convert the to black and white and print away. Purchase used frames, or "distressed" ornate frames and hang or place in groups around the party area. Remove all pictures of "live" people, and make sure to only feature the dead ones!

4. A Spooky Mantle: Candles, Dried Roses, A Gargoyle Statue, Old Potions, and More...

Imagine being in an old Victorian house that has been boarded up for years. Picture what the mantle may have looked like in the parlor, if no one had touched it in over 100 years... Candles 1/2 gone, roses dried, artwork discolored, dusty old bottles and spider webs galore. This is the perfect scene for your mantle at this party!

5. Cheesecloth

There's nothing better than cheesecloth to add spook to your space. Best yet, it's pretty inexpensive! I've purchased yards and yards of it and hung it up as tattered curtains in my windows and doorways.

All you need to do is tear and stretch (once hung) to give the tattered look. For also some aging, you water down some brown acrylic paint in a spray bottle. Then (before hanging) spray the cheesecloth to give it the perfect aged look.

(Also, be sure to check out this great Cheesecloth ghost decoration from Country Living.)

6. Old White Sheets - The Abandoned House Look

There's a neighborhood near us that goes all out for Halloween! It helps that the houses are also the perfect style for Halloween, but the decorations these folks pull out are just amazing. One house in particular creates a look of an old abandoned haunted house. They drape all their furniture with old white sheets to make it look like no one has lived there for years. Although, as trick or treaters we never go in the house, as you head up to the door, you can look into their big picture windows and see the spooky set up! It's just perfect!