Angie's Attic – Halloween Specials

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Theme Party Planning 101

In case you’re wondering what a “theme party” is, it’s not just a Halloween party where guests come arrayed in ghoulish garments and masks. A theme party is any party where guests dress according to a certain theme-say Superheroes or the Roaring Twenties or favorite mothers or Wild West or Medieval times. Judging by the amount of time and money many adults put into their Halloween costumes every year, it’s a safe bet that you could host a theme party on other days of the year and draw lots of willing participants. This article therefore will give a few tips to get you started with your theme party planning.

You may think that many of the adults you know simply wouldn’t be interested, but the fact that people watch so many movies these days shows that they have a need to enter another time, another world. This
is because everyone loves variety and change, a break from the “same old” reality of a working class existence. A theme party is their chance to get together with friends for fun times, food and fantasy.

As the host or hostess, you must set the example by creating your own theme costume-so make it good. You can buy some ready-made accessories in a store, but for top results it’s best if your costume is tailor-made. (Since you will be playing host, serving and running around, be sure that your costume is comfortable and does not restrict your movements.) Then show off your costume to your friends-or e-mail
them photos-to inspire them and give them an idea of how they can make their own costume or throw one together.

Once you have chosen your party theme, begin selecting the music you’ll play. You can check the Internet for theme-related music suggestions. Your play list will be creating a mood, and music is crucial for helping your gests get into your theme, so from the minute they walk in your front door, have music playing. Decorating your home with theme-specific lights, garlands, posters, theme-related table cloths, etc. can also help transform it from the mundane. You don’t need to spend a lot on this either. You can often buy cheap accessories at a thrift store. A couple hours spent decorating your house is well worth the trouble.

Choose a day for your party when you know people are free; ordinarily this will be a Friday night or on the weekend. Invite them well in advance so they will have time to make their costume, and so they can mark the date on their calendar before they make other plans. By the way, mailing out a card (designed according to the theme) will help convince them to come; either that or design an evite (e-card) and send it to their e-mail address. In the card, let them know that there will be a prize for the best costume.

The number of guests you invite depends not only on the size of your house, but if you are doing a more formal theme-say the Roaring Twenties-and will have guests seated around a dinner table to eat then that will have to be factored in, since the average dining room table seats no more than eight to ten people. However, for most other themes, you can invite more guests, since they will be scattered between two or three rooms and possibly spill out onto the balconies, patio or even into the back yard-any place where they can find a couch or a lawn chair to sit on.

For most theme parties, food preparation should be a fairly straightforward matter. Provide dry, crunchy snacks like chips, nachos, peanuts or mixed nuts; put out bowls of hot, spicy foods like party wieners; provide bread and spinach dip; and set out Nanaimo bars, cookies, or cupcakes-finger food that’s easy to prepare and easy to eat. If you’ll be serving alcohol, provide a bowl of punch or set out bottles of wine. If some of your guests don’t drink, steer them toward a bowl of non-alcoholic punch or set out some bottles of soda pop for them. You will also need to keep pots of coffee brewing with cream and sugar nearby-or hot water and teabags for those who prefer it.

Fifteen minutes before the party begins, heat up the warm food and set it out, and take the chilled food out of the fridge. Then take a final look at your costume in the hallway mirror as you go to answer the doorbell. Enjoy yourself! The guests have begun to arrive.

About the Author

Stacy is a Party Planning expert. For more information on
theme party planning, visit http://www.FoodPartyPlanning.com

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