How to Plan a Mystery Spa Party
Give your next girls' night party a twist with a spa murder mystery theme. Not only do you and your friends get to pamper yourselves, you get to exercise your minds at the same time. Murder mysteries add an air of excitement to a party and get people talking. Time will fly by as you and your guests investigate a grisly murder scene while nail polish dries on your toes.
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Things You'll Need
- Party invitations
- Small manila envelopes
- Fun foam shapes
- Bar pin backs
- Hot glue
- Facial masks
- Skin scrubs
- Hair accessories
- Makeup
- Nail polish
- Finger snacks
- Scented candles
- Soothing music
- Male friend (husband, brother, cousin, etc.)
- Fake blood
- Murder weapon
- Clues
Instructions
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1
Write a character sketch for each guest. Use a typewriter font and language from spy novels and movies. Tell each guest her character's name, occupation, personality and appearance. Instruct guests to dress appropriately. Include the character sketches in the invitations you mail to guests.
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2
Choose one guest to be the killer. Include this information in that character sketch, and warn her to act casual. In all the character sketches, include little clues and connections that should come out during conversation among guests. For instance, perhaps one of the characters used to work for another character's sister, so they know each other. This relationship could work into the mystery.
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3
Designate an area to be the spa. Move plush furniture into a circle around a central table. Cover the table with spa treatments like scrubs, facials, makeup, nail polish and hair accessories. Set scented candles around the room, and light them about 10 minutes before everyone arrives.
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4
Set out snacks like fondue, mini bagels, muffins, finger sandwiches, fresh fruits and veggies with dip. Solving a mystery works up an appetite.
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5
Place any necessary clues, including the unused murder weapon, before everyone gets there. Other possible clues include a glass with a lipstick stain, an I.D. bracelet in a strange place and an incriminating letter connecting the murderer to the victim.
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Get a male friend to be a server at the spa. He should dress in a nice suit and serve you and your friends beverages. About 10 minutes into the party, a lady should go to the kitchen to chastise him for taking too long with the drinks. She should find him "dead" with the murder weapon nearby.
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Start talking. Plant a seed of doubt by saying that no one else was in the house and that the murderer must be one of you. Guests should start to accuse each other and look for clues. In the meantime, your male friend can be "carted away by the coroner" when everyone is out of the room. In other words, he can go home once his job is done.
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Steer your guests toward clues. If they aren't finding your planted items, send someone into a room with an obvious clue to keep things rolling. If all goes well, it should take no less than an hour and no more than two or three hours to discover the culprit.
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Tips & Warnings
A teen sleepover can be turned into a murder mystery-themed party. If you want to use the party theme for younger children, say 10 and below, switch the theme from murder to thievery. Have something get stolen instead of someone being killed.
References
- Photo Credit spa image by horacio villamonte from Fotolia.com
