Throwing a Masked Halloween Party

The more elaborate the mask, the better.

When planning a masked Halloween party, create excitement with everything from the invitations to the party games. Adults, as well as older children, can enjoy frightful masked parties. Appeal to your ghoulish and mischievous sensibilities to concoct an eerie atmosphere that befitting the holiday. Create a “spooktacular” Halloween party your family and friends will be talking about for months to come.

Invitations

Print pictures of scary Halloween masks and write the party details on the back of the pictures. For added decoration, poke a hole on opposite sides of the mask and attach a piece of elastic string to better resemble the look of a mask. Alternatively, use the inexpensive plastic masks sold at many Halloween stores for party invitations. Write the party details on the mask using paint pens. Be sure to tell your guests it is a masked Halloween party and persuade them to wear one by telling them there will be prizes for the best masks. Making mask-themed invitations will give your guests a feel for the type of party they will be attending.

Decorations

Decorate the party area with a variety of Halloween masks to make the event stand out from everyday Halloween parties. Find inexpensive masks at estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores. Hang the masks on the walls and from the ceiling. Put the masks in places your guests will least expect them, like underneath the toilet lid. Keep all the lights dim with only light from black lights or colored light bulbs. Hang artificial spider web all over the party area to create a spooky effect. Fill clear jars and vases with colored water. Label the jars with names like “Vampire Blood” and “Voodoo Juice.”

Contests

Hosting contests will give partygoers something to do and prevent boredom. After everyone arrives at the party, judge the masks. Select three judges before the party starts. Have them award prizes for the funniest, most gruesome, scariest, most realistic and most creative masks. If you do not have judges, simply let the guests vote for the best masks by round of applause. Hold a scream contest as well. Have each contestant give his best scream. Award prizes for the best, loudest, scariest and longest screams.

Games

Playing games will help even the most stubborn guests get into the party spirit. See how well all the guests know their own masks by playing a guessing game. Ask players to take off their masks and place them on the floor in the middle of the room. Have the players sit in a circle and blindfold each other. When you say “Go,” players must crawl to the mask pile and feel for their mask. The first player to find his own mask wins the game and a prize. Another idea is to hide all the masks outdoors. The first player to find his mask wins the game. Make the game more challenging by hiding the masks after it gets dark.