| A Murder Mystery Halloween PartyThrowing a | | | | |
| Murder Mystery Halloween party will leave | | | | has taken place.-> If kids will participate, |
| | | | you should probably use |
| your guests dying to get there to see what | | | | |
| the mystery | | | | a "Clue" game theme and leave clues all over |
| | | | the house |
| is all about, thrilled to participate in | | | | |
| solving the | | | | that are more kid-friendly than fake dead |
| | | | bodies and |
| mystery, and talking about your party for | | | | |
| months and | | | | such.-> Lots more decoration ideas and |
| | | | resources are at |
| years afterwards.If you want your home to be | | | | |
| "the place to be" this | | | | way, if you want to make a game out of it, |
| | | | |
| Halloween, read on for some great ideas for | | | | the idea is to make it so guests can devise |
| a fun (and | | | | their |
| | | | |
| safe) murder mystery party for kids and | | | | own theories as to exactly what happened, so |
| adults alike.WhereAt your home - as you'll | | | | you'll |
| see, a party like this may | | | | |
| | | | need a "police officer" or other person of |
| involve decorating several of the rooms in | | | | authority |
| your home, | | | | |
| | | | to read off the stats of the crime and |
| or you can confine it to your basement or | | | | background |
| family/great | | | | |
| | | | information to guests as they view the crime |
| room. If the weather is warm enough (even if | | | | scene |
| cool), | | | | |
| | | | room(s). (Or, you can include this |
| you can have at least some of the party on | | | | information on |
| your patio | | | | |
| | | | your invitations!)You can create it so that |
| or deck or back yard too. If your guests | | | | there is a definite guilty |
| will include | | | | |
| | | | person, or you can just have people create |
| kids, having the party right around dinner | | | | theories |
| time is | | | | |
| | | | and select the best one to be the winner. |
| perfect as it will be getting (or already) | | | | Alternatively, |
| dark then, | | | | |
| | | | you don't have to require that guests solve |
| but won't be so late that the kids are | | | | the crime |
| losing it.InvitationsThe important part of | | | | |
| the invitation is that it introduces | | | | but just use the crime scene as part of your |
| | | | decorating |
| your guests to what the party theme and tone | | | | |
| will be. You | | | | theme.FoodThere are so many Halloween themed |
| | | | food ideas that |
| can go silly, as with Clue, or serious, as | | | | |
| with a crime | | | | I can't even begin to crack the surface of |
| | | | what is |
| from real life or a Law and Order episode | | | | |
| (with some | | | | available, from haunted house cakes to |
| | | | spiderweb |
| details changed to make the solution a | | | | |
| surprise of course). | | | | cookies to brain-shaped jello molds to |
| | | | "finger" |
| You can do famous cases or make something up | | | | |
| from scratch. | | | | foods (little hot dogs), etc. Just use your |
| | | | imagination |
| Regardless, your invitation gives the guest | | | | |
| an idea of what | | | | or search online for "halloween recipes."As |
| | | | for crime-scene related ideas, pretty much |
| to expect when they come to your party. | | | | any |
| Personally, I love | | | | |
| | | | recipes that have human parts (fingers, |
| the idea of a Costume Ball Mystery - that | | | | bones, brain, |
| way everyone | | | | |
| | | | eyeballs, etc.) and anything bloody. Also, |
| can wear whatever costume they want and not | | | | police-type |
| feel out of | | | | |
| | | | ideas include coffee and doughnuts (no |
| place. More information on invitations is at | | | | offense meant |
| | | | |
| | | | to our people in blue!), badge shaped |
| you can have a specific theme for your | | | | cookies or cake, |
| party, such | | | | |
| | | | and foods that are easy to eat on the way to |
| as Cinderella or Dead Celebrities, or | | | | a crime |
| Monsters, you can | | | | |
| | | | scene, like sandwiches and wraps. Get more |
| also just leave it up to your guests to drew | | | | ideas from |
| up in | | | | |
| | | | the links on the Party Food page here |
| whatever they want. Either way, costumes | | | | |
| should be | | | | forget Halloween drinks! A cauldron of |
| | | | fruit |
| expected! Find more costume ideas at | | | | |
| | | | punch, or a punch bowl of any iced drink |
| ideas (that are suitable for both kids and | | | | that is |
| adults) | | | | |
| | | | good for everyone. Be sure to have basics: |
| can be polaroid mug shots of each guest, | | | | coffee, |
| anything that | | | | |
| | | | soda, iced tea, and if your guests like, |
| glows in the dark (necklaces, sticks, wands, | | | | beer and |
| etc.), | | | | |
| | | | wine. If you are going to have a bar, search |
| small bags of candy (maybe made to look like | | | | for |
| crime | | | | |
| | | | mixed drink recipes at |
| scene tape), fingerprint dust (candy), | | | | |
| sketches of | | | | They have a bunch of Halloween drink |
| | | | recipes.CakeFor a Halloween party, a cake is |
| the suspects, small pads of paper (for | | | | not mandatory, but |
| taking crime | | | | |
| | | | if you want to have one, there are lots of |
| scene notes), nail files, fake police | | | | online |
| badges, | | | | |
| | | | ideas for Halloween. I couldn't find a crime |
| flashlights, handcuffs, whistles, etc. For | | | | scene |
| kids, | | | | |
| | | | style cake, but a badge or handcuff shape |
| matchbox police cars too.DecorationsHere is | | | | would be |
| where the fun is! You'll need to decorate | | | | |
| your | | | | cool. Check out the links on this page for |
| | | | more ideas: |
| house as though a crime was committed. If | | | | |
| kids will be | | | | course, your mystery can be a game and you |
| | | | can |
| around, you'll need to have any gory stuff | | | | |
| you want to | | | | also have Halloween oriented games too, |
| | | | including |
| include in a room where they will not be or | | | | |
| avoid it | | | | bobbing for apples, candy or treasure hunt, |
| | | | pumpkin |
| altogether. It doesn't have to be bloody to | | | | |
| be thrilling!First, general decorations for | | | | carving, etc. When I throw parties for kids, |
| the food and mingling | | | | having |
| | | | |
| area:-> Black, orange, and metallic balloons | | | | several games planned is great, but for a |
| and streamers | | | | more adult |
| | | | |
| would look great, especially if you have the | | | | party, just socializing seems to be what my |
| balloons | | | | guests |
| | | | |
| filled with helium and allow them to float | | | | tend to want to do for the most part. More |
| on the ceiling | | | | game ideas: |
| | | | |
| with long ribbons on them. This gives a | | | | probably want to have some Halloween spooky |
| surreal kind | | | | |
| | | | |
| of feeling with dim light.-> Of course the | | | | music CDs. Since the crime scene will take |
| light should be dim. There are all kinds | | | | some time, |
| | | | |
| of halloween lighting, including black | | | | you might want to have a stereo with music |
| lights, cauldron | | | | rather |
| | | | |
| lights, candles, etc. (This is for the food | | | | than live entertainment. But it's completely |
| mingling area; | | | | up to |
| | | | |
| the lighting in your crime scene will vary | | | | you and what your guests would enjoy the |
| depending on | | | | most. I |
| | | | |
| the crime you want to present.)-> Candles on | | | | wonder if there's a CD with theme songs from |
| the main table as a centerpiece are great - | | | | crime |
| | | | |
| if you use candles, be sure that kids can't | | | | drama TV shows anywhere? :) Or if you have a |
| get to them. | | | | police |
| | | | |
| There are some really neat dripping blood | | | | scanner or even have a crime show on TV or |
| candles. Or you | | | | on |
| | | | |
| can display carved pumpkins.-> Tableware | | | | DVD playing, like a season of Law and Order |
| could be black, orange, metallic, or in a | | | | or CSI.There are endless ideas for having a |
| | | | crime scene |
| nice Halloween pattern.As for the rest of | | | | |
| the house, you might want to only | | | | Halloween party - as I mentioned, you could |
| | | | set it |
| decorate one room, or several, depending on | | | | |
| the crime | | | | up like an actual crime scene or set it up |
| | | | like a |
| story you decide to use or create. Here are | | | | |
| some ideas:-> Put crime scene tape across | | | | Clue mystery. You could also create a Scooby |
| your front door. (Make | | | | Doo |
| | | | |
| sure it is easy for people to lift up to get | | | | mystery or a mystery involving |
| in and put | | | | Halloween-type |
| | | | |
| back for other guests.-> In the bathroom, | | | | creatures like ghosts, werewolves, vampires, |
| write a cryptic clue in lipstick | | | | etc. |
| | | | |
| on the mirror. Put a fake dead body in the | | | | It's all dependent on what type of Halloween |
| bathtub with | | | | crime |
| | | | |
| fake blood all over him (If kids are coming, | | | | party you want to have.Cheryl Williams owns |
| you might | | | | |
| | | | |
| want to skip this!) To make him, you can | | | | a website with awesome ideas for all kinds |
| stuff clothes | | | | of parties. |
| | | | |
| with hay or wadded up paper and use a | | | | To get tips, ideas, and resources for |
| stuffed mask for | | | | planning the perfect |
| | | | |
| the head. You can use ketchup for blood.-> | | | | party, visit the site and be sure to |
| Use glow in the dark tape to create a figure | | | | subscribe to |
| outline | | | | |
| | | | Party Tips ezine now! Publishing Guidelines: |
| on a floor, or put bits and pieces on the | | | | You are welcome to publish this |
| walls to try | | | | |
| | | | article in its entirety - as long as the |
| to give the impression of spattered blood | | | | resource box is |
| lit up with | | | | |
| | | | included - electronically or in print. If |
| infrared light.-> Create a room in which | | | | possible, please |
| things are overturned and | | | | |
| | | | send a courtesy link or email where you |
| broken and where it looks like a big | | | | publish to:mailto:Line space: approx. 60 |
| struggle/fight | | | | characters per line. |