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