Halloween Party Decorations
Pumpkin Lantern
What you need:
A decent sized unbruised and uncut pumpkin or turnip
A large knife (accompanied by a responsible adult!)
What to do:
In Scotland, the traditional vegetable used for lanterns was a turnip, but these days pumpkins are the more commonly used. Whichever you pick, make sure you get a big one!
Cut a very little off the bottom of the pumpkin to allow it to sit safely upright. Next cut off the top of the pumpkin, making sure to keep stem and skin as intact as possible. You should now have a large enough hole to reach in and pull out the seeds and contents inside. A spoon or ladle can speed this process up.
Once you have your hollowed-out pumpkin you can think about designing the face – the simpler the better! When you have a final accurate drawing of how you would like it to look, transfer the picture to the pumpkin either by drawing onto the pumpkin with a felt pen or by pinning the drawing to it. Pierce the side of the pumpkin where you have a shape and cut the outlines very carefully.
All the remains is to light your creation! Small night-lights are a good way of lighting up the inside of the lantern, but you must be careful not to place candles near any thing that could catch light. Electric lights or torches can be a safer option and better if it’s left outside on a windy night.
Scary Head
What you need:
A balloon
Plenty of newspaper
Flour and Water (or wallpaper paste)
Paint
What to do:
Inflate the balloon to around the size of a normal head and tie a knot in the bottom. Mix the flour and water until you have a gooey paste and tear the newspaper into strips. Soak the bits of newspaper in the goo before applying a layer of newspaper to the outside of the balloon. Once this is done, keep applying layers to the balloon, putting extra layers where you will want a nose and not so much around the eye sockets..
When you are happy with the shape of your head leave it to dry– Overnight or longer is best!
When you return to the balloon the newpaper should have dried to form a hard shell and should be ready to paint.
Think carefully about what you want the head to look like. Will it be human, a monster, a vampire – a werewolf even?
Spooky Spiders
What you need:
A ping pong ball, Pipe cleaners (black is best)
Thick black paint or black spray paint
Two sequins, Glue
Long pieces of thin elastic or thread
A skewer or screwdriver
What to do:
Carefully make two holes on opposite sides of the ball with a sharp object. Next, colour the ball black or any spooky colours and patterns of paint you would like and leave it to dry for a few hours.
After the paint is dry, take four pipe cleaners of decent length and thread them through the holes until you have four ‘legs’ on each side. Make sure the legs are kept in place by bending the legs to the shape you like.
Attach the sequins with the glue, or any tiny contrasting object to where the eyes will be. If nothing springs to mind, painting the eyes in a contrasting colour works just as well.
The only remaining task is to carefully tie the elastic or thread to the legs and suspend it from doorways ceilings and furniture!
Ghastly Ghosties
What you need:
Some circles of white material (at least six inches wide)
Cushion stuffing or cotton wool
Elastic or thread
Black felt pen
What to do:
Find or cut yourself a selection of white circular pieces of material as big as you fancy. Take some stuffing material and put a handful into the centre of the cloth, making sure to leave at least two inches to each side. Gather the material until you have a ball shape in the middle and with the elastic or thread tie it shut, leaving enough thread to suspend the ghost from your chosen area. With the felt pen draw some spooky features on the ghostie and then hang him wherever you please.
Witchy Windows
What you need:
A large piece of black card
Some yellow/white tissue paper
Some glue
Scissors/craft knife
A piece of chalk
What to do:
Measure a window and make sure that you have enough card to cover it and a little more and cut the card so it’s the right size. Next draw a large circle on the card – this will eventually look like a moon – and carefully cut it out. On another piece of card trace and cut a reasonably sized witch silhouette, ideally with an area that will able to be attached to the card for durability. Place large pieces of the tissue paper on the back of your design and carefully glue the edges to the card. When you have finished, attach the whole piece to your window. When it gets dark, the lights inside your house will light up the moon making a creepy reception for your goulish guisers!
Party Games
Bobbing For Apples
What you need:
A big basin
A waterproof surface
Lots of apples
What to do:
Put the basin down on the waterproof surface, preferably on the floor and fill it with water. Place an apple in the water. Each person will take a turn to try and take the apple out of the water using only his or her mouth. It’s a good idea not to fill the basin full of apples as this can make them easier to get hold of and many apples will end up full of teeth marks!
By the end of the game the participants should be rather wet.
A similar foody game involves coating pancakes or scones in treacle and hanging them from string. Those involved in this game, have to eat the foods with their mouths alone and usually end up very sticky!
The Mummy
What you need:
A big supply of toilet paper!
What to do:
Split the party guests into groups no smaller than two and give them a substantial supply of toilet paper. The object is to try and turn one of the group into a mummy by wrapping them entirely in the loo roll! Prizes go to the quickest or the best attempt.
Monster Dance
What you need:
A spooky song
What to do:
This game is played like musical statues, or even musical chairs. Start the music and the players will dance in the style of monsters around the room. When the music stops the last person to freeze or find a seat is eliminated. Repeat until there is only one player left in the game.
Frankenstein’s Lab
What you need:
A selection of gooey, squidgy and interesting foodstuffs
What to do:
Prepare the items of food in advance and create a story that will involve all these pieces becoming body parts in an operation. Sit the party guests round in a circle and turn the lights out. Begin the story, passing each object around the circle and letting each guest feel the gruesome pieces...
Halloween Blind Man’s Buff
What you need:
A blindfold
Some wooden spoons
What to do:
One member of the group will be blindfolded and turned around several times as if in an imaginary cauldron. The blindfolded person will then have to try and identify the other members of the group using only spoons! While it’s possible to play the game by touch, it makes it rather easy when the crowd are in costume.
Pass The Pumpkin
What you need:
One hollowed out pumpkin
Some sweets or goodies
Some spooky music
What to do:
This game is played like pass the parcel except when the music stops the player holding the pumpkin is out. The last person to be left in the game gets the contents!
Halloween Howlers
What's a ghost's favourite fruit?
Booberries
What's a ghoul's favourite breakfast cereal?
Rice Creepies.
What does a goblin shop for?
Grosseries.
What is a vampires favourite mode of transportation?
A blood vessel.
What's black, white, orange, and waddles?
A penguin with a Halloween lantern
What do you get when you cross a were-wolf with a drip-dry suit?
A wash-and-werewolf.
Why does a witch ride on a broom?
Vacuum cleaners have to be plugged into the wall.
What do you call a ghost with a broken leg?
Hoblin goblin.
Where did the black cat cross the road?
To catch up with the chicken.
Why did the ghost cross the road?
To get to "THE OTHER SIDE"
Where did the black cat cross the road?
To catch up with the chicken.
Why didn't the skeleton dance at the Halloween party?
It had no body to dance with.
What do little trees say on Halloween?
Twig or treat.
Who does a ghoul fall in love with?
His ghoul friend.
Why did the vampire need mouthwash?
She had bat breath.
What do you call a person who puts poison in a person's corn flakes?
A cereal killer
What tops off a ghost's sundae?
Whipped scream
What's a goblin's favourite flavour?
Lemon n' Slime.
What's a cold, evil candle called?
The wicked wick of the north.
What has a black hat, flies on a broomstick, and can't see anything?
A witch with her eyes closed.
What did the papa ghost say to the baby ghost?
Fasten your sheet belt.
What do you call a wicked witch who lives by the sea?
A sand-witch
What did Dr. Frankenstein get when he put his goldfish's brain in the body of his dog?
I don't know, but it's great at chasing submarines.
How do you make a witch stew?
Keep her waiting for hours.
Why did the witch's mail rattle?
It was a chain letter.
How can you tell when windows are scared?
They get shudders.
Why are black cats such good singers?
They're very mewsical.
Why did the witch stand up in front of the audience?
She had to give a screech.
What do you call a goblin who gets too close to a bonfire?
Toasty ghosty.
What directions did the ghost give the goblin?
"Make a fright turn at the corner."
Why did the vampire's lunch give her heartburn?
It was a stake sandwich.
Where does a ghost refuel his Porsche?
At the ghastly station
Why wasn't the vampire working?
He was on his coffin break.
What happens when a ghost gets lost in a fog?
He's mist
How do you picture yourself flying on a broom?
By witchful thinking.
When does a skeleton laugh?
When something tickles his funny bone.
What is a witch with poison ivy called?
An itchy witchy.
Where do ghosts mail their letters?
At the ghost office
Where did the goblin throw the football?
Over the ghoul line.
Where does Count Dracula usually eat his lunch?
In the casketeria.
What do you call serious rocks?
Gravestones.