Gothic Vampire is a new-millennium take on an ages old legend. We see its stylized attitude in movies like The Twilight series and Blade, and on shows like The Vampire Diaries and True Blood.

There are also hints of Goth Vampire in the new steampunk movement which is oh so very cool – think The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Van Helsing and Sherlock Holmes (the Robert Downey, Jr. version) for this genre.

It’s scary, it’s spicy, it’s chic, and both boys and girls are allowed to play. That’s what makes this such a fun theme for your Halloween party.

By the way…we did mention spice, didn’t we? Since Hollywood began taking a seductive spin on them in 20th century cinema (pretty well since Bram Stoker’s Dracula), vampires have been the sexiest thing walking (or flying, or doing that vapor thing). Goth takes that equation and adds even more heat — so think sexy, sexy, sexy for your goth vampire costume. Unleash your inner vamp — it’s a chillingly good party experience!

Dressing to Kill

It’s not a goth vampire party without an absolutely killer outfit. Try these ideas to look your vivacious Victorian-inspired vixen (or devastating dude) hottest:

• Costume vampire fangs…of course. Get good ones, from Scarecrow.
• Colored contacts. For a huge WOW factor. (Note: You only have one pair of eyes. We CAN NOT vouch for this or any company as far as safety, comfort or other factors related to contact lenses.)
• Goggles and other Steampunk touches.
• Matte black nail polish or awesome crackle nail polish.
• Black lace-up top or a lace, button or snap corset; lace-up boots or a lace-side skirt.
• Fingerless gloves, for both men and women.
• A black trench coat or duster for men; think The Matrix.
• Vinyl; leather; silk (look for budget lookalike versions of these materials).
• Lace, or torn, black stockings. A garter belt with these make a devastating combination…try it if you dare!
• Long, long, long skirt with a high slit, showing black boots underneath.
• Voluminous multi-skirt looks (lace for the underskirt, something sexy for the overskirt…or vice versa).
• Red and black, or pink and black (tea party-esque Goth; we love it!)
• Black and white stripes.
• A cape; drape it rather than simply closing it at the neck. This will give the look a more up-to-date feel.
• Oversize religious jewelry.
• “Dog collar” necklace and wrist cuffs with studs.
• Makeup: Try this gorgeous Youtube tutorial (below). Also use latex skin, glue-on latex bite marks and faux blood. (Be sure you don’t have an allergy to latex first, though.)
• Bat wings or black faerie wings for an innocent and fey touch to contrast with your darker side.

Party Decor for Your Chilling Little Soiree

Vampires haven’t always been pretty. But they HAVE always been cool. Pic: Le Stryge (The Vampire), c. 1853 wood etching.

It’s getting spoooooky in here! Decorating your own little Batcave is half the fun of putting together this party theme. Most of the following ideas take into account pressed time frames and budgets (trust us, we understand!). More complex decor is included as well. Remember, even a few eerie touches will add atmosphere, so pick the ones that sing (or howl) to you and put the rest on the back burner for next year.

“Old-world” vampire imagery. Original beliefs in vampirism (including during the Victorian/goth era) often included the creature being hideously ugly and/or part animal. You’re going for a very old-fashioned decoration theme here, so realistic, no-punches-pulled images will be the perfect complement to your decor. Look online for some great imagery … on second thought, I just did, and only came up with modern fantasy images! Search for actual historical and fictional names, such as Vlad the Impaler, Carmilla, Le Stryge, and other Medieval monsters like ghouls and gargoyles. Also search based on time period, such as “Gothic artwork 19th century”. Print out in large scale and hang your gristly artwork on the walls.

Faux blood. Find this in the novelty or Halloween section of your nearest party store, check online or simply use ketchup or hot sauce (careful; all of these, including the commercially prepared fake blood, will stain). There’s also a home-made fake blood recipe here.

Your furry friends — all vamped up. Here’s a great idea for live, realtime decor that doubles as entertainment when the pet walks through the party area: Drip a little faux blood from underneath Fido’s collar onto his coat. Paint red drops on his or your kitty’s white flea collar, too. If you have exceptionally patient pets, have them wear mini vampire costumes as well.

All things aged. “Age” any decor you have with faux spiderwebs and spiders, “dust” (use flour), etc.

Steampunk-style decor. Anything that looks outrageously/impossibly mechanically held together and very intricate will do. Complex rusty-looking gears are perfect. Cut your own out of cardboard and paint. Items that should be old-fashioned but have a somewhat industrial/current look to them are also great. Here’s a fun metal sundial that would do nicely on your gothic party table – that way you can warn your guests when sunrise is about to happen.

Candles, candles, candles, candles…and more candles. If you’re concerned about fire, use electric flickering candles instead of real ones. Either way, partially melt (use a hairdryer on non-flammables with wax casings) short, tall, fat, round and any and all candles you can find. Put them in wine bottles and on plates — search garage sales for cheap, older, perhaps chipped pieces. Have them lit (or the switch turned on). Put them on top of stacks of books, on the party table, on end tables, even in the bathroom — wherever your guests will be gravitating during their night of gristly fun.

Red lightbulbs. You need at least one of these! Replacing regular white bulbs with red bulbs in the dance area will make the festivities creepier — and way more fun. Otherwise, put them in hallway bulb outlets or in other places guests will go to create an instantly spooky atmosphere.

Bats, of course. Hang them everywhere.

A full size coffin. We’ve found amazing deals on Craigslist.org for the real thing. (Is there anything you can’t find on Craigslist? We’ve seen real hearses there too, by the way!) But if you’re leery of online amateur sales or if you just don’t have the cash to invest in the real deal, here’s an incredible, inexpensive tutorial on making a “toe-pincher” style coffin out of foam. You can also cut cardboard pieces, glue or tack them together and make a great-looking coffin.

Recipes You Can Sink Your Teeth Into

Ooh…want a bite? Oh come on…how about just a little nibble?

Set your goth vampire party foods table with a white lace tablecloth and perhaps a plastic candelabra if you have one (check your local dollar store or ,a href=”http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=sr_nr_i_0&keywords=gothic%20candelabra&qid=1318453528&rh=k%3Agothic%20candelabra%2Ci%3Agarden?keywords=gothic candelabra&_encoding=UTF8&tag=partyhalloween-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957″>Amazon… the more creeped up this is, the better). Then fill it with delectable goodies.

Think sensuous, the color red and vamp-y touches. How about a gorgeous tray of very, very good chocolates? Glasses of bubbly? A rented wine fountain (red wine, naturally)? One word here: If you’ll be going for elegant touches like these, don’t skimp. If you’re budgeting, you still have plenty of options. Here are some delicious ideas:

Blood Punch Recipe (non-alcohol version)

• 1 box red-colored Jello, any flavor
• 2 liters red-colored soda, any variety
• a punch bowl

Prepare Jello according to package directions. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, until very firm. Immediately before the party, pour the cold soda into a punch bowl. Break the Jello into small chunks. Add chunks to the blood bowl. The idea is that the blood contains clumps. Serve right away so the Jello doesn’t “melt” into the punch before guests have had a look at your creation.

Bood Punch Recipe (alcohol version)

• 1 box red-colored Jello, any flavor
• 2 liters red-colored soda, any variety
• rum of your choice

Prepare the Jello ahead of time per the non-alcohol directions above. Prepare the punch adding the rum of your choice. Cut up Jello junks; add to poured individual glasses of punch immediately before handing to guests. The alcohol will “melt” the clumps much more quickly than the soda, so you want this to be an individually served item. Make up glasses as they’re needed; do not add the Jello to the rum punch ahead of time.

Vampyre cupcakes, by Baking Bites

Vampire Cupcakes Recipe

• red velvet cake mix
• white prepared frosting (in the cakes/cupcakes aisle)
• squeezable red gel icing
• black cupcake liners

Prepare the red velvet cake in black cupcake cups per the cake package’s directions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, then frost each. In the top center of each frosted cupcake, punch two small holes using any small kitchen instrument (for example, a chopstick or a skewer). Squeeze pools of red gel icing into each small hole you’ve just made. Dribble a small line of red gel icing from each hole. The effect is that the cupcake has already been bitten into.

Bitten Berry Cobbler Idea

• Frozen bakeable cherry or any red berry colored pie, turnovers or individual mini-pies
• wooden skewers

This isn’t so much a recipe as it is an easy, quick and gory creation…which is why we love it! Simply bake any prepared, frozen uncooked berry pie, or individual berry filled turnovers, per the package’s directions. Take out and cool. Cut a jagged slice into each so the red berry juice spills out. Break wooden skewers or kabob sticks in half; stick one half at an angle into each individual turnover, or place just one into the pie, as the “stakes” that “killed” the spooky pie.

Charming: This postcard was mailed to a lucky recipient in 1908. Click for more vintage postcard examples.

Remember Halloween when you were a kid? Whether you were a young one in the 60s, 70s, 80s or another decade, or if you’re simply in love with all things retro (as far back as the 1920s and even earlier), you probably have your own idea of what constitutes vintage when it comes to Halloween.

And if you’ve read this far, it means you’re still loving the fabulous, frightening, fun and a little bit freaky October holiday.

If you do, you’re not alone — more and more adults are getting the “Halloween bug” and are creating parties for grown-ups only. Why should the kids have all the fun?

Here’s how to put together a great vintage Halloween party complete with die-cut decor, delicious dishes and memorable postcards for friends to treasure.

Vintage Halloween Party Invitations and Poems

Let’s start with the invitations. From about the turn of the last century through the 1930s, sending Halloween postcards was a popular activity. Luckily, reproductions of many of these treasures still survive and can be purchased or printed out to really add some style to your Halloween invitations. (Click the witchy pic at the top of this article for some fab choices.)

Making your own Halloween party invitations is even more special than buying pre-printed invites, and it’s easy: if you have a color printer, card stock and internet access, you’ve got everything you need!  Choose a vintage Halloween postcard repro for the front of your card and add some authentic old-style text on the back.

These three cute rhymes were taken from postcards mailed in the 1920s and earlier:

You can always look a little more recently in history; for example, Scooby Doo was enormously popular in the 1960s and 1970s as a scary/silly show and makes an awesome retro party invitation (again, download your own images and make invitations). Or use vintage images of Biestle decorations; the company is still growing strong today, but it is very much associated with the 60s, 70s and 80s and will immediately be recognized by your friends.

Vintage Party Decor

Your choice of decor will really make your party. Having tons of vintage visuals will create an instant mood as guests walk in. Here are some ways to deck things out with retro flair:

• Use lots of crepe paper. Hang crepe paper streamers from the ceiling, from the party table and wind orange and black crepe paper together to make garlands.
• Make use of tissue paper. Crumple orange and black tissue paper and use to stuff centerpiece holders (make sure some pokes out of the top) and for wrapping take-home treats and gifts.
• Hang balloons. These will give a “throwback” feel to your party. Choose orange and black, of course.
• Tape die-cut decorations on the walls and use one or two as centerpiece decorations. Put a huge die-cut jointed skeleton on your front door. (Check out Amazon and ebay for sources.)
• Hang paper lantern pumpkins. These work for both outdoor and indoor Halloween parties.
• Look for deals on Ebay for blow-molded decor. Set up your winnings on the front porch…just like in the 70s!
• Buy a vintage children’s Halloween book or two and display them in the party area. Or print covers off the internet and place the covers over other books you already have.

A Taste of Old-Time Halloween: Party Foods

It’s been a long time since parents (and children!) were brave enough to accept anything hand-cooked on Halloween from a stranger. It’s not likely handmade goodies will ever be popular trick-or-treat handouts again, but you can bring some of the nostalgia back by putting yummy traditional favorites on your party table.

Put out bowls of nostalgic candy – the ones you remember and the ones you don’t! They’re nearly all good…and the packaging tends toward adorably retro. Guests will love digging into these sweet little pieces of the past.

Apple cider (including the “hard” kind) is the perfect choice for drinks. If you live in an area that gets cold by the end of October, other warm-me-ups like dark chocolate cocoa (drop in a few orange marshmallows) or yummy cinnamon spice tea are delicious choices.

You can also update old favorites with a little ingenuity. How about sliced fresh apples and caramel dip rather than caramel-coated apples, which are harder to handle and eat? And pumpkin bread squares make the perfect (and perfectly delicious) substitute for pumpkin pie or pumpkin custard.

Here are two fun recipes that are a snap:

Recipe #1: Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls, by newwavegurly/Flickr

Ingredients:

• 3 bags plain/non-buttered microwave popcorn, popped
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2.5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp. cold water

You will also need: disposable kitchen gloves; vegetable shortening; wax paper.

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan on low to medium heat, heat all ingredients except the popcorn and vegetable shortening, stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil.

2. Add all the popcorn to the heated mixture and blend with a spoon.

3. Put on disposable kitchen gloves; coat gloves with vegetable shortening so the mixture won’t stick to your hands.

4. With your gloved hands, mold the coated popcorn into balls, squares or any fun shape. You will need to work quickly, as you want to mold the shapes before the candy mixture cools.

5. Place each completed popcorn ball on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Allow to cool; these will harden quickly. Store in cellophane or plastic baggies.

Recipe #2: Spiced Pumpkin Bread Squares

Ingredients:

• 3 cups canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
• 4 c. sugar
• 1.5 c. vegetable oil
• 4.75 (4 3/4) c. flour
• 1/2 c. crushed pecans
• 1.5 tsp. baking powder
• 1.5 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1.5 tsp. ground clove
• 1.5 tsp. ground nutmeg

You will also need: 3 standard-size loaf pans; vegetable shortening.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Grease the bottom and sides of each loaf pan with the vegetable shortening.

3. In the one bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir well; make sure the baking powder in particular is completely combined and the mixture isn’t lumpy.

4. Add the pecans to the dry mixture. Mix with a spoon.

5. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Blend well.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir well.

7. Divide the mixture among the 3 loaf pans and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. Test after 45 minutes; the tops of the loaves should spring back once they’re done.

8. Cool completely. Cut into squares.

Should You Have Party Activities?

Activities can be fun at a grown-up party, but this one should hold its own just on the “wow” factor alone of your decor and the delicious foods. Play dance music from the 60s and 70s to add flavor to your party and invite guests to get out on the dance floor.

Also: You really MUST make this a costume party. (How can you not?) Be sure you note on the invitations that guests should come in costume. Then let the good times roll.

Ingredients:

• 6 English muffins – split in half to make 12 total
• 1 jar of pizza sauce
• 2 1/2 cups of shredded  cheese (mozzarella is best)
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ package of cooked spaghetti
• Yellow, green and red food Coloring

Split the English muffins and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Spoon a thin layer of sauce on top; then cover the sauce with a layer of shredded cheese. Set aside.

Pour the Parmesan into a small bowl and add five drops each of the yellow, green and red food dye coloring until it’s an even shade of mold green. (Use a plastic bag to prevent your fingers from staining.) Set aside.

Chop your cooked spaghetti into “maggot” sized pieces.

Broil the pizzas until the cheese has melted and bubbly. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool about one minute.

Carefully sprinkle “mold” on top of hot pizzas, followed by the maggots, being careful not to let them stick together. You want the maggots to be distributed evenly (about eight per pizza)

Serve and enjoy!

This is a great Halloween recipe for teenagers to make themselves. For an added touch, serve with bloody sauce for dipping (marinara sauce) Dumpster Pizza will become a favorite Halloween snack, and the only leftovers for the dumpster will be the cheese and pasta noodle packaging! (Which could probably be recycled anyway.)

You will need to provide each guest with a casket-shaped box, about the size of a shoe box. These can be found at a local party supply store during the Halloween season. If you are unable to find those Dracula-inspired caskets, you may be able to just use long rectangular plastic storage containers, which any modern vampire would be just as proud to linger in.

To get the full effect of this exciting casket raiding expedition that your guests will be on, you will need to fill each box with the most gruesome stuff that you can conjure up like:

• spiders (the hairier the better),
• plastic eyeballs –these can be bought in bulk or made by using a permanent marker to create pupils on rubber bouncing balls
• tongues (no one will expect these!)– cut thick foam sheets into tongue shaped pieces or if you really want to gross them out even more, use real calf liver cut to the size of a human tongue!
• gold coins
• and of course, classic gummy worms, because no Halloween would be complete without them!

Be sure that every tomb has the exact same number of items. Add a “special touch” to the caskets by coating the items inside with slime (Jell-o)! Then, you’re ready to play the game!

There are two ways that you can play, but both will require the players to be blindfolded.

For play mode 1: Tomb raiders will need to get a feel for their work with this game. Set a timer and have the blindfolded players identify each object that they pull from the tomb. The tomb raider that identifies the most objects before the time is up wins! Of course, everyone that plays must take the “graveyard code of silence” so that they won’t spoil the fun for the next batch of casket contestants.

For play mode 2: Each player will have to find the tomb’s treasure of gold coins. Each tomb raider will have to find as many gold coins as possible from the gory, goopy casket mix. Don’t be surprised if there are some with faint hearts that are too grossed out to keep digging once they get a feel or two of those grave-worthy objects.

The tomb raider with the biggest treasure of gold coins wins the game!

Along with the chorus of squeamish remarks that you get from this game, you should also expect plenty of laughs and cheers at your Halloween festivities. Who wouldn’t “dig” that?

***

They may not have had internet access, DirectTV or soap, but old-time seafaring folk certainly knew how to have fun! If you’re hosting a pirate theme party this year, or will be featuring pirates in a traditional Halloween party, you’ll want to know all about Liar’s Dice.

This centuries-old game is still fun today, involves a delightful amount of deception and will really get your party hopping. Choose this game to break the ice among your guests, or wait until the party is in full swing, then ask who’s game.

Guaranteed you’ll draw a crowd of both viewers and players as this fascinating game unfolds. Here’s how to play.

Back Up There, Matey…What is Liar’s Dice?

Liar’s Dice is a traditional pirate game of bluff, deception and chance. You play with 2 or more players, each with a cup and five dice. It’s great as a drinking game, an alternative to poker and, of course, a gambling game.

It was originally played by the Incas in South America, where it is known as Dudo or Perudo. It is said that Pizarro, Spanish conqueror of the Inca, learned the game from King Atahualpa. Naturally, the game quickly spread to those of the pirate persuasion. It was played in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, which has certainly brought the game to a whole new generation of people!

Rules

Like all old drinking and dice games, this one has many variants. Here’s the most common version:

1. All players place their five dice in their cup and vigorously shake, then slam down their cup. An exclamation of “Arrr!” is expected, especially if wearing pirate hats. Players may peek and look at the results of their dice.1′s or Aces are wild, but only if there is another die of the same number to make the wild card. So, if you have a 3 and a 1, you can make the 1 another 3 when you bid.

1. A randomly or previously chosen person is the bidder, and guesses or calls how many dice of a certain face value is in play, including their own. So, they can call out “four 2′s” which means he guesses that there are at least four dice on the table with a face value of 2.

1. The next person on the bidder’s left must then do one of two things – call his guess as a bluff, or raise the amount. If he calls his bluff, the play is over and everybody reveals the dice. If he raises the amount, it must be higher than the previous call. For instance, if the previous call is four 2′s, he can either say five 2′s or four 3′s.The next person then does the same – raises the amount or challenges the previous person’s amount as a bluff. It keeps going around the table until someone finally challenges the amount by calling “Liar!” So, this is a game not only of bluff but also of nerve, chance and calculation.

1. Once a challenge has been made, everybody reveals their dice. If the actual dice amount between all players is more than what was called, the challenger loses. If the amount is less than what was called, the previous bidder loses (since the call they made is over the actual amount.)Since 1′s are wild, these dice become the face value of the amount that was called. So, if the previous bid was six 4′s, and there were actually four 4′s and 2 1′s, there would now be six 4′s, and the previous bidder wins.Finally, if the amount is exactly what the bidder guessed (if there were exactly six 4′s, or three 4′s and and two 1′s), everybody but the bidder loses a die.

1. The loser or losers remove one die from his or her hand. The last person who still has dice wins.

1. If it should come down to two players each having one die, then you call the spots on the two dice. So, if your die is a five, and you think the other person has a three, you call an eight. The second person then either challenges you or bids higher.

When it comes to a mad scientist party, everybody will want to get in on the action (and the experiments — mwah ha ha).

A mad scientist party is perfect for Halloween because it works for every age group, both genders and virtually every personality. Even the most buttoned up CEO-by-day is going to want to get jiggy with an Albert Einstein-style frizzy wig and an evil cackle once word gets around that you’ll be hosting the party this year!

These ideas are perfect for charming — or perhaps experimenting on? — your guests with little toil and just enough bubbling trouble to really make a splash. Here’s the quick-and-dirty on your evil, awesome party and how to plan it.

Ghastly Grub

When it comes to dressing up your Halloween spread, food grade dry ice turns every meal into a maddening event. With just a small amount of dry ice you can create a steaming scientific experiment that will leave your guests raving. Our favorite way to use this trick is in a caldron style punch bowl.

If you have young children at the party you may need a safer alternative. In this case, clean rubber gloves are a great way to make “monster hand” shaped ice. Simply fill several gloves up with water and tie the ends off like a balloon. Once frozen, cut away the rubber with kitchen scissors and place into your juice or punch bowl to keep the kid-sized treats ghostly chilly.

Halloween Commotion Potion Party Favors

“Lizard guts and wart of toad,
Broomstick boogers a’lamode,
Slime of snail and wing of bat
One ½ cup of molded rat”

These little print outs are the start of a beautifully bewitching party favor that is a nice break from the ordinary for kids and adults alike.

Next you’ll need “potion style” bottles with toppers along with a family size ready-to-make Kool-Aid powder. The best potion bottles can be found in the craft section and are most often used as sand art. Simply pour in the Kool-Aid powder, pop on the lid and tie on the print outs from above.

Viola! Instant, spook-tacular party favors in a jiff.

*Haunted hint: To “age” party favor print outs or invitations, prior to adding writing, wet a tea bag, ring it out a bit and “paint” it onto your paper. Allow to dry and take a lighter to the edges of the paper.

Get Into Character

You can complete your party’s vibe with a fun lab coat and a wacky Albert Einstein do. A few lab bottles make great props for making this look work with the room. For a less obvious choice go as a lab rat or a human experiment gone horrible wrong – with the latter there are no wrong ideas!

Creating a hauntingly happening Halloween bash can be as easy as conquering that chemicals chart from your freshman year in college chem . . . we kid. We kid. It is MUCH easier than that.

So why are you still sitting around reading this? Get up. Get out and get ready for a Halloween party that is sure to leave everyone raving mad.

In that vein (har har!), we’re pleased to share our Bloody Eyeball Soup recipe with you. This recipe’s looks are deceiving: it’s delicious! And it’s so very easy — and economical — to prepare.

This hilarious gourmet treat will have party guests going from “eew” to “mmm” with the first bite…and the fab flavor is guaranteed to bring them back for seconds. A tip: Serve your Bloody Eyeball Soup with a side of cornbread and follow it up with Tasty Turd Cookies.

Your Halloween party foods may be gross, but they sure will be tasty. Bon(e) appetite!

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced very fine
• 1 green bell pepper, diced very fine
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 (15 ounce) cans canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• About 2 dozen mozzarella balls
  

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the green pepper, onion and garlic until the onion is transparent. Pour in beans and tomato sauce. Season with oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to blend the flavors.
   
2. With a slotted spoon, collect half as many beans as there are cheese balls. Rinse these under cold water to cool.
   
3. Cut each bean in half. Scoop a small section out of each mozzarella ball with a knife. Push half a bean into it to make an eyeball. Add the discarded cheese to the soup.
   
4. Serve, adding three eyeballs to each soup. Yum!
   
5. For an added twist, serve over rice on a plate for a ‘maggot’ of a good time!

Serves Eight

Kids love the idea of eating the ‘eyeballs’ out of the bloody bath they float in and adults love the protein the kids get from the beans. If choosing to serve this dish atop ‘maggots’, slightly overcook the rice so that you have some clumps as well as single pieces.

Make a scream of a dinner this Halloween with our Bloody Eyeball Soup and just wait for the sounds of eww to turn into “more please!”

Of course, you can up the ante by giving guests something to work toward. Tell them there will be a prize at the end for the game winner, and have a small gift, like a gift certificate or some yummy gourmet chocolates, ready.

Intrigued? Then read on to find out how to set up this dire and delicious party activity!

Making “Hand”-some Edible Body Parts Was Never This Much Fun!

Finger, anyone? While it doesn’t really have the same ring to it as other foods that top the favorites list, after playing this game you may have a change of heart when it comes to tasty digits. Get ready to become a true “art critic” of your guests’ handiwork.

Using edible molding materials, your guests will be able to try their hand at creating the best extremities that you’ve ever had the pleasure of laying your eyes on. No doubt, Frankenstein would be proud of the masterpieces that will surface from this creepy game.

Prepare the Game Area

Your biggest concern with the Give Me A Hand game will be to ensure that your guests can “handle” all of the fun that will be had. To get started, you will need to decide what you would like your guests to use as the base for their creations.

Two great edible options include a concoction of edible clay or marshmallow crispy treats.

To make edible clay:

• 1 cup peanut butter (or a nut-free substitute like pea butter)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 ½ cups dry milk powder
• chocolate milk or cocoa powder (optional)

Stir the peanut butter and honey together, then mix in the milk powder. Add some cocoa powder for taste. Stir all together until you get the desired consistency that you need for some molding mayhem!

To make marshmallow crispy treats:

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 5 cups crisp rice cereal

Melt the butter or margarine on low heat, then add and melt the marshmallows. When mixture is melted, remove from heat, transfer to a mixing bowl and add the crisp rice cereal. Mix thoroughly.

Play the Game!

Once you determine your base, provide each game participant with a ball of edible material. Everyone should have the same amount to keep things fair. It may be necessary to tell your guests to get a handle on their nibbling so that they don’t eat up too much of the hand-base. You will also need almond slivers that will be used to fashion nails on these spooky sculptures.

The object of the Give Me a Hand game is for each participant to make a life-sized human shaped hand out of the ball of edible clay or crispy treats that you give them. There will also be a chance for everyone to give their hands a manicure by applying “fake nails” that are made of almond slivers. The hand must be made to look like a real human hand. No claws or paws allowed!

Set the timer, make sure that each participant has a ball and almond slivers. Then, watch as they work to “digitize” their creations! The first person to make their hand wins! Be sure to have a “hand”-some reward or prize for the winner.

Now, you and your guests should be all set for the best party ever…hands down. Let the races begin!

Flying Vampire Bats seem to add to the overall mystique and scariness of Halloween. With their long, rubbery wings, squinched up noses, and love of blood-sucking, it’s no wonder people take off like lightening and run in the opposite direction whenever these little creatures make an appearance. Not to mention the fact that they make the most eerie noises you’ll ever hear.

For those that don’t “love” the real thing, we have a better alternative…and it’s way cooler, too! For your next Halloween soiree, get your guests “wrapping” and playing with a big bat with the Bat Wrap game. You can be assured that all of the yuckiness that’s associated with real bats will be totally thrown out of the window as your guests get all wrapped up in fun!

The Bat Wrap game is the Halloween version of tether ball. So, it’s fairly easy to get things started because you can purchase a basic tetherball game set at any toy store or discount retailer. The trick to make Bat Wrap totally about the “bat” is to transform the tetherball itself into one of those black, winged mammals.

Materials to Make the Game

To do this, you will need a red permanent marker, permanent black marker to color the body black, thick foam sheets and chenille stems to create wings, and a hot glue gun.

Make the face of the bat first using the black and red markers. Then, blacken the rest of the tetherball with the black permanent marker. To create the wings, cut the foam sheets to the size that you want for the wings. Hot glue the chenille stems to the foam wings to make them sturdy and then, hot glue the wings to the tetherball.

Another alternative is to sew the wings onto the ball with a needle and thread. You could add to the overall gross out factor by hot gluing black fur or cut up doll hair to the body to give the ball that rough, hairy Vampire Bat feel! Once your “bat” is ready, assemble the rest of the tetherball set according to the instructions.

Game Instructions

Your guests will compete one-on-one with each other. The object of the game is to be the first to wrap the bat around the pole. It’s safe to say that most people would love the chance to “bam a bat”. Now, they have will have it!

Each player hits the bat in a certain direction. Then, opponent must then try to hit the bat back in an effort to keep it from wrapping around the pole. Touching that hairy, chested bat may make some guests feel a little weird, but that’s the fun part!

The winner will be the guest that gets the bat wrapped around the pole in their hitting direction. At the end of a series of rounds, you should be prepared to crown one of your guests the Bat Wrap Champion! After playing this game, they could end up having a new-found appreciation for those black blood-suckers.