Planning Tips for an Adult Halloween Cocktail Party

There is a chill in the air and it is getting dark earlier - It's October! It is a time of witches, ghosts and goblins. Halloween is fast approaching and you are tasked with organizing the annual spooky party.

But how or where do you begin with the planning of the Halloween celebration?

Here are a few tips to assistance in planning a superb Halloween Party that will have all those ghoulish ghosts, grim goblins and wicked witches screaming with delight.

Create a work plan with a timeline. Use checklists to ensure everything is going according to plan.

Be clear about who the party guests are. Adults handle the spooky aspects better, so just about anything goes with theme and décor. The theme could be bloodcurdling horrific, or even sexy. Remember to carry your theme into your menu and cocktail planning as well as for games and decorations. Plan your party around the Halloween holiday; however, nothing says it has to be on that date. Pick a date, time, and begin organizing your guest list.

Set the theme and tone of the party with your invitations. Buy make your invitations. Downloadable invitation templates are available on the internet for you to customize and print. Let your guest know the date, time and place of your Halloween party, and ask them to reply with RSVP information. Go Green by sending e-vites, complete with eerie sound effects.

Halloween food and cocktails is an essential ingredient to have a ghoulish party atmosphere. Plan a food and cocktail menu where you can prepare many of the items ahead of time.
Consider signatures drinks such as Zombie or Satin's Whiskers. Prepare recipes that can be stored or frozen until ready to be used. Ideas for appetizers that are chillingly fun - gooey eyeballs, pretzels spider webs, mummy dogs or severed fingers made of sausage and ketchup, for example.

Arrange the room to encourage mingling. Arrange spaces for food items, bar and games or dancing. Gather music to support your theme. Songs such a the Purple People Eater and Monster Mash never go out of style around Halloween.

Go to the market early for the best selection of pumpkins. It's especially fun to pick your own pumpkins at this time of the year. Select a variety of sizes and shapes for your decorating pumpkins. Select a white pumpkin for creating a ghost jack-o-lantern. Miniature pumpkins make great decorations; add glitter and paint to decorate these tiny jack-lanterns. You can also give them to your guests as party favors.

Check your costume for the party. You don't want to wait until the last minute for find there is a rip or the size is wrong. Have a dress rehearsal - adults like to play dress up too!

The day before the party, carve, decorate or paint your pumpkins. Double check your supply of small candles to show off the pumpkins ghostly grins.

Then it's time to relax and enjoy your spooky and fun Halloween party.