The Number 1 Secret to a Successful Halloween Party

If you've always thought it would be fun to host your own Halloween party but just as quickly came up with a half dozen excuses why not to do it, well, that's about to change. You CAN do it and you can do it well. And it all comes down to one word: THEME. Once you have a main theme for your party, everything else falls into place-food, decorations, invitations, activities, and of course your Halloween Costumes 2011.

Kinda spooky just how easy it can be when you know the secret!

As long as you focus on your theme, you'll see how all the other decisions and your To-Do List becomes infinitely easier. And the more specific your theme, the easier the party planning. So save yourself the stress (Halloween parties are supposed to be FUN after all!) and first choose a main theme-a focal point- and then incorporate your party's theme into EVERY aspect of the event- from paper goods to food to decorations. An added bonus is that having a main theme is also easier for your guests. They won't have to wonder what to dress up as this year because your party theme will dictate what kind of costume they will need, and it's SO easy to buy online costumes!

The easiest, quickest way to come up with a party theme is to simply browse the aisles of any large party store. Much of their merchandise is already grouped by theme, so when you see something that grabs your attention, you'll have paper plates, invitations, and lots of fun theme decorations right in front of you. Here are some tried-and-true examples:

Era Theme: Throwing any era-specific party is a quick and easy and especially fun for adults who grew up during that time period. One of the easiest is a 50s theme. Serve milkshakes and burgers and fries and play Elvis hits. Have guests dress in their favorite "Happy Days" costumes-black leather jackets and poodle skirts. Hang fuzzy dice and old 45 rpms from the ceiling. Play 50s trivia games and award inexpensive prizes to those who know the most about James Dean or Chubby Checker.

Poker Den: Texas Hold'em is wildly popular these days. Hosting a poker night is a fun way to cash in on the appeal of this popular trend. Have your guests dress up as flappers, gangsters, popular poker stars, saloon girls, and Texas Hold'em pros from the Wild West. If you don't already have them, purchase poker supplies and start dealing. You don't even have to play for real money, pass out large amounts of play money instead and everyone can feel like a big spender!

Color Theme: Choose your favorite color and build a party around it. Everything from invitations to the napkins, including much of the food, should incorporate that color. Like green? Provide lime or green apple flavored drinks, put green food coloring in cake or cookie batter, serve lime jell-o right alongside tossed salad! For costumes, everyone can come dressed head to toe in green clothing. The more shades of green you get in one room, the more fun!

Crazy Hat and Funky Sock Theme: Doesn't matter so much what's worn in the middle, as long as you and your guests wear a crazy hat and funky socks (shoes are left at the door). The more colorful and wild, the better (think feathers up top and and striped toe socks down below). Guests vote for their favorites and prizes could be, what else, but another crazy hat and pair of funky socks for the winners!

As you can see, hosting a successful party is all about utilizing your theme as much as possible. But what's next? What should you do once everyone is there and has had plenty of time to mingle? Plan a main activity such as a trivia game based on your party's theme. Of course a costume contest is always appropriate and fun for all ages! Be sure to award inexpensive prizes to the winners. Gag gifts, especially if they have something to do with your party theme, make great prizes. So do instant scratch-off lottery tickets or coffee mugs.

Click here for the best selection of year-round theme party costumes and Halloween costumes 2011.