Throwing a Devil of a Good Party

We work dutifully hard all week so now it's time to let loose and detoxify from our daily routine. Throwing a devilishly themed party can be a great idea to warm up a dull winter weekend or any occasion when you feel the need to be a little bad. Consider a devilish party theme during the dog days of summer when temperatures can rise to 90 degrees and up. It doesn't take much thought to realize there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to plan a devil of a good time.

Marti Gras also presents a great opportunity to have a party like this. You could make carnival masks mandatory. This is always popular as it gives guests an opportunity other than Halloween to role play. Adult costume sales over the past years have surpassed children's costumes proving once again adults want to stay in touch with their inner child. This is according to sales figures listed at the National Retail Federation site.

There's nothing like escaping from the daily grind, and a party celebrating indulgences that are normally foregone during the week, can be a healthy way of unwinding.

Deviled eggs, red beers, wine, bloody mary's, devil's food cake and any red colored or spiced foods fit the bill here and will enhance the devilish nature of the gathering. The term "deviled" when referring to foods refers to preparation with "fiery hot spices and condiments" according to the What's Cooking America website history lesson. http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/DevilsFoodCake.htm.

With regards to music, try mixing it up a little. Only hard rock/metal or only popular dance music might alienate some guests. But a good variety always sparks people's interests and keeps things moving. Lighting and decorative props will dress up the party area and make it more festive. In this case red spot lights, lava lamps and life size cardboard cut outs of the devil holding a pitchfork enhance the mood.

To release the inner Fear Factor in some of the crazy guests, you could have a hot pepper eating contest. Preparing trivia questions about the devil will get guests to participate. Giving devilish prizes for best costumes will let your guests know how much you appreciate their enthusiasm.

With a little planning, the right people and some devilish ingredients, you can have a responsibly naughty time. When your guests' thank you for helping them forget the real world and ask how you thought of a party like this, you can proudly tell them, "The devil made me do it!"

Sources:

http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=Search&zoom_query=halloween+2008&zoom_sort=0&zoom_and=0

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/DevilsFoodCake.htm.