How to Create your own Spooktacular Halloween Party

Murder on the Menu is in the business of creating super Halloween parties, but maybe you want to do something on your own. Here are a few tips. Your guests will be 'dying' to attend. You can adapt these ideas for kids or adults.

Invitations: Use a cool evite or send an invitation in the mail. Your invitations will let your guests know what to expect when they come to the party. What to wear, when to arrive, what to expect. Here's a cool site for invitations.

Costumes: Depending on the theme of your party, you can ask your guests to come as their favorite sleuth, Dead Celebrities, Monsters (doing the Monster Mash), Ghouls and Goblins, etc.

Decorations: Many choices available-- glow in the dark pumpkin lights to crime scene investigation scenarios, complete with blood and gore. I often use crime scene tape, keep the lights low, glow in the dark tape for the body on the floor. So many choices. Of course, it depends on the type of party you're planning. How about Mr. Body: stuffed pants in stuffed shoes (remember the socks) sticking out from under a couch or skirted table?

Food: I'll be posting my favorite ghoulish cupcake recipe soon, but there are so many great recipes on the web right now. Check out the Food Networks' Devilish Delicious Treats.

Drinks: Drink of the Week has put together a Halloween collection or recipes for dastardly drinks, murderous martinis and creepy cocktails!

Activities: Mystery Box Game, create your own or hire Murder on the Menu. The game of Clue with Multiple games available for larger crowd. Pumpkin carving. Bobbing for Apples. More Great Halloween Games.

Music: Spooky Halloween CDs. There are several CDs with themes from TV crime and mystery shows, too.

For more great ideas and tips, go to Cheryl Williams' website.

Boo!!!