We can still vividly recall the best Halloween dinner party that we ever went to. Our host had hollowed out a massive pumpkin and filled it with a pumpkin risotto and there was a witch’s cauldron in the corner spewing eerie smoke. Now, we appreciate that not everybody would go to the lengths of sourcing frozen carbon dioxide for the thrills of their guests, but we would like to think that everybody’s got at least one devilish dinner party in them. If you’re feeling sociable this October and fancy throwing a bash that your guests will never forget (mwa hahaha) then follow our tips below: Dress Code We’re becoming a bit hard line about dress codes and would suggest that you enact a ‘no costume, no entrance,’ policy. We’re tired of spending days sourcing the perfect Prince accessories only to go to a party, complete with faux facial hair, to be surrounded by a bunch of muggles who didn’t bother to dress up. You’re going to be making a lot of effort this Halloween and so we feel it’s only right that you should demand it of your guests too. Themes that we enjoy include,’ celebrities - dead or alive,’ ‘angels and demons,’ or,’ fright night flashback 80’s style.’ Some people will want to be gory and push the boundaries of taste and some will want to wear a bikini top and angel wings. That’s just life. If you keep your dress code nice and broad then they can interpret it as they wish. Devilishly Good Delicacies Batch cooking is always a winner when cooking for a group, and using a pumpkin as your serving dish is guaranteed to draw gasps. Ideally try and use the pumpkin in the actual meal, you could try whipping a pumpkin risotto, pumpkin biryani, or a delicious pumpkin spaghetti – there's loads of recipes online for inspiration. Name your Poison Set the tone for the evening and welcome your guests with a chilling glass of Morgue-A-Rita, complete with sugary green goo dripping down the inside of the glass. To make: Halloween Morgue-A-Rita Cocktail ( 4 glasses)
Goo:
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup ( use golden syrup if you can't find corn syrup)
- green food colouring
Cocktail:
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup club soda
- 3/4 cup tequila
- 3 ounces triple sec
- 4 cherries
- 4 teaspoons maraschino cherry syrup
Creepy Vibe Turn the lights off and get creepy. You could go for a fun green and orange theme to match your pumpkins using our Orange and Pomander and Persian Lime Candles or go ghoulishly gothic with Amber Noir and a smattering of church candles in these dramatic candle holders. Crank up a spooky playlist and get a black and white horror playing on screen with the sound turned down, we recommend Frankenstein or Village of the Damned. We also love the scary sounds that you can download online and use to play throughout the house, how about a witches cackle in the bathroom? Games Keep it classic and get dunking for apples then ask your guests to come up with ghost stories – the winner for the scariest story with the loudest screams gets a toffee apple. Happy Halloween Candle Lovers xx
