How to Throw a Costume Party for Adults
by Ellen in Life and Learning / 10.22.08
It was 1979, and I will never forget trick-or-treating as a child and passing by my house, in which I saw some unusual activity through the front window.
As I got closer, I realized that there was a big party going on with my parents in the center of it all. I finally put two and two together to figure out that it was a surprise party for my mom, whose birthday falls on Halloween every year. When I finally got close enough to make out faces, I spotted my father dressed in a red devil costume, complete with a red body suit, red tights, a thorny tail and red horns on his head. I could not believe it. Especially since my dad was sporting quite a large mustache that year.
They were having a heck of a good time. How did they do it? Well as an adult, I figured it out.
-The first step in throwing a costume party is to send out formal invitations in the mail. These days, people send out Evites and, while it is exciting to receive an invite over email, it is much more exciting to receive one through the good old fashioned mail. It shows your invited guests that you are really going the extra mile to plan your party, which usually translates into really nice or very fun.
-On the invitation, specify that costumes are absolutely mandatory and that entrance will be denied without costume. If you decide to go with a theme like an all white party or 70’s party or monster party, be sure to specify your theme on the invitation. Further, nothing spurs the imagination like a good contest with cool prizes. You should also make note of the contest on the invite.
-If you are the host of the party, make sure that you have a well thought out costume that looks great or is really funny. This will show your guests that you do not take yourself too seriously.
-If you can go the extra mile with your decor, guests always appreciate it, and it definitely adds to the fun. For example, one time we were invited to a party where the host erected a tent in his backyard with ottomans and pillows everywhere for lounging. There were glittery balls strung all over the ceiling and it created the effect that we were in a far away place.
-Even if your party is a general costume party, always select a theme so you can plan your food, drink, décor and music around it. For example, if you are having a costume party around Halloween, then it is easy to go all the way with the Halloween theme. The Halloween example lends itself to all kinds of mischievous deeds, such as serving bloody marys with fly filled ice cubes and disgusting deviled egg eyeballs for nibbles. If you do not want to serve large quantities of food, make your party start a bit later and set up a delicious dessert bar.
-Always have a signature drink at your party. It is nice if it ties into your theme but if it does not, it is o.k. Make sure that when your guests enter the party, you offer them one of your signature drinks as well as the other standard drinks you are serving.
-Another must at a costume party is a dance floor or dance area with some great tunes playing on the ghetto blaster (i.e. stereo, ipod, dj whatever). Costumes allow people to play a character and people almost always feel uninhibited and are willing to get out on the dance floor and have some fun in their costume.
-I will caution you against coming up with mandatory games and activities at your party. I have tried this in the past and more often times than not, I feel like I am forcing people to do something that they do not want to do. People always end up having fun but, as the host, you are put in the awkward position of trying to round people up. As an alternative to a game/activity, one year we showed authentic ghost spotting films on a projector in a dark, creepy room and people wandered in and out all night long.
-If your party is a success, your guests will not want to leave and will drink you out of house and home. Meaning, once all your alcohol runs out, they will try to dip into your private stash. Try to think ahead and put away things that you do not want the masses to get their hands on.
-If there are massive quantities of alcohol consumed, offer your guests a taxi cab for a safe ride home or put them up in your own home. It is worth the extra effort, and people will always remember how you took care of them in their time of need.
this is great info! i’m planning a costume party for my birthday which also happens to be on new year’s eve. i’ve never done this before, so you have been really helpful!
thanks!