Whether it's for the kids or grown ups, a fancy dress party is always great fun at Halloween.
thebestof Newmarket has come up with some ideas to add to the occasion.
Pumpkin panic? Does the idea of carving a pumpkin fill you with more dread than the ghosts and ghouls? Why not think smaller and use oranges! Hollowed out (use the pulp as icky mushy bits in a jelly perhaps) and with the tops and bottoms removed they are easier to cut than pumpkins and you can use a tea light with the top replaced as a lid to put them all around the room. Why have one scary face when you can have a whole host of them!
Horror films - why not use the TV in the living room (or anywhere else) to have some scary films showing in the background. With the volume low they will give a creepy backdrop. Just a word of warning - make sure they are age appropriate to your party! Six year olds might not appreciate the in-jokes of Cabin in the Woods!
Nasty food and drinks - one for the grown ups, but start the night off with a 'yuk' by serving the disgustingly named 'brain haemorrhage'. Made with schnapps, bailey's and a dash of grenadine, these scary shots are a perfect welcome to your gruesome guests. Simply half fill a shot glass with Schnapps, top up carefully with the cream liqueur, then dash in the grenadine to curdle it slightly...
For the younger audience, you can use the orange you saved from the lanterns to add to a horrific jelly. Make up some strawberry or raspberry jelly and leave the fruity mush (add some red food colouring if you like) in the bottom. Then as it is setting (save a little to top up at the end) use some dark jellybeans, seedless grapes and peeled lychees you can carefully insert them to make eyeballs to float on top.
Make some skeleton fingers from marzipan and arrange them on the set jelly, then pour the rest in to cover them over as hideous surprises.
Happy Halloween from thebestof Newmarket!
