After enduring two long months of BCIT and seven months of COVID-19, nothing lifts your spirits up from the grave like having a Halloween party with friends. It’s important to have some fun after working hard on your dream career! When you’re studying all the time, your brain can only hold so much information before it feels like its cooking in a cauldron. Here are some party ideas to reboot your mental health while dodging the virus.
1: Virtual Costume Contest
Unleash your Halloween spirit by creating, thrifting, or buying a costume of your choosing; invite your friends to an online catwalk to show off your costumes and have your pals’ vote to see who has the best one. You can even give out prizes!
2: Virtual Pumpkin Carving
Tap into your inner Michael Myers, grab a shape knife, and start stabbing a hollow pumpkin. Organize a virtual party with your friends to see who has earned the title, The Pumpkin Killer. When planning this party, give your friends a theme to summon their wicked ideas. Need some suggestions? How about your favourite video game, something that’s scary, or something that’s funny? Time your party to see who can complete a jack o’lantern design in just 30 minutes. Once the carving is complete, have your friends vote to see who is crowned the winner.
3: Halloween Game Night
Trick or treat yourself to a game night! Organize a multiplayer online game with your friends and play your favourites like Overwatch, Counter-Strike, World of Warcraft, or Mario Kart.
If you do not have a game console or a good computer, you can buy the Jackbox Party Pack instead. My favourite minigame is in number 4, and is called Monster Seeking Monster. In this minigame, you and your buddies are monsters that date other monsters; very appropriate for Halloween! It’s more fun if you do not use your real names.
If you do not want your bank account to be empty like a vampire’s coffin at night, then play the Scribble game; it’s free! You can create a private room and send the link to your friends. In this game, you draw an object and your buddies need to guess what it is. Whoever guesses the most drawings the fastest is declared the winner.
Let’s dim the lights, hope nothing bites, and its time for a fright. Why not make your own version of Tales from the Crip in front of your webcam? You and your friends can read or tell horror stories to each other in your dark rooms with LED candles. You can make this into a drinking game! Whoever screams while you’re telling a story takes a shot. The best part is that no one has to worry about drinking and driving for this party. Remember to drink responsibly!
4: Tell Scary Stories
If you don’t like telling spooky stories inside, grab your coat, and invite your friends to the outdoors. Become Stephen King and tell your own horror story under the full moon. You can retreat to a park, beach, or someone’s big back yard. Bring blankets or lawn chairs, and practice safe social distancing. Want to make a game out of this? Have your friends bring their own spicy candies. Whoever screams during the storytelling can torture their tongues by tasting hell. Make sure you bring a container of milk to cool down your mouth!
5: Fireworks Show
Nothing says colourful flashing lights in the sky like UFO sightings… I mean fireworks! This year will be the last year you can buy fireworks in Vancouver. Have you and a small group of friends do a BYOB style fireworks gathering. While maintaining safe social distancing, have each of your buddies shoot fireworks one at a time. Make sure you light the fireworks in an open space with no trees around; you don’t want anything to catch on fire. Have a bucket full of water, or a hose around you to put out any potential fires. Remember, safety first!
When inviting your boo-tiful friends to your parties, make sure you give a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice and indicate a time, date, and a location or link. Inform your guests what app you will be using and make sure you test it out first. Give your friends a brief description of what you’re planning to do and let them know to contact you if they have questions. You can invite your guests through a Facebook event page, or you can text or email them a Google sheet and let your friends RSVP through that. It’s a good idea to know who is attending, so you can plan accordingly. Just don’t contact anyone through a Ouija board. You do not want any uninvited guests!
I hope these party ideas unleashed your inner party monster. Remember to eat, drink, and be spooky this Halloween. Have an eek-tastic October and stay safe!