As a kid, I used to beg my parents to have a Halloween party every fall. We live on a lot of land and we have a barn, so I thought it would be the perfect venue to invite all of our family and friends for an epic fall bash. I think these ideas were mostly inspired by the photos I’d seen of a Halloween party my parents had hosted before I was old enough to remember. They invited family, friends and their students to our barn to dress up, carve pumpkins and the like. The point is, it looked really cool. I was mad I missed it and I wanted to recreate it. Every year I asked and every year it didn’t happen. So, in honor of the Halloween party that never was, I give to you my Dream Halloween Extravaganza!
Location
It would 100% have to take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Imagine it’s as elegant and over the top as the MET Gala, but everyone is in actual costume. Doesn’t that sound like a dream come true?
Decoration
Obviously, each exhibit in the museum would have a different kind of decoration, some creepier than others. Maybe the Greek and Roman exhibit would be a bit more quintessential fall; your colorful leaves and hayrides and pumpkins and gordes. I envision each room getting spookier and more in the spirit of Halloween. Maybe the Egyptian exhibit has mummies? Maybe the whole museum is set up like one giant haunted house! Now, I really don’t like anything remotely scary, but even I would pay good money to go to a haunted house at the MET. (Except I wouldn’t have to pay, because it’s my party. Duh.)
Costumes
Maybe it’s the performer in me, but getting together a costume and playing someone else for a night has always been one of my favorite things about Halloween — even more than the free candy. So naturally, costumes would be mandatory at this event. And since we’re going big or going home, I’d make everyone try their best to take on the personality of their costume. Going as Whitney Houston? You better be dancing with somebody all night. Going as a fortune cookie? You better be spitting out fortunes to everyone you talk to like its Freaky Friday. Plus, I’ll give out awards like “best costume,” “most creative costume,” “scariest costume,” and even “most simple but effective costume” (so the lazy people don’t feel left out). Winners will display their trophies (golden jack-o-lanterns) in prominent places in their houses like they won an Oscar.
Activities
Ok, so you’ve gotten all dressed up, but what will you be doing at my fabulous party? Eating, obviously. There would be large vats of every kind of candy imaginable, tables of pumpkin and apple pie, and a Dairy Queen ice cream truck that only hands out limited-edition Halloween-themed Blizzards. You can walk through the haunted museum, participate in a pumpkin carving contest (to recreate one of the MET sculptures), or get on the dance floor! Which brings me to my final feature…
Guest appearances
It wouldn’t be a Dream Halloween Extravaganza if there were no VIPs attending. I would definitely persuade One Direction to break their fifteen-year hiatus to perform at my party. They’d sing Halloween versions of all their hit songs, like “Steal My Ghoul” and “What Makes You Boo-tiful.” They’d of course be in costume as well! Niall would attend as a pro-golfer and Harry and Louis would go as a married couple. Oh, wait…
And on that note! This to me seems like a truly spectacular party, something both the current and younger me would approve of! Maybe someday…. and until then, I guess Zoom parties with friends will work, too! Happy Halloween!