Host A Quarantine Halloween Party For Two
Halloween isn’t canceled.
It’s a hopeful mantra that I keep hearing across the internet, and, while some events may change or be on hold for this season, I agree, Halloween is not canceled.
So how will Halloween 2020 look? It varies by location, but many major haunts will not open. Trick-or-treating may be limited to organized events, and large parties are pretty much a no-go. But before you curl up on the sofa to stream Halloween Town and drown your sorrows in a bag of Halloween Oreos, let’s see what we can do.
Host a virtual party with all your friends where you:
- Show off your costumes
- Have a watch party
- Tell ghost stories
- Do a virtual ghost or haunted house tour
- Create and share your favorite spooky cocktails
- Conduct a virtual scavenger hunt
- Do a virtual murder mystery party
- Trick-or-treat by leaving candy bags via porch pick-up or drop off
- And, yes, you can still have a party even if it’s just for your immediate household
In my case, I am going to host a quarantine Halloween party that I’m calling Boo for Two, for the hubby and me. I’m taking the opportunity to make some fun food and drink that I don’t usually get to experiment with when hosting a much larger event. I also am going to breathe some new life into some old props and decorations.
The inspiration for this party came from an unlikely source. While in Target with the Mister, I happened down their craft aisle and noticed some little jars filled with these fabulous glitter mixes. I found several that I liked, but I exercised restraint and opted for just one, Black Magic. These little sparkles in purples and black were the beginning of my party.
I gathered up anything I thought I might want to use to set the scene. I brought in purple florals from other parts of the house, a feather wreath, white pumpkin stem, some large letters, foam skulls, black and purple fabric, an old candelabra, and other assorted bits. Then, I got to work.
First, I put the fabric down on my table and arranged the props and pieces until I was satisfied with the overall layout. Knowing this would be a micro party for just us two, I decided to decorate first and plan foods second. My best advice here is don’t be afraid to edit. Just because you brought in a piece you thought you might want to use doesn’t mean you have to commit to it. If it doesn’t work into the design or you come across something better, let it go.
With the table layout decided, I needed to tie it all together, so I made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby for some paint. The glitter that inspired this look has purple and black tones, but I wanted a metallic to go with it. My go-to is silver, but gold is pretty on-trend, so I picked up a can of Krylon Foil Metallic Gold Spray Paint.
I hit the skeleton skull and hands and the picture frame and candelabra with a couple of coats. (Let me say that I love this paint! It went on smooth as silk and added a richness to the setting without being garish.) I left the foam skull and skellie hands solid gold while the frame and candelabra were brushed with violet acrylic paint to bring up the details.
Next up were the B O O letters, another foam skull, and a small Boo piece. Their makeover consisted of DecoArt Enchanted Ultra-Black Basecoat, followed by two coats of DecoArt Enchanted Shimmer in Violet. I think this paint is a bit magical because the shimmer paint is white, but when you put it on top of the black, the sparkle really pops. I love this look, and I love how simple it was to transform these pieces.
At this point, I realized that the glitter that inspired this entire party hadn’t even been cracked open. So, I made some whimsical swirls on the purple skull with white glue and sprinkled on a generous amount of glitter.
Finally, it was time to tackle those white pumpkins. I carefully popped off the stems and painted them in the Foil Metallic Gold, and I colored the pumpkins with a Master’s Touch marker in Lavendar (see the marker hack here). Once everything was dry, I stuck the stems back into the pumpkins.
Now, time for some florals. I arranged some large purple flowers with the now purple pumpkins and slipped them into a hole I cut in the gold skull’s top. I also sprinkled the lavender pumpkins and some purple moss into the display.
With the setting complete, I could now start planning the food. I grabbed some purple grapes and some mission and golden figs, which fit the theme and are also delicious. I added some fig and thyme crackers, merlot cheese, pecans, and almonds.
In the oven, I baked a small brie and topped it off with some warm jam. I used Devina Fig Spread, but I also love this with Stonewall Kitchen Wild Maine Blueberry Jam.
For the past couple of years, I’ve seen people make black candied poison apples using branches for the sticks. Not to be left out, I decided it was time to try my hand at it. I had not made candied applies since I was a child, so I looked forward to giving it go. Any candied apple recipe will work. Just add black food coloring. I also sprinkled some edible gold glitter on top just because I could. The only thing I would note here is that, depending on the light, the color of my apples ranged from black to blue to burgundy to purple.
Last up; martinis made with black vodka and a sprinkling of edible petal dust. And, even though they are pretty, the hubby will still probably have a beer instead.
Here’s how the Quarantine Halloween Party looked when it all came together.
As your host, I want to thank you for coming to my Quarantine Halloween Party. I hope that no matter what the situation is where you are, that you still find a way to celebrate. Whether it’s just within your own home, in a small group, or at an organized event, I encourage you to be part of Halloween Isn’t Canceled.
