Halloween for Grown-Ups?

Let’s not kid ourselves. For the most part, Halloween is child’s play. The tots dress up like the superhero (or superheroine) du jour, collect all the candy they can before they get cranky, then pass out around midnight after crashing from their sugar high.

But who said adults can't get in on the act? Halloween provides a fine excuse for hosting a party for your friends during the lull between the summer social scene and the annual end-of-year festivities. (After all, a Thanksgiving-themed party wouldn't be much of a rager.)

Preparation
The first trick to hosting a Halloween party that people above the age of 12 can enjoy is making sure said people are available to attend. Send out invitations in September to give your friends enough time to plan their schedules (and their costumes). And please, DO NOT schedule your party for Oct. 31. Some guests will be busy tending to their respective flocks that night, while others might have competing party offers. Shoot for the weekend before Halloween to maximize on the hype built up by the media and the multitude of in-store displays.

Costumes
When it comes to costumes, there are two ways to go. You could set a theme (for instance, a Mad Men-inspired 1960s theme – “come as your favourite ad exec!”) and ask everyone to adopt their favourite look of a given era or motif. Or, you can make it a free-for-all and encourage creativity among guests. Either way, make sure your invitations state costume options clearly. (Sending the invite early will ensure guests put at least a minimal amount of effort into dressing up.) As an added incentive, hold a best costume contest and give out prizes, like a bottle of wine or movie passes.

Decorating
Admittedly, Halloween’s traditional orange and black motif doesn't exactly exude style, which can make decorating for a more sophisticated crowd a unique challenge. Try to capture the tone of the event by sticking with dark colours; adopt black as the central colour, but feel free to substitute reds and blues for the orange. Avoid cardboard ghosts and papier mâché pumpkins, opting instead for gargoyle statues and a more gothic look.  To help the ambience, keep the lights low with dimmers and set up candles wherever safety allows.

Music
Be warned: There’s only so much “Monster Mash” people can take. Your best bet is to mix perennial favourites like “Thriller” in with whatever music you would normally play to suit the party atmosphere you're trying to create. If you have cable, try throwing on a 24-hour music video channel, which will likely be playing holiday-themed videos 24/7. Otherwise, take the time to make a playlist beforehand to eliminate worry while you're busy tending to your guests. Just press “play” and dance away.