Last year, we hosted our very first Halloween dinner party and had such a lot of fun that we decided there and then to make it an annual tradition. It wasn’t a big bash by any means, just a handful of close friends, a few fancy dress costumes and plenty of good food. The girls all went the whole hog, although the boys weren’t quite so enthusiastic (bah humbug!). Still, we had such a brilliant time that we knew we had to do it all again.
And this year, we certainly did!
In fact, we went all out with the decorations. I had my best pal staying over the night before and the night of the party, partly so we could have a proper catch-up, but also because I knew I’d need an extra pair of hands. She was an absolute star, helping me transform the house into something suitably spooky. While she concentrated on the decor, I focused on the food, getting as much prepared in advance as possible.
I decided to make several Indian dishes, along with a selection of desserts. There was going to be plenty to eat, that’s for sure!
One of my favourite parts was decorating the house. A few weeks ago, we bought a new artificial Christmas tree from a Polish brand called Fairyland, I think, and it’s brilliant! It looks so realistic. We’d had real trees for the last few years but eventually realised that real trees and underfloor heating aren’t the best combination! So, just like last year, we decorated our new tree for Halloween instead, and it looked fabulous. Sadly, the photos don’t really do it justice as the lighting was quite dim, but the whole room looked wonderfully spooky.
We also put two tables together to create one big dining table and pulled out all the stops, covering it with Halloween bits and pieces. It looked fantastic! The funny thing is, most of my Halloween decorations actually come from my office, which was looking decidedly bare for a few days. I’ve since put everything back, and all the Halloween decorations are safely in storage again. Now I just have to wait another week or so before I can get the Christmas decorations out!
Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go to plan in the days leading up to the party. A few days beforehand, I came down with a rather nasty bout of sickness which completely knocked me off my feet for a day or two. Once I finally had enough strength to get going again, I pushed through and carried on with the preparations. I was determined not to let a little (well, quite a lot of) sickness ruin our Halloween celebrations!
Then came the cancellations. Just a couple of days before the big night, our first couple of friends had to pull out. Then another couple of close friends cancelled because he’d done his back in. And then another friend had to stay home because her daughter wasn’t feeling well.
By this point, I was feeling pretty rubbish, both physically and emotionally. After all the preparation, it was rather disheartening to see our guest list shrinking by the day!
Luckily, two of our friends’ daughters decided to join us, bringing our numbers up to nine. And do you know what? We had SUCH a ball! Honestly, it was one of those evenings where everything just falls into place. We laughed so much, the atmosphere was brilliant and the whole night was just perfection.
As for costumes, I dressed up as my very own pirate doll. I would probably have made a bit more effort had I been feeling 100%, but I was happy enough with my outfit. I also thought I had a black wig somewhere, but naturally, I hadn’t bothered checking beforehand. So, my trusty grey wig had to come out instead. Everyone kept telling me how much it suited me, though, so perhaps it was meant to be!
My best pal went as a pumpkin and looked absolutely fabulous. She really did make the most wonderful pumpkin!
Michael dressed up as Doctor Johnson, a character we’d created ourselves a few years ago and something of a running joke between us. His costume included one of his late mother’s wigs, which turned out to be the highlight of the evening. As the night went on, the wig gradually crept further and further back on his head without him having the slightest idea. We were absolutely hysterical at one point! I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in ages.
We also had a witch, a devil and two more pirates joining our little Halloween crew. It really was a wonderfully mixed bunch, and everyone looked brilliant.
Oh, and we can’t forget little Jack! He even had his own Halloween costume, although he only managed to keep it on for about 30 seconds. Long enough for a photo, though, which is all that matters!
Of course, there’s one little downside to hosting a dinner party involving several Indian dishes. We are now thoroughly sick of leftover curry! I think it’ll be a while before either of us fancies another one.
But honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. Despite the last-minute cancellations, the unexpected illness and the occasional rogue wig, this year’s Halloween dinner party turned out to be even more fun than we’d hoped.
We’re already talking about next year’s costumes and decorations, so there’s no going back now. It’s officially a tradition! Let’s just hope everyone manages to make it next time. Although, knowing us, even if half the guest list disappears again, we’ll probably still have a fabulous evening.
