Supplies to keep to hand on the night!
You want to relax as much as possible, & enjoy the evening too, so I recommend you hide sweet tubs etc behind gravestone props in a convenient agreed maintainable & accessable location.
Consider placing "replenishables" such as fog machine fluid close to the actual machine, in order that they can be topped up in a quiet moment between waves of "munchkins"
Drinks ideally should be re-sealable, lids or corks to avoid spillage or if on the ground in autumn ..even slugs!
Hot drinks in a thermal cup (complete with lid) so quick gulps when time allows... very nice if you have a good flavoured coffee machine! ..very welcome.
Drawing pins, string, plant wire,carabiners, candles, matches, spare batteries, spare head torch, ..spare beer!
Glow bracelets..
This is an ideal job for a youngster to hand them out for you, in that you can keep an eye on them (they glow for starters) & you can quickly replenish their supply & make sure the glo-stick liquid is snapped & mixed properly... (check them in the dark afterwards to ensure you haven't cracked any)
Prior to the event CAREFULLY add the join ends to ALL your flow bracelets without activating them, otherwise you'll be messing around in a cack-handed manner whilst the children wait expectantly, ...harassed by children with more marching up the drive!!
Also an easy way of helping the memory to see if any children have doubled back to double up on sweets & more glow bracelets...
Prices vary, look on ebay for deals.
If children lose the connector thats their problem, it's dark & i've got a queue of sugar fuelled kids to deal with.
You are the adult ..stay in control!
Prior to the event CAREFULLY add the join ends to ALL your flow bracelets without activating them, otherwise you'll be messing around in a cack-handed manner whilst the children wait expectantly, ...harassed by children with more marching up the drive!!
Also an easy way of helping the memory to see if any children have doubled back to double up on sweets & more glow bracelets...
Prices vary, look on ebay for deals.
If children lose the connector thats their problem, it's dark & i've got a queue of sugar fuelled kids to deal with.
You are the adult ..stay in control!
All Hail the Ale!
Beer, I recommend bottles as they are harder to blow / knock over & easier to grab around for, or hold between your knees, unlike a can, ..cans crumple laps get wet, what a waste of good beer!
If you are anything like me that could involve a few bottles over the evening, drinking speeds up as numbers drop off, so you can end up quite tiddly, I estimate 6 cans of beer per person doing a full evening stint (or bottles) ..also another reason for loo breaks!
"Blood" Red Wine for the Ladies, ..& ghouls .
New on the Market for 2010 (when i noticed it in the U.S. this makes for a great multi purpose prop & actually quite cheap for the effect it pulls off!
Whilst i haven't got one yet word from those who have is good!
Placed on a table or a raised dais area you could fill this with dark juice or red wine (preferably wine) & keep topping up as children appear, make a "blood" sign for it & children will make noises when they see you quaffing, you could even have a pretend pipe from a hanging body apparantly leading to it to give the impression of draining victims, so good for chop shops, vampires, & general set ups! ..perhaps lay props around it such as a limb or two & a bloodied tablecloth.
The potential is there to really make this a good visual!
In My Veins Drink Dispenser - 20.5" tall (£15.98 may 2011)
Sure to be the hit item at your Halloween party or even your Hospital themed party. This is a great piece of party tableware white a working IV tube clamp that controls the flow of liquid. An impressive 10" wide by 10" deep and nearly 21" in height this will stand with pride on your buffet table. Superb detailing and actually works! This is a very unusual piece.
Whilst i haven't got one yet word from those who have is good!
Placed on a table or a raised dais area you could fill this with dark juice or red wine (preferably wine) & keep topping up as children appear, make a "blood" sign for it & children will make noises when they see you quaffing, you could even have a pretend pipe from a hanging body apparantly leading to it to give the impression of draining victims, so good for chop shops, vampires, & general set ups! ..perhaps lay props around it such as a limb or two & a bloodied tablecloth.
The potential is there to really make this a good visual!
In My Veins Drink Dispenser - 20.5" tall (£15.98 may 2011)
Sure to be the hit item at your Halloween party or even your Hospital themed party. This is a great piece of party tableware white a working IV tube clamp that controls the flow of liquid. An impressive 10" wide by 10" deep and nearly 21" in height this will stand with pride on your buffet table. Superb detailing and actually works! This is a very unusual piece.
Food, ...sort of!
I recommend hot-dogs in a bun, easy to prepare & keep you going, or to simply soak up some beer!
don't forget the mustard / ketchup ...oh & onions.
A quick easy & cheap way of feeding your helpers on the night.
Caramelize the onions before hand, stick them in a sealable container
then hit the microwave hard for warming the herta-ferters
bang one in each hand of everyone helping..
My other favourite cook & "forget" is to visit "MR" Waitrose beforehand buy & freeze numeros racks of ribs (they tend to have oriental seasoning on already) ...grab some wonderful TATE & LYLE maple flavour syrup, get a bit of lemon juice & add these two ingredients into half the racks (both sides) whilst they are sitting in foil, work it in all over including bone ends for a few seconds per rack) ..score across the full length of the bonier side A LOT, so the ribs can "pull back" as they slow cook for several hours wrapped & on a 2 hr timer at 170c ..leave em in the oven till the end of the night, they'll simply have slow cooked to perfection, salty & sweet! ...mmmm to die for after all that work.
By slow cooking them a knife should be merely "shown to the ribs" in order for them to seperate, tender? ..you better believe it!
don't forget the mustard / ketchup ...oh & onions.
A quick easy & cheap way of feeding your helpers on the night.
Caramelize the onions before hand, stick them in a sealable container
then hit the microwave hard for warming the herta-ferters
bang one in each hand of everyone helping..
My other favourite cook & "forget" is to visit "MR" Waitrose beforehand buy & freeze numeros racks of ribs (they tend to have oriental seasoning on already) ...grab some wonderful TATE & LYLE maple flavour syrup, get a bit of lemon juice & add these two ingredients into half the racks (both sides) whilst they are sitting in foil, work it in all over including bone ends for a few seconds per rack) ..score across the full length of the bonier side A LOT, so the ribs can "pull back" as they slow cook for several hours wrapped & on a 2 hr timer at 170c ..leave em in the oven till the end of the night, they'll simply have slow cooked to perfection, salty & sweet! ...mmmm to die for after all that work.
By slow cooking them a knife should be merely "shown to the ribs" in order for them to seperate, tender? ..you better believe it!
Indispensible ..pocket warmer
I was given one of these back in the 1970's (original hot brand) though I have 4+ of these at home for general use out & about.
These are potential lifesavers in my humble opinion., whether taken in the literal sense or merely to enjoy an otherwise cold & miserable outdoor event.
I use these here in the uk (my wife suffers from the cold via poor circulation), out in the country, or just in a cold workplace, I used to take mine to class in my cold secondary school (& keep it under wraps), watching sports on the touchline etc etc..
I've therefore had one of these since I was about 7 yrs old,..& the only times they go out are if you do not light them properly, or if you do not occasionally blow across the charcoal embers when lit a while, (afterall these seal pretty much airtight in your pocket for obvious reasons)
to light I recommend a candle stub & a lighter.
1. light candle
2. hold tip of charcoal stick over flame at an angle for around 15-20 seconds
3. remove from flame & blow GENTLY across embers to make sure the first cm or so is entirely red with no black inner, as viewed from the end)
4. place glowing stick in open pocket warmer.
5 blow gently across the lit stick from the glowing end as you close the warmer.
6 enjoy the warmth, remembering to open it periodically & give the embers a blow.
These don't need much coaxing they just require a watchful eye.
Placed over a chest pocket these really help the overall body warmth, I don't go out on the mountains without mine carrying a spare stick or two if overnighting & sleeping in the snow or unheated cabins..
I don't recommend giving one of these to a child, I was somewhat the exception to the rule as a country child & so learnt responsibility at an early age..
you can light the charcoal warmer sticks at both ends which will greatly reduce the burn time (to 3 or so hours, compared to a full stick heat of 6-8 hrs lit at one end)
Practice makes perfect with these, though not much is required..
Great stocking filler for anyone who braves the cold.
Caution these can get very hot, so make sure you can acess it to move it to another pocket from time to time!
..yes they are that good!
(buy a good stash of charcoal sticks when purchasing, you will use it alot)
Have fun with a genuinely useful bit of kit!
Dimensions - 11.5 x 7 x 2 cm
Heres a link to a cheap supplier on Amazon, (& yes that is my review on there too)!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlander-Solid-Pocket-Warmer-Sticks/dp/B0014FGMZ2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
These are potential lifesavers in my humble opinion., whether taken in the literal sense or merely to enjoy an otherwise cold & miserable outdoor event.
I use these here in the uk (my wife suffers from the cold via poor circulation), out in the country, or just in a cold workplace, I used to take mine to class in my cold secondary school (& keep it under wraps), watching sports on the touchline etc etc..
I've therefore had one of these since I was about 7 yrs old,..& the only times they go out are if you do not light them properly, or if you do not occasionally blow across the charcoal embers when lit a while, (afterall these seal pretty much airtight in your pocket for obvious reasons)
to light I recommend a candle stub & a lighter.
1. light candle
2. hold tip of charcoal stick over flame at an angle for around 15-20 seconds
3. remove from flame & blow GENTLY across embers to make sure the first cm or so is entirely red with no black inner, as viewed from the end)
4. place glowing stick in open pocket warmer.
5 blow gently across the lit stick from the glowing end as you close the warmer.
6 enjoy the warmth, remembering to open it periodically & give the embers a blow.
These don't need much coaxing they just require a watchful eye.
Placed over a chest pocket these really help the overall body warmth, I don't go out on the mountains without mine carrying a spare stick or two if overnighting & sleeping in the snow or unheated cabins..
I don't recommend giving one of these to a child, I was somewhat the exception to the rule as a country child & so learnt responsibility at an early age..
you can light the charcoal warmer sticks at both ends which will greatly reduce the burn time (to 3 or so hours, compared to a full stick heat of 6-8 hrs lit at one end)
Practice makes perfect with these, though not much is required..
Great stocking filler for anyone who braves the cold.
Caution these can get very hot, so make sure you can acess it to move it to another pocket from time to time!
..yes they are that good!
(buy a good stash of charcoal sticks when purchasing, you will use it alot)
Have fun with a genuinely useful bit of kit!
Dimensions - 11.5 x 7 x 2 cm
Heres a link to a cheap supplier on Amazon, (& yes that is my review on there too)!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlander-Solid-Pocket-Warmer-Sticks/dp/B0014FGMZ2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
First Aid Kit..
Always remember this, as word spreads & you get more visitors each year a basic first aid kit becomes essential.
After all it's dark,..kids trip, ..mask wearing kids fall off kerbs.
Be ready to grab the first aid pack & fling it at the hurt kid's parent & get back to appeasing the rest of the munchkin invaders...
Incidentally this is a great costume although the mask does get very clammy!