You've sent out the invites for a fun-filled Halloween dinner. You've got fun, dark and scary décor throughout your house. Now it's time to go all out with the table setting. This is the one table setting that should entertain, scare and make the meal memorable. A typical tabletop with seasonal pumpkins and gourds just won't do. No, for this tabletop you need to bring a little fright to the night.
Let's start with the beverages and how to serve them. Dry ice is your friend on Halloween. Almost regardless of what you are serving it can be poured into a low bowl with dry ice on the bottom. The dry ice will keep things cold but it will also provide a nice bit of fog flowing over your table. For the bowl, try and find something dark, ceramic and mysterious. People should wonder what the heck they are about to drink. Be sure and provide a ladle in the bowl for serving.
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Half the battle for setting the mood is the lighting and for Halloween the darker the better. Colored light bulbs or colored lamp shades work well. Use a table lamp or two placed on your dining table and either deeply dim or turn off any ceiling lights. Remember, you never saw recessed cans in a horror movie. Using just candles can also be very effective. Deep purple and brown hues will complement the scary mood.
For mood music, be sure to get some old classic thriller songs with lots of pipe organs and dramatic sounds. If you want to have some real fun, attach a player under your table and have it play some screams, groans, cats fighting, wind rustling trees or wolves howling. Your guests will be surprised when they hear those strange noises coming from their dinner table.
Now let's get creative with the linens. A black or dark brown or deep purple tablecloth is fine but how about some old burlap sacks strewn on the table for more of a warehouse look? If you have an old sailboat sail try draping it over your table. Or even an old canvas tarp will do the trick. Whatever you use, the darker, older and dirtier it is the better.
The centerpiece is where you can tie together the party theme with the dinner table and make the evening really pop. This is where you want to do something dramatic. Perhaps a dead alien on the table? How about a small coffin with a vampire inside? How about a dead werewolf with a wooden stake in his heart on the table? Use your imagination and put lots of detail into it. If it is done well people will talk about it for years. Go ahead and let your creepy side out.
Halloween Decorations - How to Set Your Dinner Table
Sheila writes frequently on eco-friendly and artisan-made home décor at StylishHome.com where you can shop for terrific dinnerware from Bernardaud and décor and houseware items from Homedics.