It's often overlooked by adults, but Halloween can be just as much fun for the grown-ups as the kids. If you'd like to plan a Halloween soiree that's more sophisticated than scary, here are five easy ideas to take your party to the next level.
It's not something that sounds all that appealing 364 days of the year -- after all, why mess with perfection -- but black water will no doubt be a hit on Halloween. Made famous by the Manzo family on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" a few years back, black water -- or BLK -- is still available. On Amazon!
According to the BLK web site, fulvic minerals are added to pure alkaline water, creating the black color.
You've heard of red wine, white wine and, of course, summer's hottest wine: rosé, but have you ever sipped an orange wine? Neither have your guests. Surprise them with this wine that trendsetters call the "next rosé" and wine experts know is made with white grapes fermented with seeds and skin still attached. The result is a nutty wine with a sour taste, best paired with bold-flavored foods.
According to WineFolly.com, most orange wines come from northeastern Italy on the border of Slovenia. Three to try: Channing Daughters Ramato, Cullen Amber Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and The Hermit Ram Muller Thurgau Skin Fermented 2016.
Pineapple jack-o-lanterns
Pumpkins are perfection, but you can up your jack-o-lantern game by focusing your carving efforts on the face of a pineapple instead. All the rage on Instagram and the symbol of hospitality, pineapples are the pumpkins of Halloween 2017.
Martha Stewart has a pineapple-carving tutorial (natch) and there are several how-to videos on YouTube. The result: a sophisticated twist on a Halloween classic that's welcoming to your party guests.
A recipe for this spooky twist on a classic autumn treat was saved over 650,000 times on the idea-sharing platform Pinterest, making it one of the site's most popular Halloween food trends this year. Using dark-hued gel icing and wooden skewers makes these candied apples stand out, and are sure to spook some of your guests this year.
Step-by-step instructions on how to recreate these festive snacks from the blog "WannaBite" for your Halloween shindig are available in a Facebook video here:
The best way to keep the memories of your Halloween party forever, and a fun way to engage with friends on social media, is with some pictures from a spooky photo booth. One of the top trending Halloween decor ideas this year on Pinterest is a coffin photo booth.
Taking photos in the frame of a coffin gives the creepy illusion that you were buried alive. Various tutorials for how to make your own coffin photo booth are available online using materials such as cardboard or foam board.