So every October now, the living room is draped in cobwebs and fall leaves. Ghosts fly around w/ the ceiling fans and bats hang from the rafters.  Skeletons perch on the old secretary desktop and dangle at the end of hangman’s nooses from the big beams across the ceiling.  Candles flicker everywhere and a fire roars in the fireplace

.A brass cauldron is filled with little parchment scrolls upon which rhyming fortunes have been written.   You can also just toss them in a bowl with some mixed nuts to pass around.  We did this one year and it was so popular that we've repeated it every year since. It's a good way to break the ice - People love sharing and comparing "fortunes" and speculating on what they might mean. 

If you can, be your own D.J. and put together a cd or tape, alternating Music Themes from Scary Movies and Spooky Music with a good dance beat.

The music of  “Bond” is good – especially their 1rst cd, "Born" - pounding, fast paced and pretty spooky at the same time.

If you want to really get Scary/Creepy - try the music of  Evanescence.  

In another room  we have the fortune teller's table set up.   I use the herb room for this but you can use a bedroom.  Just change the lighting and put oil lamps and candles all over.  Drape white or black sheets (shop your local thrift store or Salvation Army for these) over all the furniture.  Set a table and a couple of chairs in the center.  You'll need at least 2 oil lamps for illumination.  A velvet tablecloth and a large antique doily in the center looks good. Try spray painting some dried, long stemmed roses black and sticking them in a vase.   Think Gothic Victorian!  Incense too will add to the atmosphere.

 Here the guests take turns having their cards read for the night. You can also use rune stones, a magic mirror or crystal ball.   Explain to them that Halloween was the Celtic New Year and that, on this night when the veil between the world of men and the realm of the spirits is thinnest, it was traditional to divine the future in the year ahead. 

You might want to have several "Readers" who can take shifts.  Otherwise, trust me - one person will be stuck in there all night giving readings.  On the bright side, it also ends up being a nice place for adults to duck in and get away from the teens and the music for a while!  *whew*