Halloween Party Feng Shui

Make the most of your Halloween bash

By Stephanie Dempsey

Halloween parties are a delicious combination of terror and fun. The key is striking the right balance. To make the most of your ghoulish get-together, try a few of these Feng Shui treatments. They're sure to keep your guests alternately screaming with fright and laughing with delight.

Set the tone
The best way to set the tone for a theme party is with evocative decorations. Cut letters from a magazine for a ransom-note style invitation. Alternately, you can compose obituaries for each guest and vow to raise the dead at your big bash. Glow-in-the-dark ink can also get people in the mood for a spooky Halloween bash.

Down a dark hall
If there's anything that will raise people's fright, it's entering a dark space. Extinguish all the lights in your front entry and cover the windows with dark fabric. Greet guests at the door in a costume, carrying a candelabrum. That way, they'll have to follow your lead, making you the official Monster of Ceremonies!

Ghoulish glow
A good way to draw people into a space is by placing a glowing object in the center of the wall furthest from the door. Placing a ghoulish jack-o-lantern at the end of a long hall will beckon your guests to move forward. The Fire energy contained by this decoration will also make your party festive, lively and unpredictable.

Select your soundtrack
No Halloween party is complete without a creepy soundtrack. Creaking doors, howling wind, agonized shrieks, loud thunderclaps -- play a recording of these sounds on the left side of your home, which governs community. Upon hearing these spooky sounds, your guests will huddle together in terror. Let the good times roll at your party!

Follow your nose
Infusing the room with an intriguing scent like verbena or frankincense will lend an air of mystery to your party. Guests won't be able to pinpoint what the scent is, but it will awaken their senses and make them more engaged in the atmosphere around them. There's no better mood to cultivate for an evening of mystery.

Drape and dangle
Hanging decorations like bats, spiders and cobwebs from the ceiling is a great way to put your guests on edge. People don't expect to encounter things from above their heads. Brushing against these ornaments will send welcome shivers down the backs of your guests. Make sure to dangle them at varying lengths.

Invite a guest of honor
Putting a tall, narrow figure in the far left corner will activate wood energy, ensuring your party's success. This is an ideal spot to arrange a glow-in-the-dark skeleton, mummy or Frankenstein monster. Have the figure hold gift bags filled with candy and souvenirs, as it is standing in the area that governs prosperity.

Add an element of play
Halloween is a delicious combination of horror and fun. Lest you turn guests off with too much terror, you can lighten the atmosphere by activating the center right portion of the party room. Create a seated group of white-sheeted ghosts in this area. Make it look like they're playing cards. This will add a measure of levity to the proceedings.

Dim the lights
Exchanging regular light bulbs for red ones will cast an eerie glow over your party. Or, you can choose black lights to illuminate day-glo decorations. Any Halloween party worth its salt will involve an element of eyestrain.

Mirror, mirror
If you really want to give your guests a fright, put a Halloween magic mirror in your bathroom. These battery-operated mirrors are motion activated and prompt a skull to scream each time somebody passes before it. Another good spot for this mirror is to the immediate left of the front entrance, where it will give guests a properly ghoulish greeting.