Gypsy Fortune Fest

Find out what the stars hold for your guests on Halloween. Jazz up the night by hosting a séance and fortune telling treats. Start by dressing up as an old mysterious gypsy fortune teller, layering on several brightly colored mismatched skirts and a flowery blouse with ruffles to create that carefree wanderlust illusion. Wear large, dangling earrings, many bracelets and a few scarves around you head and pair that with an old purse and a tambourine and you’re good to go.

Have on hand at your party several divining tools to help you with magical inspiration. You could also use the well-known tarot deck, crystal balls, palmistry, numerology, pendulums and other "mystical" items, and tea-leaf readings, as these provide humorous and light-hearted events that spark and ignite gregarious conversation. This adds an exciting magical backdrop that complements Halloween.

You can make your own invitations by incorporating celestial objects into the design, or if there’s a time issue, you can purchase ready-made invitation cards with this theme. Either way will work magically. Write with a royal or midnight blue, deep purple or an emerald green marker for a taste of authentic gypsy reflecting the theme of your party.

Hang several moon and stars in gold foil for you décor. Make the room look as extravagant with inexpensive but colorful tablecloth and special serving dishes. Use as many candles as you can for the flickering light effect. Lay scarves over lampshades making sure it dims the bright light while exuding a dark aura of mystery. Now is the time to do away with the usual orange and black Halloween streamers. After all, this is not your common run of the mill Halloween Party.

Have cheap store-bought playing cards laying around so your guests can try their hands at telling fortunes. Hide the 3 items around the party venue: a coin, a mirror, and an apple core. Tell your guests whoever finds the coin will have wealth in his future, the guest who finds the mirror will be married to their soul mate soon and the one who finds the apple core will have good health, most probably because they ate the apple before tossing the apple core.

Have your guests bob for apples. In fortune telling, apples symbolize the people you marry. Your future spouse would depend on the apple you picked. You will need a very deep tub or large basins filled with lots of water, and prepare towels so the contestants could easily off with no mess and of course a good supply of large apples. For the uninitiated, have your guests retrieve an apple by dunking their heads into the tub and grab an apple with their teeth. As simple as this sound, it is actually quite tricky.

Conjure up refreshing beverages that would quench any weary gypsy traveler. Fruit punch with real fruit slices, tea with lots of tea leaves and bread canapés cut out like celestial stars should do the trick. Prepare a lot of fresh in season fruits and vegetables with dips. Wrap money in sterile plastic baggies and hide them within baked cakes. This would bring fortune and luck to the person who finds it in the cake.

Don’t forget the party favors! Black, deep purple or dark blue votive candles wrapped in shimmering gold ribbons with appropriate thank you notes would surely bring joy to all your grateful guests.