Halloween Experts

In the glittering salons of 1930′s society, from New York to Hollywood, and all over Europe, a small, round woman, possessed of an indomitable spirit and exquisite taste, reigned over entertaining. Elsa Maxwell was a gossip columnist, whose elaborate parties were well-attended by the wealthy, the famous, and the infamous. Elsa believed that people should be actively involved in a party, and so, she invented and introduced the Scavenger Hunt to her guests.

A list of objects or goals to be hunted is provided by the organizer. Hunters can work individually, or in teams. The goal is to accumulate as many items on the list as possible in a given period of time. Items may be hidden, or hunters may ask others, often strangers, neighbors, or friends, to help them acquire the items they seek. The hunting ground can be limited to a house or property, a mall, a neighborhood, or it can be unlimited, and bound only by the time restriction. The items may be collected, photographed or video taped, as directed by the organizer. The winning team or individual will be the one who has collected the most listed items by the end of the time limit. In the event of a tie, some judgement of the quality or value of the collected items may determine the winner.

Scavenger Hunts have become very popular Halloween entertainments. Sending guests out into the dark night to retrieve treasures lends itself to a spooky Halloween tale to start the evening. Make sure that your guests do not go out alone, and carry flashlights and/or reflective items. Depending on the age of your party guests, the hunt may be limited to the backyard or expanded to include the neighborhood. Be aware of any local curfews and inform your neighbors, in case they stumble upon one of your guests snapping a photo of their scary jack o’lantern, or creepy tree.

Here’s a idea for a Scavenger Hunt for kids. Purchase a posable plastic or cardboard skeleton, of nearly life size. Trace the skeleton on a large sheet of paper, and hang this outline up on the wall or door. Next, carefully take the skeleton apart at the joints. Hide the various parts around the house or back yard. Send your hunters out to unearth the body parts, and let them tape the pieces they have found onto the outline until the skeleton is reformed. Award a prize to the team that finds the most skeleton parts!