Ideas for the Party Human

Mystery Mansion Party

Posted by: Rebecca on: December 5, 2009

THEME:  Agatha Christie-style murder mystery house party (a live version of “Who Dunnit?”-type games, such as “Clue” or “Mr. Ree”)

Gumshoe

Private Detective

INVITATIONS:  Invitations can be done several different ways.  You may want to create an ambience of mystery–use shapes or pictures like a magnifying glass, foot prints, finger prints, man in a hat and trench coat, candlestick, rope, various weapons, etc. on the invitations.  Include a character description for each guest.  Request that they come dressed as their characters.  If your guest list is small enough, include a “Plot thus far” to perk their interest and help them develop motives.  Or, you may want to give them the impression they are being invited to a formal house party and let the mystery game be a surprise.  Another option would be to use the “plot thus far” character setup and write each one a personal note from another appropriate character, begging him or her to come to this house party for some legitimate reason.  (This party description is for a private young people’s party of 8-15 guests.)

MATERIALS FOR ACTIVITIES:  Six to eight “weapons”:  rope, toy knife, toy revolver, lead pipe (perhaps plastic), bottle of poison (empty), candlestick, toy hatchet, or pillow; set of cards:  made from index cards or cut from cardstock, enough for each guest to have 10 cards (There are three types of cards:  1.  “Go To The_[room or outside area]__”; 2.  “Go To The__[room or outside area]_ And Take Someone With You”; 3. “The __[Weapon]_____ Murder Card!” [Put a picture of the weapon on the card.]  Make several of the first two types of cards for each of the rooms.  Make only one murder card per weapon.); music for dancing.

FOOD:  Assign guests to bring specified kinds of finger food (cookies, small cakes or pastries, hors d’oeuvres–the more elegant the better) to be served on trays in various rooms.  Serve punch in plastic goblets to look sophisticated. 

DECORATIONS:  Rooms: This may be decided according to the number of guests you will have.  Select five to ten rooms, if possible: Conservatory, Parlor, Kitchen, Study, Garage, Bathroom, Master Bedroom, Cloak Closet, Living Room, Attic, etc.  Put signs on the doors of these rooms or areas so the guests know where to go. 

            Decorate each room to look like a room in an elegant Victorian mansion as much as possible.  Use your imagination and go all out!  Perhaps you could borrow some antiques from friends.  Use lots of fabrics, lace and flowers (dried, fresh or silk).  Plenty of throw pillows for sofas and chairs are good.  Look at some magazines on Victorian decorating or on famous mansions.  Do what you can on your budget. 

            Try to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, like a set for a mystery movie.  Place weapons in appropriate rooms and lay them out in semi-plain sight.  Play eerie music throughout the rooms.  If possible, have a crackling fire in the fireplace.  If the weather is cooperative, you may also use outdoor areas as places for the guests to go, such as:  Garage, Gazebo, Bench Under Tree, Garden Gate, Pool, Terrace (patio), etc.  These areas should also be clearly marked with signs.

 BLOW-BY-BLOW:            When guests arrive, they introduce themselves as their respective characters and mingle until everyone is there.  Then everyone gathers together while you (the host/hostess) read the “Plot Thus Far” to establish motives among the guests for the murder(s) that will inevitably occur.  Explain where each room is and where the “weapons” are.  Shuffle the cards and deal them to the guests face down.  Each guest keeps his cards secret; he doesn’t look at them himself but puts them in a pocket or purse. 

            Instruct the players to look at only one card at a time and follow its instructions.  As they go from room to room according to their cards, they have the option to pick up any weapon from those rooms and conceal it in their clothes.  They should do this when no other guests are looking.  Guests are to stay in each room long enough to sample some refreshments or to speak to at least one other guest.  In conversation, if one guest says to another, “Have you noticed anything suspicious around here?”, then the other guest must reply by turning over one weapon he may have concealed.  The first guest is then in possession of that weapon.  The second guest does not need to reveal any other weapon he may have. 

            One guest has previously been designated as the Sleuth or Detective (Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Clousseau, Hercule Poirot, Mr. Ree, etc.).  He does not receive a set of cards.  His job is to flow from room to room in a specific order.  In each room he can choose to frisk one guest, confiscating his weapon(s) and returning it/them to the appropriate room(s).  All guests must cooperate with the Detective. 

            If a guest discovers a “MURDER WEAPON” card in his possession, he must find that weapon in its room or get it from another guest by asking the above question.  Once the weapon is in his possession and he has the “MURDER WEAPON” card, he plans his “murder.”  He may “do in” any character for whom he would have a motive for murder from the “plot thus far.”  To murder someone, he must be alone with that person in a room and show them his murder card and weapon.  The “victim” may or may not scream, but he must lie down and stay there until another guest finds him.  The murderer must leave the murder card and weapon on the “body” and depart to his next room.

            When the guests understand all the instructions, they can begin the game.  Helpers, such as younger brothers or sisters, dressed in servant costumes move from room to room serving the refreshments on the trays.  The party continues until a murder victim is discovered.  At this point, all the guests congregate in the Living Room and carry the “body” in; they lay the victim on the floor with a sheet over him.  As the guests mumble in shock over the “death,” the Detective must ask questions to decide “who dunnit”! 

            The Detective asks anyone any question he desires, except that the question “Did you murder so-and-so?” may only be asked three times.  If he can get it right on the first try he is considered a topnotch sleuth.  Each “innocent” guest must answer truthfully to all questions. The “murderer” can lie to any question except to the direct question “Did you do it?”, which he must answer honestly. 

            Following these rules, the investigation continues until the Detective discovers the murderer or uses up all three direct questions.  This part is made all the more fun and hilarious because the guests play their characters in as exaggerated a fashion as possible.  If the Detective fails to guess the true murderer, the “victim” may rise from the dead and point him out.  Now the game is over, and the guests may start a new round, if desired.  The victim may trade characters with the Detective for a change of pace.  The cards are again shuffled and dealt to the guests. 

            The game is played as many times as the guests desire.  Then, if there is still time, they may break for dancing and conversation. 

 Variations and Comments:  More then one murder may occur in one game.  It only makes for more fun and a little harder questioning by the Detective.

            It is very important for each player to follow all the rules; otherwise, problems may arise, and the game can get out of hand.  Everyone should stay in character and mingle with each other.

            This party was later expanded to include more than 50 youth in a large church activity.  In that large of a group, it isn’t practical to assign individual characters and have a “plot thus far” to give everyone motives.  However, this party has been given for a group somewhat in-between the two extremes in size, and more characters were assigned, with everything starting at the reading of the “will” of a wealthy man who had died.  The will mentioned each character in a way that gave him a motive for “murdering” some other character(s).  After the will-reading, they all adjourned to the house party, but this could be done in any number of ways.

            For larger groups, rather than give each guest his own set of cards, station a helper in each room with a stack of cards.  At the outset, give each guest two cards.  He follows the instructions on one card and keeps the other secret, so he will have somewhere to go in the event he receives a murder card in another room.  In each room he enters, the helper there gives him one card.  This continues until a murder victim is discovered.  (Of course, the helpers can give no hints as to the identity of the murderer.)  This alternate method of play insures that none of the guests can “cheat” by looking through all their cards at the beginning.

                                                                          * * *

Mid-Winter Beach Party

Posted by: Rebecca on: November 23, 2009

 THEME:  Summer fun at the beach

INVITATIONS:  Cut round circles and color one side like a beach ball.  On the other side, use California beach slang, such as:

            “Hey, dudes and dudettes–slap on your best beach gear and come hang out at the Indoor Beach Party.  Don’t let winter chill you out!  There’ll be a prize for the baddest beach threads, and we’ll have some really rad activities!  Bring your fave beach snack for munchin’ and blow off this winter scene–totally!”

     This is a fun party for all ages, from teens to adults.

MATERIALS FOR ACTIVITIES:  Two surfboards or plain wooden boards of similar size; two large bowls; wrapped hard candies; two plastic pitchers; two clear plastic glasses; two or four rolls of Life Saver candies; large box of sand; 20 pennies; blackboard and chalk or whiteboard (or poster) and marker; team prize for the competitions, such as kiddie sunglasses for each team member; prize for best beach outfit, such as a pair of underwater goggles; music for dancing, if desired (Beach Boys, etc.) and stereo; prize for dance contest, if desired, such as a beach ball or water wings; video of old beach movie and VCR, if desired.

FOOD:  The guests will bring snacks, and you can provide the cold pop–six-packs in various flavors, packed in an ice chest.  You might also provide something more exotic, like a fresh pineapple.  Set the food out on a table covered with a beach blanket or large beach towel.  Serve in creative containers, like large seashells, a diver’s mask, little plastic boats, etc.

DECORATIONS:  First of all, have the party room warm and well lighted, as the guests will be wearing summery clothing.  In two clear corners, create two famous beaches, such as Malibu, Waikiki or Palm Beach.  If you have local beaches, you could use those names.  Label the beaches with signs and try to recreate something that beach is famous for.  Borrow some potted palms for Palm Beach, or make palm trees on the wall with colored construction paper.  For Malibu Beach, you might spark some laughter by setting up a scene with Malibu Barbie and Ken in their beach buggy, etc.  Light blue cloths or curtains could hang on the wall as an ocean backdrop.  You could display diving or surfing gear, if you have access to it.  In other areas of the room hang colorful swimsuits, beach towels, beach posters and Beach Boys album covers.  Near the refreshment table, you might set up beach blankets and umbrellas on the floor.  Have Beach Boys surfin’ music playing softly in the background during the competitions.

 BLOW-BY-BLOW:            As guests arrive, assign them equally to the two (or more, if the group is large) different beaches.  Each beach team then uses this time to come up with its own cheer.  When the teams are complete, they each give their cheers, and the competitions begin.

Surf's up!

            The first competition is the Surfing Race.  It will require three people from each group, usually two boys and a girl.  The teams choose their contestants before the race is explained.  Give the boys from each team a surfboard or similar piece of wood, and they hold it between them while the girl sits on it.  On a signal, the groups race to the end of the room and back.  The team to arrive first gets a point on the board.

            The next contest is the High Dive, which requires one representative from each beach.  You (the host/hostess) provide the contestants with one pitcher of water each.  On the floor are two empty glasses.  These they must fill at least two-thirds full from the position of standing on chairs.  The one who spills the least water on the floor gets the point for her team.

            The next event is the Underwater Swimming Race.  One contestant is chosen to represent each beach.  Give each one a deep bowl filled with water at the bottom of which are several wrapped candies.  He is seated at a table or may kneel on the floor in front of the bowl, keeping his hands behind his back.  At the signal, the contestant must bob for the candies, getting them out with his mouth.  The first one to get all the candies out wins the point for his team.

            The next event, the Life-Saving Contest, is announced, and two representatives are chosen from each beach.  The two partners stand four or five paces apart, facing each other.  Give one side several Life-Saver candies, which they must toss, one at a time, to their partners.  The other side must catch them with their mouths.  The team which catches the most wins the point.

            For the last event, the Buried Treasure Race, one contestant is chosen from each group.  (Make sure that every person on each team has the chance to compete in at least one event.)  This could be the tie-breaking event!  A large box of sand is placed at one end of the room; the representatives line up at the other.  Twenty pennies are buried in the sand, ten for each team.  On a signal, the contestants race to the box, dig their ten pennies out with their hands, and race back.  The first one back with all ten pennies wins the final point for her team.  The beach with the most points on the board wins a team prize.

            After this, you  award a prize to the guest with the best beach outfit.  Then serve the refreshments, and turn the music up.  Guests may dance, if desired, or, after eating, you may show a video of an old beach movie.  If you choose to dance, a spontaneous dance contest–whether ’50’s style or the current craze–adds to the fun, and you may award a prize to the winning couple.

Hysterical History Party

Posted by: Rebecca on: November 20, 2009

THEME:  History, with a twist    

Recreating History

"Fourscore and seven years ago . . ."

INVITATIONS:  Write in longhand on parchment and roll in a scroll, sealing with wax or an official-looking sticker.  The idea is to make it look like a historical document.  Use officious language, such as:  “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary to find some diversion unrelated to that which has been our wont, we, (host and friends), have hit upon a plan which we believe will provide well beyond the required amusement.  Therefore, we hereby announce the Hysterical History Party, to be held on (date) at (time and place), to which you are most cordially invited.  Whereas this event is in celebration of history, we respectfully request your person to be attired in full regalia of any historic person of note.”  (And so on, and so forth . . .  get the idea?)

     This party works well for college students and adults.

MATERIALS FOR ACTIVITIES:  Random props from famous tales from history, such as hatchet, old flag, lanterns, toy rifle, etc. (or you may prefer to let them pantomime their props); equipment to play folk games from history in ours or other lands; words and music to old folk songs, both foreign and domestic.

FOOD:  Famous foods from history will do here.  Search old cookbooks or history books for ideas.  You could do a whole formal dinner or just have desserts.  Some suggestions might be Cherry Pie, Lincoln Log, Lindy’s Cake, or Sweet Potato Pie.  This is where some actual learning might come in!

DECORATIONS:  Decorate the party room with anything that looks historical–antiques or pseudo-antiques, flags from different countries or items significant to the history of ours or other countries.  You could use tapestries, Native American blankets, Japanese lanterns, African masks, or other curios.  Some fake cobwebs leftover from Halloween could make the stuff look really old.

 BLOW-BY-BLOW:          As guests arrive, you (the host/hostess) have them play an icebreaker game similar to “Who Am I?“.  As they mingle, they ask yes-or-no questions of each other to detect which historical figure each person represents.  When everyone is acquainted–historically speaking–seat them for the dinner.  If not doing a dinner, begin the activities by dividing the guests into several groups and giving each group an assignment to reenact a famous historical event.  You may give them props, if desired, but ask them to act out the story as they think it might have really happened!  (The emphasis is on humor here.)  Give each group about ten minutes to plan their skit, and then–lights, camera, action!  (Actually, making a videotape of this is not a bad idea.)

            After the rewriting of history, you may wish to play some old folk games from ours and other lands.  (Look for some in future posts on this blog, or you may want to do some research at your local library.) 

            Cool off with some refreshments, and finish the evening by singing some old folk songs, accompanied by piano or guitar, if possible.

New holiday poll:

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