The morning after

Our two children, plus 15 others ranging from 10 to 13 years old, plus the occasional parent or two were at our house from 6:50 pm until 10:15 last night.

We had decorated practically every surface of the first floor. One of the ten year olds told my son that we "over decorated." I didn't disagree, but it looked great. Nothing was too cartoony. It was all geared to be mildly creepy.

We made or purchased far too much food.

The kids were in and out of the house. There was an episode where a 5th grader in a Luigi costume (think Mario Bros.) attacked a 7th grader, dressed as Nikki Blonsky from Hairspray, with his plunger. She screamed an 80s horror movie scream and I was sure the local police would be stopping by. (Coincidentally, Luigi won the Funniest Costume award, and Nikki won the Prettiest Costume award.)

We had a couple of contests, including trying to keep an emotionless face while drinking Lemon Drop Dead and Strawberry Slime from Jones Soda. That was good for a lot of laughs. Those drinks were sour.

We did a few Tarot readings, mainly the 5th graders. The 7th graders piled on the furniture and tested the limits of my home theater system with The Corpse Bride. Toward the end of the party they finally took an immense interest in receiving a Tarot reading, but by then it was too late to accommodate them.

Everyone had a great time. They all left with gift coffins and bags of treats.

We finally turned everything off (well, most everything, I was still turning off screaming ghouls outside this morning) and got to bed by midnight or so.

I slept until 7:45. Everyone else slept till nearly 11. It was a good party. Photos coming soon as our lives return to normal.

We'll never do it again.