I don’t know about you guys, but I love Halloween! The sacred holiday of candy companies (ahead of Valentine’s Day), playing dress-up (apart from comic cons), and general debauchery. No longer just for kids, Halloween is one of the craziest times of the year. Wild events are being thrown during this time, especially this year when it falls on a Saturday. Halloween is the quintessential party holiday.
My fondest memories of Halloween are of dressing up with friends and planning a night of debauchery. One Halloween in particular stands out, Cream Ball 20++ (remember those?), when a group of my friends wanted to dress like nurses (slutty, of course, because Halloween is like the holiday for slutty outfits). It took a long time for them to confirm on a group outfit and by the time they decided on going as a fleet of nurses, I had already bought my own nun costume (slutty, of course). It’s okay. I don’t think the sisters are reading my column) and I decided I would just spend the night “praying” for their sins (while committing my own). A guy friend of ours even joined and dressed in the finest nurse drag Manila could offer (complete with professional makeup artists who specialize in prosthetics to make him look ultra-feminine). We partied so long that by the crack of dawn, he had a 5 a.m. shadow (instead of the customary 5 p.m.). Ah…. fun times.
There are a lot of Halloween events to choose from. But for those who still want to throw their own party, here are some fun drinking games you can play to spice up your Halloween drinking, to ensure maximum fun and get people hammered.
Boozy Apple Bobbing
Apple bobbing is one of those American traditions associated with Halloween. We’ve all seen those pictures of people (young and old alike) happily dunking their faces in barrels of water, trying to get a coveted apple. Not really sure why, but it seems fun (if not somewhat unhygienic). To make it even more fun, why not fill the barrel with alcoholic punch (plus points for somewhat making the whole activity a little more hygienic, what with alcohol being a sanitizer of sorts).
Have the apple sitting in the concoction for a few hours to let it absorb some of the alcohol, so that when the revelers start playing, it won’t just be the punch that gives them the boozy kick. You can carve numbers into the apples that correspond to a bottle of liquor, so that when a player gets to take a bite, the player needs to take a shot out of that bottle (or if you’re being generous and merciful, give the bottle as a prize). The numbers can also indicate how many shots the player has to drink of a particular spirit.
Trick or Treat
Ah. Another Halloween tradition made into something naughty. There are several variations to this drinking game, but the end result is the same: punking (or puking) revelers. One version requires a dice and six non-see-through cups. Put three nice tasting drinks in three of the cups (the “treat” shots) and not-so-nice tasting drinks in the other three (the “trick” shots). Line them up and each player must roll a dice and drink whatever number shot they get. Change the order of the drinks and cups every once in a while to mix it up and keep players on their toes.
Another version requires shot glasses and similar looking drinks and the dice. Same concept but the players won’t really know what’s in the glasses. Could be a shot of gin, vodka, vinegar, sugar water or clear syrup. Same effect. Get people drunk and mess with their heads. Fun all around.
Guess Who
This is one of those games that are played the whole night, sort of like a background game. Guests will have a post-it stuck on their backs with a Halloween-related character on it. You could have a theme, like movie monsters or serial killers. Or you can have a free-for-all, just to make things harder on everyone. Throughout the night, the guests can only ask questions only answered by yes or no to be able to guess what is written on their backs. Each person who can figure his character out gets a premium prize, like a shot of really expensive tequila or even a small bottle of spirit. Last one to guess must perform something appalling, like take six shots of cheap gin in rapid succession, to give your partygoers an incentive to really play the game.
Now these are just a few of the many fun, “adult” games you can play during your Halloween shindig. There are many more out there. And just like your costume ideas, the only limit to coming up with these boozy games is your imagination. I will leave you with a classic punch recipe that is sure to kick up any Halloween party.
★★★★★
HALLOWEEN PUNCH RECIPE
Jack O’ Ruin
Purist bartenders have revived the centuries-old ritual of the formal punch service. Here, we make a potent libation named Jack O’ Ruin, taking from an old English slang with a Halloween twist.
INGREDIENTS:
500 ml Bombay Saphire
1/2 cup granulated sugar
500 ml pineapple or grapefruit juice
250 ml Schweppes Club Soda
250 ml fresh lemon juice
250 ml sweet vermouth
50 ml Martini Prosecco
***add ice and grapefruit wheels for garnish
Procedure:
In a large punch bowl, stir in the white sugar with the club soda until dissolved. Mix in the gin, grapefruit and lemon juices and Martini Rosso sweet vermouth and chill in fridge for an hour or more.
After chilling gently, stir in Martini Prosseco and float the grapefruit or pineapple wheels on top. Serve in punch glasses over ice.
If you do decide to go out to get your costume party on, here are some places you can check out: ABV Bar and Bugsy’s or Hooch Bar, which will be playing some of these Halloween games for grown-ups on Oct. 30, if you’re up for it.
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