Host a Radical '80s Party!
To be a radical 1980s party host, create a '80s ambiance with a '80s mix CD playing softly, '80s decor (i.e. '80s movie posters, etc.), and '80s movies without the audio (i.e. Pretty in Pink, Weird Science,
etc.) if there is a television in the party room.
Totally
Tubular '80s
In the '80s, arcade games became the rave. If you lived in the '80s, you likely had a Nintendo Entertainment System as it had 90% of the American video game market by the end of the decade!
Computers hit the scene in homes and as a complete industry as the IBC PC launched in 1981. Commodore 64 was another popular home item although it had minimal capabilities for home users.
The Music Scene was definitely unique as the use of keyboards came into play (New Wave or Synthpop) and MTV hit the scene. The following artists were popular in the 1980s:
Madonna
Queen
Michael Jackson
Duran Duran
Prince
Queen
Guns N' Roses
Bon Jovi
Joan Jet
Clothing was colorful to say the least. Sweatshirt dresses with matching bold-colored leggings, parachute pants, big plastic bangles, and member's only jackets were extremely popular!
MENU SUGGESTIONS
Always ask for nutritional requirements of your guests with the RSVPs to determine if they have any allergies or objections to particular ingredients.
Recipes courtesy of the Halloween Party Host Handbook
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APPETIZERS:
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TUBULAR STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Garlic bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 package of large whole mushrooms with the stems removed and diced
1/2 cup of cooked, crumbled sausage
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions: Cut the stems from the mushrooms and carefully scoop out the tops without breaking them apart and dice the stems. Place the mushroom caps with the scooped side up on a baking sheet.
Combine the remaining ingredients with the diced stems and mix thoroughly.
Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture (save a little bit of the breadcrumbs for the top) and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and drizzle melted butter over the top.
Cook at 350 degrees until lightly browned (approximately 20-30 minutes).
*You can substitute the sausage for diced lobster.
THE ATARI SALAD
Ingredients:
1 pound mixed salad greens
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions:
Mix the ingredients together and drizzle the dressing on top.
ENTREE:
LONG CHICKEN DUCK DONG STUFFED CHICKEN (THERE IS NO DUCK IN THIS)
Ingredients:
2 cups of cooked white Rice
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
~3/4 stick of butter
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tenderized chicken breast fillets
1 cup garlic flavored bread crumbs
Mix the white rice, cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, sautéed onions and mushrooms, 1/4 stick of butter, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of garlic bread crumbs.
Instructions: Tenderize the chicken fillets with a meat tenderizer. At the edge of one end of the chicken fillet, place about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture and roll the chicken fillet around the rice. Place the chicken fillet into a baking pan with the free edge facing down. Microwave the remaining butter for 10 seconds and drizzle over the chicken breast. Lightly sprinkle the garlic flavored bread crumbs over the buttered breast.
Cook at 375 until done (approximately 40 minutes). Check with a meat thermometer to determine if the meat is done.
RUBIK’S CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
2 bags of frozen broccoli
1 tube of Kraft garlic cheese
½ cup jalapeno jack cheese
2 cans of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup
1 can of Campbell’s cream of celery soups
½ diced onion
½ stick of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Heat the oven to 350F. Thaw out the frozen broccoli and drain the water. Melt the cheeses in a saucepan and add the creamed soups. In a separate pan, sauté the onions with the butter until golden brown. Add the browned onions to the cheese mixture. Pour the cheese mixture over the broccoli in a 9 x 12 baking dish. Sprinkle garlic bread crumbs over the top of the casserole, cover and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Allow to cool on the counter for at least 10 minutes before serving.
DESSERTS:
PRETTY IN PINK CAKE
Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
White frosting with red food coloring (to make pink frosting).
16 pink candles
Instructions: Set rack at the middle level in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of two 9-inch round or one 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and beater often. Pour the batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth top with metal spatula. Bake cake(s) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely. If you are using white frosting, in a bowl, add one drop of red food coloring and mix thoroughly to make a light pink color. When cool, cover the cake with the frosting and then place the 16 candles on the cake.
THE PACMAN GHOST (adults only)
4 oz. Hypnotiq® liqueur
2 oz. Malibu® coconut rum
2 oz. pineapple juice
Combine all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a martini or cocktail glass and serve.
THE MEMBER’S ONLY (Adults only)
1/2 shot Godiva liquor
1/2 shot Bailey’s Irish cream liquor
Fill the coffee mug with 1/2 coffee and 1/2 milk to taste
Top with whipped cream
Mix the liquors together in a shaker and strain into a coffee mug. Fill the mug with coffee and milk to taste and top with whipped cream.
*If this party is for teenagers, omit this drink and make hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream on top. Then, top it off with chocolate sprinkles.
COCKTAILS FOR ADULTS:
THE LEG WARMER (adults only)
1 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. cranberry juice
Shake vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.
* Note - if this party is for teenagers, simply omit the alcohol.
BONUS ACTIVITIES!
FOR 200+ PARTY GAMES, HALLOWEEN DIY COSTUMES, PARTY ADVICE AND MORE, SNAG YOUR COPY OF THE HALLOWEEN PARTY HOST HANDBOOK BY DR. BONNIE
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BUBBLE WALK TEST
RULES: Purchase about 1.5 meters (~5 ft.) of bubble wrap packing material. The guests take turns walking the length of the bubble wrap. The first one to walk the length of the wrap without popping a bubble is the winner. If everyone does it without a pop – then change it up to walking on their knees, crab walks, front rolls etc.
PROPS NEEDED: strips of bubble wrapping material.
PLAYING TIME: ~ 10 minutes
TOTALLY TUBULAR ‘80S DANCE CONTEST
OBJECTIVE: to be the most radical ‘80s dancers at the party!
RULES: Pair the guests into groups of 2-3. Give the teams 10 minutes (or more) to create a unique 30 second ‘80s dance routine to be performed to the song ‘Blinded me with Science' or other ‘80s song of your choice. Play the song repeatedly in the background so the teams have ample time to practice with the music.
When the time is up and / or the guests are finished creating their routines, one at a time, the guests are to perform their routines for the other guests. The host will judge or the guests will vote via a ballot for the best ‘80s dance routine. In the case of a tie, the host will be the tie-breaker.
PROPS NEEDED: any type of music playing source and a ‘80s song.
PLAYING TIME: approximately 30 minutes.
*We cannot say it enough…this is HILARIOUS!!!! Do this side game for the love of the ‘80s!
TOTALLY AWESOME MOVIE CHALLENGE
OBJECTIVE: To be the team that answers correctly the most ‘years of release’ of the 1980s movies!
RULES: Pair the guests into groups of 6. Give the teams 15 minutes (or more) to fill in the correct year of the listed 1980s hit movies using the ‘Totally Awesome Movie Challenge Answer Sheet’ (game attachment). When the time is up and / or the guests are finished, collect the answer sheets and score them using the ‘Totally Awesome Movie Challenge Answer Key’ (game attachment).
PROPS NEEDED: Printed copies of ‘The Totally Awesome Movie Challenge’ (next 2 pages).
PLAYING TIME: ~20 minutes
CLICK HERE FOR THE GAME SHEETS
HERE'S THE ANSWER KEY:
TOTALLY AWESOME MOVIE CHALLENGE ANSWER KEY
Weird Science…………………….……………… 1985
Pretty in Pink……………………………………. 1986
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade………… 1989
Valley Girl ………………………………….……. 1983
Fast Times at Ridgemont High…………………1982
Die Hard………………………………………….. 1988
Sixteen Candles…………………………………. 1984
Dirty Dancing …………………………………....1987
St. Elmo’s fire…………………….…………….... 1985
The Empire Strikes Back ……………………….1980