If you're hosting a Halloween party this year for your kids like I am for my little sister then you'll probably have been mulling over the details in the back of your mind for a while now.
No? OK maybe I'm a little obsessive then - but hey, I just love Halloween! So, I thought I'd share with you some of my ideas on how to create a unique and fun Halloween party - with all the trimmings for your kids.
This particular brain wave came to me while I was fixing a fruit salad at a family barbeque recently.
All was going well, but when it came to adding a basket full of lychees to the salad, I found myself shuddering! Am I the only person who thinks they look like eyeballs? Come on, no fruit should be translucent, white and squidgy! Then the idea hit me - why not create a spooky, gruesome fruit punch for Halloween this year - eyeballs and all! So, after I'd practically eaten my weight in charred beef burgers, I sat down with a pen and pad and began brainstorming.
After I had concocted my plan, I set about putting it to action.
Here's how: First step - take a large plastic bowl (preferably orange, green or any other typical 'Halloween' colour).
This will be your punch bowl.
Next, add a bottle of sparkling apple juice.
Candy apples are a great Halloween treat, so I thought this was the best fruit to use as the base flavour of my gruesome punch (you could, of course, use cider for an adults-only version).
Then, add a bottle of unsweetened cranberry or raspberry juice.
It's important to use juice that is a deep red colour here.
Also, use unsweetened juice because we'll be adding some very sweet treats to the punch in a moment.
Add red food colouring to the mixture.
Only a tablespoon is needed - but it really helps to get the mixture a bright, blood-red colour.
And now for the fun part! Add some Halloween sweeties to the punch.
These will be all over the supermarket shelves when it comes to the time of making your punch - so just choose the ones you and your kids like the most.
Haribo's 'Horror Mix' is firm favourite in my household! By now your punch should be looking very gruesome indeed - with lots of creepy crawlies resting at the bottom of the bowl.
Time to go one better and add some lychee-eyeballs! Most supermarkets or green grocers will stock this strange little fruit, so why not pick some up when you're out pumpkin-shopping? Now, for the final touch.
I did toy with the idea of buying some Halloween-themed ice-cube moulds.
But I wanted something more striking for the final touch to my punch.
Instead of individual ice cubes - I got my hands on a large, skull-shaped baking mold.
I filled the mold with lemonade and a capful of lime cordial to give the liquid a green tinge, before freezing.
What could be more spooky than a human skull, floating in a bowl of blood-red punch? When you're frozen skull is added to the punch, it will begin cooling the mixture - so you are ready to serve! Tips for Serving: 1) When serving your punch, why not use goblets instead of regular cups or glasses? This will add a gothic theme to the whole punch experience.
2) Another way you can really spice up this punch is by decorating the punch bowl.
A permanent black marker will suffice as you will be using a plastic bowl.
I drew a black spider-web design all over mine, but the possibilities are endless! 3) Rub a lime around the rim of the goblets you are using to serve your punch.
Then dip the rim in coloured sugar or popping candy.
Ladle in the punch, and add a sprig of liquorice.
Your punch has now become a Halloween cocktail!