Having an October birthday is all the more fun because it means it’s both your birth-month and spooky season! This couldn’t ring more true for photographer Shannon Von Eschen, who has been celebrating her little boy with Halloween-themed birthday parties and spooky soirees for over a decade. Yes– that’s right. Over a decade! Each year, Shannon’s Halloween birthday parties seem to get better and better, and this year was no exception. It wasn’t ghoul’s or goblins that took over this epic Halloween themed birthday party, but rather…flying witches instead! Read on to see the wicked details of this bewitching birthday bash and read the story of how Shannon brought everything to life.
The Photographer Shares,
“It’s no secret that me and my October-born boy love all things fall and, yes, Halloween! But when it comes to the types of spooks and scares we’re usually drawn to, our family of “Bones” (as we lovingly call all our posable skeletons) usually take the cake! But this year…our skellie friends took a bit of a back seat after my husband and I stood next to a twelve-foot-tall, flying witch at a local hardware store. We immediately looked at each other, seeing there was only one left to buy; the box nearly too big for our truck bed. “Eli will die; you have to get this!” my husband, Jason, said to me. That’s exactly the “metaphorical” reaction I was hoping for, I remember thinking. Thus, this gigantic witch won us all over, and Eli’s 11th Birthday Bash, Witch Season, was born.”
The Photographer Adds,
“After a decade of throwing parties for my son Eli, there was a part of me that was unsure how to make this specific one spooky enough. A room full of witches does seem rather spooky, but of course I wanted all of my witches to be more mystical + fun than creepy + scary, so I started with the first things that sparked my inspiration: an eerie, cackling laugh and a pointed hat! I decided I wanted to create a haunted forest. Think live trees, dead trees, Spanish moss, misty fog, eerie sounds, things to climb on, over, and in; and the biggest undertaking and thrill: an abandoned witch’s cabin.”
“Among some of the best bits of this party was our aforementioned, large, Hovering Witch, whom we appropriately named Itty Bitty Betty. A towering 12’ in the air above, she “flew” over our final banquet table. Her broom, held by one hand, was the only thing grounding her as she twisted her head, flashed open her eyes, and cast out spells with a bewitchingly charming voice. If you weren’t looking close, you might almost miss her, she was so high! But high enough to not touch the flickering candle flames just below her, or the candied apples, brownie bites, apple-frosted cookies, or sugary honey-sticks to try sneak away with.”
The Photographer Continues,
“Just outside the doorway of the cabin, an antique cider press sat full of delectable apples. Detestable, but delectable potion cookies of “Spider Venom” and “Worm Warts,” candied black apples, and spider-leg lollipops were among the cabin eats. You could find herbs, dried flowers, crystals, and small healing stones throughout every surface inside, just waiting for their time to shine in making the most perfect potions. Flickering candles, cinnamon scented broomsticks, and an antique “spells” book lay across the mantle, just above the bubbling cauldron, which contained the skull of one unsuspecting victim. But not to be too frightened: the sweetest, pink-nosed, black kitten, perched itself up on a shelf to the delight of all visitors. Because every good witch needs the perfect black cat, companion!”
“As for cake: Eli and I lovingly made his birthday cake together! It was definitely a first for us! Two nights before the big event, we whipped up the blackest, gluten-free coconut flavored frosting we could. Two simple shaped platform and pillar gluten-free Chantilly and vanilla cakes were then slathered by us both! Our fingers were solid black, as were our mouths from licking the spoon of our mixture at the end! I added a branch from one of our favorite Golden Rain trees for a bit of witchy décor, and we placed it on a blacked out tray of Spanish moss. Two tall candles stood proudly to represent his amazing 11 years. Because we made it together, it was one of my most favorite cakes to create ever.”
“And for the outdoor fun, costumed guests played “Dead Head Toss,” which is much like Corn Hole, but only with “dead heads,” and a FrisBee Witched game, in which brave souls tossed witches hats onto pegged skull heads. It was quite the fun challenge, but utterly dreadful too.”
This Halloween themed birthday party is getting us in the spooky spirit! If you’re looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out this ‘Let’s Go Ghoul’s Halloween Party!