Throw the kookiest Wednesday Addams-themed birthday party

Written by Leila B.
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Wednesday Addams scoffs at the idea of a birthday party. Yet, in Tim Burton's recent take on The Addams Family, she fondly recalls the story of one of her birthdays, involving a tarantula piñata full of...tarantulas. The other children were terrified, of course, which Wednesday was quite pleased with. A girl after her mother's own heart, Wednesday delights in all things macabre.

We've put together some ideas to make the process of planning a Wednessday Addams-themed birthday party less mysterious and more kooky. From what to wear to what to eat, check out these gothic-chic recommendations that are sure to create the perfect event that even Wednesday Addams couldn’t pass up…with fewer real spiders.

Costumes

Wednesday

For Adults

For Kids

Hair

Synonymous with goth fashion and 90s nostalgia, Wednesday Addams is known for her iconic long, straight, and jet-black hair with a distinctive center-parted fringe that reaches down to her eyebrows.

Pugsley

Pugsley’s outfit consists of a horizontal striped shirt (long-sleeve or short-sleeve is okay), black shorts, tall black socks, and black sneakers. Although you couldn’t really tell, in the black-and-white versions of The Addams Family, Pugsley actually wears more colorful clothing (and the Addams’ house was a variety of shades of pink and yellow!). Even though we’re seeing them now in full color on screen, their signature colors have remained monochromatic, so a Pugsley costume will be more recognizable in black and white.

Side-by-side of The Addams Family colors and black and white

Morticia birthday party costume ideas

Morticia is a sharp-witted, sultry woman who dresses in a long formal black gown that either has a deep V or is off-the-shoulder. To complete the look, you can’t forget her long, straight, black hair parted down the middle.

Gomez

Gomez’s dapper look is essentially a wide-lapeled, pinstripe suit in the style of a 1920s-1940s gangster, known as a Zoot Suit. You could choose a double-breasted style like Raul Julia wore in the 1991 film The Addams Family, or a single-breasted jacket Luis Guzman sports in Wednesday.

Uncle Fester wearing a cow print helmet

Uncle Fester

Uncle Fester’s look is simple, but it’s best worn in cooler weather. He wears an oversized dark charcoal or black peacoat with a fur collar. Alternatively, don a black monk-style tunic. You can top it off with a black fedora or even a cow-print helmet to complete the look (note that the item listed here is just the helmet cover - helmet is not included).

 

Lurch

Like Gomez, Lurch also wears a suit. However, it’s a more formal 3-piece suit with notched lapels and a bowtie or more of a stock tie. It can be either plain black or black or charcoal pinstripe. 

Makeup

To achieve an even more spooky, gothic look, you can use makeup to match the Addams' pale complexion, dark circles under the eyes and sharp, angular eyebrows.

What to eat?

Main dish and sides

Desserts

With just a few adjustments, these Frankenstein’s monster cookies could easily pass as Lurch cookies: https://momswhosave.com/frankensteins-monster-bride-of-frankenstein-cookies/

Or you could bake a batch of finger cookies (just don’t let Thing see them!): https://muybuenocookbook.com/spooky-witch-finger-cookies/

Of course, for a birthday party you’ll have to have a cake. In the show, Wednesday’s cake looks like it’s probably chocolate, or at least chocolate-frosted. To make a true black chocolate frosting, use black cocoa powder.

For the recipe, try Bruce Bogtrotter’s ooey gooey chocolate cake.

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What to drink?

To mimic the smoky punch from the Raven dance in episode 4, use dry ice. Make it extra spooky by adding candy eyeballs.

Decorations

Get yourself a grim reaper cake topper just like Wednesday’s, plus some sparkler candles.

DIY a Cousin Itt using some rafia grass, a tomato cage for structure, a bowler hat, and sunglasses: 

Add some goth glam to your food table with a black tiered serving tray, along with ivory or black remote-controlled flameless pillar candles to set the mood. For even more dramatic flare, use tapered candles with a black candelabra.

A black lace tablecloth and some well-placed bats help round out the food display. Be sure to get the right shape for your table.

Games/activities

For adults

For a party with more adults than children, enjoy a murder mystery game (based on reviews for this game, expect it to take a couple of hours).

Or try this shorter card game for 2-9 players.

If you don’t expect many kids to stay still for long enough to complete a board game, try a scavenger hunt! Have them search for things like a raven (a real one or just the word printed somewhere or a picture in a book), a spider web, an umbrella, or something with stripes. 

Try one of these spins on the classic “pin the tail on the donkey” game: pin the heart on the skeleton or pin the smile on the jack-o-lantern.

Check out these fun spooky-themed minute-to-win-it games: https://www.jenbradleymoms.com/halloween-minute-to-win-it-games/?doing_wp_cron=1673232724.8438630104064941406250

Music/entertainment

Check out Spotify’s recommendations for spooky Halloween music, or have any of your favorite screen redentitions playing in the background.