Bite Night: How to Throw a Vampire-Themed Party

Make some Blood-Red Cherry Punch, then give your punch bowl a gory look. Stir 1/4 cup light corn syrup with 1 teaspoon molasses and 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring in a small bowl. Dip your finger into the mixture and run it along the rim of the punch bowl; continue until the rim is coated and the mixture drips down the sides.

Garlic is known to repel vampires, so fend them off with this dish: Slice 1/4 inch off the tops of 2 heads garlic. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil and top with 1/2 cup olive oil, a few sprigs of thyme and a pinch of salt. Seal into a packet and roast at 375 degrees F until soft, about 50 minutes; let cool. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin and spread on toasted baguette slices. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes, some thyme leaves, olive oil and salt.

There are only a few ways to kill a vampire, one of which is to stab it in the heart with a wooden stake. Plan an appetizer that doubles as a weapon: Thread thin slices of prosciutto onto 4-inch bamboo skewers ($5.50/300, Farberware; amazon.com).

Use plastic vampire fangs ($3 each; partycity.com) as napkin rings: Just roll up a cloth napkin and insert it between the top and bottom chompers.