Halloween is my favorite holiday! I feel like Halloween just kicks off the holiday season. I think my love for Halloween came from my mom. She always made sure we had our costumes ready and the house decorated. One of my favorite memories as a child was getting off the bus and walking up to the house and seeing all of the decorations she had put up! I loved seeing the witch on the front door and the windows decorated with Jack-o’-lanterns, ghosts, bats, and spiders. It was literally the best feeling and always put me in the Halloween spirit! Over the years I have hosted a few Halloween parties. I love entertaining and this holiday party is always so much fun to host. So, today I am sharing a few tips I have learned over the years to help you host the best Halloween party ever!!
Theme. The first thing to do is come up with a theme. Now, you don’t have to do this. You can host a party and have your guests come dressed however they would like. I have found having a theme makes it so much fun to see what costumes your guests create. Do you want a scary theme, or funny? I personally love the famous couple parties–think Sonny and Cher, Elvis and Pricilla etc.
Invitations. Be creative! If you are going with a theme, have the invitation match it. You can send these via e-mail, social media or the traditional way and mail them. Let your guests know what to expect. If costumes are optional, the food being served and drink options.
Decorations. The Dollar Tree/Store is a great place to find a lot of decorations for cheap. You can also head over to the local thrift store and find extra decorations to mix in with your own. Be sure to decorate the entrance to your home. Be sure to put out a variety of pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts, cobwebs and scarecrows. A festive entrance will not only let your guests know they are in the right place but, it will get everyone into the Halloween party mood!
Food. A variety of grab and go options are always a good idea. My favorite thing to make is a Halloween charcuterie board. Slow cooker meatballs are always a crowd favorite. One year I made these witches broom sticks and they were a huge hit! Other easy ideas are burger sliders, pigs in a blanket, a variety of chips, crackers, salsa and hummus. Keep sweet treats simple with pre made ghost cookies. You just pull them apart and bake them in the oven! Having few bowls out with Halloween candy is another simple yet festive idea.
Drinks. One year I had a build your own Bloody Scary Bar. All you need is a couple of vodkas (we love to use bacon and pickle flavored ones), some tomato mixes (Clamato, Zing Zing, V8), and then all the garnishes. We love celery, pickles, bacon, pickled okra, limes..the list goes on and on! For party guests that need something a little lighter this witches brew is so tasty! Also, be sure to have a variety of non-alcoholic beverages and mocktails for guests.
Music. There are a variety of Halloween playlist to choose from on different platforms. We pick one or two from Spotify, hook one of our phones up to the JBL speaker and get the tunes going! Another fun idea is to have your TV on and go to You Tube. Pick spooky ambiance and different Halloween scenes will pop up. These will usually play for a few hours. Defiantly sets the spooky mood!
Games. Halloween charades are so fun and gets everyone involved in playing! We also love to play bingo. You can get cheap sets off of Amazon. We like to give out lottery tickets to the winners!
Costume Contest. Let your guests know on the invitation if there is going to be a costume contest. This really gets people into the creative mood. It is always so much fun seeing what everyone comes up with! In the past, we have given out different gift cards to the winners. You could also give away Halloween themed prized too.
Halloween parties can be so much fun to celebrate with family and friends. I hope you have found these tips helpful in planning the best Halloween party ever!!
