As a northerner, autumn remains my favorite season. Obviously, my seasons look a lot different after moving to Orlando for college, but that doesn’t mean I have to miss out on the fun traditions. I mean pumpkin spice, brown sweaters, Halloween marathons, and pumpkin patches; these Halloween hangouts are some of the best all year. Here are my pro tips for throwing the best Halloween party.
- THE FOOD
-
To kickstart your Halloween party, make sure you have the right snacks. For a healthy option, peel a bag of oranges and place a small green candy on top to represent the stem. Now you have pumpkin oranges to serve your guests. If you’re feeling more savory, dip pretzel rods in warmed white chocolate. Lay them out and carefully put little chocolate chips for eyes and an open, gaping mouth. Once they’ve cooled, you’ll have ghost pretzels to share with your friends. Don’t forget to pick up a bag of candy to munch on throughout the night.
@foodnetwork via Instagram For dinner, grab dough from your local grocery store, and ask each guest to bring one pizza topping of their choice. Find a fun way to make sure there is a variety, such as a spooky way to present the toppings. Separate the dough and shape it into ghost-shaped pizzas, topped with sauce, cheese, and whatever else you desire. Bake them in the oven while preparing your ghoulish movie.
- THE MOVIE
-
The Halloween movie genre keeps expanding, offering a variety of options for movie night. If you want something spooky but not necessarily scary, classics like Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Haunted Mansion, and Beetlejuice fit the bill. If you prefer stop-motion or animated films, I recommend Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Monster House, and Corpse Bride. A solid Halloween movie night can always turn spooky into scary. Some Halloween horror movie options are A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Friday the 13th, and, of course, Halloween. Once you decide which mood your guests are in, use these recommendations, or find another Halloween movie to throw on.
@Warner Bros. Entertainment via YouTube - THE ACTIVITIES
-
Now that you have your movie started and food ready, it’s time for some fall activities. My first recommendation is pumpkin painting. Whether they’re real pumpkins or foam ones, they can be perfect decorations for your house. Another fun craft to try is making origami bats. Using some black construction paper, find a bat-folding tutorial on YouTube or another platform. Then, compete with each other to see whose bat looks the best. This is a fun way to raise the stakes and make more cute decorations.
If you’re searching for something more active, you have some options. If you want to visit a pumpkin patch, Amber Brooke Farms and Southern Hill Farms are both about an hour’s drive from the UCF campus. For around $20-$30, you can pick pumpkins, cut flowers, and try some desserts at these locations. If you want a spooky night out with your friends, there’s A Petrified Forest Scare Trail in Altamonte Springs. Tickets start at $38 for you and your friends to walk all three scare trails.
Original photo by Isabella Gulbin
Since it’s spooky season, there’s no better time to throw a chill Halloween party. You have the recipes needed for the perfect party platter. There are plenty of Halloween movies and activities to choose from, so you can find something for everyone. Whether you want to stay in or go out, the activities provided are sure to be a real scream.