Halloween is an occasion that usually comes with some serious partying. So, naturally, my friends and I want to throw a Halloween party off campus this year. However, we don’t want it to resemble any other off-campus party you might attend–the ones where the only evidence of Halloween is the costumes. After some serious research, Pinteresting and planning, we’ve come up with some key factors that will ensure our success. Here are some tips on how to throw a successful and memorable Halloween party with minimal hassle:
Send invites early.
Halloween activities are abundant, so make sure you get to your friends first! Start your guest list early and send it out well before the end of Fall break. There’s always a ton going on in everyone’s lives, so make sure to spread the word and secure your party attendees before it’s too late. Also, definitely require an RSVP.
Start the party early.
To increase attendance, decrease workload and maximize everyone’s ability to attend as many Halloween activities as they desire, get started early. If you plan your get-together more like a pregame, starting around 8:30 pm, it’ll make things easier for everyone. Your friends (and you) can go out to a bar or another party afterward if they want to without totally missing out on either gathering. Additionally, since you’re not committing to a rager, it will significantly decrease the amount of food you need to prepare and the amount of alcohol you need to buy.
Break up the responsibilities.
I highly recommend splitting the hosting responsibilities with friends or roommates. If everyone is assigned to one task, it greatly lessens the stress on each individual. The major tasks could be food, drinks, music and games/activities. One person could probably tackle both the playlist and any activities you plan. Pick a couple of appetizers or finger foods that you can make creepy and fun, like these rotten eggs and jalapeño mummies. For drinks, think about one or two big batch cocktails that would be easy to mix and would please many people, like this spiked cider. You could also provide some soda or beer for backups.
Don’t try to do too much.
We planned this as a pregame for a reason. Don’t invite too many people and consider the space you’re using and how much shopping you’ll have to do. Look at your RSVPs and plan out food and drink accordingly. If you plan activities, make sure they don’t require everyone’s attention at once — that’s a lot of work for you as a host. Plan games that people can play at their leisure and in smaller groups if they want, like bobbing for apples or Jenga.
Now eat, drink and be scary!
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