The spooky season is finally upon us! This time of year is perfect for a party but from decorations to food, planning a Halloween party is no mean feat. Here are a few pointers to help you host an unforgettable night without splashing out too much!
Costumes
For some, choosing a Halloween costume is one of the biggest decisions of the year, but for others, a simple black dress with a few spooky accessories will do. This makes costumes a nightmare for any host! A theme can be a fun way to help coordinate your guest’s outfits. This could include murder mystery, circus or even dressing up as your favourite childhood villain. You could go further by having a prize for the best dressed or most creative outfit!
Décor
To make the evening extra spooky, decorations are a must! A go-to item is fake spider webs which can be used in doorways, to cover tables and chairs and draped over shelves and windows. To create a truly eerie atmosphere, use battery-powered candles and glow-in-the-dark balloons and keep the use of bright lights to a minimum. If you are feeling more creative, why not try making your own decorations? You could always cut a black bin bag into strips to make a door curtain or even try making some bat bunting. Finally, you can never go wrong with pumpkin carving, which is a perfect pre-party activity for you and your housemates. Just make sure not to mix alcohol and carving knives!
Music
From timeless classics to pop hits, music is a vital part of any Halloween party. Whilst each playlist should be catered to personal taste, here are 15 must-have songs any Halloween Party needs to get your guests dancing:
- Ghostbusters (Ray Parker Jr)
- Thriller (Michael Jackson)
- Monster Mash (Bobby Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers)
- Disturbia (Rhianna)
- Bury A Friend (Billie Eilish)
- Somebody’s Watching Me (Rockwell)
- Time Warp (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
- Everybody (Backstreet Boys)
- Monster (Lady Gaga)
- Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor Swift)
- Highway to Hell (AC/DC)
- Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart)
- Toxic (Britney Spears)
- Sweet by Psycho (Ava Max)
- ET (Katy Perry)
To make your party extra spooky, set up speakers playing creepy instrumental songs in other rooms to create a haunting ambience.
Food
Every Halloween party needs snacks, but this doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen before your guests arrive. Just mix of a bag of popcorn and chocolate eyeballs in a large bowl and let your guests help themselves. You could also create banana ghost pops by dipping half a banana in white chocolate and decorating with choc-chip eyes. If you’re wanting to really surprise your guests why not try this simple truffle roulette and experiment with weird and wonderful fillings!