Changing leaves, bonfires, sweatshirts, and pumpkin spice lattes can only be a sign of one thing: it’s finally fall! Whether you enjoy the cold weather or not, Halloween is always something exciting to look forward to. As a kid, it was all about the candy, but now it is the perfect opportunity to host an awesome party. Follow these 8 steps and you’ll be guaranteed to throw a party no one will forget!
1. The Guest List
You can’t have a great party without your friends there! If you decide to host a Halloween party, get the word out ASAP. Halloween is a busy time, filled with many parties so getting your name out there early will allow your guests to make time for your party. There are many different options for getting the word out. You could go old school and hand out paper invitations. This method allows you to be creative and gives you guest a formal invite. You could also spread the word digitally and invite all of your friends online through social media like Facebook. Either method is sufficient for letting everyone know they should come to your wicked Halloween party.
2. Apparel
What makes a Halloween party different from any other party is the costumes, so make sure everyone dresses up! Include in your invitation that dressing up is very important (you could even say it is mandatory). It adds to the Halloween spirit and is always fun to see what outfits everyone comes up with.
3. A Theme
Using a certain theme could also work for a Halloween party. Make sure your theme isn’t too specific so everyone can still find a personalized costume. You could have guests dress like their favorite celebrity, superhero, or sport. Your friends won’t have as much creative leverage, but this will allow everyone to bond over their similar costumes.
4. Decorations
Having good decor can make or break a party. Go all out with your decorations, and make everyone feel the spooky Halloween vibes. Fill your home with strobe lights, carved pumpkins, skeletons, and gravestones. If you have an outside venue, make a bonfire and create a haunted trail.
5. Food & Drink
Your friends will probably get hungry at some point during the night (as usual) so make sure you supply some tasty treats. Food is a great way to get creative and make it Halloween themed. You can bake spooky cookies, pumpkin muffins, or look up clever recipes on Pinterest. Bloody punch and apple bobbing are fun food ideas to include too!
6. Music
Every party needs music. Inside of playing the usual popular dance songs, change it up and play some Halloween tunes. “Thriller”, “Ghostbusters”, “Monster Mash”, “Highway to Hell”, and “This is Halloween” are some wicked tracks to play. Make sure you have space for a dance floor so your friends can dance all night to these haunted hits.
7. Activities
Don’t forget to set up some festive games. You could set up a Halloween cider pong table, bob for apples, or have a photo booth. Having a costume contest where all of your guests can show off their costumes would be a lot of fun too! Buy gift cards or make goodie bags for the winners of the games.
8. Entertainment
If you have some extra cash to spend on your party, hiring entertainment is a great way to spend it. Fortune-readers, scary clowns, or professional ghost tale individuals are a great addition to a Halloween party. They will make your event seem more authentic and memorable for your guests.