With midterms coming to an end, Halloweekend has almost arrived. For many of us this, means attending lots of high-spirit Halloween parties, with each having its own unique twist. For others, it means throwing one of these festive parties to house many dressed-up guests. This year, I personally have the pleasure of throwing one for the first time and have been finding myself scrolling through Pinterest boards and Instagram posts trying to find the right mixture for my party.
I’ve broken this Halloween party planning into a few solid steps to make sure there is something for everyone at your party, too. Number one, pick your theme. This is how your party will get categorized and attract similar-spirited people. Some people like to go all out scary, with organ-shaped food on the tables, while others prefer to have the classic “Monster Mash” playing in the background and bobbing for apples. No matter what you choose, this theme will set you apart and change your guest list, so it is your most important decision.
After finding your theme, it’s time to get your ambiance ready! Some prefer playlists while others prefer some type of video in the background; this year I have decided to go with iconic scary movies. I think this is the perfect mixture between spooky noises and fun graphics, especially with some Halloween-themed lighting. If you’re prepared to splurge, there are a lot of other options such as fog machines and even pumpkin graphic lasers (if that’s your vibe).
To top everything off, I think having your own type of tricks and treats at your party is a cute way to replace trick-or-treating itself. Everyone has nostalgia for the days when we all dressed up and went door-to-door getting free candy, so changing this into something for your more mature audience could create the best memories at your party. Some of my favorite ideas for treats include leaving candies or baked goods on the table and naming them. For example, try “witch’s brew” for drinks and make them green, or “zombie legs” for intricately decorated pretzels that look like decaying flesh. The more realistic, the better.
My personal idea for tricks is definitely my favorite though. Imagine your guests walking into your apartment with nothing but a scary movie on and the lights dimmed, and right when they start to look around, you jump out and scare them while you take a picture of their reaction. Now you have the perfect picture for your scare wall! Not that you have to do that specifically, but you can hand a Polaroid camera around all night and designate scarers and have them try to get pics in creative ways.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s always important to have fun and stay safe on Halloween. No matter what type of party you throw or how many people come, just remember the joy of the holidays is to be a little bit mischievous but also spend time with your friends!