Halloween Party Essentials
Posted by Desiree Ras on
Besides adding “Monster Mash” to your Halloween playlist and craving jack-o-lanterns, what else do you need to have an absolutely thrilling Halloween Party? Don’t fret; every spooktastic Halloween party has frightful moments, but with our essential guide, you won’t fall prey to the spooky, scary skeletons of the night.
The Perfect Theme
Without a theme, your party isn’t a party. Having a great theme adds cohesion to your party (and helps the guests decide on a fitting costume). The theme doesn’t have to be extravagant; it can be anything from broad or specific to common or unusual – the choice is yours.
Luckily, in 2022, we have some great options available to us, thanks to all the previous years! Here are some suggestions:
- Witches - spells, potions, frogs, curses, and other Witchery.
- Scary movies - the horror side of Hollywood.
- Celebrities - what it says on the tin: red carpets and lots of spooky glamour. Oh, and a house filled with celebs, obviously!
- Childhood characters - think storybooks and jam sandwiches.
- Mashup - A mumble-jumble theme where anything goes.
- Fantasy - fairies, vampires, werewolves – these are all about going down the fiction route!
- Living dead - zombies, mummies, skeletons - think beyond the grave!
Some people also opt for themes that match their favorite shows, like having a Stranger Things-themed party or The Boys-themed party!
Spooky décor is a must!
Depending on your theme, you’ll need the décor to match. If you went for a more generic Halloween theme, some of the most common Halloween decorations you might find are stuff like glow-in-the-dark skeletons, pumpkins, bats, and of course, spiderwebs.
While these won’t necessarily fit with your chosen theme, here are some things you can keep in mind when choosing the perfect Halloween decorations.
Colors: The favorite spooky colors for Halloween parties are black, grey, white, and orange. You can also add neon greens and blood reds if you feel like your theme is more aligned with disgusting or gruesome imagery. If your theme is, for instance, Stranger Things, you can opt for similar colors to the show, like reds, blues, and black.
Audience-appropriate. Focus on more comic motifs and brighter colors for a kid-friendly feel. Avoid blood and any décor that is actually disturbing or overly realistic. You can amp up the decor for an adult party - don't be scared to leave the party in nearly total darkness, with white, weird stuff hiding in unexpected nooks and crannies.
Halloween party food (& drink)
When arranging a party, the major cause of worry and concern is almost usually what food and drink to serve.
Keep in mind that you do not have to go all out! Your visitors could prefer a calm, enjoyable BBQ over a three-course dinner. Before selecting what you're competent or willing to give, consider the available time, your budget, and the guest list.
With food, you have a variety of options. For a small group of adults, you can host a spooky sit-down meal with dinner party vibes instead of a raging all-nighter. Or, for a larger group, buffets are a safe bet. You can easily set up the buffet to cater to your audience and budget. Otherwise, a simple table with sweet treats will suffice if you have little ghouls running around.
Luckily, when it comes to the drinks, you have more options! From crafting the perfect Halloween punch (alcohol-free if you have underage guests) to offering juice boxes (sounds silly but fewer spills and more thrills) or even BYOB if you don’t feel like catering to each guest’s preferences.
Ghoulish fun for everyone.
What’s a party without a few games? There’ll always be one guy at a party saying, “games are for kids” – and they're right, but it doesn’t mean we can’t play them! What’s a party without a little beer pong or some kind of drinking game?
While there are Halloween party games designed for kids, there are some great ones for adults.
Here are some of our favorites!
- Punch Pong - like beer pong but with a punch.
- Trick or Treat Shots - the adult version of Trick or Treat - some shots are nice, others are nasty. A roll of the dice will decide your fate!
- Make-a-mummy - similar to the bridal gown game often played on Hen Dos, provide toilet roll and set a timer to challenge teams to create the best mummy costume.
- Pass The Apple - lots of laughs and basically free. Provide an apple to each team and see who can pass it around the circle the fastest. The twist? The apple must be held between the chin and chest and passed without using hands!
While the usual Halloween party essentials like a super awesome costume that puts Heidi Klum to shame and lots of candy are forespoken, these are some of the essential tips to have a killer party! With these ghoul-tastic tips and, obviously, your Chillbo (which is perfect for garden seating), your party can be frightfully delightful!
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