13 Essentials for a Killer Halloween Party

A witch's hand takes a Witch cocktail with eyeballs in a martini glass from the Halloween party table.

Every time the Fall season rolls around, a great many of us dream of throwing the ultimate Halloween party. After all, who doesn’t love to have a good time and impress our friends at the same time?

Still, even the most crafty and creative individuals can need help getting started. Whether you’re a newbie or an old pro at party planning, we’ve compiled a list of essential things that will dazzle your guests and create fun-filled memories.

Decor Galore

A view of retro rustic lanterns among fake cobwebs and dead tree branches, part of a Halloween decoration landscape.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Giving your home the proper Halloween treatment may seem like an obvious tip. However, if you want to give your party the best chance of success, having lots of decorations will be key. Depending on the type of party, you can take several routes.

Family-friendly or low-key parties should feature traditional decor, such as pumpkins, hay bales, skeletons, bats, and witches. You can also choose a specific theme, such as Harry Potter or Charlie Brown.

More adult-oriented parties can stretch the limits and go for scarier decor. Whatever one decides, you’ll find endless decor options at Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, JOANN Fabric, Spirit Halloween, Party City, Walmart, and Target.

Fun Food Options

Image Credit: Shutterstock.

The food served at a Halloween party can fall into two categories. You can serve generic snacks such as cheese, chocolate, pigs in a blanket, fruits, and veggies. Elevating food options with the Halloween theme can take a party to the next level and still include these classic favorites.

Some fun examples include making string cheese look like severed fingers, adding orange food coloring to deviled eggs to make “pumpkin” eggs, and wrapping puffy pastry or crescent rolls around hot dogs or sausages so they look like mummies. Sites such as Delish feature numerous ideas. A charcuterie board will always be a hit, and one like this with a skelton in the center makes it appropriately spooky.

Specialty Drinks

A few Halloween cocktails that appear to be 'bloody' and spooky, with Halloween decor surrounding.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Successful parties typically will include specialty drinks for their guests, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. For a Halloween party, go with tried-and-true staples such as mulled wine or apple cider.

Additionally, serving a few more specifically themed drinks leaves a lasting impression. A “Poison Apple” cocktail with vodka and sour apple liqueur and mix, or the “Witches Brew” from Delish that includes gin, lemonade, and blue curaçao, looks pretty and tastes sweet. Of course, one could never go wrong with Butter Beer, especially for Harry Potter enthusiasts.

Cauldrons and Dry Ice

Sorceress prepares a spell in her magic cauldron - a cauldron is being used with dry ice for fog/smoke effects.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Beyond the typical Halloween decor, including cauldrons with what appears to be smoke or a witch’s brew, takes everything to the next level. I suggest having a few small caldrons placed throughout the party area and one large one to act as a focal point.

The YouTube channel DecoratingMagic has useful information on how to utilize dry ice, including adding food coloring or a fog machine. Just proceed with caution, and always use gloves while preparing the cauldron to avoid burning your skin.

A Costume Contest With Prizes

A group of people are dressed up in Halloween costumes and posing for a picture. Scene is festive and fun, as the group is enjoying themselves and celebrating the holiday.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

A Halloween party without guests in costume feels like Independence Day without fireworks or apple pie. While a host may not want to make wearing a costume mandatory, it does scream of a “stick in the mud” mentality to not wear one.

An excellent way to entice people to dress up would be to incentivize them and help nudge any reluctant partygoers. There’s an obvious solution: Include a costume contest that all the guests will vote on. This set of prizes includes the Best, Funniest, and Coolest costume options. For those with larger budgets, prizes like gift cards and Blu-rays of spooky movies will motivate guests to dress up beyond the inherent fun.

Spooky Ambiance

Homemade lit up decorative Halloween mason jars used as table decorations
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Decorating for a Halloween party should always include more themed decorations. Creating a spooky ambiance will surely impress everyone. In this case, lighting provides the appropriate ambiance.

To achieve the desired effect, place candles of different sizes. While those with live flames will be tempting, for safety reasons, battery-operated candles create the same mood without the safety risk. Overall, the lighting should also be dim. Another fun touch would be to put colored lightbulbs in your lamps, especially green, purple, or red.

Photo Booth

Unidentifiable People wear Horse Head Masks and pose and play while their pictures are taken in a Photo Booth.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Photo booths at parties have become very popular, and Halloween parties should be no different. If you have space outside, set up bails of hay, pumpkins, and a few inflatables with which guests can take pictures upon arrival.

One could also go the more gothic route and set up a corner with spooky vintage portraits and candelabras. At a party I threw years back, I hung up a large old vintage frame that our guests could pose inside.

Pumpkin Carving

A woman carving a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern at a designated carving station.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Halloween and pumpkins will always be synonymous. However, many carve their pumpkins on their own time and never at parties. While I do suggest carving a few pumpkins to match the rest of the decor, having a pumpkin-carving station for guests should also become a party staple.

Parents will appreciate pumpkin carving at family-friendly Halloween because it occupies their kids’ time, so long as small children have assistance with sharp tools. Still, children and adults alike would enjoy the activity, especially if prizes will be awarded for the best ones.

The Proper Soundtrack

A view of black bookshelf speakers for home entertainment.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Any party needs a proper soundtrack. Whether for background or to create a dance party, your chosen music should fit the desired mood.

Staples for Halloween parties include “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” by Backstreet Boys, “I Put a Spell on You” from Hocus Pocus, and, of course, “The Monster Mash.” Playing Disney’s Haunted Manson music on a loop is another fun and spooky option. So long as the music remains upbeat and entertaining, endless possibilities exist.

Goody Bags

Halloween Party Trick of Treat Candy with candy flowing from orange polka dot party favor bag on dark wood background.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Polite etiquette says that bestowing small gifts upon your guests helps them feel appreciated. They’ll always remember the gesture. Likewise, goody bags need not only be for children, but it will dictate what you include in each bag.

Some options include candy, homemade cookies, small party favors, or little liquor bottles for the over 21 crowd. Those with higher budgets could also include a favorite Halloween movie on DVD, such as Casper, The Addams Family, and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, each available on Amazon for under $10.

Themed Party Games

A diverse group of friends dressed in costumes, singing into a microphone together, laughing and smiling. It is assumed they are at a Halloween party together, as they are holding red solo cups.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

What’s a soirée without some lively party games? Halloween get-togethers should include traditional games such as an Apple Bob or guessing the food, i.e., eyeballs are actually grapes.

Charades or Pictionary are other fun games that you can easily make Halloween-themed. Use movies, TV shows, and other Autumn staples as the clues, and you’re all set.

The more ambitious hosts will set up a murder mystery game in which all the guests become potential victims and murderers. Get your creative juices flowing, and the possibilities and fun will be endless.

Halloween Movies Playing in the Background

A nice, modern loft living space with IT (2017) playing on the television.
Image Credit: Brooke Palmer; Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.; Canva.

Put Halloween movies on in the background to add a fun ambiance to the party. If you want something that adds but does not detract from the party, keep the movie low or on mute. Depending on the film, they can also keep kids occupied.

The age range or temperament of guests will determine which movie to choose. For parties with kids or adults adverse to horror, films like Hocus Pocus (1993), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Ghostbusters (1984), and Casper (1995) will be your best bet. For parties with adults who enjoy more frights, choose anything from classics like Halloween (1978) and Psycho (1960) to gothic horror films like Crimson Peak (2015) or The Others (2001).

Fortune Tellers and Magicians

tarot cards, witchcraft, magic
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

Although it can be pricey, hiring a fortune teller or magician for a Halloween party will definitely wow and delight guests. The fortune teller can read tarot cards, tea leaves, or palms. For those who want to go the spookier route, have the fortune teller conduct a seance or use an Ouija board.

Magicians will always be a big hit. Magicians who do close-up magic or card tricks will be best for low-key entertainment. If you want to go all out and can afford it, a mentalist or big-scale magician similar to David Blaine would launch your party into the stratosphere.

+ posts

Similar Posts