NOT YOUR BASIC HALLOWEEN PARTY
To be honest, I am not into Halloween in the way that most people in the world are, because I am scared of almost all things scary including (but not limited to) haunted houses, scary movies, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video.
But like any good party, a Halloween party is a great opportunity to connect and have some fun with your friends.
Whether you want to host a low-key kickback or throw an epic house party, these 4 steps are sure to come in handy!
1| Select the Theme
First and foremost, before anyone even knows about your gathering, do you have a theme?
You can for sure keep the classic scary Halloween theme (you know, the witches, vampires, ghosts, etc.), because Halloween is a theme in and of itself.
But nowadays you can take it a step further and have these sub-themes (which are just secondary themes) to really jazz it up.
So what are some examples of Halloween sub-themes?
Iconic TV Shows
Emphasis on the word iconic. If your party was to be photographed and posted online, like 95% of the world should be able to easily identify what the theme was.
These are shows like The Office, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Golden Girls, or Game of Thrones.
Pop Culture Inspired
Social media has turned everything into a meme, and people love re-creating them. Have your friends portray their favorite moments in pop culture history to bring a lot of laughter to the party.
Music Videos
Music is a love language that everyone speaks and music videos have been making a comeback! Have your friends dress up and bring props to record their version of their favorite music videos.
For inspiration, here are some classics: Missy Elliot’s The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), Madonna’s Like A Virgin, or Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation.
Time Travel
Whether it’s going back to a specific decade like the ’60s or ’70s, revisiting The Old West, or exploring Ancient Egypt, these blasts from the past party themes will surely exercise your friend’s creativity muscles.
2| Prepare the Menu
When it comes to a Halloween party, the food and drink choices can be pretty simple and then elevated to fit whatever your party’s theme is.
I’d recommend brainstorming at least three weeks in advance (and starting shopping early too) to ensure you have everything you need to prepare your menu.
Food
Let’s not make this more complicated than it needs to be, two words: finger foods. Keep it light with appetizers and snacks that can easily be placed on a napkin or small plate that people can walk around with.
Bonus points if you can include some vegetarian/vegan-friendly, and gluten-free options.
Recommendations:
BBQ Meatballs
Chicken Nuggets
Cheesesteak/Pulled Pork/Black Bean Sliders
Pizza
Chips/Pretzels
Fruit & Veggies Charcuterie Board
Drinks
Cocktails or mocktails (non-alcoholic drinks) are a must for a Halloween party. Almost any beverage can be customized into a Halloween signature drink.
Whether it’s lemonade or a lemon drop, what matters most is how you creatively customize it.
Recommendations to make a Halloween drink pop:
Dry ice
Food coloring
Gummy candies
Sliced Fruit
Colored Sugar
Edible glitter
Jell-O Shooters
Syringes
Plastic spiders, vampire teeth, dead fingers, and all kinds of spooky garnishes
Bonus: Adult Goody Bags
Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy having a small gift to take home after a fun event. Instead of those plastic treat bags, opt for mesh bags with ribbon drawstrings or mini paper gift bags with handles.
Below are some goodies your friends would appreciate:
Cocktail to-go kit (with a mini alcohol bottle and mini juice or soda)
8 oz water bottle
Candy
Mini bag of chips
Granola bar/energy bar
Travel-size aspirin
Chapstick
Hair ties
Deck of cards
3| Decorate
Decorations are what first catch your friend’s attention when they arrive. Similar to the food, you should pick up the supplies you need well in advance to ensure your setting up process is as seamless as possible.
How you choose to decorate will depend on whether you choose to do a sub-theme. Think about what signature or unique items clearly represent what you’re trying to portray.
Below you’ll find some easy decorating tips to get you started:
Use table cloths
Match all your utensils, serving dishes, and tableware
Use props (like pumpkins or skeletons)
Hang decorations from the ceilings (like balloons or banners)
Change the lighting (or use candles)
Utilize streamers and garland
Decorating Example
If I were decorating for a Halloween party and using the sub-theme of the Iconic TV show The Fresh Prince, I’d do the normal stuff like use black table cloths, showcase carved pumpkins, hang up spiderwebs, and utilize a fog machine.
But then I’d go a step further and incorporate vibrant colors, have a skeleton chillin in an ice bucket with Will’s signature hat on, and have a vintage boombox on display.
4| Plan for Activities
Like any party, eating, drinking, and mingling will take place on its own, but planning for a couple of fun activities is a great way to get you and your friends to be more interactive and break up the monotony. Check out a few ideas below.
>Costume Contest/Karaoke Competition
Your friends are already dressed up for the party, might as well have a little friendly competition with a costume contest.
To add a fun twist, pick up a PopSolo Karaoke microphone and turn it into The Masked Singer.
>Minute-to-Win-It Races
Think of these Minute-to-Win-It activities as mini indoor relay races.
Activity: Bobbing for Bottles
Just like kids bob for apples, you and your friends can bob for bottles.
Supplies:
Mini alcohol bottles
A bobbing bucket or cooler
Bag of Ice
Water
Clorox Wipes
Scarf (optional)
Blindfold (optional)
The Setup:
Fill the large bobbing bucket halfway with water, ice, and 12-24 mini alcohol bottles.
Tie your friend’s hands behind their back with a scarf (or use the honor system and have them place their hands behind their back)
If you want to add a twist, blindfold your friend (or use the honor system and have them close their eyes)
Set a timer for a minute
How to Play:
Each participant will have their own turn. Using only their mouth, race to see how many bottles each friend can retrieve in one minute. Make sure to use a Clorox wipe after each round to clean the bottles thoroughly before the next person’s turn. Whoever collects the most bottles in one minute is the winner.
Activity: Suck it Up
Race to see who can suck up the most candy using only a straw.
Supplies:
M&Ms, Skittles, or Jellybeans
Disposable straws
Paper or plastic bowls
The Setup:
Place two bowls in front of each player
One bowl will be filled with a pack of candy and the other bowl will be empty
Set a timer for one minute
How to Play:
Using only a straw, each player sucks up as many candies from one bowl and places them into the empty one. The player who places the most candy in the empty bowl is the winner.
Activity: Eyeball Race
This is a team activity, racing to see who can get the eyeball down the spoon line within one minute.
Supplies:
Plastic eyeballs
Plastic spoons
The Setup:
Assign fair teams and have each team stand in a line
Place a spoon in each participant’s mouth
Have each person put their hands behind their back
Place the plastic eyeball in the first person in the line’s spoon
Set a timer for one minute
How to Play:
With their hands behind their backs, each player will pass the eyeball from spoon to spoon to get the eyeball to the last person in line without dropping it. If the eyeball drops, that team must start over from the beginning. The first team to get their eyeball to the end of the line in one minute is the winner.
>Photoshoot
Photoshoots are especially fun when everyone is dressed in their Halloween costumes. Setting up a photoshoot at home is easier than ever nowadays.
All you need is a backdrop, some props, a tripod, a camera (or your cell phone), and a Bluetooth photo clicker.
Your Halloween party can be as traditional or non-traditional as you’d like it to be. What matters most is that you and your friends are having a good time, while making memories.
What are some ideas you like to incorporate into your Halloween parties? Feel free to share in the comment box below.
