How to Host a Ghoulishly Good Halloween Party

It’s spooky season! This calls for a fiendish and festive celebration, and we have just the plan to make it happen. Whether you’re planning a ghostly get-together for your friends or a kid-friendly affair, we’ll show you how to create the perfect atmosphere for the occasion with decorations, food ideas, and more.

If you’re ready to turn your home into a friendly haunt, here’s how to make it happen.

Plan the Menu

A good Halloween party includes candy and spooky treats. But don’t worry—you won’t have to spend too much time or money to create a good spread.

We recommend filling several apothecary jars with various candies. You can do classics like miniature candy bars, but to set the mood, we prefer spookier options like gummy worms and eyeballs, monster-themed lollipops, ghost peeps, etc.

Round out your selection with simple homemade treats, like mummies in a blanket, zombie-brain cupcakes, pumpkin-deviled eggs, and Halloween Chex mix. Bonus points if you serve them in spooky or Halloween-colored dishware.

And don’t forget about drinks! Consider a color-changing margarita or pumpkin spice White Russian for an adult party. For kids, try a purple potion punch, or this trick-or-treat punch complete with fake spiders.

Decorate Your Space

Whether your guest list is big or small, you can use some classic Halloween tricks to set a spooky atmosphere.

First, cover all your tables with black tablecloths. This creates the perfect backdrop for adding spooky elements and makes any colors pop. We recommend using lanterns, jack-o-lanterns, or battery-operated candles as centerpieces, and scattering Halloween-themed confetti around them. However, if you want a lighter atmosphere, consider a candy arrangement in a vase, accented with a sparkly mesh ribbon, or floral arrangements in jack-o-lantern or cauldron pots.

For more lighting, string orange and black paper lanterns across your ceiling (or between trees if your party is outside) to cast a ghostly glow around the space. Purple and orange string lights are another great way to add extra light without losing the spooky ambiance.

Remember to add some ghostly decorations around the rest of your space, such as cobwebs, tombstones, skulls, and spiders.

Plot Some Fun Activities

A Halloween party isn’t complete without some ghoulish games and fiendish fun! You can keep things classic with games like bobbing for apples, a costume competition, a pumpkin roll, or pin the spider on the web. But you can also turn things up a notch with modern twists like eyeball pong, Halloween-themed “What Am I?”, a murder-mystery game, or a spooky karaoke sesh.

When it’s time to leave, make sure guests go home happy with a goody bag. For kids, fill them with candy or small Halloween toys. But turn things up a notch for adults with mini liquor bottles, little candles, or pumpkin stress balls.

And you’re all set! Follow this guide, and your Halloween party will be a monstrous hit for guests of all ages!