Inviting your favourite ghouls and goblins over for Halloween this season? Here is a totally foolproof, fail-safe, step-by-step guide to plan the most enjoyable Halloween house party which works for both adults and kids as guests.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Plan a guest list
- Prepare enough space for the party
- Choose a theme
- Plan the menu
- Make party favours
- Plan party games
- Pick some movies
- Pick a costume
- Bonus: Protect your couch!
1) Plan a ghouls guest list and set a date!
This is the first and most important part of planning any party!
Not only would you want to know who is (tentatively) going to be at your party, but you’ll most definitely need to know how many people are estimated to arrive so that you can plan everything else out – like food, decor and space.
Be sure to send out your invites at least 1-2 months in advance to give your potential guests enough time to RSVP a month before the date of your party.
2) Ensure there is enough space for your party to happen
No space = no party!
This may sound redundant, but setting up an appropriate space for your party is very important.
If you’re having it in your living room for instance, you might want to start off by removing anything that is breakable. You’ll also want to move the furniture around or bring out the extra chairs for the party guests.
Another thing to consider is to set up food stations – this would be where you’ll put snacks, finger food and drinks for your guests.
3) Choose a theme for your party
This is where you decide what kind of decor you want your party to have (or how spooked out your party guests should be!)
Now we’re getting to the fun part! House party decor is very important for festive seasons like Halloween. To set the mood, you may consider picking a theme and then aligning all of the party decorations to go with it.
If you’re feeling stuck or uninspired, you could always look up “Halloween house decoration ideas” – and even save a couple of bucks by DIY-ing it yourself!
It’s pretty much impossible to throw a party without serving food – or at the very least; snacks.
Whether your house party is going to be a big one (like frat parties) where it’s all soda, alcohol and Doritos, or a small and intimate gathering with a full course meal, you’re definitely going to want to prepare food to serve your guests.
If your party is going to be big, you may want to consider having it at a time that is after lunch or dinner. This way, you can plan for some fun Halloween snacks to serve.
If your party is on the smaller side or limited to a few close friends and family members, then you may want to plan a proper menu for the evening. In either case, we’re always prepared with our ultimate Halloween party food bible for any Halloween occasion.
5) Make party favours for your guests – optional
Like souvenirs, party favours are great mementos of an enjoyable time.
Whether they’ve just arrived or if they’re just leaving, a small treat is a great way to commemorate your awesome Halloween house party. The most common party favours contain treats, like candy and small snacks packed cleverly into Halloween themed party-packs.
Here are some of our favourite party favours:
Broomstick Candy Treat Bag
Follow these instructions to create this super simple broomstick candy bag as party favours for your guests. The best part? You can display them by the door with a sign that says “Broom Valet – don’t forget your broomsticks, witches!” so that party guests will see it before they leave.
Personalised Tombstone Party Favours
These printable candy boxes are such a fun way to make personalised party favours for your guests! Fill it up with candy, treats, or even tiny pranks – the possibilities are endless!
Spider-In-Jar Lantern
Not feeling like handing out candy this year? Then try handing out something anyone would use this season; spider jar lanterns! They’re very easy to make and make great Halloween decor in any home.
Although completely optional, party favours are highly recommended as your guests will be pleasantly surprised when receiving them!
6) Plan party games and activities – optional
Unless it’s not that kind of party, games and things to do aren’t a bad idea at all.
It’s easy to think that party games = kids’ parties. However, that is not necessarily true.
While we may not go out of the way to deliberately announce that it’s time for everyone to play a game, it’s always a good idea to have certain party game materials available at hand – especially at house parties!
Here are some of the games that just cannot go wrong at a party:
1) Normal playing cards (for Blackjack, Poker, etc.)
2) Cards Against Humanity (many different variations of these deck of cards!)
3) Spin the bottle (the empty bottle can also be used to play Truth or Dare)
4) Never Have I Ever
There are also certain activities that can be planned beforehand and announced in the party invitations. These would be things like a pumpkin carving (or no-carve pumpkin decorating) after dinner, or a karaoke night around a certain time.
When in doubt, just start telling ghost stories and it’ll be sure to spread!
7) Pick some Halloween movies – optional
You’d be surprised at how many people go to a party and end up watching a movie there.
In this case, some old Halloween movies would not be a bad idea.
Depending on what kind of party you’re planning, you could pick some classic Halloween movies and set up a corner where party guests can snuggle up with a cup/glass of whatever Halloween drink is being served, some snacks, and share a nice blanket after a whole night of fun.
If your guests are known to frequently crash over, you could also prepare some additional sleeping spaces out of sleeping bags and spare mattresses for them to doze off after the movie.
8) Last but never least, pick a killer costume!
Now, you can’t just host a Halloween party without being in costume, can you?!
Planning and hosting a whole party can be an awful lot of work on its own – planning a substantial Halloween costume on top of that can feel overwhelming!
If you’re up for the challenge, it could be great fun. However, if you don’t have the energy for the effort that goes into it, then fret not; we have a comprehensive list of the best Halloween costumes for any Halloween occasion (how-tos included!).
And when all else fails, just wear some fake blood and freaky contact lenses (optional) and call it a day.
So, are you ready to throw one of the best Halloween house parties you’ve ever had –and then clean up after? Don’t worry – to make it easier, we’ve got you (or rather, your sofa) covered with our Performance Weave slipcovers. It’s spill-proof and stain-proof, so soda spills and food smudges are one less thing you’ve got to worry about. ;)
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