You know how life goes, one minute you’re enjoying that first pumpkin spice latte of the season and the next you’re staring at the calendar realising it is Halloween is tomorrow!! Between work, kids and trying to remember where you left your sanity it’s easy for plans to slip through the cracks but just because you didn’t spend weeks planning doesn’t mean you can’t throw a party that feels like you did.
Here’s how to pull together a fun, spooky and memorable Halloween party even when time and your energy are running low!
Pick a quick theme!
You don’t need a theme but it helps everything look a bit more intentional. Choose something you can pull together fast, like:
Classic Spooky: Ghosts, skeletons, bats and pumpkins.
Haunted House: Dim lighting, cobwebs, flickering candles.
Monster Mash: All the classic creatures like vampires, zombies, werewolves.
Witchy Vibes: Potions, black candles, spell books and cauldrons.
Retro Horror: Think old school slasher films and vintage decorations.
Glow in the Dark Party: Black lights, neon face paint, and bright drinks.
Once you’ve chosen a theme you can base your decorations, music and snacks around it without overthinking!
Raid your house for decorations!
Forget running to the shops, you can decorate with what’s already lying around. A few easy ideas:
Bedsheets = Ghosts. Drape them over furniture or hang them from the ceiling.
Black bin bags = Spooky drapes. Cut into strips and hang over doorways.
Toilet paper = Cobwebs. Stretch it out thin and stick it in corners.
Candles everywhere = Instant haunted house atmosphere.
Pumpkins or oranges = Draw faces on them if you don’t have carving tools.
String lights = Any colour will do, but orange or white look best.
Old bottles = Potion bottles. Add water with a drop of food colouring.
Easy lighting tricks!
Lighting sets the mood faster than any other decoration. Go for dim, eerie lighting using what you already have:
Replace normal bulbs with coloured ones if you’ve got them.
Cover lamps with thin scarves or tissue paper for a spooky glow, just not too close to the bulb!.
Use fairy lights and candles to keep things mysterious but visible.
Throw in a few flickering tealights for atmosphere, battery ones are safest.
Want extra drama? Stick a torch under a pumpkin or bottle for that campfire story mood.
Quick and fun snacks!
You don’t need fancy themed food, just a few clever touches make everything look festive.
Witch’s Fingers: Breadsticks dipped in green icing or melted chocolate with an almond nail.
Mummy Hot Dogs: Wrap sausages in strips of pastry and bake.
Bloody Popcorn: Drizzle melted red candy or syrup over plain popcorn.
Monster Eyes: Use mozzarella balls with an olive slice on top.
Graveyard Dip: Layer refried beans, guacamole, and salsa in a bowl. Add tortilla gravestones.
Spiderweb Pizza: Swirl sour cream or mayo in circles on top and drag with a knife to make a web shape.
Witch’s Brew Punch: Mix any bright-coloured drink like limeade or cherryade with ice and floating gummy sweets.
If you’re really in a rush just grab crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks, no one’s judging! Stick a sign that says Zombie Fuel on it and you’re done.
Costumes without the stress!
If your guests are scrambling too, keep it simple with DIY costumes. A few quick fixes:
Classic ghost: A bedsheet, scissors, done.
Cat: A black outfit and eyeliner whiskers.
Vampire: Any dark clothes, red lipstick, fake blood or ketchup in a pinch.
Zombie: An old T-shirt, rip it up and add some smudged makeup.
Scarecrow: A flannel shirt, straw hat, eyeliner stitching marks.
Witch or wizard: Any black clothes and a pointy hat.
Encourage everyone to just go with what they have, it’s half the fun.
Simple games and activities!
You don’t need any massive plans but a few quick games make things more fun:
Murder mystery: Make up a quick backstory and assign everyone roles.
Apple bobbing: Classic, easy and always hilarious.
Costume contest: Give silly awards like Best DIY, Most Likely to Scare a Toddler or Least Effort Made.
Halloween trivia: Google some quick questions or make your own.
Guess the gross thing: Fill bowls with weird feeling foods like spaghetti, jelly and grapes and make guests guess what they are while blindfolded.
Photo booth: Hang a sheet and add a few props like witch hats, fake moustaches and skeleton hands.
A dance off: Just put on Thriller and see who can do the best zombie moves.
Finishing touches!
The little details make all the difference. A few extra things you can do in minutes:
Scents: Light a candle or use incense, pumpkin spice or cinnamon smells perfect for Halloween.
Entrance: Hang a sheet with "Enter if you dare" written in fake blood, red paint or lipstick.
Sound effects: YouTube has hours of ambient spooky background noise.
Party favours: Wrap sweets in tissue paper, tie with string and draw little ghost faces on them.
Throwing a last minute Halloween party doesn’t have to be stressful or expensive. The key is to work with what you’ve already got, add a few clever touches and lean into the chaos. Halloween is meant to be fun and a little silly, nobody’s expecting a Pinterest perfect setup!
Do you have any plans for Halloween?
I love these ideas Kim! I especially like the retro horror theme. They just don't make horror like they used to back in the day and there are so many charaters to choose from.
ReplyDeleteWe usually do apple bobbing, it's super simple and always creates a lot of laughter.
Some fun and easy ideas here! I've incorporated a few of them in the past; I've never had a bona fide Halloween party but Abby's birthday is in October so we did some dress up/Halloween type parties for her birthday a few years. We are going to a Halloween party tomorrow! The hosts are wonderful party people- more so than we are so they are ideal ppl to host a Halloween party :).
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