DIY Halloween Party

by MWW Office on October 18, 2017

There are few holidays as exciting and unique as Halloween. When witches and goblins come out to play, throwing a Halloween party can be a great time for the entire family. Of course, to make sure the party is a hit with living and undead alike, everything from the menu to the decorations has to be perfect. Here are a few ideas for hosting a fun, spooky DIY Halloween party.

1. Focus on Small Details

When people start looking for Halloween party ideas, they tend to go a little overboard and try to make an intense 8-foot-tall mummy, an intricate fog and light show, or some other over the top wow factor for their guests. However, when you focus on the smaller details, the overall effect of the party is just as impressive without going overboard. Here are some of our favorite party details.

• Make spider ice cubes!

This easy project can add a lot of spooky, creepy crawly vibes to your get together. You can even add a black sugar rim to the glass for added appeal. Find out more here, http://www.pinkpeppermintdesign.com/

• Add spooky spirits!

Another easy way to add some spookiness, this quick craft project from Martha Stewart uses Styrofoam heads, cheesecloth, and other basic crafting supplies. Imagine your guests being greeted by these creepy heads hanging in the entryway! Whether you prop them in the corner by the food table for a creepy-being-watched-vibe or place them so the cloth hangs down while people walk beneath them, these are fun party details sure to bring some scares. Find out how here, https://www.marthastewart.com/858108/cheesecloth-spirits?center=0&gallery=858105&slide=852844

• Create a cool and creepy way to keep drinks cold!

When looking to keep punch cool for your guests don’t go with plain, boring ice cubes. The floating hand is a classic move every party should have! Not only is it spooky, but it is also functional! See how to make this super easy party detail here, https://boulderlocavore.com/off-with-your-hand-halloween-punch-giveaway/

• Use interesting party favor solutions!

If you are sending guests home with goodies, don’t resort to basic store-bought goody bags. A fun way to show attention to every detail is to try something different with this part of party planning. A popular option is to dress the goodies up as a mummy with eyes peeking through for a spooky detail. See for yourself here, http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/halloween-party-favor-mummy-candy-cans

2. Choose a Theme

While you can just throw together a bunch of different elements and call it a hodgepodge effect, having a unified theme is a great way to impress your guests and create a spooky environment for guests of all ages. From classic horror figures to the hunt for brains, there are tons of ideas for a theme.

• Retro Monster Mash

If you love the classic movie monsters of the 50’s and 60’s, this is a fun way to bring those old movies to life. Embracing spooks of the past is also family friendly so the whole family will love it! From the Bride of Frankenstein to the Wolfman, there are lots of fun ways to throw a retro monster mash. Here are a few tips, https://www.wholesalepartysupplies.com/blog/classic-monster-halloween-party/

• Harry Potter

There is no denying that Harry Potter is one of the most popular themes for a Halloween party. When you want to bring the Wizarding World to life in your own home, there are several easy ways to pull this feat off. With a little bit of magic and planning, you can easily bring your guests to Hogwarts for Halloween! Here are some great tips on throwing this theme, http://www.eatingbender.com/2013/11/07/order-of-the-phoenix-az-a-harry-potter-party-in-the-desert/

• Zombie Bash

For a creepy way to embrace the gore and fright of the holiday, you simply can’t beat zombies. With this theme, you can go as gory as you want with fake blood galore, or you can tone it down to keep it scary yet family friendly for children. Here are a few ways to awaken the undead for your party, http://coolmompicks.com/blog/2015/10/18/fun-creative-zombie-party-ideas/

• Happy Pumpkins

When you want something a little more on the happy side of ghoulish delight, a pumpkin party theme is perfect! Age appropriate and easy to pull off, a pumpkin party can easily include festive activities such as pumpkin carving contests, roasting seeds, and other fun games that are great for all ages. Here are a few ideas for this happy fall favorite, https://www.thespruce.com/pumpkin-themed-party-2104558

• Haunted Mansion

For those unafraid of the things that go bump in the night, a haunted mansion is the perfect way to bring some spookiness to the party. Best of all, cobwebs are encouraged for this theme so skip dusting in September! All kidding aside, a haunted mansion theme is the right mix of terror and delight. Here are a few ways to bring this theme to life for your ghoulish house guests, https://www.marthastewart.com/275522/haunted-house-party?slide=3425698

3. Plan the Menu

If you are throwing a DIY Halloween party, don’t neglect the importance of a well-planned menu! If you go through all the trouble of carefully decorating for a haunting get together, but throw together some run of the mill appetizers or treats, you are missing out on a chance to impress your guests.

One of the best Halloween party ideas is to create the menu as a whole and connect it to your theme. For example, if you are throwing a Harry Potter themed Halloween party, all of the food from the drinks and appetizers to the dessert should be connected to the items from that world. Throwing a witch’s bash? Consider menu items such as witches fingers, bubbling brew punch, wicked witch cupcakes, or other menu items keeping with the overall theme. Here are a few great menu plans from Martha Stewart to help you get started on this part of party planning, https://www.marthastewart.com/856534/halloween-party-menus

4. Don’t Forget the Costumes!

While you probably put a lot of effort into finding the perfect Halloween costume for your little goblins, you might just throw on a pumpkin t-shirt at the last minute with all the hustle and bustle. Remember what it was like when you were a little kid and put on your Halloween costume at the beginning of the big night? Remember looking forward to that moment all day long? Bring that feeling of excitement back to life this year!

The best way to choose a costume is to connect it to your theme. Throwing a zombie party? Consider dressing up as a new twist on zombies such as a mama bear zombie, redneck zombie, or vegetarian zombie for laughs. The key is to make sure your costume goes well with the overall theme of the party and then put your own unique stamp on it. Another great way to pick a costume is to do a family or group costume. Here are some examples of themed costumes for the entire gang, http://www.womansday.com/life/g1898/family-halloween-costumes/?

Planning any type of party is a lot of work. With Halloween, the possibilities are truly endless! Whether you choose a more adult theme or a family friendly one, these tips and resources can help you plan the perfectly haunted soirée for your gang of ghouls and goblins!

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