Boo! Did I scare you? Hopefully I got your attention. Convince that I sometimes have holes in my brain it is necessary for me to make lists in order to remember anything. If you’re having a Halloween party the last thing you want is to forget the details necessary to make your party a complete Halloween spooktacular.
In order, you will need the following:
- Invitations – get some fun Halloween invitations that will match your party theme i.e. spooky, kid friendly.
- Decorations – This is the fun part. Inexpensive options are spider webs with plastic spiders and carved Jack-O-lanterns. Scene Setters are inexpensive wall décor that can completely transform your room for just a few dollars. More expensive decorations include things like life sized horror figures, lawn ornaments and spooky furnishings. Put most of the decor at the entry to the party so you set the mood immediately. Decor is like a Halloween costume for your home.
- Party supplies – This is all your paper goods, silverware, table covers and such. A combination of black, orange and purple will work for any Halloween party. Whether you make it fun or scary depends on the decor your choose. Party supplies also include prize ribbons for the costume contest and other prizes or favors.
- Mood setters – This includes spooky music and sound effects, eerie lighting, fog and animation. Motion sensor props scare the bajeezas out of people and create a delightfully spooky atmosphere. My friend Suzy has a life sized zombie that crawls from her living room into her foyer to greet people. Fog machines cast an eerie yet harmless smoke that hangs low to the ground. You can achieve the same effect with dry ice and water. Mood setters are essential. Even something as simple as dim lights and candlelight can make a big difference.
- Food – Its always more fun to eat food that matches the party theme. There are way too many ideas to mention here so we recommend you look at websites that feature spooky Halloween food. It can be super gross or yummy for everyone.
- Entertainment – good food, music and company are usually enough for a grown up party but you can always include some extras. A fortune teller is a great idea but if you’re on a budget you can play games such as the Creepy Feely Game or Pass the Gord.
- Costumes – sometimes its easier to see how your party planning evolves before choosing your costume but don’t wait too long. Always leave enough time to make an exchange. Websites like Costume SuperCenter have a Free Size and Exchange Policy. As long as you make an exchange either for a different costume or a different size, they pay the shipping for the return and the replacement.