If you’re thinking about throwing a family-friendly Halloween party this year, it’s time to bust out the decorations and start your planning! Give guests of all ages a thrill with spooky décor and fun party games, without spending a fortune. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
1. Brainstorm a theme.
Party-planning tip number one, no matter what the occasion, is to sit down and brainstorm your theme before you start shopping. Plan the date and time, as well as who you will be inviting. For a Halloween party, you’ll need to think about age-appropriate themes. If your party’s for little ones, you’ll want to avoid the scary decorations and focus on things like pumpkins and candy corns instead.
2. Give old decorations new life (or borrow a friend’s)
It’s all too easy to get carried away with decorations and costumes when planning a Halloween party. But most of us have an old box of costumes or decorations in our closet already, so pull this out and see what you’re working with. You may be able to refashion used costumes into new decorations by hanging masks on the wall or using old power rangers costume accessories as props for a photo booth. Get together with a couple of friends and see if you can join forces for costumes. There are also plenty of DIY decorations to make yourself, from cotton cobwebs to paper bats.
3. Take advantage of free printables.
Printables are a handy tool for any child’s party, so start browsing on Pinterest to find some free ones with a Halloween theme or check out the ones we’ve provided. You can use these for invitations, banners, and posters on the big day without paying for anything but the printer ink and paper.
4. Throw a potluck.
After decoration and costumes, the next expense to cut down is the catering. If you’re throwing a party for friends and family, make it a potluck to spread the expense and get your guests involved! The trick to a successful potluck is to keep the items simple, so that no one feels too put out. Most guests are happy to bring an appetizer or dessert.
5. Keep food and drink simple.
Along these same lines, keep your menu simple unless you’re throwing a dinner party. If you throw the party in between meal times you can set out a few bowls of candy, chips, crackers and cheese, and pumpkin-themed sweets. Create a coffee and tea bar or buy a few bottles of wine depending on the type of ambience you’re setting up. There are lots of cute Halloween recipes out there, so feel free to whip up a batch of spider cupcakes or pumpkin brownies!
6. Choose wallet-friendly games.
Finally, plan simple and age-appropriate entertainment. You can’t go wrong with a Halloween playlist in the background, but you could also have a few organized games to keep little ones happy. Set up a pumpkin decorating corner with mini pumpkins, stickers and felt tip pens. You could also play pumpkin bowling with simple plastic pins and orange balls.
With a bit of advance planning, you can throw a memorable Halloween bash this year and have plenty left over for the holiday season.
Great tips just what I was looking for for halloween