Depending on how much you love Halloween, you may already be planning a creepy but fun party for your kids. While it’s true that Halloween may not be as big in Australia as it is in America, there’s no reason why you can’t treat your kids to a spooky party, just for the fun of it!
If you’re throwing a Halloween party for the first time, it may be very easy to feel overwhelmed with the whole process. This is mostly due to the enormous number of themes and decoration ideas out there. Keep reading as we share everything from the right Halloween etiquette to the spookiest cupcakes you should opt for.
Scary Can Be Fun
Arranging kid’s parties can be fun but if you’re not really a party person, or you have a few kids, the whole process can become quite tedious by the time the end of the year rolls around. Fortunately, Halloween is a good excuse to move away from the princess and superhero themes you may have become used to. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you plan your first Halloween party.
1. Select a Spooky Theme
If you’ve spent any time online searching for Halloween parties, you’ll have discovered that there’s no shortage of themes. Themes such as Haunted Mansion, Classic Monsters, Vampires, 80’s Horror and Witches and Ghouls are only a few you’ll have to choose from.
If you’re finding it difficult to choose a theme, consider opting for a general theme that includes a little of everything. To do this you can have spider webs made of cotton wool hanging from trees or ceilings, giant spiders and snakes draped over tables and chairs, vampires, bats, Frankenstein and witches placed all around your room, house, or yard.
2. It’s All About the Décor
One thing to keep in mind with a Halloween party is that décor is crucial. Not only will the right decorations help you set the mood, but they will also have the desired scary effect on your kids and other guests.
If you’re having a general scary theme, it’s a good idea to go all out with spider webs, Jack-o-Lanterns, skeletons, witches and even vampires. Spooky lighting is a must! If you have the space, it may be a good idea to transform your backyard into a haunted forest with decorations hanging from trees.
Be sure to download some eerie music, which you can play through a few strategically hidden speakers. This can also include scary and spooky sounds such as a witch cackling, bats screeching, howling wind, and even slamming doors.
3. Costumes Are a Must
What’s a Halloween party without costumes? No matter the ages of the guests, it’s essential to ask everyone to dress up. This adds to the fun of the party, and you can make it more exciting by having a costume contest.
To do this, have different categories for the funniest, scariest, and most creative costumes. If there are kids and adults at the party, consider having categories for kids and adults. Gifts should match the theme of your party. Options to consider include spooky gift baskets filled with cupcakes and scary treats.
A fun fact here is that you and your guests can hire Halloween costumes which means there’s no need to buy anything you’re never going to wear again. Many families opt to make their own costumes, and kids actually spend months deciding and designing the right costumes. In these instances, the goal is to use what you have to create a whole new costume.
4. Prepare Spooky Food, Snacks, and Drinks
No matter what food or snacks you’re serving, it’s time to get creative. Frosting and food colouring are essential tools in making regular food look more ghoulish. A few classic examples to consider include the following:
- Coloured cupcakes decorated in the theme you’ve chosen (witches’ faces, Jack-o-Lanterns and vampire’s heads are typical examples).
- Create a witch’s brew using a child-friendly punch that has dry ice in it to create a spooky, smoky effect.
- Turn regular hot dogs into mummy dogs by shaping the sausage to look like a finger and add tomato sauce to resemble blood.
- Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to create biscuits that look like witches, ghosts, and bats.
- Add sweets that look like eyeballs to empty glasses to resemble floating eyes in drinks.
- Paint scary faces on paper cups, plates, and serviettes.
- Create drinks that match the colours of your theme such as green for Frankenstein and witches, red for vampires, orange for Jack-o-Lanterns and white for ghosts.
- Decorate party favours to remind guests of the hauntingly wonderful time they had at your party.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to Halloween decorations, there’s no shortage to ideas for decorations and snacks. Not only can you find thousands of DIY ideas online, but many online stores offer pre-made decorations that you can reuse. A little imagination goes a long way and all you really need to do is think of the most haunting ways to scare your guests!