When friends and family gather together at Halloween, it’s guaranteed to be a monster good time. Silly, scary, or just a little spooky, Halloween parties are full of ghouls, pumpkins, and fun for everyone.
Whether a kid’s party, adults-only or something in between, here are five essentials for an epic Halloween celebration.
1. Dry ice
If you want a spooky, special effect at your Halloween party, dry ice is your answer. It creates drifts of fog that seem like magic.
Using a tray, hammer, tongs, and safety goggles, safely break up a large brick of dry ice into manageable pieces. Store them in the freezer until party time.
Then, you can create a fog effect by placing a bowl of dry ice in a hollowed-out pumpkin or a cauldron. Simply activate the dry ice by pouring warm water on top, and let the spooky fog begin.
2. Bobbing for apples
The game of bobbing for apples has been around for a while and has an intriguing history. But while this game might seem a bit old-fashioned, it can be incredibly fun.
Guests have to stick their heads into a bucket of water filled with apples and try to bite one with their teeth. This is a fantastic game for a Halloween party with kids, and it can also be highly amusing for adults.
Want a 21-and-older twist? Try bobbing for mini vodka or wine bottles instead.
3. Monster music
Nothing says “party” like music everyone can sing or dance along to. So when you’re creating a playlist of jams, don’t forget to add some monster music to more modern hits.
“Thriller,” the Ghostbusters theme, and “Monster Mash” are obvious Halloween party favorites. There are some excellent Halloween song playlists, including this one that’s a great mix of the traditional and modern, that you can cue up so everyone can have a good time.
4. Halloween themed food and drinks
To keep your guests happy, serve them food. But try it with a spooky, Halloween party twist.
Make pretzel ghosts by dipping large pretzel sticks in white chocolate and using black icing for spooky faces, wrap a few strips of puff pastry around a wheel of brie for mummy cheese, or make pickled cauliflower that resembles a jar of brains.
For an easy signature cocktail, try this spiked apple cider that promises to be fun and delicious. Or for another adult twist, serve Jello shots in syringes.
5. Costume contest
Finally, no Halloween party is complete without a costume contest. It’s a guaranteed way to bring out the creativity and competitive spirit of your guests.
They’ll get to know each other while they figure out how everyone dressed up. Everyone can also participate in voting for the party’s best costume in any number of categories, including scariest, funniest, and most relevant. With these five essentials, any Halloween party promises to be a monster good time for all your guests.
