What's the key to a good Halloween party?
October 25, 2017 2:35 PM Subscribe
My fiancee and I are hosting around ten people later this week for a Halloween party. The key activity is going to be pumpkin carving, but I'm sure that not everyone will do this. What have you enjoyed and not enjoyed about Halloween parties that you've attended? I'm planning on playing Ghostbusters and having lots of food to eat, but I'm interested in other considerations that I should make. FWIW, this is more of a family-friendly event than an excuse to get drunk. Thanks!
A punch bowl with dry ice bubbling in it to make a Halloween fog spill out.
It can be a pain in the butt to get it, but it's a great effect.
posted by SLC Mom at 2:53 PM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
It can be a pain in the butt to get it, but it's a great effect.
posted by SLC Mom at 2:53 PM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
This is geeky, but party games like scary charades.
posted by karmachameleon at 3:00 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by karmachameleon at 3:00 PM on October 25, 2017
We bobbed for apples at one Halloween party years ago and it was kind of hilarious to do that as an adult. Seconding the punch bowl with dry ice and the piñata. If your crowd likes games, something like Betrayal At House on Haunted Hill can be really fun.
posted by FireFountain at 3:46 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by FireFountain at 3:46 PM on October 25, 2017
Best answer: Please be explicitly clear in the invitation if you expect costumes or not.
If you are carving pumpkins, you can also roast pumpkin seeds. You can do different flavors in different batches.
posted by maryr at 3:56 PM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you are carving pumpkins, you can also roast pumpkin seeds. You can do different flavors in different batches.
posted by maryr at 3:56 PM on October 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Plenty of sharp knives and markers for the pumpkin carvers. Maybe some water based paints and other decorative items for anyone to young to use a knife. If possible do this outside, if not, some painters plastic on and below the table. Play some Thriller and Monster Mash.
posted by florencetnoa at 4:15 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by florencetnoa at 4:15 PM on October 25, 2017
Best answer: And tea candles so everyone can show off their pumpkin!
posted by florencetnoa at 4:16 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by florencetnoa at 4:16 PM on October 25, 2017
Music! Bloodletting, Burn the Witch, Thriller, Ghostbusters, Purple People Eaters, Monster Mash, Henry Lee, etc etc.
posted by xyzzy at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by xyzzy at 4:27 PM on October 25, 2017
Best answer: FWIW, if I went to any party that had participation-expected/required games like charades, I would think of some reason to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. If it was a board game or the like, I would be fine. Anything that causes me to be the center of attention is sure to make me want to vomit.
For the pumpkin carving, it might be nice to have a variety of templates available for people who don't think of themselves as creative. Lots of food is good! Will the movie be playing in the general gathering area or will it be somewhere else? If it's going to be where everyone is, it might be a good idea to have closed captions on?
posted by cooker girl at 4:36 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
For the pumpkin carving, it might be nice to have a variety of templates available for people who don't think of themselves as creative. Lots of food is good! Will the movie be playing in the general gathering area or will it be somewhere else? If it's going to be where everyone is, it might be a good idea to have closed captions on?
posted by cooker girl at 4:36 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: As I learned too late one year, low lighting and almost excessive decor (even/especially the cheap stuff) make the difference between cool Halloween party vibe, and awkwardly sitting around someone’s too-bright living room.
posted by kapers at 5:38 PM on October 25, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by kapers at 5:38 PM on October 25, 2017 [9 favorites]
Have the World Series on somewhere. If it's not over by then it might be a crucial game.
posted by bongo_x at 5:49 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by bongo_x at 5:49 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]
Friend had a party that included paper/art supplies, markers, glue, etc. of various kinds, and instructions on how to make handprint spiders. If you don't use black paper then there are more options for the spiders to be drawn on and decorated in various ways. Here's another way to do it with paint.
posted by gudrun at 5:49 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by gudrun at 5:49 PM on October 25, 2017
Low lighting, glow in the dark decorations and possibly glow sticks /necklaces / bracelets, depending on whether your crowd will deem them "kitschy" or just juvenile. If you haven't bought them in a while, best place is a dollar store.
posted by vignettist at 10:46 PM on October 25, 2017
posted by vignettist at 10:46 PM on October 25, 2017
Best answer: Have someone read out loud from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
posted by BibiRose at 6:45 AM on October 26, 2017
posted by BibiRose at 6:45 AM on October 26, 2017
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posted by Drosera at 2:38 PM on October 25, 2017 [1 favorite]