Halloween parties can be the best party of the year. It is the only party where everyone can dress up, be silly, and not have to stress about what to wear. Planning a Halloween party can be fun, but it also requires time and preparation.
Here are some tips to help plan a Halloween party successfully.
Invitations
First of all, what type of Halloween party is it going to be? Determine if the party is going to have a specific theme, what age group or groups the party is for, and what day it will be held.
The invitations are the first item of the party guests will see. It needs to be inviting, and it needs to include location, date, and time (beginning and end). The invitation also needs to have information such as: ages, no alcohol, finger foods, games, movies, etc. If the party is for a certain age group, it needs to be on the invitation.
When searching for invitations, pick or make one that has a Halloween look to it. Make sure it is easy to read. Ask for guests to RSVP by a set date, give a phone number and email, but always be prepared for extra guests.
Send the invitations out at least two weeks prior to the event, or even up to a month before the event.
Food
In most cases, food is the biggest expense and biggest concern of the party. Be sure to have a variety of food available, but keep it simple. Parties should be fun to put together and be at. Keep the menu simple, and let guests know it will be finger foods and beverages.
Since it is Halloween, grab bags of candy. Place candy inside plastic pumpkins around the house, and on the table with the finger foods. This way people can walk around and grab candy whenever they please.
Have finger foods such as: chips and dip, vegetables and dip (or hummus), finger sandwiches, meatballs, and lots of fall flavor’s like pumpkin and apple. For Halloween theme recipes, try foodnetwork.com or kraftfoods.com.
Create a simple menu, or pick up large trays of finger foods and sweets at the supermarket. Try looking for foods that are decorated for Halloween. However, even if the menu is not scary, decorate the table to make it more scary.
Find a black charger or cake stand, and place food items on them. Look for oranges and blacks, and alternate between colors on the table. Add a few candles, or a scary jack-o-lantern as a centerpiece. If baking and cooking are going to be too much to do, then simply decorate the table for Halloween, and lay out simple foods that everyone can enjoy.
Decorating
Decorating for Halloween is a lot of fun. Be as creative as possible, but do not go over budget. Look for deals on Halloween decorations toward the end of the season, but do not wait till the last minute.
Determine how the house should be decorated, and how much money is available to decorate with. Make a list of items that are absolutes, and stick to the list. After buying those items, see how much money is left over and decide whether or not to buy more.