The last few years have played many a trick on us but here at IDEAL, we’re yearning for treats, and what could be more of a treat than a ghoulish gathering? This year, we’re upping the effort levels, turning up the volume and taking our Halloween festivities up a notch.
Whilst we do realise that Halloween is still a couple of months away, there’s a distinct chill in the air today, and with autumn just around the corner, we thought it was vital to be prepared if you’re going to go all out.
We don’t just mean adorning your house in monster-inspired decorations and playing that song by Johnny Pickett. If you want to stand out taller and last longer in the collective celebratory consciousness, then the most memorable Halloween parties are reliably, repeatedly, the ones that go all out. With all that in mind, here are 7 tips on how to host a truly wicked Halloween party this year, IDEAL for the ultimate ghoulish gathering.
Set The Scene With Different Themed Rooms
You could, of course, hang some fake cobwebs with fake spiders attached, carve a couple of pumpkins, and say you’ve decorated. But we said we were going all out, and when it comes to hosting a supernatural soiree, the devil (and the danger) is in the detail.
Instead of just confining your party to just the living room and kitchen, you can turn your whole house into a witch-worthy space by theming different rooms within the home. Halloween is a time for sinister séances and tarot readings, so set up a ouija board and some tarot cards in your bedroom or add a projector to the study and make a scary film room – ideal for placing party-goers who may have had one too many and need a jolting back into life.
In the kitchen, set up some classic Halloween games; apple bobbing, beer pong, donuts on a string…after all, there’s nothing that shows the real monster in someone like when that competitive streak comes out!
Go further, and create a graveyard in the garden with some fake tombstones; maybe even lurk behind them ready to scare your guests. And why not set up a fire pit so people can tell ghost stories? You can even create a scavenger hunt if you’re keen to extend that competitiveness from the kitchen and into your outdoor space.
Finally, set up somewhere to dance in the garage or living room, playing spooky tunes for your guests to get down to. Make sure you include ‘Haunted’ by Beyonce, ‘Bury a Friend’ by Billie Eilish and ‘Monster’ by Kanye West in your playlist!
The Best Costume: A Come As You Aren’t Prize
October 31st is the ultimate role-play day, and in the wise words of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Halloween is the perfect opportunity to “come as you aren’t”. Hmmm, perhaps they weren’t so wise – she was a teenager, after all…
Indeed, your guests’ choice of Halloween costumes might say a lot more about them than you might think. In fact, your outfit choice can reflect a part of your personality that isn’t always obvious, perhaps even providing a psychological insight into someone’s soul…spooky, huh?
According to Scott Bea, PsyD, of Cleveland Clinic, “if you’re really into scaring people – you may be a social dominator”. On the other hand, “if you’re being silly or whimsical, you might be telling people that you have a sense of humor”. And if you want to wear a cyber cosplay costume straight from the sci-fi world, well, perhaps you’re interests are otherwordly…
Indeed, our choice of outfit can help us express a side of ourselves not always on show, and as Dr. Bea says, “that’s what’s fun about Halloween parties – we have built-in things to talk about, just based on our costuming, and how we’re presenting ourselves – it makes it easy for people to be together.”
So, what’s hot this year? As Gone Trending reports via the Guardian, we’re not going to see sexy COVID-19 costumes per se, but ‘’Kim Kardashian’s all-black fetish-istic Balenciaga outfit’’ is flying off the shelves.
We think the outfit we’re certain to be seeing at Halloween parties and on high streets come the 31st are Squid Game related, whether that’s the green tracksuits worn by the game’s participants or the terrifying red boiler suits and square, circle or triangle masks of their minders.
Whatever the outfit, give a prize for the silliest, the cleverest and the goriest costumes to make things a little more fun! After all, there’s nothing worse than guests phoning it in when it comes to costumes…
Read: 5 alternative fancy dress ideas for Halloween
A Prop Bar
For those who do turn up sans-costume and as their standard selves, firstly, get those ‘’what a scary costume!’’ jokes out the way. Then, point them in the direction of the prop bar you’ve so helpfully set up.
Some guests of course won’t commit to a costume, so set up a table full of props so that they can get into the Halloween spirit in an impromptu and, admittedly, half-arsed way. Stock it with facepaints, scary masks, and a few handheld props like broomsticks, wands and wings.
Invest in some instant or polaroid cameras, too, and leave them around the house for guests to capture their most terrifying poses. Add a photo booth to the mix and you’ve reached event based nirvana!
To Theme Or Not To Theme?
Halloween is, of course, a theme in itself. But if you want your party to be super specific and leave little room for interpretation, then consider a more precise theme. Of course, there’s the aforementioned monster mash theme, where you can ask your guests to come as groovy goolies, asking them to do the Transylvania twist to the whole Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers album. In a similar vein, there’s the Rocky Horror Show theme, or how about the MJ Thriller video?
Alternatively, you could throw a scary Alice in Wonderland inspired soiree; invite your guests to a spooky tea party and scare them with your baking skills! The book is full of characters for your guests to have fun with. Speaking of which…
Spooktaculary Tasty Treats
One of the most important aspects of any event is keeping your guests well fed and watered. You can provide all of the raucous Halloween entertainment you could dream of, but without refreshments both solid and liquid, things just aren’t going to kick off.
Halloween, Trick or Treat and the rest, is a very sweet-focused affair, so you’d be a fool not to offer your guests an array of sugary snacks alongside some savoury bites. It’s the latter where your creative skills can really come into their own – think pumpkin vomit guacamole served with tortilla chips, octopus cocktails and Frankfurter fingers.
From tarantula eggs with venom dip to poisonous meringue mushrooms, check out our article on 9 IDEAL recipes for your Halloween party for more inspiration!
Read: How to have a spooky and sustainable Halloween
Punch & Frankenstein’s Bar
Is a Halloween party even a Halloween party without a bowl of punch? But we talked about taking things up a notch, so why not go all out with dry ice and make your punch bowl a smoking cauldron for all to enjoy?
Consider setting up a Frankenstein’s bar – but instead of scary science experiments, people can experiment with cocktail concoctions. Purchase a black light for your bar and get your guests to create florescent cocktails. Liquids that glow under a black light include Tonic water, Monster energy drinks and even milkshakes. The guys at Delishably have a great guide to drinks that glow in the dark here; do check it out sometime.
Be Prepared For The Morning After
If the party really went off, then it’s not unexpected that some guests will have crashed over and are waking up looking like real zombies with a ghoulish hangover. This is when your hosting really comes into its own; breakfast is a bonus, for sure, but simply having a few Berocca and paracetamol in will probably earn you hosting points. Good luck!
And finally, should there be some serious stains to contend with after your party, check out our guide on how to clean them here. It might just come in handy!
