20 Genius Halloween Party Ideas
As Halloween is right around the corner so is the inevitable Halloween party! If you’re looking to host one or be part of the planning process for another then you definitely want to use some of these ideas. Whether you want appetizer/food ideas, decorations, cocktails, or Halloween games then you’ve come to the right place! Here are 20 genius Halloween party ideas!
1. Pumpkin Serving Dish
Follow these instructions to make yourself a cool pumpkin serving dish for your Halloween party! It’s fairly straightforward you’ll just need a medium to large ARTIFICIAL pumpkin (don’t use a real one), as well as some fabric, a knife (x-acto/pumpkin carving knife), thumbtacks, yarn, a pencil, and of course Halloween candy!
2. Halloween Game: Feel Box Game
It’s a good idea to have some low-maintenance games on deck for any Halloween party. This is a great game that’s really affordable to make and tons of fun for everyone. You’ll just make some Halloween mystery boxes then put in some “mystery” items that feel gross or weird to touch like peeled grapes for eyeballs or cooked noodles for guts!
3. Easy Foam Bat Decorations (Indoors & Outdoors)
Decorations for a Halloween party don’t need to be expensive or elaborate. There are plenty such as these Foam Bat Decorations that anyone can make and are a great addition for any Halloween party or just decorations for the holiday in general.
4. Utilize Black Lights!
Black lights are awesome for decorating for a Halloween party. It can give a great eerie glow to the house and really put the guests in the scary, Halloween mood. You can pick them up easily on Amazon if you don’t have any!
5. DIY Skull Centerpiece
Turn a life-size model skull into a spooky centerpiece that’s perfect for any Halloween party! You can put flowers inside, candy, or even alcohol shooters for your guests to enjoy! Besides the skull, you’ll need a wet floral foam block, pruning shears, a knife, a large Ziploc bag, and your chosen variety of fresh flowers! Obviously, if you don’t want the skull centerpiece to hold flowers then you can make some adjustments.
6. Halloween Cocktails! – Mr. Hyde Potion
You won’t be able to have a great (adult) Halloween party without some themed cocktails! This cocktail recipe for a Mr. Hyde Potion is a tad complicated but you’ll end up with some super cool-looking cocktails for your guests! The dry ice really sends it over the edge giving that real potion looks like straight out of a classic horror movie.
7. Halloween Photo Backdrops
If you’re really trying to go out for your Halloween party then a really cool and fun idea is to set up a photo backdrop! You can get some pumpkins and bays of hay combined with a Halloween-like sign (Pumpkin Patch shown here) where your guests can take some cool photos with their friends or significant others!
8. Halloween Game – Shooter Bobbing
Another game for your Halloween party, again for adult parties, is to take a fun twist on the classic bobbing for apples game but use alcohol shooters instead. You can do even use both if you want! You might want to stick to plastic shooter bottles but hey you do you.
9. Monster Meatball Sliders
A quick way to get all your guests to fall in love with your Halloween party is to serve delicious food. What better way to do so than with Halloween-themed food? Here’s a recipe for delicious Monster Meatball Sliders” that are easy to make and delicious.
10. Halloween Cocktails: Spiked Pumpkin Pie Punch
Here’s an idea for a delicious Halloween-themed cocktail that is made to serve many guests. You just need cream soda, pumpkin ice cream, and whipped vodka to make this tasty and cool-looking Spiked Pumpkin Pie Punch!
11. Halloween Cheese & Crackers
Put out some tasty Halloween-themed appetizers for your Halloween Party guests. These are easy to make Halloween cheese & crackers so all you need is festive mini cookie cutters. You’ll use these ghosts, bats, and such cookie cutters to slice little pieces of cheese that fit on crackers. You can also use the cookie cutters on apple slides for a slightly healthier option!
12. Bloody Handprint Window Clings
A really cool and spooky decoration idea for a Halloween party is this Bloody Handprint Window Cling! You’ll need some glue (Elmer’s Glue-all or equivalent), red & blue food coloring, plastic saran wrap, wax paper, large cutting board (or clipboard/piece of foam core board), tape, and optional but recommended is some latex/non-latex surgical gloves. It’s straightforward to make them and can really spice up the decorations for your Halloween party!
13. Halloween Cocktails: Black Magic Jello Shots
These Black Magic Jello Shots are the perfect addition to your Halloween party! I mean who doesn’t love jello shots? But these are a cool-looking, layered jello shot that has some black sanding sugar on top for that spooky, Halloween look!
14. Halloween Game – Trick or Treat
This is an awesome Halloween game for your adult Halloween party called Trick or Treat. Essentially, you’ll take three or four shot glasses and fill almost all of them with regular alcohol or drinks like juice, then in the last, you place a “trick” that could be as horrible/gross as you like! Perhaps a ketchup-water mixture?
15. Halloween Cocktail: Black Magic Shimmering Cherry Martini
This cocktail is perfect for any Halloween party’s selection of drinks. This Black Magic Shimmering Cherry Martini is so cool to look at and tastes even better! You’ll use black vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, some ice, and edible pearl dust for the sparkle! You’ll truly impress all the guests at your Halloween party with this spooky-looking cocktail!
16. Black Light Glowing Steps
A really cool DIY decoration for your Halloween party is utilizing laundry detergent and a black light. Others you can use a cut open glow stick but for your stairs, it might be better to try this laundry detergent trick! If you combine laundry detergent that contains phosphors mix it with some water then put under a black light for the scary glow effect!
17. Spider Wall Art
If you just want to quickly decorate for your Halloween party and don’t mind spending some money then you can pick up some simple decals like this Spider Wall Art. It looks really cool and it’s super easy to put up and take down!
18. Halloween Game: Murder in the Dark
Looking for a more in-depth game for your Halloween party? You can try out Murder in the Dark which is an easy to learn and super interactive game for all your party guests! Check out the rules here!
19. Halloween Cocktails: Blood Sangria
You can’t have Halloween party cocktails without something that resembles blood! This recipe for Blood Sangria is made using Merlot wine, pomegranate juice, Cointreau (any orange liquor), sparkling water, ice, pomegranate arils, and oranges! Nobody will be able to resist these terrifying but delicious drinks!
20. Costume Contest
The final idea for your Halloween party on this list is to hold a costume contest! I know that can seem cheesy but it’s also a really fun way to make sure everyone dresses up in cool and authentic costumes. Really makes the whole vibe of the Halloween party seem more festive and makes for some great photos!
What are your favorite Halloween party ideas that make the party more scary and cool? Share them in the comments!
Featured Image Source: Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
I have a passion for helping others and see journalism as a great way to reach and impact many people. Born in Texas but raised in the San Francisco Bay Area! Then with a short detour in Boulder, Colorado to get my bachelor's in Journalism with a minor in political science. I'm a determined, motivated individual striving to make a difference in this world. I have hopes to play a role in the continued development of journalism and in maximizing efforts to inform and inspire the public. Check out my articles on Society19!