How to Throw an Easy Halloween Party
Updated: Aug. 30, 2023
Grab your besties and broomsticks, this easy bash comes together with a swish and flick of a wand. Get our best Halloween party ideas for food, decorations and more.
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Putting together a howlin’ good Halloween party for you and your gal-pals doesn’t have to send shivers down your spine. We’ve compiled a few of our favorite easy Halloween party ideas—including spooky-good inspiration for food, drinks, decorations and more.
Each idea in our “Besties and Broomsticks” pop-up party can be added to the party in minutes—so try one (or all!) to make your Halloween party the spookiest on the block.
Halloween Food Ideas
One of the easiest ways to get food on the table is to create a supernatural spread by adding a touch of Halloween magic to store-bought foods. We loved the idea to dress up plain pretzel rods with shoestring licorice, jellybeans and candy coating for a witchy appeal. Get the recipes:
Another quick idea is to add a frightful touch to the standard cheese board. (Start with this simple checklist!)Â “Stab” the brie with a cheese knife surround it with raspberry jelly or carve cheddar slices into a simple headstone shape for a haunted graveyard feel.
All tricks aside, Halloween should be sweet! Upgrade a dozen store-bought cupcakes by sprinkling festive Halloween sprinkles and top with a few fun-sized candy bars for a decadent touch.
Go over-the-top by grabbing a Bundt cake from the bakery aisle and top is with green, purple, black and orange frosting. To do this, separate a tub of frosting into four small bowls. Add a drop or two of food coloring in each, and stir until your ideal color appears. Microwave each bowl for a few seconds. When the icing is thin enough to drizzle, splatter each color over the top of the cake. You can also serve these spirited Halloween appetizers, snacks and foods.
Halloween Party Drinks
It’s time to fill your cauldron! Stir up a batch of Witch’s Brew in a large punch bowl to share. Wondering how we got the green coloring? There’s no food dye here! Our punch gets its emerald hue from kiwifruit and mint. To finish off the look, drop in a few decorative ice cubes, like these scary skulls.
No time to play bartender? We get it. Add some Halloween spirit to a bottle of wine with peel-and-stick glittery labels. Each sticker has a hilarious quote like “eat drink and be scary” and “my broomstick runs on wine.” We also recommend picking up this bottle of Bewitched Chardonnay that has notes of baked apple, pear and vanilla. Pop it open with this fun bat wine opener.
Halloween Decorations
When it comes to Halloween party decorations, most people reach for faux spider webs and Jack-O-Lanterns. Wow your guests with creative ideas that go beyond the classics. For our pop-up party, we set the scene by scattering a dark table runner with black plastic spiders, confetti and a cute Halloween print that can pop easily into any picture frame.
Pro tip: Dim the lights to create an eerie atmosphere. Light candles to entice your guests to what might become a spooky seance. You can make your home feel even more like a haunted house with spooky DIY candle holders. Check out our step-by-step guide or watch the video below.
Want to take it up another notch? Try these quick and easy DIY Halloween decorations that come together in less than 30 minutes. This giant skeleton will do the trick, too.
Halloween Party Music
Cast a dancing spell on your fellow witches with some terrifying tunes. This ready-made playlist has everything; classics like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Annie Lennox’s version of “I Put a Spell on You,” Halloween favorites like “Thriller” and “Ghostbusters” and haunting hits that will get you dancing, like Rhianna’s “Disturbia” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” All you have to do is press play!
Halloween Goodie Bags
What’s a Halloween party without some treats? End the night with a sweet touch by giving out adorable, themed goodie bags. Fill paper bags with candies and small keepsakes like nail polish and chapstick. Secure each gift with a pin-back button that matches their Halloween spirit.
Keep the bags in a basket—or a plastic cauldron—near the front door so guests can grab one on the way home. You can even put together a few extra goodie bags to give out to moms who are stuck on trick-or-treat duty this Halloween!
Halloween Charcuterie Board
Your charcuterie skills might already be on point, but they'll get a major boost with this Halloween-themed serving board from Grandin Road. The two gold bat handles on either side make it easy to transport this piece of Halloween kitchen decor from your kitchen to the table. Plus, the bold black surface makes any spread instantly elegant (and eerie).
Peek-a-Boo Dish Towel
Drying dishes won't be such a dismal chore when you've got this adorable Halloween-themed dish towel by your side. Pet lovers especially will love that these doggie trick-or-treaters take center stage—along with a cat photo-bombing the scene. Whether you put it to good use or simply drape it over the handle of your oven, this colorful towel makes it easy to cook up a Halloween vibe in your kitchen.
Halloween Potion Bottles
These corked "potion" bottles might look like a trick, but they're definitely a treat for your growing collection of Halloween decor. The beautiful matte black and white design fit in with any kitchen color palette. They look eye-catching on their own or as part of a larger Halloween display for your table or shelf. Witch's brew, anyone?
Halloween Appetizer Plates
Orange and black don't have to always be at the forefront of your Halloween decor. This set of four ivory earthenware Halloween plates are classy enough to use any time of year, though the eerie images pay plenty of homage to that spookiest of seasons. Use them to serve up Halloween appetizers.
Skeleton Drinkware
Serve the creepiest of cocktails with this sublimely spooky set of skeleton drinkware. The collection features everything from a decanter and cocktail shaker to highball glasses and champagne flutes. Metal hands cup some of the drinkware, while a skeleton figure holds up the wine and martini glasses. Bottoms up—if you dare.
Spiderweb Table Runner
The intricate lace of this spiderweb table runner looks as delicate as the real thing, but it's durable enough to stretch across a kitchen table or even a dresser season after season. It's a perfect accent for those who love Halloween kitchen decor but also want something that's a more subtle addition to their space.
Day of the Dead Treat Toppers
Why use ordinary wooden toothpicks to spear cubes of cheese and other small bites when you can wow your guests with these Day of the Dead treat toppers? You get a dozen of these colorful paper and bamboo toppers that are completely safe to use with food and treats. Stock 'em in your Halloween Advent calendar.
Spider Candle and Holder
Candles are your go-to decor for setting the mood any time of year. But when you light one up that's as wonderfully creepy as this black spider candle and holder and you've got an instant spooky vibe that's a perfect fit for All Hallow's Eve.
Metal Cauldron Centerpiece
Brew up something magical for your Halloween kitchen decor this season with this elegant metal cauldron centerpiece. The rack is black, but you can choose the cauldrons in either silver or gold to match your preference and your space's aesthetic. Speaking of witches, check out this Disney Halloween decor.
Flickering Halloween Candles
The flicker of candles in the darkness is one way to set the mood for Halloween night. These battery-operated LED candles are the safe way to illuminate your space. This trio of white pillars feature a spider, skull and raven and are perfect for adding to a table or window ledge. They turn on with a flick of a switch—set the timer and they'll turn off automatically after six hours. For the real deal, try these delightful fall candles.
Scrub Daddy Halloween Sponges
Cleaning up after Halloween festivities needn't be a nightmare when you have the right cleaning supplies on hand. These Scrub Daddy Halloween sponges chase away the mess so well, you'll want to keep it within reach in your kitchen well after the day has come and gone. Learn more about this kooky cleaning supply.
Pumpkin Punch Bowl and Cups
Pick your potions and mix up a colorful punch that steals the show when you serve it in this pumpkin punch bowl from William Sonoma. The six matching cups—the gold rims match the gold stem of the pumpkin—create an elegant look for your Halloween tablescape. In fact, you might want to bring it out as part of your Thanksgiving festivities, too.
Peanuts Halloween Cookie Cutters
Do you prefer cookies to candy when it comes to Halloween treats? Then these easy-to-use Peanuts-themed plunger cookie cutters from Williams Sonoma are perfect, whether you're whipping up batches for a party or just yourself (hey, no judgment here!). If you're heading to a party and need a Halloween-themed host gift—particularly a kid-friendly Halloween gift, you can't go wrong with Snoopy and the gang.
Scaredy Cat Serving Tray
Enhance any Halloween tablescape with this colorful 2-tiered serving tray featuring a grinning cat and jack-o-lantern. We love that it's dishwasher-safe and you can take the plates off the metal rack for easy storage. Fill it with cookies and treats for the table or keep it by the door for easy access to candy when trick-or-treaters visit.
Spider Utensil Holder
When you're setting a casual table for a Halloween gathering or just want to add something fun to the kitchen for Spooky Season, this black metal spider utensil holder is perfect. You could even place it on your desk to store pens—we're sure Mr. Spider here won't mind as long as you keep him and his web on display.
Hugging Ghosts Salt and Pepper Shakers
We love it when kitchen gadgets combine utility and cuteness. There's no doubt salt and pepper go together, but this pair of hugging ghost shakers are here to remind you in case you forget. No one will blame you if you decide to use these ghostly BFFs all year long.
Skeleton Napkin Ring
Get a deliciously creepy hand with setting the table this season with these slender skeleton napkin rings. Your guests will love to see them wrapped around Halloween-themed napkins—though we think they're classy enough for a formal table setting, too!
Halloween Ceramic Tree
You don't have to wait until December to have a decorative tree in your midst. You could jump on the growing trend of orange Halloween Christmas trees. But if you're looking for something that's a little more compact in size, try this pre-lit plug-in ceramic Halloween tree. Learn more about this eerily fun decoration.
Ceramic Skull Plates
The words "scary" and "elegant" don't normally go together, but we'll make an exception for these ceramic skull plates. Fill them with Halloween candy or other treats for a ghoulish table accent. It'll also make a fun spot to store your keys, phone and other small items this season.
Halloween Kitchen Mat
Washing loads of dishes isn't anyone's idea of Halloween fun. This Halloween-themed anti-fatigue kitchen mat can make standing at the sink for long periods of time a little less fearsome—at least for your tired legs. This kitchen mat feels soft and cushiony, but it won't budget beneath your feet, thanks to a skid-proof bottom.
Skull Sugar Spoons
Add a spoonful of sugar—with a spooky twist! These stainless steel skull spoons come in a set of six, are dishwasher-safe and have smooth, rounded edges. Display this Halloween kitchen decor in a fall mug with these Halloween hot cocoa bombs at your coffee station (to which you absolutely need to add this Bones Nightmare Before Christmas Coffee!). Want more fun product picks and money-saving deals from our shopping experts and Test Kitchen? Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.
