Halloween Party Ideas for a Scary Good Time

Halloween is always a scary good time, plus a perfect party opportunity. We’re here to help you make your Halloween festivities frightfully fun.

Start with Decor

No matter what you’ve pinned to your Pinterest board, your essential pieces should be pumpkins. It’s easy to create a beautiful fall display by arranging them on a front porch or windowsill. Choose a few that you’ll turn into jack-o’-lanterns, then plan a time to carve your masterpieces. Your front door should be the design focus, so spook it up with cutouts of bats or black cats. Faux spiderwebs in bushes or trees add a frightful touch.

Host a Pumpkin Contest

Gather friends and family outdoors or on a video call for a pumpkin carving contest. Give prizes like small toys or bags of candy for the scariest, cutest, funniest or most original designs. Learn more about ideas for creative pumpkin designs.

Save the Seeds

While you’re carving your pumpkins, remember to save the seeds. Pumpkin seeds can be dried and roasted for a deliciously crunchy snack. First, rinse and dry your pumpkin seeds, then bake them at 400°F until they turn lightly brown – about 10-20 minutes. Then improvise with your favorite seasonings – even simple salt and pepper can be delish. Roasted pumpkin seeds are perfect as a seasonal snack or an addition to salads.

Halloween Party Foods

A party is the perfect time to show your spooktacular side. Guests will surely feast their eyes on Eyeball Guacamole. Then our Jack-o’-lantern Quesadillas will make a spellbinding statement alongside a Skeleton Vegetable Board. If you’re ready to cast a bigger spell, learn how to make a Halloween charcuterie board. Seeking healthier fare for your little monsters? These Halloween snack ideas will thrill youngsters without a scary sugar rush.

Spooky Halloween Drinks

Crafting some spirited Halloween cocktails is another way to be frightfully festive. For a striking seasonal sip, consider Hocus Pocus Pomegranate Potion or Halloween Sangria. Our Trick or Treat Spritz bubbles like a cauldron, and Eyeball Lychee Martinis are eye-popping in every way. Finally, non-alcoholic Apple Face Cider is a fall favorite perfect for all ages.

Bake Something Bewitching

Try making one of these Halloween desserts for a treat that everyone will love. For easy Halloween cupcakes, decorate a batch of cupcakes with orange frosting, then create jack-o’-lantern faces using sprinkles or candies. These recipes for Mini Pumpkin Pies or Frankenstein Crispy Rice Treats are also deliciously festive options that will please even the pickiest of eaters. Halloween Mummy Cakes and Gluten-free Ghost Cupcakes will also satisfy any sweet tooth.

Haunted Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread houses aren’t just for Christmas anymore. Creating a Halloween-inspired mansion with spooky sweets is a boo-tiful way to add to your decor. Follow our recipe for an inspired start, then modify with your own additions. Better yet, hold a contest where guests each bring their own gingerbread house to your party, with voting for the spookiest creation.

More Halloween Fun

Keep the fun going with a monster movie marathon. Liven up the evening with spooky storytime, where one person starts a story and everyone adds a sentence or two to the plot.

Need a last-minute Halloween party costume? Our guide has you covered. Ready for more inspiration? Explore more blogs and recipes, and find everything you need in our Halloween shop.