The devil is in the details when it comes to Halloween party planning. If you are gathering guests for a candlelit celebration or a themed dinner this year, this spooky evening allows you to both charm and thrill your friends and family with dazzling illusions, clever lighting and seasonal menus.
Elevate your supernatural soirée this October with these eight inspiring Halloween party decoration ideas.
Creating an eerie backdrop for your party is all about putting light and shadow to good use. Dark paper silhouettes are simple to place around your home on window panes, along skirting boards and in corners where people least expect to see a shadowy form. You can purchase pre-cut patterns or design your own, whether it’s a witch soaring across a skylight, or a series of mice creeping up the stairs in your hallway.
Update your current trove of decorations with a hint of gold glitter. Plastic skulls and creeping spiders hanging from the ceiling are made instantly glamorous with a shimmering coat or a few swirling patterns of these gold flecks. Equally, adorn your chandeliers or sconces with webbing sprayed with this metallic hue to put an elegant twist on a classic decorative trick.
Carving vegetables can be time-consuming, so lend your party décor an artistic twist with painted pumpkins in vivid hues instead. Complement the earthy, russet tones with colour-block forest greens and rich berry hues, or adorn your gourds with a fresh sash of seasonal flowers.
Last year, we provided a guide to the best Halloween decorations, and even offered some tips on how to light up your All Hallows' Eve. This year, swap your coloured bulbs for small votive candles placed in hollowed-out baby pumpkins. Flickering festive lights help to create a hypnotic aura around your dinner party, especially when placed down the centre of your table amongst skulls and cobwebbed platters.
Lend dramatic flair to the everyday martini with the addition of dry ice, for that signature smoke-on-the-water look. If you’re serving your guests punch, prepare it in a witch’s cauldron and ladle it into gaudy goblets.
As you plan your menu, consider using the power of a few decorative cookie cutters. These often make the best Halloween decorations and can be used for both sweet and savoury fare. Stuff Jack-o-lantern shaped orange peppers with a southwestern blend of beans, squash and wild rice, or cut individual pot pies into scary skulls.
Make your Halloween more environmentally sustainable and avoid the usual throwaway costumes. Your existing wardrobe will already contain plenty of options that can be added to with a few key accessories or dramatic makeup. Re-purpose a baby doll dress into a ghost, or a basic black sheath into a Holly Golightly outfit. You can even recycle past costumes into new Halloween party decoration ideas, such as mounted masks for your walls.
Pay homage to the classic tradition of trick or treating and create an outdoor sweet station for your guests in place of dessert. Display colourful candies in glass jars, encouraging guests to help themselves to the Halloween bounty.
Whether you build your celebration around a central theme or simply use the colourful fruits of the season as Halloween party decoration ideas, don’t be afraid to get theatrical. It’s all part of the holiday spirit!
