Lifestyle

Entertaining tips to host this Halloween

Posted on: Monday, October 21, 2024

Halloween is just around the corner, which means it is time to start planning the spookiest party of the year! Whether you're hosting a small gathering or a full-blown haunted bash, these tips will help you create a memorable Halloween experience for your guests at home. From decorations to games, costumes, and treats, we've got you covered for a frightfully fun night!

Host a pumpkin carving competition

hosting a pumpkin carving competition

Tap into your guests’ competitive side by hosting a pumpkin carving competition. Have your friends and family compete to see who can create the best carved or painted pumpkin. If you don’t have the space to accommodate a pumpkin carving battle, you could ask guests to bring their entries from home to be judged for a prize. But if you really want to make things interesting, lay down some newspaper on your dining table, set a timer and watch the fun and chaos ensue!

Mystery box

Play into the fear of the unknown by creating fun mystery boxes. Simply cut holes into the sides of cardboard boxes and have your guests try and feel around for what’s inside. Some good options include cold, cooked spaghetti, skinned grapes, and passion fruit halves.

Look up some spooky recipes

Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with food

Every party needs a good spread, and Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with food. There’s no end of seasonal recipes online to make your buffet or sit-down meal one to remember. Create a creepy menu with dishes like "mummy fingers" (sausages wrapped in pastry "bandages"), "monster eyeballs" (boiled eggs with olive slices), and "witches' brew" (a punch made with lime sherbet and ginger ale). Don't forget to include themed desserts like pumpkin-shaped cookies and toffee apples for a sweet treat.

Host a horror movie marathon

If you’re all for Halloween, but not so much for partying, you could turn your living room into a mini cinema by hosting a screening of classic horror films. Create a cosy viewing area with blankets and pillows, and offer out popcorn, snacks, and themed cocktails for your guests to enjoy while watching their favourite spooky flicks.

Extend the party outdoors

Halloween is a chilling season, so why not let your guests venture outdoors? Indoor parties can get stuffy and some people might want a breather, so get your firepit ready, dress up your garden with some good old-fashioned motion-activated jump scares, and set up a cosy seating area to extend your party outdoors.

Set the mood with themed decor

Transform your home into a haunted mansion with eerie decorations. Consider using cobwebs, fake spiders, skeletons, and flickering candles to create an eerie atmosphere. You can even take it up a notch with fog machines and spooky soundtracks to set the mood. For a more refined party aesthetic, decorate with lanterns, candles and carved pumpkins – they're a Halloween must-have!

Establish a costume theme

Halloween gatherings are all about dressing up

Halloween gatherings are all about dressing up, but sometimes deciding on a costume can leave some of your guests in a kerfuffle. Make the decision easier by narrowing down their options with a specific theme. Whether it’s scary movie characters, witches and wizards, ghosts, or zombies, you can match your home’s décor to the theme to really create an immersive experience. You can even have a costume contest with prizes for the best, scariest, and most original outfits. This will not only add to the fun but also create fantastic photo opportunities.

Happy Halloween!

Contact us

Are you looking to move somewhere more suited to your needs? Contact your local Guild Member today to start your journey to buying, selling or letting.

Recent News

Award-winning excellence at The Guild Conference and Awards Ceremony 2025

2025 interior design trends

How to prepare your home to host Christmas

Read What Our
Customers Say

The team were awesome throughout all aspects of the house purchase (Wendy, Nikki & Tom) especially as we needed a quick completion (under a month from viewing to moving in). Every question was answered and they were always super responsive and never left us hanging. I would thoroughly recommend from the purchase side and therefore from the selling side, as assuming the vendors of the property we purchased were thankful for a quick turnaround too. Thank you team H&O.

Trevor Olney-Jones

Highly recommended!

Holland and Odam offer an honest, friendly, speedy and effective service. They are very well established, cover a wide area, and have an extensive team of expert advisers who will bend over backwards to assist.

Having worked with them for several years, I can say that Holland and Odam are a pleasure to work with.

Ian Threlkeld

Jack at Holland and Odam recently helped me sell my house, and I couldn’t be happier with the service! From start to finish, he was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in achieving the best outcome. Jack kept me updated every step of the way, answered all my questions patiently, and his expertise in the local market ensured we achieved a fantastic price. The whole team at Holland and Odam were efficient and friendly, making what can be a stressful process feel smooth and straightforward. Outstanding service!

Daniel Lee

We had a fantastic experience throughout the sale process with the Holland & Odam team. Their communication and approach was invaluable and all aspects of the services provided were delivered professionally and to a high standard. Thank you for all your help and guidance.

Paolo Del-greco5

My sisters and I found Holland and Odam’s approach as estate agents excellent. They were friendly and approachable . Very professional keeping us informed at every step of the process. Good communication throughout the sale of the house. I would throughly recommend their services.

Benita Griguoli

How Much is Your Property Worth?

Book a Valuation