Halloween Party Necessities
Whether you're throwing a monster mash yourself or visiting someone else's haunted house, it's a good idea to go through a list of what you'll need for Halloween party fun.
For Children
It is a fact that despite the morbid connotations of this celebration, kids still love Halloween. From the costumes  to the candy, Halloween is a culminating point in the school year. There are lots of fun party favors for kids beyond the candy that they'll inevitably get. Also see Halloween Crafts for more ideas from craft kits to costumes and more.
Party Activities
Halloween party activities can range from mild to morbid. If you're thinking of setting up a haunted house, check out the buying guide for haunted house decorations for more suggestions.
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Cookie Decorating There's no end to the number of ways kids will decorate cookies. Give them plain round cookies and a lot of colorful gummy spiders, or use special Halloween cookie cutters to make pumpkin, ghost and witch cookies. Just make sure you have plenty of orange, white and black frosting! |
Skull Hunt Like an Easter egg hunt, but with eye sockets! Fill mini skulls with candy and hide them around the yard, or mark certain skulls as "prize" skulls and reward the discoverer at the end of the hunt. For younger children, you might want to paint the skulls with glow-in-the-dark paint before the hunt begins. |
Pumpkin Relay What's a fast way to tire kids out? Make 'em run holding a pumpkin! The best part is that they'll have a good time, too. Use small pumpkins for small children, medium pumpkins for older children. First team to complete the relay wins an extra treat. |
Bobbing for Apples If the evening isn't too chilly (or you're staying indoors the whole night), try the old classic. Get an apple out of the water in a barrel or tub without using your hands. The prize is a healthy snack! |
Feel Box There is nothing quite like your imagination to scare the dickens out of you. Assemble a "feel box" and have kids guess what's inside. Try peeled tomatoes for hearts, peeled grapes for eyeballs, overcooked rice in oil for maggots, etc. |
Party Favors
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Trick or Treat Bag Sugar might rot away your teeth, but these bags will last for several seasons. They're cute and perfectly sized for tots. |
Scary Backpack of Fun Little devils will love this bag full of creepy supplies to tease their siblings, traumatize teachers, and trick their friends. |
Ooeey Gooey Slippery Slimy Gift Set
Girls and boys will love this gross gift full of sticky hands, putty, egg splat, and more. |
Mini Face Paint Kit Even the boys will like playing with face paint, as long as it makes them look monstrous! |
Glow Sticks
These come in big packs so you kids don't have to fight over who gets one. Safe and fun for trick or treating. |
Slumber Party!
Here are a few ideas to get your gears churning, from spooky board games to entertainment, such as books and movies.
Other movies you might want to consider for young children are:
Other books for youngsters:
School Parties
If you are a teacher and are looking for gifts for your students, here are some simple ideas that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Some of the ideas below also make good gifts to give to trick or treaters if you prefer not to give candy.
Adults
Food and Drink
You can't make everything out of pumpkins or sugar. Take a look at these ideas for other kinds of autumnal treats that are sure to please.
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Root Vegetable Stew Use the bounty of the season to make a delicious, vegetarian stew. 'Tis the season for parsnips, potatoes, carrots, onions, turnips and others. |
Tagine The savory, spicy flavors of this Moroccan dish (made in the cookware of the same name) are great for the autumn. |
Cheeses
Leave the lightweight chevres with your tropical drinks -- those are for the summer. For autumn, bring out rich Cheddars, smokey goudas or Brezian, and a sharp piece of Parmigiano. |
Apple Cake Whether from a mix or from scratch, apple cake is a perfect autumn dessert. |
... but you can still make plenty of things with pumpkin.
Party Games
An excellent choice for Halloween entertainment that doesn't involve decking your home out like a haunted house are games. For adults, murder mystery games are the perfect choice for an evening full of sophisticated fun and fright. Here are the most popular brands, from which there are several theme variations to choose. You might also be interested in the classic game of Clue.
With all of these dinner party games, it is a good idea to plan well in advance, determine how many people you will need to play, and how difficult the preparation of the food will be.
For Your Host
Big kids like to have fun on Halloween too. If you have been invited to a Halloween party, don't be a ghastly guest and not bring something. Here are some gifts to light up someones dark and devilish night.
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Gourmet Caramel Apples Chocolate, caramel, or candy covered -- just make sure they're gourmet and you have a tantalizingly tasty gift that any host with a sweet tooth can appreciate. |
Candle Globe Not everyone loves a Jack o' Lantern, but a harvest-hued candle holder is fitting for the season. Plus your host can use it all year round. |
Gargoyle People who enjoy lawn art and decorating outdoors may enjoy a scary statue of a gargoyle or other ghoulish creature of the night. |
Brain Mold So your host told you to bring dessert? Make some jiggling Jello in the shape of a brain! Not exactly a class act, but perfect for someone who is a class clown. |
Wicked Mug Know a host who is a real witch? Let her know what you really feel about her with these comic mug. Perfect for wicked witches of the east or west! |
Party Favors
Hosting a little ghoul-together for your friends? Don't forget a few seasonal party favors to round out the evening!
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Flavored Liqueurs Autumn calls for apples, cinnamon, and spices. Send your guests home with tiny bottles of flavored schnapps and a recipe card. Or, try a packet of mulling spices and a mini-bottle of spiced rum. |
Practical Jokes The kid in everyone will appreciate a big bowl of assorted silly joke candies on the way out. Just watch out if anyone offers you a sweet! |
Scented Candles Send your guests home with a miniature version of the scented candle that you burn at the party, and they'll remember the good times for a long time afterwards! Try pumpkin spice, cranberry or cinnamon fragrances. |
Premium Confections Why take the candy out of Halloween? Treat your guests to something more mature than candy corn -- how about party-favor sizes of chocolate truffles or gourmet biscotti wrapped to go? |
For Everyone
Scary Movies
Halloween is certainly a time to watch scary movies (and I don't mean Scary Movie 4 ). Here are some great horror flicks to catch after the lights go down and the ghosts come out. While some are knock-your-socks-off scary, others are just, well, plain entertaining. Be sure the young ones aren't around -- these flicks tend to bring nightmares.
Scary Stories
Telling ghost stories is part of the Halloween tradition for many. Whether you are a book lover or simply enjoy a little chilling literary entertainment, here are some books to send your hair on end.
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