plan an at home halloween party + spooky movie suggestions

Halloween can be described in a lot of ways. Scary. Thrilling. Exciting. However you sum up this spooky seasonal event, the most important thing to do is make it memorable. Often, Halloween is celebrated with elaborate parties overloaded with friends and family members in full costumes. There are often nights out at fully decorated clubs or bars with themed beverages. Or local ghost tours. Or special events at theme parks. Or pumpkin walks. Yes, there are many ways to celebrate Halloween as an adult. This year? Things are definitely different. Many of those traditional seasonal events have been altered, downsized, or cancelled. That doesn't mean you have to throw in the towel. There is one safe and festive way to celebrate all things Halloween: throw yourself an at home party. Here are some party planning suggestions and a few spooky movies.

At Home Halloween Party Planning Tips

Hosting an at home Halloween party can be as complex or as simple as you like. Especially these days! Since there won't be anyone attending from outside your household (for safety reasons) what you do in terms of preparation will really depend on how much you feel like doing. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind during the planning process:

• Bring Out Your Decorations. Just because there won't be trick or treaters coming to your front door doesn't mean you can't decorate your space. Pull those décor pieces up from the basement and incorporate them into your party area. (Living room, kitchen, or wherever you are planning the main festivities.) Anything will do! Plastic pumpkins, decorative spiders, or hanging ghosts. Use what you have to your advantage. Setting the scene will really add to the overall excitement level. Don't have any Halloween decorations? You can always order some online, check out your local dollar store if it is safe to do so, or make your own.  
• Put on Themed Music. There is more than one way to set the scene. Don't overlook spooky music. It can create a wonderfully chilling atmosphere that the whole family will enjoy. You can keep it light and fun (by creating a playlist or streaming themed videos on YouTube) with songs like "Monster Mash" or make it ultra spooky with scary soundtracks or Halloween-themed instrumental music. Once you have the décor and music taken care of...your at home party will feel festive in the best possible way. 
• Get Creative in the Kitchen. Another fun way to celebrate Halloween at home? Bake, cook, and have fun with food. There are so many possibilities! Make something simple like dirt and worms (chocolate pudding, crushed Oreo pieces, and some gummy worms) or bake some pumpkin shaped cookies using your favourite recipe. You can create zombie inspired items by wrapping pastry around hot dogs (and adding on some edible eyes with food markers) for a twist on the traditional pig in a blanket. Have fun and do your best to create deliciously scary dishes.
• Enjoy Fun Activities. There are so many ways to have fun at home. Do your own Halloween makeup (here are a couple of easy last minute ideas), enjoy doing some seasonal crafts, carve a pumpkin with the family, read a scary book or short story, paint your nails orange or glow in the dark, play a board game together, or have a cartoon or movie marathon. There is so much to do. Ask your family members or roommates what they want to do and shape the evening around those preferences. 

When it comes time for your at home Halloween party, do whatever makes you happy. The most important thing is to embrace the spirit of the season and have as much fun as possible. Happy Halloween!

Spooky Movie Suggestions

There are many different holiday movies to enjoy on or around Halloween. For something lighter, stick to things like the Halloweentown series, Casper, The Great Pumpkin, and Mary-Kate and Ashley's Double, Double, Toil and Trouble. But for those that are looking for shocks and scares this Halloween? Here are a few spooky movie suggestions to add to your watchlist.

Spooky Movie Suggestions: the Halloween series (either the re-makes or the originals) is always a must. Not only because it is literally based around Halloween but also because Michael Myers is iconic. Personally, I prefer the original films to the re-makes but it is totally up to you. Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 are on my must-watch list each and every Halloween night. Another option is Sleepaway Camp, which has a chilling ending that will stay with you long after the credits finish rolling. Or there is always Trick r Treat, which is a unique film with several separate storylines that all tie together in the end. Any of the Scream movies will give you that whodunit aspect while still maintaining lots of scares and action. The Friday the 13th movies are also a solid choice as is The Call and Happy Birthday to Me.

As you can see from this list, my preference tends to be scary rather than overly gross, gory, or involving psychological torture. While everyone has their own personal preferences....there are a lot of horror themed movies that I simply cannot watch. They go too far. So, if you are someone that likes spooky, scary, or thrilling, consider one of the spooky movie suggestions above.

What kind of horror movies do you like to watch? Will you have an at home Halloween party?