Halloween is approaching, and one of the best ways to celebrate is to open up your home to friends for some horror-themed fun. Here we share a few tips to keep your haunted house guests coming back for more.
1. Make costumes mandatory. Seeing your friends in costume gets the party going and keeps it lively throughout the night. If someone shows up in jeans and a t-shirt, make sure to have facepaint on hand. No one escapes!
2. Decorate the house, inside and out. Make ghosts out of old white bedsheets over balloons, and hang them from your porch. If you’re in an apartment complex, put an ominous note on the front door. Rent a fog machine to bring out a risen-from-the-dead look, both in person and in photographs. Last but not least, channel your favorite slasher film star with plenty of fake blood!
3. Celebrate “Rocktober” with live entertainment. Have an experienced DJ splice together horror movie snippets with classic Halloween tunes. If you opt for a band, you’ll love your guests’ reactions as the sound of live instruments fills your party space.
4. Provide seasonal food and beverages that your guests can’t easily get everywhere else. “The way into the heart is through the stomach” is a phrase that can apply to everyone. Pumpkin beer, cider, cinnamon toasted almonds and hand-frosted cookies or cupcakes are sure to please everyone at your party. Even better, make finger foods that look questionably similar to body parts. This is the one time you can have your food look as grotesque as you want, and still get an awesome reaction. Just make sure it tastes good!
5. Give guests a surprise when they arrive and when they leave. Wear a mask to “greet” guests as they walk up. When they leave, give them a creepy grab bag with candy, candles and whatever else fits your style. Your guests will remember how they felt at your party from start to finish.
6. Screen a silent horror film. If you have a projector, show a horror film on your wall and mute the sound. You can’t go wrong with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the Exorcist, Halloween or Poltergeist.
7. Create the haunted house vibe with eerie lighting. Are you on a budget? To really up the scare factor quickly and easily, hand make jack-o’-lanterns and paper bag luminaries. Plastic monsters and tombstones are fun when done right — but opting to splurge more on entertainment, food and beverages will make a lasting impression on your guests.
8. Go DIY with a homemade pumpkin keg. Grab a pumpkin, a carving kit and a spigot. Carve out the pumpkin and a small, clean opening for the spigot in the front. Add your favorite seasonal ale or cider, and you’re good to go!
Whatever you decide to do this Halloween, we hope you’re surrounded by great people, delicious grub, and best of all — amazing music.
