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The most iconic holiday of the year is finally here! *pumps fist* It’s time to take a break from midterms, pick up a pumpkin spice latte, and start focusing on the only thing worth living for this semester: Halloween. Sure, you might be too old to trick-or-treat and passing out candy in a university town doesn’t really happen, BUT celebrating Halloween during college is a ride.
To get everyone in the spooky spirit, this year we’ve partnered with Charmed to help you host an epic Halloween party in five easy steps. (BTW, you can catch the premiere of the new series Sunday, October 14 at 9/8c on The CW.) From the crazy costumes to the endless supply of chocolate, Halloween parties are all-around Instagram-worthy and sure to be one of the most memorable events in your friend group. Below is everything you need to make your party a hit!
1. Make your apartment festive AF
It’s not a Halloween party without ~atmosphere~, and whether your theme is spooky-cute or just plain spooky, stocking up on decorations is required. While hosting a party in your dorm or apartment might mean space is limited, even just a few pumpkins and string lights can amp up the ambiance.
Here are the most popular decorations found at Halloween soirées (and you can pick or skip depending on your budget and amount of space):
- Stretchable spider webs
- Tea-light candles
- Pumpkins
- Fall leaves garland
- Orange and black balloons
- Black cauldrons
- Skeletons or miscellaneous bones
- Hanging bats
- Tombstones
- Fog machine
- Strobe lights
- Themed tableware and drinkware​
2. Bump a Halloween playlist
Now is the time to live your DJ dreams. I mean, how often can you spin the “Monster Mash” IRL and have it be acceptable?
For the best Halloween music lineup, we recommend going with classic, cool songs like “Werewolves in London” and “Thriller” interspersed with pop-culture throwbacks from childhood that all your friends will love to geek out listening to (“This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas and the Ghostbusters theme).
If you don’t have the time to build a playlist yourself, we’ve made one here for your partying pleasure:
3. SNACKS
As a holiday famed for bite-sized Reese’s and those little candy pumpkins everyone secretly loves, snacks are a given at the ultimate Halloween party. You have a few serving routes to choose from here:
- Go all in and whip up cute and creative Halloween appetizers and desserts, ranging from hot dog mummies to skeleton cupcakes.
- Buy a bunch of candy and chips, and call it a day – because college students will NEVER complain about Doritos.
- If you’re working with a small budget, make your party a potluck and require each of your friends to bring a dish to share.
Top off the treat assortment with a themed Halloween cocktail or mocktail, and you’ve got yourself a celebration.
4. Pick a costume theme
It’s a Halloween party – this is the one events where your friends simply CANNOT show up in leggings and a sweatshirt. To elevate your party’s general vibe, ask attendees to wear a costume and fully embrace the mood. The best way to do this is to pick a costume “theme” your guests should adhere to, i.e. 2018-relevant costumes, Disney costumes, masquerade, etc. Not only will this make for a super cute group pic, but it feels way mores spirited than sitting around eating candy corn in the same clothes you wear every day.
5. Organize games and activities
Halloween games aren’t just for kids – there’s a ton of different activities adults can enjoy too, mainly because of the sheer nostalgia factor. Think: bobbing for apples, having a “Monster Mash” dance party, playing scary movie trivia, carving pumpkins – anything your guests can engage with when they’re not chatting or snacking.
Are you feeling inspired? Follow the steps above to host a Halloween party perfect for any college group, pretty soon you’ll have a yearly tradition of throwing the ultimate spooky bash at your place. Don’t forget to tune-in to the series premiere of Charmed on Sunday, October 14 at 9/8c only on The CW to help the creative juices flowing. We can’t wait to see what else you come up with!