Simple Tips for a Successful Halloween Party
Halloween is a great time to be on the street to see the crazy costumes people come up with. Still, whether you want to spend a peaceful night with friends avoiding the Village parade or just want to get the night started early at a central location, planning a party is easy.
In New York, hosting large gatherings can be hard without access to a sizable space. Apartments are good for pre-gaming and small get-togethers as well as a “home base” if you’re located near other hangouts, and while a blowout dance party sounds amazing, a smaller setup is ideal and easier to plan for.
Themes help get everyone suited up, especially for the last minute costume planners and non-enthusiasts. It also helps in deciding on decorations and food. Just make sure to warn people in advance, or make the “theme” optional and extremely loose, like TV characters, horror movies or even something decade-centric. “Zombie Prom” is simple and keeps costuming fairly cheap, while a gothic theme can be applied to anything from zombies to vampires and beyond.
Setting the mood is easy. Find black lights or dark light bulbs and orange light strands, then dim or cut regular lighting. Decorating doesn’t have to be over-the-top, so unless you’re obsessive or throwing a huge party, don’t overdo the fake spider webs and hanging skeletons. Carved pumpkins, gourds, dead/black roses and candles are simple and festive, perfect to spread across the alcohol and food table. Add dry ice for some spooky effects around the drinks if you’d like.
Music is the most important factor, so ditch the “spooky sound effects” and the usual clichés. Old horror movie soundtracks and songs like “Monster Mash” are also overused, and while “Thriller” is old but acceptable, instead try gothic rock, heavy metal and dark techno like Rammestein, Rob Zombie or Nine Inch Nails. Researching recent horror soundtracks will help in building a list that isn’t too overplayed. It’s easy to find songs
