It’s that time of year again. Time to plan your annual Halloween Hootenanny! Time to make a guest list, create a costume, decorate the house, craft and mail the invites, prepare the food, organize activities, purchase prizes, and all the things.
It can get a bit overwhelming, especially when you start leafing through magazines, and you see all the fun food ideas, or you go on the hunt for a costume, and there’s just too many from which to choose.
Here’s a tip that can help streamline the process and simplify your party planning.
Pick. A. Theme.
Seriously?
Yes!
Selecting a theme can help keep you on track and get your party off to a great start. Below, I’ve broken down our top seven reasons to theme your next Halloween party.
Ditch the Squirrel Syndrome
When the black and orange hit the shops, you can feel like a kid in a candy store. You gush over one thing only to be distracted minutes later by the next fabulous Halloween goodie that catches your eye. Squirrel!
A theme keeps squirrel syndrome at bay. Yes, those Frankenstein invites are fantastic, but they don’t go with our Zombie Theme.
Build A Cohesive Party Look
Have you ever been to a haunted attraction that starts with a cemetery, and then they take you through a circus scene, and you end up at an alien crash site? The whole thing is disjointed, and it’s hard to immerse yourself in the story.
With a theme or story, you can build your decor around the theme and ignore anything that doesn’t fit. This simple focus is also excellent for keeping things on a budget, reminding you to purchase pieces that work in your story and ignore everything else.
Crazy For Costumes
Who shall I be? Should I buy it? Make it? Thrift it? Ack! Just deciding on your costume can have you second-guessing yourself.
A theme narrows the costume field, making it easier to select a character and craft a costume. A pirate party means you can pass by all the other sections in the costume shop or hit the thrift store or hack a hat and not be distracted by the latest superhero costume.
Frightful Foods
Is it just me, or do fun Halloween food ideas haunt you everywhere you go during the Halloween season? Online ads, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, even magazines at the checkout line – showing me all of the fabulous foods I can make for my party. Where will I find the time?!
Oh sure, a full-table skeleton-shaped charcuterie board is impressive, but if the theme is Willy Wonka, you will want to focus on a candy bar loaded with colorful, sugary treats instead.
Eerie Entertainment
Are you having trouble deciding the movie to show for your watch party or the game to organize for your guests? Take a clue from your theme.
Think apple-bobbing for your classic Halloween party, Shaun Of The Dead for your zombie watch party, and carnival-style games for your circus party. My personal favorite, a scavenger hunt, can be themed to nearly any party.
Give Your Guests A Clue
I know this will be a shock, but not everyone will be as excited about your Halloween party as you are. In fact, the minute that invite arrives, you will probably have a guest or two who is desperately trying to find an excuse NOT to attend.
What?
Why?
For some, attending a costume party can be a bit scary. Not everyone is comfortable wearing a costume or being in a social setting, especially if they don’t know everyone. A party with a theme might help ease that anxious spirit by letting your guests know what to expect.
A theme will give your guests the same benefits as you, a focus for their costume, and an idea of what they can look forward to at the party.
You Look Fabulous!
And, finally, our last reason to theme your Halloween party is – your photos will be epic.
From the decor to the food to the costumes, your party pics will be perfectly themed, serving as a great memory of a good time had by all.
So, there you have it— our Top 7 Reasons To Theme Your Halloween Party.