Host the Most Spooktacular Halloween Party

A Halloween party is for children. And for teens. And for your next-door neighbors, and your BFF from high school, and your goofy Aunt Nancy. Also, Larry from Accounting. And, of course, it’s also for you and everyone in your household, too.

In fact, who doesn’t love a good Halloween bash? A party is always a fun idea, any time of year… but there’s just something about a Halloween party that hits different. It’s an amazing chance to get together and wear silly get-ups, enjoy some refreshments and share a scary vibe with friends, family, neighbors, the kiddos, and anyone else who wants to join in, before the “serious” holidays come along.

So dust off your decorative pumpkins, put some bangers on the Bluetooth, and get ready for a howling good time – because the most spooktacular night of the year is almost here!

Set the (Spooky) Scene

Creating the right atmosphere is crucial to setting the mood for your Halloween party. Decorations are key. Think cobwebs, fake spiders, and jack-o’-lanterns. Hang up some orange and black streamers, and place a few strategically placed skeletons and ghosts around the room. For added fun, consider creating a “haunted hallway” with eerie lights and fog machines. Make sure to add a touch of silliness to keep things on the lighthearted side, especially for the youngsters.

For a little more inspiration on how to “creepify” your kitchen, we have some creative and timely tips to share.

Create a Monster Playlist!

It’s just not a real Halloween shindig without some legit crypt-kicking tunes! You can easily find pre-crafted playlists for your fiesta of fright on the major streaming services. But if you want to build your own creation, we have a few ideas to get you started…

• “The Monster Mash” by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the CryptKicker Five
• “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
• “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.
• “Bloody Mary” by Lady Gaga
• “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
• “Disturbia” by Rihanna
• “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder
• “Ghost Town” by The Specials
• “Time Warp” by The Rocky Horror Picture Show Cast
• “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult
• “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon
• “Maneater” by Hall & Oates
• “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow
• “Halloween” by Dave Mathews Band

Once the party is in full-swing, turn it up a notch and hold a diabolical dance-off. It’s always fun to see who can bust a move with a costume on!

All-Ages Costume Creativity

Encourage all of your guests, young and old, to dress up for the occasion and turn your eerie event into a costume contest with categories like “Best Family Costume,” “Scariest Costume,” and “Most Creative DIY.” Offer small prizes or Halloween-themed treats to make it more exciting.

For families with young children, consider having a “Costume Parade” where kids can show off their outfits. It’s a great way to keep the little devils engaged and excited. You can also set up a photo booth with props like witch hats, pirate swords, and awesome masks for everyone to enjoy.

Spirited Treats for the Kiddos

Halloween parties are the perfect excuse to get a little creative with your food offerings. Kids of all ages will love “Mummy Dogs” (aka hot dogs wrapped and baked in crescent roll dough) or “Witch’s Brew” punch (fruit juice with lemon-lime soda). You can even let them get creative by setting up a “Build-Your-Own-Sundae” station with various toppings like gummy worms, candy eyeballs, and colorful sprinkles.

For a delicious treat (with no tricks) that even picky eaters will love, check out this simple and sweet recipe…

Gobblin’ Goodies Pumpkin Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cream or half & half
• 2-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• Orange food coloring

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place all the cupcake ingredients, dry and wet, into a large bowl and stir on low speed with an electric mixer to combine. Mix on medium speed for a minute or two.

Step 2: Line two mini-muffin pans with paper cupcake liners (24 total) and scoop the batter into each cupcake liner. Bake for 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Step 3: Beat the butter on medium speed with a mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add the sugar, cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Stir in the food coloring. Wait until the muffins are cool, then use a pastry bag to frost each muffin generously.

Step 4: Decorate the tops with orange and yellow sprinkles, candy corn, Reese’s pieces, or whatever small Halloween decorations you have on-hand. Get devilishly festive!

Grown-Up Good Times

It’s a party, after all, so you should definitely have a selection of adult refreshments on-hand, including soft drinks and other thirst-quenchers for guests who prefer to go alcohol-free. But when it comes to Halloween-style adult beverage classics, there is only one undisputed champ for celebrating the spirit of the seaso

The Bloodiest of Marys

Ingredients

• 3 cups tomato juice
• 2 cups clamato juice
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoons pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Premium vodka
• Celery salt (to taste)

Directions

Step 1: In a blender, combine the tomato juice, clamato, lemon juice, lime juice, pickle juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and hot sauce and process until smooth.

Step 2: Transfer to a nonreactive container and add salt and black pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Step 3: When ready to serve, fill each glass with ice. Add 1 ounce of vodka to each glass, then fill the glass with the bloody Mary mix. Stir well and garnish each glass with a celery stalk, a cucumber spear, or a skewer of charcuterie and cheese. Sprinkle with celery salt, if desired.

Note: If you’re serving the designated driver, be sure to leave out the vodka!

And Suddenly, the Halloween Party is All Over

When the bell finally tolls on your Halloween fright-fest, that’s when the time for cleanup begins. But with Kenmore by your side, you’ll have it under control in no time!

Our dishwasher lineup includes spacious, ENERGY STAR® certified models with EasyFlex™ third rack for up to 35% more loading area.

Kenmore canister & upright vacuums, wet/dry vacs, and carpet & stain cleaners are designed to handle the messes and spills in every room of your home, and any type of floor.

And you can count on our washers and dryers to tackle the toughest washing challenges and make sure your favorite costume is spotless so you can wear it again next year with pride!

We hope you and your family enjoy a safe, joyful, and frightfully delightful Halloween this year, and every year!