7 best Halloween party essentials

What do you need for a Halloween party?

If you're planning to throw a Halloween party, you might be wondering how to create the right atmosphere and experience for your guests. Halloween is such a distinctive holiday that it's easy to pick up decorations and create activities that instantly set the mood as your guests arrive.

Whether you're working with a small or large budget, there are lots of things you can pick up to throw the best Halloween party ever.

Halloween party essentials

One of the most common activities on Halloween night is trick-or-treating. However, this is reserved for children who go knocking from door to door to ask for candy.

Depending on the area you live, trick-or-treating isn't always an option, so many households attend Halloween parties instead. Halloween parties are also a great way for adults to get in on the fun and enjoy the spirit of the holiday, too.

If you're planning on throwing a Halloween party for any age group, some essentials to stock up on include:

• Decorations: Halloween decorations can vary from simply stringing some fake cobwebs around the room to investing in scary animatronics. Glow-in-the-dark items like lanterns are also great for adding a spooky effect. You can also stick paper bats and spiders on the wall or spring for a smoke machine to set the mood.
• Food: You'll probably want to serve some typical party food in case people get hungry. But there are plenty of Halloween-themed candies and drinks you can pick up, too. Add some Halloween plates and cups into the mix to keep the dining experience on theme.
• Games: Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy some of the simple traditional games like bobbing for apples. But you can also get Halloween bingo cards or bag toss games to keep your guests entertained throughout the night.
• Costumes: Not everyone likes to put effort into a Halloween costume. So you can provide some simple items like witches' hats or masks at the front door in case anyone arrives unprepared.

What to consider before picking up Halloween party items

Getting organized is the best way to ensure your Halloween party is a success. Before you start shopping, consider these aspects of your planned gathering:

• Your theme: Your Halloween theme can be as simple as deciding just how scary you want things to be. It's also a great way to stay on budget and not get distracted while shopping for party essentials. For example, you could pick your favorite horror movie and build a theme around it. Or you could choose a quintessential Halloween character like vampires and pick up party items based on that theme.
• The number of people: If you're welcoming a smaller group, games and activities will be important for keeping the party flowing. For bigger parties, you might want to create more of an experience. So items like decorations and music will be a top priority.
• Age group: Depending on whether you're throwing a party for kids or adults (or both), you should carefully consider your theme, decorations and activities to make sure it's age-appropriate. Kids will also need more organized entertainment to keep them occupied.
• Your party space: If you're having the party at home, carefully assess your party area before you pick up essentials. Get some ideas about the types of decorations you want and where you'll want to place them. This will help avoid overspending on essentials and ensure nothing you buy for the party goes to waste. On the other hand, you may be renting a space to throw a big Halloween bash. This will likely require a bit more investment in party essentials to ensure you capture the right mood and aesthetic.
• Reusable items: If you plan to make your Halloween party an annual occurrence, try to source party essentials that can be reused. This will save you money and time when planning the party every year. Just make sure you have enough storage space for everything first.

Best essentials to buy for your Halloween party

Kyekio Purple Flickering Flame Outdoor Halloween Lights

Lead your guest through your front yard and into the party with these solar-powered LED outdoor lanterns. Simply stick them into the ground and switch them on for a spooky effect.

Sold by Amazon

Coogam Halloween Bats Decoration

This pack of 60 vinyl bats provides four different sizes, all with adhesive backs so you can easily stick them around the party areas. You can even reuse them next year by adding new adhesive strips to the back.

Sold by Amazon

Zpisf Super-Stretch Cobwebs

Suitable for indoor use or for stretching over your porch or trees outside, this pack provides 900 square feet of fake polyester cobwebs. Just be careful to keep it away from any open flames indoors.

Sold by Amazon

Vanow Halloween Treat Bags

If you're welcoming kids over for a Halloween party, these paper bags are perfect for sending them home with some treats. The set comes with 80 Halloween-themed bags in 10 different patterns and 80 Halloween stickers.

Sold by Amazon

Halloween Outdoor Pumpkin Decorations

Pumpkins are a classic Halloween decoration, but if you don't have time to carve any for your party, this three-piece set will do the trick. Each jack-o'-lantern in the set lights up using an on/off switch and comes with its own hat.

Sold by Amazon

Gift Boutique Store Halloween Party Supplies Set

Parties can require a lot of cleanup and your day-to-day dishes are likely not Halloween-themed. This set of Halloween paper cups, plates and napkins serves 24 people so your party stays on theme and is easier to clean up.

Sold by Amazon

Gatherfun Black Pumpkin Disposable Paper Cups

Lots of adult Halloween parties are more focused on drinks than food. So if you just need a way to distribute your Halloween punch to a large number of guests, these durable and disposable paper cups are super convenient.

Sold by Amazon

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Lauren Farrell writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.