Halloween is just a couple of weeks away, and that means it's party-planning time! One of the especially fun aspects of this holiday are all the iconic decorations-- pumpkins, spiders, ghosts, witches-- the list goes on and on. This week we'll be sharing ideas with you for putting together decor for a party geared toward the kids and (on our next post) a party designed for the adults. There are, of course, many decorations that can be used for both (and if you're trying to save some dollars this year, that may be the way to go), but whatever your preferences, you can find some inspiration here and start to brainstorm on how to decorate the perfect party (or parties) for your celebration of this super-fun holiday.
First off, just a reminder that not everything has to come from Amazon, Michael's, or Party City (which, let's face it, can get pretty expensive pretty fast, and you don't want to have to limit your creative vision to three pumpkins and a witch's hat to stay on budget, do you?). In recent years, places like The Dollar Tree have come out with some truly impressive items for the price (you can see a video walk-through of a New Jersey Dollar Tree from NJShoreBeachLife here). They of course still have the traditional foam-lettered signs and such, but some much more sophisticated options as well (of course, each of these types of stores will have varying inventories, but it's definitely worth checking a couple out to see what treasures you might find for very little money).
You can also get creative with some items you already have around the house to make things like these adorable Milk Jug Ghosts from Spoonful with old milk jugs and battery-powered string or tea lights (this is a good one to include the kids on-- do they want ghosts with happy faces? Scary faces? Faces that look surprised?):
or these lovely jack-o-lantern luminaries made from old mason jars and colored tissue paper (you can see the how-to-make tutorial from Mason Jar Crafts Blog here):
Also remember that this time of year there is an abundance of black and orange decor that is easily grab-able from almost any store, including tablecloths, balloons, etc. Check out these stunning decorations created by Karin Lidbeck using mostly crepe paper and lots of double-sided tape (more on her blog Your Cozy Home here):
Adding a banner like these to your wall, mantel, or food table is a nice way to greet your guests and adds some decorative elements all on its own (plus it's a good piece to be able to re-use in future years):
When we think of Halloween lighting, often we imagine creepy drippy candles, spooky cauldrons, etc., but if you'd like your party to err on the less-scary side for the little ones, try something like this neat mantel garland from Not2Crafty featuring string lights, feathers, and little witch shoes:
Including some sparkle, shine, and other fun elements in your party's decor is always a hit with kids, like these glittery "BOO!" pumpkins from Creatively Southern:
or this fun idea shared on Bubblegum and Duct Tape of decorating the bottom of your table to look like witch's legs (count how many seconds it will take for your youngest guests to walk up and try to see where the legs go!):
or this awesome "bubbling cauldron" from Michelle's Party Plan-It (check out the how-to-make video here):
Throwing a Halloween party for the kids is such a great way to get your creative juices flowing (and for lots of the DIY ideas, your own children can definitely help with some of the "D"). Remember also that Halloween falls right in the middle of the week this year, so if you're planning on doing something like throwing one party the weekend before for the kids and one party the weekend after for the adults, stay tuned for more spooky and spectacular ideas for the grown ups....