Halloween 2025

Spooky season is right around the corner and this year is set to be bigger than ever. In this blog we’re running through our top five tips for bringing your friends and family together this year for a fright-tastic Halloween! #SquadGhouls

How to throw a Halloween Party

A fantastic Halloween party is all about spooky vibes, creative ideas, and the special ingredient for any party - a little bit of planning magic.

Here are our five top tips to ensure this year's party is a graveyard smash!

1. Set a Spooky Theme

Your theme is the heart of your party. It's the spooky spirit that ties everything together, from your decorations to your food. We recommend picking a theme early and letting everyone know on the invite, so they can dress to impress!

• Haunted House: Turn your home into a creepy, immersive experience with dim lighting, fake cobwebs, and spooky sound effects.
• Witches' Coven: Embrace the mystical with a cauldron for punch, magical-themed cocktails, and an atmosphere full of candles and enchanting scents.
• Horror Movie Night: Pick a classic horror film or franchise and build the night around it. Think "Friday the 13th" with a bonfire and camping horror, or "Beetlejuice" with a black-and-white striped motif.
• Zombie Apocalypse: A great excuse for big hair, neon colors, and a dance-off between survivors and the undead.

2. Craft a Killer Atmosphere

Once you have a theme, it’s time to bring it to life with decorations. Don't be afraid to go all out! A great atmosphere is what turns a regular get-together into a full-blown Halloween party.

• Lighting is Key: Ditch the bright overhead lights. Use colored light bulbs (red, purple, or green) to cast an eerie glow. String up some fake flickering candles or battery-operated twinkle lights to create a spooky mood.
• Sound Matters: Create a playlist of classic spooky tunes - who doesn’t love the Monster Mash—at least one night a year! Mix in some haunting sound effects like creaking doors, howling winds, and ghostly whispers to keep everyone on edge.
• DIY Decor: Don’t worry - you don’t need to get the paint tins out or fire up the power tools. We’re thinking more about draping white sheets over furniture for an easy haunted house look, hanging paper bats from the ceiling and the classic cobwebs for that true Halloween feel!

3. Plan Spooktacular Food and Drinks

Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with your menu and add a scary twist to proceedings. The food and drinks are a great way to showcase your theme and delight your guests.

• Witches Brew: Every good Halloween party needs a special drink. Embrace your inner witch and make a cauldron (or a large bowl will do!) of a signature punch and give it a fun, spooky name. 
• Ghoulishly Good Snacks: Take your favourite party foods and give them a Halloween twist to impress your guests. Getting creative with your pizza toppings can turn a party classic into the spookiest buffet of the year!
• Sweet Treats: Even if you’re a little too old for trick or treating, it wouldn't be Halloween without some sugar. Decorate cupcakes to look like eyeballs, bake some ghost-shaped cookies, or serve a simple pumpkin pie. What’s not to love!

4. Have a Costume Contest

Encourage your guests to get in on the fun with a costume contest. It adds a layer of excitement and gives everyone a chance to show off their creativity.

• Offer Prizes: The prizes don't have to be expensive. A trophy, a gift card, or some sweet treats can be a great incentive!
• Create Fun Categories: Instead of just going with ‘Best Costume’, why not mix things up this year and add categories like Funniest Costume, Most Original or Best Duo. The more people you can celebrate, the more memorable this party will be!
• Let Your Guests Vote: Make it a group decision for the winner/s. It’s a great way to get everyone involved and keep things exciting!

5. Add a Little Bit of Extra Fun

While costumes and music are great, a few planned activities can really elevate your party.

• Murder Mystery Game: If you're hosting a smaller group, a Halloween-themed murder mystery game is the perfect way to get everyone involved in a thrilling story.
• Spooky Movie Marathon: Set up a projector or TV with some classic horror films playing on mute in the background. It adds to the atmosphere and gives people something to watch during downtime!
• Pumpkin Decorating Station: Provide pumpkins, paint, and glitter, and let your guests unleash their inner artists.

By focusing on these five tips, you'll be well on your way to throwing a Halloween party that your friends will be talking about long after the jack-o-lanterns have gone out!

How do I collect money from my friends for a party?

We know it can sometimes get a little spooky (pun intended!) when you’re chasing friends for money, especially when you’re already putting so much time and effort into actually planning the party.

If you normally find yourself out of pocket when it comes to planning events with your friends, then we’ve got you covered. Collctiv is the easiest way to collect money from your group - without needing to share any bank details!

We recommend setting a clear budget for the party and letting people know what they’re chipping in for (decorations, food, drink and everything else party related). 

This is where Collctiv steps in to make sure everyone pays you straight away. Simply set up a pot, share the link or QR code with your friends and they can pay in a couple of seconds, with no lengthy signup process.

We remove the friction from people paying you, letting you focus on the fun part of planning the scariest party of the year while the money starts rolling into your pot!

This money stays in your pot until you’re ready to withdraw it to your bank account or buy a gift card, so you can keep these payments completely separate from your personal banking too (and easily keep an eye on who has paid you!).

Organisers bring people together

Since 2019 Collctiv has helped over 1.7 million people from 175 countries come together by making it simple for Organisers to collect money from groups. Whether it's gifts for teachers, group holidays or grassroots sports teams - download our free app today and start bringing people together!

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