22 Festive and Fun Halloween Birthday Party Ideas That Are Worth the Effort
Tombstone cupcakes, bone-chilling cocktails and much more.
Birthdays are meant to be celebrated, but even more so when yours falls on Halloween. Prepare for your big day by settling on spooky Halloween decorations, creepy desserts (think a pumpkin cake decked out in edible bats) and creative crafts for a bash to remember. The best part is you don't have to stick to October 31 for your party. You can easily plan a birthday get-together for any other day in late October or early November.
One you've browsed this list of 22 Halloween birthday party ideas to finalize your setup and menu, don't overlook another important detail: your Halloween costume. Just be sure to have fun with whatever you choose.
Paper Lanterns
Simple paper lanterns can take on an entirely new look with clip art, paint, studs and gauze. You won't believe how eerie they appear in the dark!
Get the tutorial »
Skull Centerpiece
Add a centerpiece to your Halloween table that would make Morticia Addams proud. To create this skull centerpiece, put a cup inside of a faux skull (make sure it has a removable top), then use tape to create a grid on its rim. This will help your flowers and greenery to stay put. Fill ⅔ with water and place your large flowers and greenery in the grid. Complete the arrangement by adding your delicate flowers. To help your floral centerpiece last longer, be sure to remove any leaves or extra stems that sit below the water line.
Bleach Pen Napkins
Delight dinner guests with these vibrant hand-drawn cloth napkins. Use a bleach pen to draw a spiderweb design on the front of the napkins. Wait two hours for the design to turn completely white, then rinse and dry the napkins before adding them to your table.
Customized Candlesticks
We bet you had no idea that old wine bottles can turn into conversation starters. Add a bit of spook to your table by spray-painting your bottles in Halloween-appropriate hues. Next, place a candlestick in each bottle. (You can't go wrong with black candles, by the way.) Finally, light the candles and let the wax drip down the sides of the bottle for a festive look.
Halloween Bar Cart
It doesn't take much to make over your bar cart for Halloween. Start by covering large helium balloons with black tulle. Tie ribbon at the base and trim the skirt. Complete the look by printing print retro labels on sticker paper to attach to liquor bottles.
Batty Birthday Cake
No birthday is complete without a cake — and we suggest going all-in on your Halloween theme with one that celebrates the spooky season. To that, we bring you chocolate pumpkin cake with ribbon bat decorations.
Get the recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Cake »
RELATED: 33 Spooky Halloween Cakes That Will Sweeten Up Your Party
Cobweb Placemats
Make sure everyone gets a seat at the table with these petrifying placemats. To make them, use puff paint to draw a web shape onto parchment paper. Then, let it dry and set overnight so you can peel the paper off the back. Place underneath a clear plate to show off the design.
Ghost Balloons
Birthday parties call for balloons, and these DIY ones are perfectly festive. Use helium so you can hang them all over your spooky setup.
RELATED: 75+ Easy Halloween Decorations That Are a Mix of Scary, Cute, and Everything in Between
Halloween Costume Contest
If everyone is dressing up for your Halloween birthday party — and we hope they are! — then host a costume contest. As guests enter, hand them a ballot and ask them to vote for the best costume in a range of categories (for example, most creative, best couples' costume, best group costume). The prize can be as simple as a bag of candy or getting to take home a centerpiece.
Paper Pumpkin Balls
You don't need to be an expert carver to adorn your home with jack-o'-lanterns. To make these cute pumpkins, cut facial features from black construction paper and glue them onto orange tissue paper balls.
RELATED: 75 Spooktacular No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas to Fill Your Halloween With Fun
Witches Brew Bottles
These clever stickers will give guests a fun surprise when they grab a drink. To make them, download our Witch's Brew bottle wrap template and cut out the labels to tape around beer or soda bottles. If the bottle caps don't say what's inside, make sure you label the drinks some other way.
Halloween Bean Bag Toss
The party doesn't start until you play some party games. This fun bean-bag toss will entertain guests of all ages.
Graveyard Cupcakes
If you prefer something lighter than cake, try these tombstone cupcakes. You can mix and match whichever flavors you like, although we recommend baked-from-scratch chocolate cupcakes with a choco-buttercream frosting.
Get the recipe for Graveyard Cupcakes »
Put Together a Halloween Playlist
There are way more Halloween songs than the classic "Monster Mash" and "I Put a Spell on You." Make sure they're queued up on a special party playlist by arranging your music in advance.
Halloween Slime
There's nothing kids love more these days than slime. For a fun activity, make the slime and jars at the party and send guests home with them as party favors.
Sparkling Ginger Sangria
As far as signature drinks go, we love a recipe you can whip up in advance and serve in a pitcher. And for that, there's nothing better than a classic sangria. For a mocktail, try this chilling cherry crush.
Paint Splatter Candy Goodie Bags
These treat bags are perfect for party favors. To make them, mix water with acrylic paint until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Coat a craft brush with paint and lightly tap it repeatedly over a small muslin drawstring bag. You can also use an old toothbrush by dipping it into the paint and using your finger to flick the bristles onto the bag. Let it dry completely and repeat on the other side.
Monster Cookies
For a treat that guests can snack on throughout the night, try these eyeball monster cookies. The secret ingredient? Boxed cake mix.
Spider Ice Cubes
Spider ice cubes are a great way to sneak your Halloween theme in when guests are least expecting it. To make them, simply drop a plastic spider into an unfrozen ice-cube tray, pour water over them, and freeze. (Warning: Don't serve these to little kids, as they could be a choking hazard when the ice cubes melt.)
Reese's Apple Nachos
Combine peanut butter, chocolate chips, Reese's minis, and apples for a Halloween treat that will be scooped up in minutes.
Juliana is a writer, editor and SEO strategist with over six years' of experience on the editorial staffs of publications including Reader's Digest, Best Life and Good Housekeeping. She covers everything from holiday and home to travel and food, and lives in New York City, where she can often be found at hot yoga or raiding the candy aisle at CVS.
Monique Valeris is the senior home editor for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
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