Three Simple Steps to Hosting a Spook-Tacular Halloween Party

What’s a Halloween party without spooky costumes, lots of candy and eerie décor? Hosting a party at your Greystar apartment can be a great way to enjoy this festive time of year as the leaves change and the cooler weather gives us some relief from summer. Our “tricks” for hosting a great All Hallows’ Eve party will have you throwing the perfect apartment get-together.

Pumpkin Presentations: Thankfully, creating a mysterious atmosphere in your apartment doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. One of the easiest ways to add an impressive bit of spooky flair to your Halloween bash is by placing a large piece of dry ice inside a carved jack-o-lantern along with a colored glow stick. Creepy, back-lit vapor from the dry ice will spill out of the eyes, nose and mouth cutouts, creating an unnerving ambiance.

And speaking of glow sticks, they have nearly unlimited uses in Halloween décor. Painting old milk cartons to look like ghosts, or pumpkins, and then simply dropping a glow stick inside can make perfect luminaries to “guard” your door.

Instead of breaking out the butcher knife to carve the traditional jack-o-lantern, charge up your cordless drill. Using a variety of drill bit sizes and types can yield a beautiful mosaic of light patterns, limited only by your imagination. But, if you’re more of a Jack-O-Lantern traditionalist, cookie cutters can also be used as stencils to trace patterns, shapes and designs on pumpkins for carving, and metallic spray paints can also be used to create unique and magical decorations.

Try combining all of the above ideas and host a pumpkin carving contest for your guests with a prize for the most creative. This is a great, memorable activity for parents and kids.

Creative Costumes: Dressing up for Halloween definitely isn’t just for kids, and it’s becoming more and more common for adults to take the fun seriously. Donning your favorite costume can be an extravagant affair or a simple, inexpensive one.  

Games and Party Favors: Even with elaborate decorations and a well-thought-out costume, your party will fall flat without games, entertainment and, of course, candy! Just like with the decorations, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have great Halloween party games. And creating a playlist of your favorite creepy tunes can work hand in hand with decorations to make the feel of your party unforgettable. When the festivities are over, consider handing out party favors or treat bags as guests leave. These can be as creative as your imagination allows, such as filling latex gloves with candy for unsettling “severed hands” or a multitude of other ideas.

Some Greystar properties will even go so far as to host unique holiday events, like The Canopy’s “Trunk or Treat” event in Jacksonville, Florida. Residents are invited to come down to the parking lot and decorate their car trunks and hand out candy, all while enjoying a fun community event with a bounce house, costume contest, and food vendor. And, word on the street is that there will also be a fire truck! Sienna at Vista Lake is doing a similar event, complete with a giveaway prize for the best decorated trunk.

15Fifty5 Boutique Apartments cleverly hosts two events, each catering to a unique audience. The first, “Are You Afraid of a Book”, occurs during the day and is specifically designed for small children who might be scared during an evening party. A Greystar team member dresses up, holds a read aloud story-time and hosts a game with treats afterwards. “Boo Fest” provides older children and adults with a fun party scene that same night, complete with a DJ, festive Halloween food and a “best costume” drawing.

No matter how big, small, fancy or simple your Halloween party is this year, remember to follow some basic safety rules when trick-or-treating and be sure to follow your community rules regarding noise, outdoor/exterior decorations and safe use of your balcony.

Your Greystar apartment community wishes you a happy and safe Halloween!