Having a late October birthday can either be thrilling or tiresome. When a traditional Halloween party isn't special enough for your big day, you might be searching for ways to add a few more tricks and treats to the event.
Throw the best birthday Halloween celebration with a wicked party theme, creepy birthday treats, and fun yet spooky activities. These Halloween birthday party ideas will help you host a screamin' shindig.
Halloween Birthday Party Ideas for Adults
Turning a year older doesn't have to be scary, but an adult Halloween birthday party certainly should be. Plan a spooky adult-only shindig with these ideas in mind.
- Host an interactive murder mystery dinner.
- Have a horror movie trivia night.
- Hire a tarot reader or psychic to give your guests readings.
- Make your way into the woods for a birthday camping trip, complete with spooky stories and s'mores.
- Have a "Deja-BOO" throwback night where attendees can wear their favorite Thriller getup, then get down to 80s beats.
- Set up a spooky photo booth with props.
- Offer your guests fun Halloween libations inspired by potions.
- Instead of birthday gifts, have your guests each bring a horrifying story (either an urban legend or an embarrassing personal experience) to share with the group. You can even turn it into a friendly competition to decide whose is the scariest.
- Run with a vampire theme by hosting a blood *ahem* wine tasting night.
- Rent out a theater to screen your favorite horror flick.
- Hold a costume contest with a prize for the winner(s).
- Head to the bowling alley decked out in your costumes.
- Frighten the guest of honor with a scary surprise birthday party.
- Hold an outdoor Halloween party with a harvest festival theme.
Combination Halloween and Birthday Party for Kids or Teens
A Halloween-themed birthday party for teenagers or children can be fun in October or any time of year. Make the event a spooky success with these creative ideas.
- Grab a plethora of Halloween nail polishes, decals, and glitter to throw a festive mani-pedi party.
- Plan a pumpkin-carving party (or pumpkin decorating with paints and flowers for younger kids).
- Have a spooky dance party where guests can shake their bones. Create a custom Halloween party playlist and throw in a few spooky songs.
- Assemble personal pizzas for dinner using toppings to create scary faces.
- Throw the party on Halloween night and go trick-or-treating as a group.
- Host a sleepover party and stream scary (or not-so-scary) Halloween movies.
- Hire a face painter to decorate guest's faces. This can be fun for a casual event or if your guests come in costume.
- Organize a variety of games like mummy sack races or pumpkin bowling that guests can play as a group or in pairs.
Halloween Ideas for a Toddler Birthday Party
Young children might not be aware they're the guest of honor, but that doesn't mean you can't throw them an incredible event. For a Halloween 1st birthday party, food for the adults should be at top of mind since the little monsters can't partake. Use these additional ideas for inspiration.
- Stage a festive photo booth for guardians and kids to take "first Halloween" photos.
- Make a pumpkin smash cake for the birthday child.
- Host a Halloween story time filled with whimsical fairy tales.
- Set up a mock trick-or-treating route where the children go room to room for treats.
Throw the Best Halloween Birthday Party
Because this party incorporates two occasions and falls around a busy holiday, you'll need to execute some careful planning. Consider these steps when planning your birthday Halloween party.
Pick a Great Theme
Rather than simply going with "Halloween" as the party theme, it can be special to have the birthday star pick out a motif. Use this theme to inspire décor, food, and drinks, your party soundtrack, and invitations. Starting with a killer party name can be a great way to find one you like. Choose a not-so-scary theme like Fall Harvest, Pumpkin Patch, Monster Bash, or something more frightening, such as Zombie Apocalypse or Texas Chainsaw.
Find a Venue
Hosting a Halloween birthday party at your home might sound like a breeze, but others may not be so fond of the idea. Don't hesitate to seek out other locations. Restaurants and other venues may be decorated for the Halloween season, which means you won't have to worry about décor. It can also be fun to throw the party at a farm that offers spooky hayrides, corn mazes, or a pumpkin patch.
Send Invitations Early
There are bound to be several Halloween parties around the time you'd like to throw your event, so send out invitations early. This will give your guests plenty of notice so they can put your party on their calendars. If you're requesting that quests dress to the party theme, this will also give them time to plan a costume.
Cook Up Some Spooky Snacks
It wouldn't be a Halloween birthday party without snacks and cake. However, everyone tends to get a little sugared out around Halloween, so be mindful of what treats you offer. Have plenty of savory Halloween-themed food and consider swapping sugary sweets for fruit. Give your birthday cake a ghostly upgrade by incorporating Halloween colors, including the traditional orange and black or even green and purple.
Plan Activities or Games
When surrounded by great company, many party guests are happy to eat, drink, and be scary. However, planning some ghoulish activities is a good failsafe. From spooky games to Halloween manicures or even a pre-planned costume contest, there are plenty of ways to keep your guests engaged. Consider the age of your guests when organizing activities so everyone feels welcome and safe.
Happy All Hallows' Birthday
Unlike a standard All Hallows' Eve party, a Halloween birthday party centers around the guest of honor rather than trick-or-treating. Make the birthday person feel special with a creative theme, tasty food and beverages, or thrilling activities. You can use these ideas for any Halloween-inspired party: baby shower, graduation, anniversary, engagement, bridal shower, etc. With these ideas, your guests will be dying to stop in for a spell.
