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Hello, Spooky Season! Bring on the tricks and treats. If you’re throwing a ghoulish gathering, here’s a guide to ensure your guests have the most spooktacular time!

Dreadful Decor Link

Let’s be real—unless you’re a die-hard Halloween fan, you probably don’t want to be spending your limited funds on a whole new set of accessories for your place. Here’s some creative, but minimal effort, decoration ideas using items that are likely lying around your home.

Bringing it back to the good old days, instead of snowflakes, try making some paper spiderwebs! Throw on one of your favorite shows or podcasts and craft away.

I know a fair amount of you likely have some fairy lights hanging around. To spook-ify them, try using Command hooks or tape to arrange them into Halloween-themed shapes or words, such as a ghost or “BOO.” A more crafty idea is to grab a couple of spools of yarn and make an orange and black pompom garland. If you’re feeling daring, you could even try shaping them into some pumpkins or ghosts.

Lastly, bring out the orange! As ���ϲ����� students, I’m sure you have an excess of orange accessories in your closet or under your bed–you’re practically set. It’s like Halloween was made for us. While you could always just buy your decor, these are great options for jazzing up on a budget.

Spooky Snacks Link

Hosting Priority #1 should almost always be the food. While I’d consider myself a foodie, I don’t think many people would disagree with me! My favorite place to look for inspo for just about everything, especially recipes, is Pinterest. Lucky for you, I’ve already scoped out a couple of Halloween-themed winners. First on the menu is mini peanut butter cup and pretzel stick , making the perfect mix of sweet and salty. For those big sweet tooths, try . Another fan-favorite is . They’re super easy to make and very festive! Personally, I’d suggest a that you can load up with all sorts of toppings—M&Ms, chopped peanuts, sprinkles—the sky’s the limit! Pro tip: the key to a killer party starts with the menu.

Frightening Festivities Link

Depending on your crowd, it might be necessary to plan some fright-tastic activities. If crafts or games sound like your kind of night, I’ve got some suggestions for you! A simple paint-and-sip night using pumpkins as your canvas and a mug of cocoa is the perfect cozy night in with friends. If you’re looking for something more adventurous, try planning a murder mystery night. Instead of framing the plot points around “Clue,” create a storyline that involves your favorite Halloween figures (witches, goblins, you know the drill). For competitive folks, or anyone who is in need of a good laugh, spend the night playing Halloween charades. Compile a list of Halloween-related characters and topics, turn on your acting skills and bring on the competition!

Murderous Mocktails Link

To pair with your tasty goodies, serve some sweater weather drinks. Starting out with a classic: good old apple cider. To spice things up a bit, . All you have to do is add some cinnamon and citrus fruits, then simmer. It’s completely customizable and guaranteed to be delicious!

A cherished childhood beverage that never fails to satisfy those sweet cravings is hot chocolate. Set up a with loads of toppings–marshmallows, sprinkles, crushed Oreos, whipped cream—the works. For a more elevated approach, gather different kinds of chocolate and milk and on the stove.

If you’re trying to soak up all the pumpkin you can before winter hits, try making . You’ll need chai tea bags, milk, honey and some pumpkin puree. To boost this already lovely latte, froth some milk and top it off with a garnish of cinnamon.

Wicked Watches Link

Sometimes a simple movie night is the way to go, especially if you’re feeling wiped out from the week and just want a cozy night in with friends. While you could always throw on a Halloween classic, here’s some atypical suggestions to add a twist: “Knives Out,” the “Twilight” series and “Saturday Night.”

“Knives Out” is your run-of-the-mill murder mystery (think “Clue”). With a storyline that will keep you second-guessing the whole way through and a spotlight on Chris Evans, this movie is a great choice.

Next up, “Twilight.” Throwing it back to middle school, Halloween is the perfect occasion to rewatch this guilty pleasure. Vampires, Taylor Lautner and a steamy romance—talk about trick-or-treat!

Last but not least is “Saturday Night.” This newly released film features the chaos that was the 90 minutes before the first-ever “SNL” episode went live in 1975. Starring celebrities like Dylan O’Brien and Willem Dafoe, this movie is likely to be a hit amongst any crowd!

Congratulations, you’ve successfully passed “How to Host Halloween for Mummies.” May all of you have a witchin’ Halloween!

Written By Maggie Anderson��’25, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications