Halloween Party Checklist

With the Halloween holiday just over a week away, many will be getting into the spooky-season spirit by organising ghoulishly scary Halloween parties, with friends and family to celebrate the occasion.

But while Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for all, if you don’t prepare properly for the festivities, you and your guests could be left with unwanted frights!

With this in mind, we’ve spoken to David Chapman, Founder of leading mats distributor Ultimate Mats, who has revealed his top tips for throwing a Halloween Party this year, to ensure that your gathering is as safe and spooky as possible. 

Here are some suggestions:

1. Think about the size of your party and know your guest list. 

Before the Halloween celebrations begin, it is important that you know your intended size and scope of the party and limit your guest list accordingly, so the celebrations don’t get out of hand. If you send out online invitations, make sure that they aren’t distributed to the public or your entire contact list, so only who you are expecting shows up. 

2. Educate yourself about local ordinances and laws. 

It is also key when you are hosting a Halloween party that you are aware of any local ordinances or laws that you must abide by when hosting celebrations. For example, you may have to obtain a noise permit if you are going to be playing loud music during the late hours of the evening. You might also want to notify your neighbors about your party so they won’t get blindsided by the crowd and noise going on late into the night. (Better yet, just invite your neighbors!)

3. Maxmise entertainment space for guests 

If you’re having a large gathering this Halloween, then make sure to clear out rooms, hallways, and other areas of your home as much as you can – you’ll want to maximize the entertainment space for your guests. You could also use doors and/or signs, to close off rooms or areas of your home that you want to remain off-limits to guests, so that valuable or breakable items don’t get damaged, broken, or stolen during the party.

4. Make sure to cater for non-drinkers 

While Halloween is often a time to party and enjoy drinks with friends and get dressed up in spooky costumes, it is still important to remember that not everyone will want to consume an alcoholic drink. So, if you’re in charge of hosting, make sure that you offer snacks, water, and non-alcoholic beverages to people who do not wish to drink.

5. Put down mats to keep dirt to a minimum

To keep dirt to a minimum when hosting a spooky celebration, make sure to place entry mats at all entrances and exits to your home that will be used by guests. You might also want to place floor mats in high-traffic areas like near the food and beverages, in front of sinks, and in bathrooms, to avoid the chances of any of your guests getting injured by slipping over on a wet floor. 

6. Provide taxi and public transport services

Make up a list of phone numbers or digital sites, which can connect guests with taxis or ride-sharing services. This will discourage them from getting behind the wheel after drinking too much. Whatever you do, don’t let an impaired guest drive home. Let them stay the night or be taken home by someone else.

If something bad happens at your Halloween party, it could very well ruin everybody’s fun. So make sure all of your pre-party preparations are finished so that you and your guests can enjoy the spooky season happy and safe!