Getting into the spirit of Halloween doesn’t have to entail hanging a creepy eight-foot spider with bulging red eyes from the front door, or erecting some sort of demonic bat-winged predator on the porch. There are tamer, less expected and, dare we say, elevated ways to celebrate the holiday for those who love the whimsy and ghoulish fun of the season without the gore — including the perfect themed decor, such as Good Housekeeping Seal holder Simple Pleasures’ adorable soap dispensers.
From whipping up tasty and adorable treats to hosting cool Halloween hangs, we’ve gathered inspiring ideas to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve for everyone from the tiniest trick-or-treaters to the biggest goblins on your guest list.
Host a Pumpkin-Carving Party
Line a long work surface with a plastic drop cloth. Then prep the supplies, including carving tools like knives, scrapers and scoopers; markers and stencils; a bowl for pumpkin guts (pro tip: use a cauldron to stay on theme); a cookie tray to gather pumpkin seeds so you can pop them in the oven right after; paints for little ones who can’t carve; LED tea lights for the inside and, of course, one star squash per guest. To help first-timers, print out our pumpkin-carving guide, and have some carving ideas and templates on hand.
Word to the wise: Be prepared for the resulting mess. After your guests have created their masterpieces, usher them to the bathroom where Simple Pleasures ghost, black cat or jack-o’-lantern soap dispensers await their sticky hands. (The devil’s truly in the details.) Then spend the rest of the night accepting compliments for being a fabulous host.
Make Use of Not-So-Evil Eyes
Just try to walk by a set of googly eyes without smiling — admit it, you can’t. There isn’t a Halloween-themed item (pumpkins, planters, brownies, the back of Dad’s head … the list goes on) that they can’t make hilarious. It works every time. For even bigger impact, make your own giant pair: Cut out two large circles from a cardboard box and paint them white. Once they’ve dried, paint smaller black circles in the middle for pupils. Let those dry, and then stick the eyeballs on anything you like using removable tape, and let the giggling commence.
Create a Bewitching Vignette
Instead of unloading the entire contents of a Halloween store into your living room, scale back to just a few moody items for a hauntingly beautiful display. Settle on a prominent area of your home, like the mantel or entryway, and decorate it with elegantly eerie items: Think pumpkins in white or black, bumpy heirloom gourds, tall dried branches, black taper candles and perhaps a vintage thrift-store oil portrait for extra drama.
Serve a Thrilling Spread
Delight your guests with a Halloween grazing board. All you have to do is play up the colors of the holiday and add some creepy-cute props. Look for the usual suspects at the grocery store, but in darker shades than usual: for instance, cheeses with purple rinds; fruits like blood oranges, figs, purple grapes, and blackberries; cherry jam; chorizo slices; and dark-chocolate-covered pretzels. Add the biggest items, such as the cheeses, to your board first, followed by some small decorative pumpkins and bowls of jam and honey. Fill in empty spaces with fruits, crackers and bread. Now for the fun: Place plastic spiders in high-contrast locations, like on a big wheel of white Brie or mini white pumpkins. Throw some candy eyes in the jam, honey or any dips. And for extra points, make one of our Halloween party snack recipes — like these adorable Mummy Jalapeño Poppers or Black Cat Cookies — to enchant the crowd with your hosting powers.
Screen a Non-Scary Movie
There’s something extra-thrilling about watching a Halloween movie with pals. The hardest part is narrowing down your options. For family-friendly affairs, you want a wholesome crowd-pleaser; for ideas, check our list of the best flicks for every age. Next, put out bowls of Monster Popcorn and watch them disappear. The recipe is simple: Melt green or purple candy melts and pour them over a big bowl of popped popcorn. Stir to coat, then sprinkle in candy eyes, candy corn and any other fun add-ons you like. Divide into smaller bowls and serve. To avoid terrifying stains, keep plenty of napkins on hand, and remind guests to wash their hands afterward — lucky for them, you’ll have Simple Pleasures hand soap waiting in the bathroom. These are some of our festive favorites:
Simple Pleasures Boo! Scented Hand Soap
Simple Pleasures Cat Scented Hand Soap
