17 Halloween party themes everyone can get excited about

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Turn an ordinary Halloween party into a Halloween to remember with a theme that everyone can get behind.

1. ‘90s sitcom party

There’s something special about ‘90s sitcoms. We’re thinking of Blossom, Full House, Designing Women, Family Matters, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Mad About You, The Wonder Years, Home Improvement, Friends, Seinfeld, and so many more. Walk around saying “How Rude” like Stephanie Tanner and “Whoa” like Joey Lawrence. (Don’t forget to do the Carlton.)

2. 99-cent store party

This party’s only rule is that everyone has to make their costumes out of materials they find at the 99-cent store. The dollar store is loaded with Halloween costume possibilities. You can make almost anything out of the raw materials you find there. You can make a robot costume out of poster boards and tin foil. You can make angel wings out of hangers, wax paper, and cellophane. Give out an award for the best costume(s), even if the awards are mostly silly and come straight from the dollar store.

3. Best childhood costume revival party

Remember that time you were Rainbow Brite/He-Man/Scooby-Doo? It’s time to bring that awesome costume back. Have each of your guests pick their favorite (or most embarrassing) childhood costume and re-enact it. Serve snacks that were popular when you were a kid. Make a cardboard TV and use it to take fun pics of everyone in their gear.

4. Classic Halloween party

Costumes for this party should be old-school only, so ask everyone to dress up as a witch, a pumpkin, a mummy, a ghost, a vampire, or Frankenstein. For the decorations, think vintage. Go online and look for vintage Halloween images, print them out, and decoupage them to mason jars so you can make your own spooky candles. For the food, make traditional treats like popcorn balls and caramel apples.

5. Cult movie favorites party

People love dressing up as their favorite cult classic movie characters, so it won’t be too hard for everyone to come up with a fun costume for this party.  Think Ghostbusters, Heathers, Mad Max, Office Space, Labyrinth, and more. Parties are even better with food, so ask everyone to bring something along for a movie-themed potluck. Ideally, their food or drink item will go with their costume. Because The Dude should always arrive with White Russians.

6. Disney party

Who doesn’t love Disney? Have everyone dress as their favorite character (or whoever they look like the most). They can choose from major characters like Alice in Wonderland and Mickey Mouse to minor characters like Scuttle from The Little Mermaid. Go all out — Disney cupcakes and Disney party favors are a plus.

7. “Doctor Who” party

If you’re a fan of Doctor Who, you probably have a lot of friends who are also a fan of Doctor Who, so have all your friends dress up as their favorite Doctor. Give out extra bowties to anyone who couldn’t put together a costume. Turn the bathroom into a Tardis by drawing a Tardis on poster board and taping it to the door. Stream episodes of Doctor Who while you pass around Dalek cookies.

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8. “Famous Families” party

At the Famous Families Party, everyone gets to dress up as the popular family of their choice. They could go for a celebrity family like the Jacksons, the Osbournes, or the Kardashians. They could become a cartoon family like the Simpsons or the Jetsons. They could play a TV family like the Sopranos, the Brady Bunch, or the Addams Family. Ask everyone to bring their favorite “family meal,” too.

9. Hitchcock party

Since this party will be a tribute to your favorite Hitchcock movies, go crazy with your decorations. Give homage to The Birds by leaving black feathers and fake pearls strewn all over your kitchen countertop. Buy some temporary wallpaper, use black paint to paint a Vertigo wheel over it, and display it on a wall. Ask everyone to dress up as their favorite Hitchcock character or in time-appropriate wear. Serve elegant drinks and have your number one Hitchcock flick playing in the background throughout the party.

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10. Inanimate objects party

Your partygoers will have to get really creative for this party theme, where costumes can be any kind of inanimate object. Don’t be surprised if your guests arrive as a shower, a lawnmower, a coffee cup, an iPhone, or gum under a shoe. Have a contest and decide which is the “Funniest,” the “Most Original,” and the “Best Overall.”

11. Japanese horror flick party

Get all your (fake) samurai swords out for this party. Costumes are inspired by movies like The Ring, Battle Royale, and Kill Bill. Long wigs and fake blood are encouraged. Have the soundtrack from each movie playing in the background. Host a best Japanese horror flick impersonator award ceremony at the end of the night.

12. Post-apocalyptic “End of Time” party

It’s the end of time — who will survive the longest? Ask everyone to dress up as if it’s the last day on earth. Host a “hunt for Twinkies” game where each Twinkie has a number, and each number is a different prize. Serve all your party snacks in tin cans with expiration dates. The last person at the party will be deemed the final “survivor.” Give them a T-shirt that says, “I survived the Party-pocalypse, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”

13. “Stranded on an Island” party

The goal of this party is to dress up as if you’ve been stranded on a desert island. It’s late October, so host this island-themed party inside, with a fire (“bonfire”) going and coconut drinks in hand. Decorate an ice chest like a “treasure box.” Host a hula hoop dancing competition.

14. “Twilight Zone” party

Have everyone dress up like a character from their favorite episode. Order a pizza and host an all-night Twilight Zone marathon, featuring some of the most classic episodes, like The Eye of the Beholder, The Living Doll, and The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

15. Villains party

Only villains are allowed to this party. Ask everyone to come as their favorite villain, whether it’s a superhero villain, a horror icon, or their mother-in-law. Get everyone together for an “Evil Karaoke Competition” and decide who’s the most “powerful baritone” of them all. Serve poison apples, “blood” punch, and killer cupcakes.

16. Washed-up superheroes party

This is everyone’s opportunity to dress up as their favorite superhero, only a ridiculously jaded version of that hero. People can dress up as their childhood superhero or invent a superhero that doesn’t even exist. Give everyone a quote bubble (à la Adam West’s Batman) and have them write the reason they gave up their superhero ways. Have them walk around with their quote bubble and take lots of group pics!

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17. “Which Decade Are You?” party

For this party, your guests can dress up as the decade they love the most.  Play music from different decades in every room: ‘20s hot jazz in the kitchen, ‘80s pop in the living room, ‘90s grunge in the study, ‘70s folk music on the porch. And before the end of the night, make sure to take a group pic of each decade to save for posterity.

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For educational purposes only. Please contact your qualified professional for specific guidance.

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