100 Best Halloween Ideas Decor Party Food Costumes Pumpkins And More

If you want to host the most epic Halloween party of all-time, these creative Halloween ideas have got you covered. From creepy Halloween decor ideas that are surprisingly easy to DIY to delicious Halloween recipe ideas that will delight your guests (kiddos included!), this giant list of the very best Halloween party ideas is sure to make every guy and ghoul scream with delight.

Halloween Decor Ideas

1. Mummified Front Door To get this spooky look, take a giant roll of medical gauze and cut it into strips. (You can also use toilet paper or white streamers to get the look.) Then, attach the strips in a criss cross pattern and stick it on with tape. Finish it off with a pair of oversized DIY googly eyes.
2. Window Stenciling Grab some window-safe black paint and a Halloween themed stencil. Tape them on the corners using blue painters tape and fill in the stencil with black paint. Wait until it’s dry, then remove the stencil for a spooky scene.
3. Giant Bloodshot Eye Halloween Decor Use medium-grit sandpaper to rough up the surface of an exercise ball. Wipe off any residue with a dry cloth before painting. Apply an even coat of white spray paint to the ball. You may need to paint on several coats of spray paint for an even coat. After the paint is dry, place a medium-sized bowl in the middle of the ball. Then, trace the outside of the bowl all the way around with black acrylic paint. Next,  remove the bowl and completely fill in the circle with black paint to create the pupil. After the paint has dried completely, create the iris by using blue or green paint to make a large circle around the pupil. Finally, paint squiggly red lines on the side of the eye towards the back, headed up toward the pupil and iris area. The more random and uneven the lines are, the more natural it will look. Finally, when the paint is dry, coat with a clear spray sealant. Place in the front lawn and enjoy!
4. DIY Stencil Tablecloth Pumpkin stencils aren’t just for pumpkins! Print out some free stencils online, cut them out, and trace them onto a white tablecloth. Choose your palette of Halloween inspired colors and fill in your stencils. Once your paint is dry, use it as a decorative festive spread!
5. Create a Tiny Ghost Town Head to your nearest craft or hardware store and get a handful of birdhouses and matte black spray paint. Spray the houses with the paint and place on somewhere like the mantle for an eerie Halloween village. To bump up the creepiness, hot glue some plastic spiders or rubber snakes to some of the houses.
6. DIY Giant Porch Spider To get started on building your outdoor spooky creation, take an empty milk jug and cut the spout off. Set the lid aside for now. Next, use a small knife to cut a small hole in the center of the bottom of the jug. Snake about 4 feet of wire through the hole and out the spout. Once the wire is pulled through and centered in place, cover the entire jug with black duct tape. Finish the scary spider body by coating all sides but one with Mod Podge and black glitter. Once the glue has dried, place black duct tape to tape four 6-foot pieces of black pipe insulation (or spray painted black pool noodles) to the non-glittered side of the milk jug and twist the metal wire around the insulation to hold in place. To finish off your 8 legged wonder, hot glue the milk lid you set aside and another one to create eyes (you can also use googly eyes for a non-confrontational look!)
7. Black Cat Lawn Decor  Take a sheet of plywood and trace out the silhouettes of 4 cats. Cut them out and paint them black. Next, cut out half moon circles to create their eyes. Finally, take battery powered lights and attach them to the back of the head using black duct tape to create glowing eyes. Glue another piece of wood at the bottom using wood glue to help keep them upright. Then, stick on your front lawn!
8. Whip Up a Potion or Two  Don’t throw away that empty wine bottle! Thoroughly clean the glass with soap and water. Once dry, coat each bottle with one coat of spray primer and 2-3 coats of matte black spray paint. Take some sticker paper and burn the edges to create a weathered look. Handwrite your labels with witchy ingredients like “Eye of Newt” or “Toad Pimples” and then place them together.
9. Haunted Cookie Jar  This is a quick and easy way to bring a little bit of Halloween fun into your kitchen. Take a clear glass jar and clean the outside. Next, take some acrylic paint and have your kids help you come up with a spooky scene to place on the jar.
10. Halloween Mobile To make this adorable mobile, grab a couple of oversized foam balls and spray paint them with black glitter paint. Then, hot glue giant googly eyes to the front to make the spider’s face. Finally, bend eight orange pipe cleaners into legs, and stick them directly into the Styrofoam ball. Cut out a few bats out of black paper and use string to hang them at varying lengths.
11. A Vanity Fit For a Vampire  Create the ultimate statement Halloween piece out of some old furniture! Sand your piece down then paint it with macabre spooky ideas like using repeating color schemes from Nightmare Before Christmas or Hocus Pocus or paint it all black for a monochromatic piece you can use all year long!
12. “It’s Alive!”  Create a simple but effective Halloween decor that’s safe for any trick or treater! Take a bag of googly eyes and attach them to random objects in your home or outdoor space using hot glue or putty adhesive.
13. Create a Gaggle of Ghosts  This decor is another great way for the kids to help! Get a set of white paper lanterns and some old white pillow cases. Cut a hole on top of the pillowcase wide enough for the lantern to go through and cut a jagged edge at the bottom. Next, take a black permanent marker and draw a ghostly face on the pillow case. Unravel the paper lantern then place the pillow case over it. Hang in your front porch for a charming effect! 14. Monster Wall Buy or make white party bunting to make teeth. Then using double sided tape and colorful cardstock, create eyes. Stick it on the wall near the food to make sure guests see your fun Halloween party decor!
14. Creepy Jars  Take some Mason jars or any other glass jar and fill them with either pickle juice or water with green food dye. Then, take rubber critters like spiders, snakes, and rats and place them inside to create the look of a mad scientist’s lab.
15. Scrapbook Paper Specimens Trace silhouettes of bugs, spiders, or bats onto scrapbook paper. Cut the template out and glue onto cardstock to create a 3D effect.
16. Yarn Spider’s Nest  Make a tight ball of white yarn about the size of a baseball. Then, wrap that yarn in a fake spider web.  Pull the web apart so it becomes wispy. Tuck some spiders into the web as you are wrapping it to completely cover the ball of yarn.
17. Horror Book Decor  Cut long, thin rectangular pieces of differing colored paper like red, gray, and black.  Draw titles of books like Dracula, Frankenstein, or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the paper. Outline letters with gold paint pens. Fill in with gold acrylic paint. Attach it to the front door with double-sided tape.
18. Mask Wreath  Collect 10 to 15 colorful vintage paper masks from websites like Etsy and eBay. Hot glue each mask to an 18 inch craft ring with a dab of hot glue. Don’t forget to layer and overlap as you go.
19. Haunted Playhouse Delight your little one by creating their playplace into a spooky wonderland. Decorate their playhouse with faux or small pumpkins, black and orange crepe paper, and purple twinkly lights.

Halloween Party Ideas

21. Witches Brew  Create a little witch’s corner for your next Halloween party! Buy a plastic or metal caldron at your local party store. Then, grab twigs and create 4 bundles to resemble something that looks like the end of a broomstick and tie them to wooden dowels. Next, take orange lights and place it below your mini broomsticks. Finally, place your cauldron on top and fill with your desired punch (you can even add dry ice for an added spooky effect.)
22. Bugs on Your Plate  Take a set of white oven proof dishes and draw bug silhouettes on them with pencil (don’t worry, the pencil will wash away). Next, fill in your silhouettes with black ceramic paint and let it dry completely for 24 hours. Before using, follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions on how to bake the plates to fully cure paint. Or, if you want a faster DIY, simply hot-glue plastic bugs onto disposable plates and cups for some awesome “eww!"-factor. 23. Witch’s Broom Chandelier  Start with a broom, then fill mason jars with sand and battery-operated candles. Next, attach them to one side of the broom with black twine. 24.Black Cat Doughnuts Take a store bought package of chocolate glazed doughnuts and use purple icing, candy corn, edible googly eyes, and M&Ms to create cat faces. Additionally, you can use this as an excuse for your little one’s to go wild and come up with their own spooky creations. 25. Test Tube Dips  Instead of using a regular bowl to serve hummus and onion dip, head to your local craft store and buy test tubes and beakers to serve out of!
23. Illuminated Walkway Elevate your spooky walkway to the next level with added orange and black LED flameless candles to make sure trick-or-treaters know exactly where to go.
24. Mummy Hot Dogs  Take a roll of refrigerated dough and cut into thin strips. Next, take a package of hot dogs and wrap the strips around the hot dogs to create a mummy effect. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. 28. Candy Corn Cocktail  To make the candy corn-infused vodka, mix vodka and candy corn in a Mason jar and seal it tight. Let sit for at least 4 hours.After, strain the vodka to remove candy. When the party gets started, in a chilled cocktail shaker, place 1/2 cup infused vodka and 1/4 cup pineapple juice with ice. Shake until chilled and pour into martini glass. If desired, garnish each glass with additional candy corn.
25. Candy Candles  Place orange or black pillar candles inside clear glass hurricanes of different sizes. Then, fill each hurricane, roughly halfway, with candy corn for a sweet and simple Halloween decor solution. For safety, be sure to blow out the candle before it burns below the candy.
26. Pumpkin Planter Place teeny tiny plants in a carved pumpkin to add some unexpected greenery to your Halloween decor.
27. Pumpkin Barrel Cut off the top of an extra-large pumpkin; scoop out pulp and seeds. Attach three strips of ribbon around the outside of the pumpkin using hot glue.  Insert burlap fabric into the opening and fold over outside of pumpkin; hold in place with tacks. Fill with candy or other Halloween-themed party favors.
28. Pumpkin Ice Bucket Use a pumpkin to chill your vino this season. Lay a large pumpkin on its side, cut out a large oval with a serrated knife, and use a paring knife to smooth the interior after hollowing it out. Fill with ice and then set your favorite beverage in to chill.

Halloween Recipe Ideas

33.Plate Full of Eyeballs  Take a bag full of edible googly eyes and place them on a veggie and fruit platter to create healthy spooky snacks. Use chocolate and peel in creative ways for some extra added details. 34. Bat PB&J For a quick snack for a kid’s (or even adult) Halloween party, simply make a dozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cut them out using a bat or other spooky cookie cutters. 35. Candy Corn Cupcakes  Prepare white cake mix as directed and divide evenly into 2 different bowls. Dye one bowl yellow and the other orange. Scoop them into a prepared muffin tin with yellow on the button and the orange on top and cook according to the directions on the box. Top with vanilla frosting or marshmallow fluff to create a giant candy corn effect. 36. Monster Pizza Bites Spice up your pizza bites and create ghoulish faces using black olives, jalapeno slices, or even ham and pineapple slices! 37. Spider Bite Cupcakes  Ice 24 cupcakes with vanilla icing. Next, top it with a chocolate covered marshmallow cookie and take the remaining icing to use it to glue M&Ms to create two eyes and a nose. Then, take Tootsie Rolls and roll it into 8 ropes using the palm of your hand. Attach the Tootsie Rolls around the chocolate covered marshmallow cookie to create legs! 38. Candy Skewers  Grab a few wooden skewers and stack colorful gummies and marshmallow treats onto them for a grab-and-go dessert the kids and adults will go gaga over. (Pro tip: add them into a clear jar filled with candy to create whimsical Halloween centerpieces!). 39. Skully Guacamole  To create an avocado skull, cut an avocado in half. Then, gently cut through the avocado peel but not all the way through to create a mouth. To make teeth, use a sharp paring knife to make little notches. Cut all the way through in a upside down heart shape to create the nose. Finally, for the eyes, cut two big round holes at the top. 40. Spinach Dip in a Brown Bread Cauldron  Prepare spinach dip according to a recipe found online or from a package. Next, take a round brown bread loaf like pumpernickel and carve out the top and hollow it out. Next take a package of premade dough (like crescent rolls) and roll them out or braid them to create a handle shape. Once fully baked, press it into the top of the bread bowl. 41. Pumpkin Tortilla Chips Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use a pumpkin cookie cutter to stamp out pumpkin shapes from flour tortillas. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes. 42. Monster Sloppy Joes Make miniature sloppy joes according to a recipe found online or from a package. Assembled as directed. Then take triangle cheddar slices and attach them to the bun for teeth and use sliced olives attached to toothpicks for eyes. 43. Pumpkin Quesadillas  Take two flour tortillas and carve a Jack-o-lantern face into one of the slices using a paring knife. Sprinkle mexican blend shredded cheese onto the uncarved tortilla. Place the carved tortilla on top and heat in a frying pan over high heat until all the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned. 44. Zombie on a Stick  Take a packet of marshmallows and attach them to wooden dowels (or pretzel sticks). Then ask your kids to make horrifying faces using red and black food coloring for a treat that will rise again! 45. Spooky Punch To add a horrifying element to your homemade punch, take a latex or rubber glove and fill it with water. Tie it off at the end of the glove and stick it in your freezer overnight. When it comes to setting up the final touches for the party, use kitchen scissors to cut off the glove, revealing an ice cube shaped like a hand. Place it in your punch bowl and watch your guests scream with delight. 46. Clementine Pumpkins This recipe is simple and healthy. Take a clementine and peel it fully and remove the white part in the center. Next, chop up some celery and place it in the center of the clementine to create a healthy festive snack. 47. Halloween Cheese and Crackers Want a spooky festive touch to one of the best after school snacks? Simply take cookie cutters in the shapes of ghosts, bats, and other ghoulish creatures and press them into thick slices of cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Place on a serving platter surrounded by various types of crackers. 48.Candy Apple Fondue Buy a package of pre-sliced apples, then have guests dip them in chocolate and caramel for an easy alternative to a favorite Halloween pastime of making candied apples. 49.Strawberry Ghosts Dip some strawberries in white chocolate, then give them chocolate chip eyes and a mouth for these cute and spooky snacks! 50. Upside Down Cocktail Inspired by the creepy crawling place in the Netflix hit show, Stranger Things, this shimmery cranberry cocktail will keep you and your guests buzzing all night long! Check out the blog The Crowded Kitchen for the whole recipe. 51.Monster Party Bark  Melt chocolate bars over a double boiler. When it’s fully melted, pour onto a baking sheet line with waxed paper and add some pretzels, candy eyes, candy corn and coconut flakes for a salty sweet snack that will be ready in only three minutes. 52.Caramel Dipped Marshmallows  Dip marshmallows in caramel, then cover them in some cute orange and purple sprinkles for an easy treat that’s spooky and not ooky. 53.Spiderweb Pretzels  Melt some chocolate in a double boiler, then swirl it over pretzel sticks for a spooky arachnid inspired snack.

Pumpkin Carving Ideas

54. Pumpkin Flamingos  Take a bunch of faux or real pumpkins and paint them a bright neon pink. Next, head to your local Dollar Store and buy a bushel of pink lawn flamingos. Detach their heads at the bottom of the neck using a pair of kitchen scissors or a paring knife. Finally, attach the flamingo heads to the fully dried pumpkins with hot glue.
55. Black Cat Pumpkins  Take a dozen faux or real pumpkins in different sizes. Then, take foam paint brushes and cover the pumpkins with black paint. Then cut out eyes, ears, noses, and whiskers using construction paper and attach using toothpicks or hot glue.
56. Witch Pumpkin  Take a faux pumpkin and turn it so the stem is facing to the side. Twist a piece of aluminum foil into a cone shape to make a nose then attach it to the pumpkin’s stem with hot glue. Then, coat the entire pumpkin with light green spray paint. Once dry, add facial features using either stickers or a black permanent marker. Don’t forget to place an old witch’s hat on top to complete the look. 57. Emoji Pumpkins  This carving alternative is a great and easy craft for those with young kids. Take construction paper and cut it into the shapes to mimic the shapes of your favorite emojis. Glue the shapes using hot glue.
57. Cute Owl Pumpkin  Choose one large pumpkin to serve as the body of the owl and three small white or yellow pumpkins or even gourds to act as the eyes, beak, ears and feet. Make sure to grab a medium-sized pumpkin, as well. Cut two of the small pumpkins. Push two toothpicks into the front of the large pumpkin where the eyes will be. Gently push the bottom halves of the small pumpkins onto the toothpicks. Use a paring knife to cut out three slices of the third small pumpkin. Remove the insides with a tablespoon. Insert toothpicks where the ears, beak and feet should be, then gently push the pumpkin pieces onto them.
58. Glitter Pumpkins  This is another great no carving option! Simply take liquid white glue like Elmer’s School Glue and draw a spooky design on the pumpkin like a spider’s web or a skull. Before the glue dries, cover your design with glitter and brush away the excess. Leave in a spot to dry completely before placing on the front porch!
59. Pumpkin Bonfire Bonfires are a great way to celebrate Halloween and the arrival of fall. Carve flame shapes into different sized pumpkins and arrange in a fire pit or a pile of logs. Use battery operated lights to mimic the fire’s soft glow.
60. Minion Pumpkins  Who doesn’t love minions? Paint your pumpkins a bright pastel yellow and wait for it to dry completely. Then cut a couple of soda can’s in half and paint the bottom of them white for eyes. Hot glue them to the pumpkin to attach. Then, use blue and black paint to create overalls, goggle bands, and facial expressions.
61. Spider Eye  Carve a skull face into your pumpkin. Then, stick a plastic spider into an eye socket.
62. Medusa Pumpkin  Carve 2 large round eyes, 2 smaller circles for nostrils, and squiggly mouth into a blue-green pumpkin (optional: place LED lights into the eye sockets to make them glowing). Hot-glue wire to the back of rubber snakes, leaving a few extra inches on the back end. Push wired snakes into top at sides for pigtails and complete the look! 64.Toothy Grin Carve circle eyes and big mouth in any size pumpkin. Push artificial nails into the edge of the mouth for teeth. 65.Plant Pumpkin  Instead of putting the lid back on the pumpkin, grab one of your favorite potted plants to act as a wig.
63. Cannibal Pumpkin  For this pumpkin project, you’re going to need one larger and smaller pumpkin. Carve an opening out of the top or bottom of the large pumpkin, making sure it’s wide enough to fit the smaller pumpkin or gourd through it. Scoop out the seeds and hollow it out. Draw eyes and mouth on both pumpkins with the marker. Carve out with a knife for the larger pumpkin; use the melon baller for the smaller pumpkin. When they both have their facial expressions, place the smaller pumpkin into the larger one. 67.Masked Pumpkin  Take real or artificial leaves and transform them into a quick disguise for a classic Jack-o’-lantern. Paint eight leaves black and let dry, then layer into mask shape; hot-glue together. Then, cut eyeholes in the mask. Trace eyeholes onto large orange pumpkin; carve. Secure leaf mask to pumpkin using glue dots.
64. Wilson Pumpkin  Take a note from the film Cast Away and create your own replica prop of Tom Hanks’s volleyball buddy, Wilson. Paint your pumpkin so it looks like a dirty volleyball using white, black, and grey paint. Then after the paint is dry, paint your hand red and create a red handprint.
65. Pumpkin in Disguise  Cut a sweet potato and an apple in half, and slice up a radish, then use toothpicks to arrange everything into a face for your pumpkin.
66. Punk Pumpkin  On a large orange pumpkin, create a 6 inch slit up top and then carve 1 circle eye and 1 half-moon eye (to mimic blinking), half-moon nose, and boomerang mouth. To create a mohawk, Bundle wheat into sections with oral tape and trim bottom stems to 3 inches. Place your wheat bundles through the slit to mimic hair.
67. Mop Head Arrange mop on a pumpkin to look like a wig. Keep in place with straight pins or hot glue. Wrap the extra strands around a tennis ball to create bun;
68. Candy Pumpkin  Create a sweet pumpkin inspired by the decorated skulls from Day of the Dead! Carve two ovals for eyes and an upside down heart for a nose in a hollowed-out white pumpkin. Decorate it by hot-gluing candy corn, jelly beans, licorice laces and square gum.
69. Pumpkin Candy Dispenser  Trace the bottom of a glass bowl or storage container onto the front of a medium or large pumpkin. Cut out around tracing then hollow out. Insert bowl, making the hole slightly bigger if necessary. Attach a piece of thick rope or ribbon around the edge of the bowl with hot-glue. Fill the bowl with candy.
70. Twisted Vines Pumpkin  Cut a hole in the bottom of a pumpkin and hollow out. Gently sketch your leafy design on the pumpkin and use a lemon zester to etch out design. Insert a candle in the hole, light, and display on your front porch!
71. Twinkling Dots Pumpkin  Lightly draw your circles on a pumpkin, leaving enough space between dots so holes won’t run into each other. Punch it out with a power drill and various size bits. 76.Glass Marble Pumpkin  After cutting off the top and hollowing out your pumpkin, use a Sharpie to evenly mark polka dots where your holes will be drilled. Make sure they are not too close together. Then, use a power drill to cut the holes out. Then, push marbles or gems into the holes.

Halloween Costume Ideas

77. Oompa Loompa All you’ll need for this costume is white suspenders and jeans, a brown shirt, a green wig, and orange face paint! Hand out chocolate bars to complete the look.
78. Smarty Pants Take an old pair of jeans or buy some thrifted. Then, take a pack of Smarties candies and attach either using hot glue or glue dots.
79. Bat Costume  Upcycle an old umbrella into a great last minute costume. Cut your umbrella in half and use black safety pins or hot glue to attach it to the arms of a black hoodie. Fasten the hinges of the metal umbrella pieces with black electrical tape, so they can properly fold
80. Smart Cookie Tape cookie cutouts to an old cap and gown for a deliciously sweet last minute costume.
81. Holy Guacamole  This costume is simple. Take avocado cut outs and attach them to a green shirt. Then, add a halo and angel wings to complete the look.
82. Hawaiian Punch  Wear an hawaiian shirt and don some boxing gloves for a creative twist on a childhood classic.
83. Formal Apology Wear formal attire and then write a handwritten sash with the word “apology” on it for a costume you don’t have to be sorry about. 84.Joker  Thrift a red suit from your local charity shop. Then, dye your hair green using temporary color spray. To complete the look, don clown makeup.
84. Starry Night For a quick last minute costume, simply stick on silver star stickers all over a black dress or jumpsuit for a costume that is out of this world.
85. Raining Men Dress up in your cutest rainy day outfit. Then, tape cutouts of your favorite guys (like Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, or Harry Styles) to a clear umbrella.
86. Bubble Bath Costume Pin white balloons to a white t-shirt and don a colorful shower cap to complete the look.
87. The Bachelorette Costume Wear your fanciest dress and carry around a dozen red roses. See how many you can give away during the Halloween party.
88. Elaine Benes From ‘Seinfeld’ Pair a floral dress and blazer with your most awkward dance moves to become this iconic Seinfeld character. Don’t forget to tease your hair to mimic the style of the era!
89. DIY Frosted Animal Cookie Costume Take multicolored poms poms and hot glue them to a pink or white outfit. Then construct animal ears out of construction paper to complete the look.
90. Lisa Frank Tiger  If you consider yourself an amateur makeup artist, give this 90s throwback a try! Once you’re finished with your makeup, put on a multicolored wig to bring it full circle.
91. Gumball Machine Halloween Costume Hot glue multi colored pom poms to a white t-shirt and wear red jeans to transform into a 25 cent gumball machine!
92. Scarecrow Costume A scarecrow is one of the easiest costumes to pull together at the last second! All you’ll need is a flannel, jeans, a brown floppy hat, and face paint.
93. French Kiss Costume This punny costume will definitely win best costume at your Halloween party! Dress up in a black and white striped shirt and don a beret. Next, take some black and white face paint and mimic the stage makeup of the hair metal band, Kiss.
94. Pretty Princess This costume is great for both kids and adults. All you need is a pretty dress and a plastic crown and wand.
95. ‘The Price Is Right’ Contestant For this game show inspired getup, just cut a name tag out of yellow construction paper and paste it right onto your shirt!
96. Regina George from Mean Girls All you need is a white tank top, black skirt, and a purple bra (plus a pink cardigan if you really want to commit). Just cut out holes in the white tank top so your purple bra shows through and you’re done. Bonus points if you make your own Burn Book as a prop!
97. Crazy Cat Lady Put on an old robe and hot glue kitty stuffed animals on it. Then, add details like hair rollers, slippers, and coffee cups.
98. Sugar Mama Moms and Dads alike will love this costume. All you need is a bag full of sugar and a baby carrier to complete!
99. Nickelback Attach a bunch of nickels to the back of an old t-shirt using glue dots or hot glue to create this punny costume. 101.Family Tree Paste fake leaves to an Earth colored shirt. After the glue is dried, attach copies of family photos throughout the years.