Organise fun Halloween party games for all ages, prepare plenty of terrific treats to eat, pick a theme, plan your costumes and send out professional-looking invites.
How to Turn Framed Art Into Haunted Décor for Halloween
Any old, vintage framed art can be transformed into something extra spooky.
Alex is the senior home editor for Martha Stewart. She has over 10 years of experience producing digital content in the home and lifestyle space, ranging from cleaning and organizing to etiquette and home design.
Updated on September 26, 2023
You don’t have to look very far to come up with spooky Halloween decoration ideas. If you have old artwork hidden in a corner of your attic, you can whip up an eerie craft in no time. No hidden pieces of art lying around your home? Thrift some from your local antique store to upcycle into a piece of creepy Halloween décor.
Our tutorial will show you how to paint the frame, add some ghoulish ghosts, and decorate your vintage framed art into something positively fright-worthy.
What You’ll Need
Materials
- Black craft paint
- White craft paint
- Small craft paint brush
- Small painter’s brush
- Vintage framed artwork
- Small bowls for paint
Instructions
Paint the frame black
Take your black paint, and squirt a dollop into a shallow bowl. Using your painter’s brush, paint the frame of your artwork with a coating or two of black paint.
Paint some ghosts and other ghoulish touches
Once your frame has dried, using your white paint and small craft paint brush, paint your ghosts directly onto the canvas (or glass, if the artwork is behind a glass frame). Add as many or as few as you would like. Use your black paint to create some eyes on the ghosts and gaping holes for mouths. We gave the dog in our painting fangs as well. Get creative and add your own spooky touches!
Hang your artwork
Once dry, hang your artwork where you would like. Leaning it against a fireplace mantel will make your new haunted artwork the focal point of any room.
Set the scene with more spooky decor
Go one step further and stretch some cobwebs over the corner of the frame, and surround it with mini pumpkins, giant spiders, and black candlesticks to complete the look.
200+ Halloween party ideas for a terrifying celebration
How to throw a Halloween party
There’s a lot to consider when you’re throwing a Halloween party (unless you’re just having a low-key affair).
You should think about the kind of guests you’re inviting and their needs to make sure everyone has a good time. For example, a family event will be very different from an adults-only gathering.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re organising your Halloween party:
1. The age of your guests
Keep things light for a kid’s party and save the scares for the grown-ups.
2. Party food
The food – If you’ve just invited a few friends over for drinks, you probably only need to provide snacks.
However, if you love cooking then there are lots of creative (and tasty) ways to creep out your guests. Don’t forget to check if your guests have any allergies! Check out our Halloween party food ideas.
3. Themes
Choosing the right Halloween party theme can bring your whole party together, inspiring your outfits, food and decor.
4. Party games
Halloween is a brilliant time to get in touch with your inner child and there are plenty of games suitable for all ages. Discoer fun Halloween party games.
5. Decorations
Get everyone in the party mood by making your house look horrifyingly good. Make your house look scary with our DIY Halloween decorations.
6. Music
There are lots of spooky playlists available on Spotify or you can have a great time making your own bespoke mixtape.
If you’re bored of listening to music, you can give your party a cosy autumnal vibe by putting on a playlist of rain or thunderstorm noises.
7. Invites
Build anticipation for your party by sending out invitations well in advance.
8. Boring admin stuff
Everyone loves planning the exciting parts of a Halloween party, but it’s worth thinking about the practical side in advance too.
Here are some questions to keep in mind:
- Have you got enough room for everyone you’ve invited?
- Do people need to bring extra cushions or chairs for seating?
- Do guests need to bring food or drink?
- How is everyone getting there or getting home?
- Do you have enough cleaning products to tidy up afterwards?
- If you’ve planned an outdoor event, what will you do instead if the weather’s bad?
How to make Halloween party invites
Set the mood for your party by crafting your own Halloween party invites.
If you want to add your own handmade touch, you can make invitations using Gathered’s free Halloween printables.
Want your invites to look professional? We’d recommend using a design tool such as Canva, which has lots of free templates you can use right away.
30 marvellous Halloween party food ideas
No Halloween party is complete without an enticing feast to tuck into. Halloween food should be playful, surprising and utterly delicious.
Even adults will be delighted to see a fun Halloween spread that’s been made with care. There are so many incredible recipes to explore, from quick makes to more time-intensive treats.
Make everything from sausage mummies to cauldron cakes with Gathered’s Halloween party food ideas.
25 Halloween party games for all ages
Get the party started with a few Halloween party games! There are games for all ages, from little tots to full-grown adults.
We’ve chosen plenty of games that are suitable for the whole family, as well as ones for kids, teens and adults.
Halloween party games are often very cheap to set up or can be made using materials you already have at home, so it’s a brilliant way to entertain on a budget.
Entertain family and friends with these Halloween party games for everyone.
