Best AC Halloween Content: Top Tips for Throwing a Halloween Party

Halloween will be here before you know it. If you're thinking about having a spooky fun party it's time to get moving. Here are some top AC articles with great tips on hosting a creative Halloween Party and making sure you and your guests have a howling good time!

Children's Party: It's always a lot of fun to watch children running around in their adorable little costumes. Making a children's Halloween party extra special doesn't have to break the bank or take up all of your time. Ellen Burford shows us all how to throw a budget friendly party, from invitations to games, that pack tons of fun for everyone.

Adult Party: Halloween parties aren't just for the kiddo-s, enjoy an adult party with some of your spookiest friends. Christine Bude Nyholn has you covered with everything you need to plan the perfect after hours bash. With everything from themes and games to food and refreshments, this article is packed with great ideas.

Invitations: Of course the beginning of any party starts with the invites. Meg C. offers some great ideas on how to get the word out. She uses everything from real pumpkins and gourds to origami bats for invitations! I had to try one of the bats myself because they look absolutely adorable. It was super easy and I think these would be perfect for a child's party.

Ok, so we don't all have the time to make a dozen or so invitations by hand. If you're in a time crunch, or simply lack that creative inspiration, take some tips from Sandra Essary. Sandra has compiled a nice list of websites that offer printable Halloween invitations. Some of them even have printable envelopes to match, how cute?!

Decorations: No party is complete without some fun, Halloween appropriate decorations. This year Shannon Wilson has done the work for you. She has compiled a list of some of the best Halloween party decorations for this season. I'm particularly excited about the 20 foot spider web...yes really, go take a look!

If you're more of a do-it-yourself-er, head over to Fooditalia for some of the most creative decoration ideas! The best part is that you don't have to be a novice crafter to complete most of these simple festive pieces. I personally can't wait to make my own Halloween candy wreath.

Food and Refreshments: Here we are at my favorite part of any party, the food. I think this is one of the most important factors that determine happy party-goers. A Halloween party is a great way to open up the doors to creativity, when else can you eat William Yap's mice and spiders?!

And who can pass up a Ghostini (just the name makes me giggle!)? Lauren Michaels will teach you how to whip up those, and many other, Halloween cocktails that are sure to please your adult guests. I think I'm looking most forward to Mary Mcarthy's candy corn shots (yum!) but there's no reason to pick just one, go ahead and serve the crowd.

Halloween Party Games: A little party fun never hurt anyone, so be sure to include some exciting Halloween games to the mix. Jonathan McLelland's pumpkin bowling is a new one to me, sounds like a smashing good time! It sure sounds like Wendy Dawn knows how to entertain her guests, burning pumpkin (played like hot potato) is a perfect classic crowd game.

Party Favors: I haven't met anyone who doesn't enjoy a little parting gift, party favors are the perfect way to end a fun Halloween party. A holiday party favor doesn't have to be anything elaborate, so have a little fun with this one. Some simple (and tasty!) favors offered by Esper D. sound like a wonderful 'thanks for coming' and I like the healthy trail mix as an alternative to candy. Looking to buy a batch of fun items for your guests? Shannon Wilson does it again, with a nice list of the some awesome sounding party favors!

Hope this helps in your Halloween Party planning this season. Have a safe and fun party!