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@MochaPom, a brown pomeranian dressed as a ghost

How to plan a Halloween party for you and your ghouls

Making plans shouldn't be the scariest thing you do all month, so we made the ultimate checklist for throwing the party of the season with some help from YouTube.

It’s October and let’s be real: you’ve been waiting for this all year. Sure, summer’s fun and winter’s nice, but spooky season is more than just a time of year, it’s a lifestyle. I’m talkin’ apple cider, haunted houses, campy horror movies and an excuse to turn your home into one big pumpkin! And the best part, hands down, is sharing those memories with your friends by throwing a Halloween party.

That said, if your friends are anything like mine, making plans can be the scariest thing you do all month. There’s so much to coordinate, so we made the ultimate checklist for throwing the party of the season with some help from YouTube.

Get in the spirit

If there’s one thing Mean Girls made clear, it’s that Halloween means something very different depending on who you ask. Are you going for “ethereal witch” or “cottagecore queen”? Do you want the party to actually be scary or just cozy and campy? Maybe you don’t care much about aesthetics and are just looking to have casual fun with your friends. Either way, it’s a good idea to look through some ideas and align on the general vibe up front. YouTube is full of party inspo, from Raven Elyse’s annual haunted houses to Darling Desi’s Autumn Starter Packs.

Make a playlist

Collaborative playlists are the way to go if you’re looking for a simple way to get everybody involved in the party planning process. They’re fun, festive and easy to create on both YouTube and YouTube Music. Just follow these five steps.

  1. Start a new playlist from the library or sidebar
  2. Select the pencil to edit the playlist
  3. Select Collaborate.
  4. Select collaborators who can add songs and videos.
  5. Invite collaborators to your playlist by sharing the link.

Try making your own custom thumbnails for your playlist using either your own photos or with generative AI

And for the finishing touch, try making your own custom thumbnails for your playlist using either your own photos or with generative AI. On YouTube, you can choose an image from your camera roll, and create your masterpiece with text, filters, or stickers. Or, to generate a thumbnail with AI, tap "Create with AI," pick a theme, and choose from the options.

Next up, get dressed up

Every Halloween, I procrastinate picking out my costume and end up with a half-hearted witchy look or something vaguely vampire-esque. That’s fine obviously, but tis the season and this year I want to go all out. Shorts creators have really come to my rescue with costume ideas for couples, best friends, groups of all sizes and those flying solo. There are also a ton of special effects makeup tutorials, elaborate DIYs and sustainable options using items already in your closet, so be on the lookout.

Bake it happen

It wouldn’t be fall without pumpkin spice and candy apples. I’m no chef, but I couldn’t resist trying to create some spooky snacks. My cookies didn’t turn out anywhere near as cute as Sweet Amb’s, but they tasted amazing! All I had to do was search “Halloween recipes”, pick my favorite video, buy the ingredients, prop my phone up on my cookbook holder and follow along. It’s the perfect way to trick’ o treat yourself!

Grab the pop (and candy) corn

For those more into the cozy side of the season, it’s time to kick off that movie marathon. You can access over 100 top channels on YouTube TV, including live, local and on-demand options, where you’re likely to find all the seasonal content. You can see our full list of on-demand Horror & Suspense offerings in our directory or you can turn on the TV and start browsing.

Planning a great Halloween party doesn’t have to be complicated and YouTube is filled with ideas, recipes and resources to get you started. Now, all that’s left to do is bring your friends and have a gourd time!

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