Who said Halloween was only for the younger crowd? This year, get into the October spirit and liven up your office with a Halloween party that will get even Karen from finance doing the Monster Mash. Whether you’re holding a costume contest with prizes for the spookiest get-ups or you’ve decided on a potluck complete with a few chilling cocktails, office Halloween parties are an excellent way to boost morale and strengthen team bonds. If you’re looking to treat your office to some thrills and chills, here’s how to throw the perfect Halloween party.

Invitations

Depending on the size of your company (and your budget) you’ll want to put some time and care into your invitations. Don’t leave this step up to word of mouth. If you’ve ever played a game of telephone, you know how easy it is for information to get lost in the shuffle. Invitations make it so nobody in the office is accidentally left out.

While handcrafted paper invitations are a superb choice for smaller offices, the costs skyrocket when you’re working at a corporate company. Fear not! You can find great ways to create cute and crafty invitations that are less of a trick and more of a treat. Plenty of sites offer free online invitation makers that let you whip up some ghastly RSVPs in a snap.

Don’t forget special information on the invite. If you’re throwing a potluck, tell your co-workers to sign up for a dish. That way, there won’t be too much overlap. The one guy who always brings chips to every party will likely still bring chips, but hopefully the other attendees will be a bit more creative with their food offerings.

Don’t skimp on decor

Nobody wants to go to an office party and feel like they’re back at work. Even if you’re not working with the largest budget on the planet, a tastefully decorated conference room is often enough to get your co-workers in the right mood. Whether you’re hanging neon glow sticks in cubicles or tacking up pumpkin banners on the walls, you don’t have to exhaust your budget to get your office party-ready.

If you’re really looking to amp up the creative, challenge individual departments to a Halloween design challenge. Offering prizes for the winners encourages participation as well as teamwork. You can either delegate an amount of the budget to each department or let them craft their own decorations. Make sure that if you set up decorations in advance, they don’t distract from productivity. That means strobe lights, confetti cannons, and creepy soundtracks should be kept to a minimum until the night of your event.

Campy costumes

Costumes make everything a little more exciting. It’s also the fastest way to spread the holiday spirit around your office. Depending on your company, costumes can be a free-for-all or you can set a theme like “famous celebrities.” The latter option is a great choice if you’re in a more reserved workspace and don’t want to risk offending any of your colleagues. Letting departments choose their theme is a great idea too. From members of the Justice League to iconic video game characters, you never know what each department will choose.

If you want to add another challenge to your party, provide some basic materials and see who comes up with the most unique costume. Provide a rack of old clothes, some light-up accessories, and a handful of masks. For an even zanier experience, give everyone a set time limit to come up with a costume. Then just sit back and watch the creativity flow! It’s a sure way to get everyone in the office laughing and interacting.

Food and drink

Catering your Halloween party is always a valid option. However, why spend hundreds of dollars to feed the masses when you could challenge your staff to whip up their creepiest concoctions for an office potluck? While any and all food is always welcome at an office event, recommend that your co-workers bring foods that are easy-to-eat and don’t require much space. When it comes to plates, heavy-duty paper plates are your best bet. They’re sturdier, which means there’s far less of chance of any unsightly stains and spills.

A good way to include everyone in the office is by offering low-calorie options that aren’t loaded with sugar. This includes fruit and vegetable trays alongside the heartier fare. That way, our more health-conscious co-workers won’t feel left out.

When it comes to beverages for the office, make sure you mark what is alcoholic and what isn’t. Also, buying a few packs of disposable cups is a much better choice than risking the office’s drinkware getting broken by a tipsy Frankenstein monster. Make sure there’s plenty of water available for everyone at the party as well. You don’t want anyone pushing their luck with your special graveyard punch.

Have a good time

No matter how you set up your office’s Halloween party, you’re sure to have an excellent time mingling with your co-workers and enjoying some nosh. Make sure that you’re considering every employee during the planning stage and that plenty of food is available to go around. So whether you’re holding a festive costume contest or watching spooky films in the break room, everyone will feel involved and engaged. Don’t forget: For all of your Halloween party lighting needs, the party experts at Premier Glow are here to help make your office gathering a magical, colorful night.