Who says that Halloween has to be an inside celebration? One of the best things about hosting a Halloween themed party is that it falls at the crossover time of year where it’s not going to be too hot that people won’t enjoy themselves, but not so cold that no one will want to celebrate with your underneath your patio cover. The chill in the air gives you plenty of opportunities for providing some outside warmth and creating that cozy feeling that comes from an outdoor party on the patio.
So many people spend a small fortune on decorating the outside of their homes and their yards that it doesn’t make sense to then host the party inside where you have to decorate all over again. Here is a guide to hosting Halloween outdoors with a patio cover:
- Hot drinks bar – the first thing on your outdoor Halloween party list should be thinking about how to keep your guests warm. This will help them want to stay outside under your new patio cover for longer. Creating a hot drinks bar, complete with electric kettle, allows everyone to make their favourite warm beverage, from herbal to hot chocolate. A selection of Halloween themed mugs, and plates for the obligatory “gory” snacks (anything dipped in blood aka ketchup will be an instant hit!) will make your hot drinks bar the centrepiece of the party. Make sure to add the final touches like marshmallows, cream and of course a heat proof container of hot mulled apple cider!
- Themed soft furnishings – another trick to keeping people at your outdoors Halloween celebration is to have a selection of blankets and covers for people to snuggle up under. It’s a simple thing to find fleecy blankets covered in pumpkins, ghosts and ghouls, and the rule is the more garish the better your party! Consider using orange and black as your background colours for fabric such as throw cushions and seat covers to help match the themed soft furnishings.
- Larger than life decorations – finally, the best thing about hosting Halloween outdoors with a patio cover is the opportunity for outlandish decorations. Life sized figurines will give your guests a big fright, while the new projector technologies means that you can make it look as if zombies are trying to hack their ways through the outside walls of your home towards your party. You can also use the encroaching darkness of your yard to hide some fun surprises, such as a motion sensitive grave with grabbing hands, or a noise maker that emits gurgles and screams at random intervals. All of these cost a little extra, but will make your patio Halloween patio unforgettable. You will, of course, have to scale down if you’re expecting younger children at the party!
The last thing you’ll need to do is make sure that you have a fantastic outfit ready to go, and plenty of candy on hand for all the trick or treaters who will coming knocking when they hear the sounds of your exciting Halloween outdoor party under your patio cover.
