Halloween Decorating Has Never Been So Fun

This year, instead of getting the mom’s and dad’s together to decorate the classroom for the Halloween party, we let the student’s decorate. We might not be ready for Martha Stewart, but there has never been a group of kids more excited with the end result then Mr. Stronczek’s class of fourth graders.

My youngest son Max is my last child in the lower school. Next year, it’s the middle school, and decorating for Halloween definitely takes a back seat. So, given that I am the Party Girl, I decided to do it up right. Somewhere along the way, plans changed – and the end result was so much better. Max and his teacher called an audible. The students would decorate the classroom.

I shopped ShindigZ.com for a variety of Halloween products that would hopefully meet the tastes of the varied students and not be too scary for the school. Max and his friends, willingly carried box after box of décor into the classroom and the fun began.

One group set off to cover the classroom in cob webs; chairs, tables, blackboard, windows, computers and anything else that got in their way. Another student took on the task of assembling the three stacking lighted jack o lanterns and soon shared one with each of the fourth grade classes. There were friendly skeletons and pumpkins around the room, no filing cabinet or cabinet was left untouched. The door was covered in a curtain of spider web gossamer topped with dancing skeletons. Black and orange tissue balls were hung, garland graced the walls and mini bats were everywhere

The busses were loading and the kids weren’t ready to leave. The fourth grade hallway needed a burst of Halloween and neighboring classrooms jumped in on the fun. Of course, teachers and moms helped along the way, but mostly we watched and smiled as the kids proudly worked side by side. As we placed the spider web corrugated border along the chalkboard, I thought we were done, only to be corrected by a student who popped their head into the room asking me, “What decorations was I bringing tomorrow? “

I had no idea the excitement level would be so high. Although I was tempted to “fix” a few items here and there – I let it be. I had just witnessed a whirlwind of activity with a successful end result. It was a great lesson in teamwork, working together toward a common goal, and trying something new. All in all, a great day at school. Of course, the stage has been set for the upcoming Holiday season. I will be better prepared, bringing enough for all three fourth grade classrooms and the fourth grade hallway too. ‘Tis the season….

A list of items used by the students can be found below.

1. stacking pumpkins
2. lighted spider web
3. spider web corrugated border
4. cob webs
5. Halloween decorating kit
6. dancing skeletons
7. bat garland
8. lantern garland
9. black and orange drapery
10. spider gossamer
11. Halloween deco corrugated paper
12. Adrian the Ghost
13. Bag ‘o bones cutouts
14. Halloween magic deco wrap
15. Sneaky kids pumpkin and witch
16. Pumpkin bunting
17. Jointed spider

Ghost Decorations for a Spooky Halloween Bash

Ghosts are a must-have for Halloween festivities. There are tons of ghost decorations, costumes and party accessories perfect for haunting your Halloween party.

Create a big first impression for guests to your home this Halloween with a ghost lawn globe or our Ghost Ranch Decorating Kit. Visitors will be in awe of your awesome decorations and you’ll have the coolest yard in the neighborhood. To really set the scene for spooky, check out our tips for a Haunted Porch. A Ghoulish Graveyard Kit or Spooktacular Cemetery Kit also make awesome choices.

String a set of ghost lights across your porch, doorway, or around your railings to create a spooky glow. The ghost lanterns are another great option.

Transform an entire room of your home in a snap with a Halloween Insta-Theme Kit. It’s perfect for instantly boosting your spooky party décor. Adding ghosts to the wall is sure to add that extra Halloween flair.

If you like pirates, add a little sea-faring touch to your walkway by lining it with a ghost pirate fence. It’s the perfect decoration for pirate fans and Halloween.

Add the finishing touches with our hanging ghost decorations. String a ghost garland around the room. Add a giant ghoulish ghost to a corner to spook guests. Don’t forget Adrian the Ghost. He’s an awesome addition to your party décor!

Don’t forget to decorate yourself with our ghost costume!

Set a Startlingly Cool Halloween Table

Whether you’re hosting a classroom Halloween party, a costume party, or simply a fun family affair, a well decorated table makes a great focal point for the rest of your get-together.

The first step to setting your Halloween table is table covers. Cover your tables with a black or orange table cover. We have plenty of other options including a Trick or Treat plastic table cover or a pumpkin and web table roll. A spider web tablecover is another attractive choice.

The next step is choosing table decorations. We have tons of awesome centerpieces and other table decorations. A sweet station is a great, functional centerpiece. Stock it with tons of cupcakes and other treats for a festive accent. For a funny touch, try our talking vampire. He’ll talk to your guests and add an awesome accent to your tabletop.

There are tons of creepy or gross accents for you to add to your table. Use a brain or heart mold to create an edible decoration your guests will squeal over. Trick your guests with Gore-May Crackers. Set one on each food tray to startle unsuspecting guests.

Our flesh and bone candles are a ghoulish touch. As the candles burn they reveal bones and blood (not real)! For a less gory option, try our Halloween hand candle holder.

Some table decorations double as party favors. Fill table coffins with snacks and write guests names on them with white or silver paint pens. Set them on tables as decorations or place cards then let guests take them home. Halloween goblets also work as favors and decorations. Serve drinks in them!

The final step is choosing Halloween tableware. We have several great ensembles to choose from. The Monster Mash Ensemble has a cool cartoonish look. For a scary option try the Cemetery Terror Ensemble. Solid colored orange and black tableware also makes a striking appearance.

Host a Fab-Boo-lous Halloween Dance

A ghoulish night awaits you as Halloween approaches. Make your Halloween Dance the best it can be with our awesome themes and decorations. Begin your preparation with a visit to our Halloween Dance section.

Be sure to check out Halloween kits. They come packed with everything you need to create your spooky scene!

Every dance needs a slogan! To complete your haunted Halloween dance, choose a romantic, fun, or sinister phrase from the list below - or be daring and create your own!
• Full Moon Fantasy
• Be Witched!
• Masked Love
• Night of Magic
• Under Your Spell
• Romance in the Moonlight
• Enchantment in the Pumpkin Patch
• Howling at the Moon
• Hauntin’ Halloween Night
• Night of Mayhem
• The Midnight Hour
• Haunted by Love
• Gettin’ Spooky With It
• Trick or Treat

Invitations

Give students a sneak preview of the fun and let them know that this is a not to be missed Homecoming event by sending out unique invitations. Now is the time to choose theme wording, so you can carry your theme through your decorating and your favors. A few fun suggestions for the Halloween spirit: “You Are Cordially Invited to Attend Your Own Wake!,” “Warning - Attend This Homecoming at Your Own Risk!” If you are sending out traditional paper or imprinted invites, consider sprinkling some 3-D spider confetti inside.

Decorations

Give your Homecoming Dance guests spooky Halloween thrills with the decorating ideas below!
• Have the students enter the building through a haunted tunnel using black corrugated paper. With duck tape and a staple gun, form a “tunnel” shape with the paper.
• For fun, hang some black streamers from the tops of the tunnel in a couple of spots to give students the creeps. Place spiders on the floor for them to crawl through.
• Hang a few glow-in-the-dark items in the tunnel such as glow eyes to add to the excitement.
• Greet students with a very scary Grim Reaper standee decoration. This will scare the pants off of even the most enthusiastic student!
• Cobwebs are one of the most inexpensive, high-impact decorating items you can use to create an authentic atmosphere for your scariest of parties. Hang them throughout your event room - fasten them to the corners of tables, around arches and columns, and across the stage. You can never have too many of these around!
• Finally, remember that lighting is everything! You can choose to go with candle lighting only, which is very mysterious but can be a little dangerous. Another option is to use black light bulbs wherever possible to create an atmosphere that is to die for! Place a strobe light in one corner of your room, or in a separate room for a spine-tingling effect!

Tableware
• Start your table off with a covering of black gossamer to keep the atmosphere creepy and dark. Next, add one large carved out pumpkin and two smaller pumpkins in the center of the table. Don’t carve faces on the pumpkins but instead fill them with water. Add our mist maker inside the pumpkins for a spooky mist - all without chemicals!
• Place some tissue grass mats around the pumpkins and across the center of the table, letting it hang down from the sides of the table.
• By placing one or two faux ravens perched on the pumpkins and grass mats you will add an interesting and eerie appeal to your table.
• For placecards, use coffins that can be personalized with students’ names. At each table setting, place a headstone with a candy pumpkin and a small patch of Cobwebs.
• For your plates, if you choose to go simple, check out our Gold 9″ Paper Plates along with our black cutlery. Dress them up a bit by adding our Halloween napkin assortment to the ensemble. Tie the napkins with the silverware up in a bundle and tie with a small bunch of raffia or ribbon. Add a clip-on crawlie to each bundle and scatter a couple of spiders on each plate as well.

Food Ideas
• Pumpkin pie, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin cupcakes
• Trick-or-treat candy

Favors

Give students favors they can use during the party … this will add excitement and fun!
• Halloween mugs go great with the napkin assortment and are perfect favors when filled with Halloween candy or goodies.
• Serve a chilling witch’s brew to students in personalized glassware imprinted with your theme, or in one of our inexpensive stadium cups. When the dance is over, the can take them home as an extra-special souvenir!
• There are several styles of photo favors that can be personalized with your special wording and design. This is a particularly good favor idea if you will have a photo setting at your party to take pictures of the couples enjoying their enchanted evening together.
• Personalized napkins that complement your theme are always a hit! We offer a large selection of dinner, luncheon and beverage napkins in an impressive palette of 20 colors. We also offer a wide range of ink colors, as well as a metallic foil, holographic foil, prismatic foil or a traditional ink imprint.
• Napkins can be laid out on a buffet table, or can be displayed at each place setting. Place napkins in the center of each place setting at an angle, or unfold them and place them in glasses for a tall dramatic look. The napkins can also be tied (and bundled with plastic cutlery) with a multitude of items to match your theme. Try curling ribbon, gossamer streamers, ric-rac or ribbon.