Halloween is scary close! It seems to have snuck right up on us. October 31 falls on a Monday this year, which may limit the celebrating just a bit. Planning a Halloween party this weekend may be just the thing for your kids and their friends to squeeze in a little extra spooky fun, and you don’t have to look further than Zachary Walmart, Goodwill, Dollar Tree or Winn-Dixie to get inexpensive supplies. I did a little scouring for you to help throw together a theme party on a budget.
Pumpkin table covers, Halloween plates and napkins, creepy decorations, glowsticks and necklaces, cupcake decorating kits, cookie decorating kits, fall scented candles, treat buckets and more are $5 and under at Walmart. Dollar Tree behind Cane’s has tons of candy and party favors as well, but you’ll have to dodge the premature Christmas decor to get to it!
Speaking of candy– which seems unbelievably expensive this time of year–consider buying fruit snacks, rice crispy treats, juice pouches or crackers packs that can be bought in bulk at Walmart for significantly less to make your stash for trick or treaters stretch a little longer.
Costly costumes are often planned or paid for in advance, and we often only get to wear them once! Invite your guests to get another wear out of their costumes at your party, or make part of the fun a costume swap–a great way to both clear the clutter of past costumes, and a win-win for all participants. Zachary Goodwill has a good selection as well.
Keep it easy and inexpensive by picking up pizza from Papa Johns. They’re running a carry out special including two large pizzas (1 specialty and 1 two topping) for $27.
Pumpkin decorating and carving is a necessary for any Halloween party. Winn Dixie has pie pumpkins for $4.49 each, and Rouse’s has some as well. Their size makes them perfect for decorating. They’re lightweight enough to be carried home and small enough to dry quickly. It’s Walmart for the win again with decorations like paint, sequins, googly eyes, pipe cleaners and pompoms all priced at $10 or less.
End your party with a bang. Fourth of July meets Halloween with glowing bang snaps, renamed Glowing Zombie Poop from Walmart. When exposed to light, they glow and snap when thrown to the ground. At $3 a box, this perfect party favor is always a hit with kids.
Enjoy your Halloween, and we’d love to see pics if you implement any of these ideas! Email to editor@porchandparish.com or tag @porchandparish on social.
Jackie Novak, contributing writer
