You Can Throw A Zoom Halloween Party That's Just As Fun As An IRL Bash

Now that October is well underway, you may be getting ready to plan out the festivities. While this year will look a bit different due to the ongoing pandemic, that doesn't mean you can't celebrate. If you're thinking about throwing a virtual celebration, here's how to host a Zoom Halloween party.

As of Oct. 17, experts still advise hosting a virtual Halloween party instead of an in-person gathering to avoid exposure to the coronavirus. If you do host a small gathering, you should make sure to incorporate a mask into your costume. Throwing a virtual party may sound tricky if you've never done it before. To start, you'll need the latest version of Zoom and a little bit of creativity. Before you get into planning, keep in mind that you'll need each of your guests to have Zoom downloaded before the party. You should also consider signing up for the free trial of Zoom Meetings or the paid version of Zoom, because the free version only allows for 40-minute group video chats. Once you've sorted out the logistics, the fun part of planning begins.

Make a plan.

Hosting a Halloween party requires planning, so you'll need to make a list of what you'd like to do. Do you want to host a costume contest? What games are you going to play? Would you like to assign someone as a co-host of the meeting?

Take an inventory of the thing you want to do. If you're hosting a costume contest as a part of your party, you may want to get some prizes for the guests. These can be virtual prizes or physical prizes, but keep in mind you'll have to mail out physical ones.

If you and your guests are over 21, you can also create a cocktail and include the recipe in their invitation, so you can all sip of the signature drink.

Once you've created a guest list, you can send out an invite text along with a Zoom invite link with a meeting ID if you'd like to schedule it ahead of time. After you've picked a date and time, make sure you let your guests know about anything they need to wear or have for the party.

Choose games and activities.

There are a ton of fun games you can play during a virtual party, but some need planning. Whether it's a costume contest, a "spookiest Zoom background" contest, or a Halloween scavenger hunt, you'll need to prompt your guests in your invite.

If you'd like, you can also choose games that don't need much planning, like a fun game of Truth or Dare or Would You Rather. You can also choose a game you can all play together online, like Jackbox Games' Party Packs or using the Houseparty app.

Prep for food and sips.

Everyone should have their own sips and snack available, especially during dinner time, but you can also plan a menu for everyone if you're making dinner a focus of the evening.

If you and your guests are 21 and over, you can try to recreate some Halloween cocktails (or opt for mocktails) to start the evening. Another sip idea is a fun secret menu Starbucks drink for Halloween, like the Sanderson Frappuccinos. If you're doing a pop culture-themed party, there are recipes you can make, including some Disney Halloween options and Harry Potter recipes. It's best to get creative and give your guests options that they can easily recreate at home, so plan your menu around items that are easy, fun, and festive.

If you decide to go the route of grabbing takeout, you can try to encourage your guests to grab festive items, like Dunkin's Halloween donuts for dessert.

Create an atmosphere.

You can still decorate for your Halloween party, even if your guests are only going to see one area of your apartment. Decorate a fun backdrop and ask your guests to do the same, or you can ask everyone to choose a Halloween Zoom background instead.

Your atmosphere can also include choosing a Halloween playlist, so pick out some music beforehand. If you'd prefer, you can also choose one of your guests to serve as the DJ for the night.

Once you've planned your party, invited your guests, and done the prep work, you're all set for a spooky celebration. Remember to get creative, because there are so many ways you can make a virtual Halloween party fun.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all Elite Daily's coverage of coronavirus here.