6 Steps for the Best Halloween Party

Halloween is right around the corner. You’re probably busy planning the costumes for yourself and your family.

One of the reasons we like Halloween so much is we can transport ourselves to another time and place by becoming our characters as we dress up for the evening.

Like Halloween’s ability to transport us, our hot tubs can also help us forget our daily stresses while we relax our cares away.

So, it seems only natural to combine Halloween and your hot tub into one big package.  Here are six steps for throwing the best Halloween party full of chills and thrills!

Step 1: Clean Your Hot Tub

• While scaring your guests on Halloween is tons of fun, you certainly don’t want to scare them with a scaly, grimy hot tub.
• Be sure to clean your tub before the party. Bring us a water test, and we can help ensure your water is sparkling clean. Check your filters and clean them, so your water is healthy for your guests.
• How long has it been since you drained and refilled your spa? If it’s been longer than four months, or the water is especially dirty, think about draining your hot tub before your Halloween party.
• Clean the shell and your jets, then refill your hot tub. Run the hot tub to move the water around, and add the necessary chemicals and sanitizers.

Step 2: Decide on Guests & Send Invitations

Before you send out your invitations, decide how many people you want to invite. Since you’re having a hot tub Halloween party, you want to think about how many people your hot tub can accommodate and if you’ll have other activities for the overflow.

If you’re having a small, intimate gathering, only invite the number of people your hot tub will hold. Or, you can invite twice the number so those who aren’t in the hot tub don’t feel left out.

If you decide on a large party with a lot going on, don’t worry about your hot tub because people will have a great time inside and out of it!

The spookier, the better! Get creative with your invitations and pick ones that match the ambiance of your party. You can invite your guests in several ways:

• Phone call
• Evite invitation
• Email
• Traditional printed invitation

Don’t forget to tell your guests to wear their costumes and bring a swimsuit for the hot tub. Challenge your guests to incorporate their swimming suits into their costumes for added fun!

Step 3: Decorate

Halloween parties are all about costumes and decorations.

Plan your decorations and make them as spooky as you’d like (unless, of course, you’ll have little ones at the party).

Transform the Hot Tub

Transform your hot tub by setting your lights to green – call it the Witches’ Cauldron. Or, you can use red lights and call it the Dead Man’s Pool or the Vampire’s Lair.

Light Up Your Yard

Hang twinkling lights in the trees and use spooky LED lights to decorate your backyard.

Foggy Effects

Buy some dry ice and decorate around your hot tub and, if you have one, around your swimming pool. You can also use a fog machine in your backyard.  Create an ambiance with foggy effects.

Spooky Effects

Decorate with skeletons, snakes, spiders, spider web tombstones, bats, and more.

Music

Bring out the music and add spooky sound effects, too. No Halloween party is complete without the scary tunes. Here are some ideas:

• Thriller
• Monster Mach
• Jaws
• Psycho
• Halloween movies
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Step 4: Plan the Games

Make it easy for your guests. Schedule games during the evening for those who aren’t hanging out in your hot tub. This helps set the mood and get everyone more comfortable with one another.

• Have a costume contest – ask your guests to write down their favorite costumes. During the middle of the party, tally the winners and let these folks get in the hot tub first.
• Tell ghost stories – have your guests share their spookiest stories in the hot tub. Choose a winner and give them a party prize.
• Play Guess Who – Gather the names of famous horror movie characters. Put the slips into a bucket. During the game, have guests pick a slip. They then have to act out the character until the other guests guess who it is.
• Hot Tub Karaoke – Do Karaoke with Halloween tunes. Have the singers stand outside on the patio while your hot tubs guests listen to their rendition of classic spooky tunes.

Step 5: Create a “Frightening” Meal

Whether you’re serving dinner or snacks, get super creative with your meal planning. When looking for Halloween recipes, try Pinterest.  Here are some other ideas to get you started:

• Toxic Waste (Green) Mac N Cheese
• Eyeball Peanut Butter Balls
• Melted Witch Hot Chocolate
• Jack O’Lantern Chips and Dip
• Graveyard Taco Dip
• Whole Wheat Witch Fingers and Dip
• Green Monster Shot
• Spider Deviled Eggs
• Blood-red Punch

Do serve plenty of water as your guests need to stay hydrated if they’re hot tub soaking during the party.

Try to keep your guests from eating in the hot tub so you don’t end up with a big mess. Use plastic cups, so you don’t have glass breaking.

Step 6: Plan for the Extras

Assume that most of your guests will forget a towel, so have plenty on hand. You might also set out a few extra swimsuits or costumes if people forgot theirs.

Now that you’ve got our six steps for the best Halloween party, it’s time to put your creative juices to work. If you need help getting your hot tub ready, contact us or stop by today!