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https://blackgirlnerds.com/7-spooky-essentials-to-plan-a-killer-halloween-party/
Fall is in full swing and spooky season is just around the corner. We are now in the homestretch of the year where holiday parties will be happening left and right. First up is Halloween, the one that has equal parts fun for people of all ages. While the youngins have their classroom parties by day and trick or treating at night, adults can let loose on the weekend. If you’re the type that loves planning, you might be more inclined to host your own shindig. We’d love to help so check out our list of seven essentials to throw a party that’s to die for.
Decorations
Whether you want to turn your garage into a haunted house or simply dim the lights and add some strobes, the visuals are the main ingredient. The party has to feel like your guests are immersed in spookiness, so the decor has to be eye-catching. Throw up some streamers and stretch fake cobwebs over furniture pieces (nothing that will catch on fire of course), then add some plastic spiders to it to top it off. If you’re super crafty, carve out some pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns and add those around the party. This could be a good way to add some minor lighting in case you’re considering turning off most of the lights to set the tone.
Costumes
It goes without saying, but have your guests dress for the occasion. On your invite, encourage them to go all out and maybe even opt for a costume contest. Some categories to consider when picking winners can be overall costume, best couple, and scariest. This brings an element of excitement as people show up looking to see the competition. Let’s be honest: It kind of sucks to go to a party when people are boring and ignore the theme. Incentivize partygoers with cool prizes, and, depending on how deep your pockets are, maybe even offer some cash prizes too.
Themed Drinks
This is a fun one! While a punch bowl is standard, craft some specialized cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for folks to enjoy. You can really get creative with this one as food coloring will be your best friend. Get some plastic syringes and fill them with red Jell-O for a “bloody shot” or orange Fanta with your favorite vodka for some “pumpkin tears.” If you want to take your drink set up to another level, snag a block of dry ice to create ghost-like fog. Try some green coloring in lemonade (liquor is optional) and drop in some candy eyeballs for a ghoulish themed concoction. The recipes and ideas are endless.
Solid Playlist
We go to holiday parties for the people and the fun, but the music definitely sets the vibe. There are essentially two main approaches for whoever is taking the reins of being on “the aux.” You can take the route of curating a playlist in advance that’s full of sounds and music from your favorite Halloween movies or just a general list of “bangers” that’ll really get the party going (I think “Not Like Us” might still hit at a costume party, right?). Either way, make sure the tunes are continuous, as dead air always ruins the mood and draws everyone’s attention in a bad way.
Photo Wall
Did you even go to a party if you didn’t take pictures? An underrated piece to throwing a memorable party is the photo wall. Have a designated area where people can flick it up with props and good lighting. People often spend lots of money and time on makeup to get their costume to killer status so they are going to want to document every bit of it. It’s also a win for you as they post to their social media letting everyone know that you threw a dope party that they missed out on.
Spooky Movie
Your guests will be there to chat it up and have a good time, but having a scary movie on in the background is a must. Will they sit and watch the whole thing from beginning to end? Probably not, but a few might stumble over to the coach and get sucked into Hocus Pocus if it’s on. This is one of those elements that contribute to the overall ambiance rather than being a front and center feature. Why not throw on Agatha All Along? Lucky for you, if you turn it to ABC or TBS, you’ll most likely catch a marathon of spooky flicks on repeat anyway so that’ll help you out.
Treats
This goes without saying, but food and snacks are a must (especially if drinking will be involved). There are so many creative ways to turn everyday appetizers and desserts into Halloween-themed bites. How about some string cheese with marinara on the tips to look like a bloody finger or popcorn balls with candy corn on them to look like pumpkins? If you’re wanting to cut corners on time, perhaps order a pre-made charcuterie board (some places will even align it with your party’s theme). You can’t forget the sweets! Cookies, brownie bites, or even pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles for eyes to make them look like ghosts.
The post 7 Spooky Essentials to Plan a Killer Halloween Party appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Fall is in full swing and spooky season is just around the corner. We are now in the homestretch of the year where holiday parties will be happening left and right. First up is Halloween, the one that has equal parts fun for people of all ages. While the youngins have their classroom parties by day and trick or treating at night, adults can let loose on the weekend. If you’re the type that loves planning, you might be more inclined to host your own shindig. We’d love to help so check out our list of seven essentials to throw a party that’s to die for.
Decorations
Whether you want to turn your garage into a haunted house or simply dim the lights and add some strobes, the visuals are the main ingredient. The party has to feel like your guests are immersed in spookiness, so the decor has to be eye-catching. Throw up some streamers and stretch fake cobwebs over furniture pieces (nothing that will catch on fire of course), then add some plastic spiders to it to top it off. If you’re super crafty, carve out some pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns and add those around the party. This could be a good way to add some minor lighting in case you’re considering turning off most of the lights to set the tone.
Costumes
It goes without saying, but have your guests dress for the occasion. On your invite, encourage them to go all out and maybe even opt for a costume contest. Some categories to consider when picking winners can be overall costume, best couple, and scariest. This brings an element of excitement as people show up looking to see the competition. Let’s be honest: It kind of sucks to go to a party when people are boring and ignore the theme. Incentivize partygoers with cool prizes, and, depending on how deep your pockets are, maybe even offer some cash prizes too.
Themed Drinks
This is a fun one! While a punch bowl is standard, craft some specialized cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) for folks to enjoy. You can really get creative with this one as food coloring will be your best friend. Get some plastic syringes and fill them with red Jell-O for a “bloody shot” or orange Fanta with your favorite vodka for some “pumpkin tears.” If you want to take your drink set up to another level, snag a block of dry ice to create ghost-like fog. Try some green coloring in lemonade (liquor is optional) and drop in some candy eyeballs for a ghoulish themed concoction. The recipes and ideas are endless.
Solid Playlist
We go to holiday parties for the people and the fun, but the music definitely sets the vibe. There are essentially two main approaches for whoever is taking the reins of being on “the aux.” You can take the route of curating a playlist in advance that’s full of sounds and music from your favorite Halloween movies or just a general list of “bangers” that’ll really get the party going (I think “Not Like Us” might still hit at a costume party, right?). Either way, make sure the tunes are continuous, as dead air always ruins the mood and draws everyone’s attention in a bad way.
Photo Wall
Did you even go to a party if you didn’t take pictures? An underrated piece to throwing a memorable party is the photo wall. Have a designated area where people can flick it up with props and good lighting. People often spend lots of money and time on makeup to get their costume to killer status so they are going to want to document every bit of it. It’s also a win for you as they post to their social media letting everyone know that you threw a dope party that they missed out on.
Spooky Movie
Your guests will be there to chat it up and have a good time, but having a scary movie on in the background is a must. Will they sit and watch the whole thing from beginning to end? Probably not, but a few might stumble over to the coach and get sucked into Hocus Pocus if it’s on. This is one of those elements that contribute to the overall ambiance rather than being a front and center feature. Why not throw on Agatha All Along? Lucky for you, if you turn it to ABC or TBS, you’ll most likely catch a marathon of spooky flicks on repeat anyway so that’ll help you out.
Treats
This goes without saying, but food and snacks are a must (especially if drinking will be involved). There are so many creative ways to turn everyday appetizers and desserts into Halloween-themed bites. How about some string cheese with marinara on the tips to look like a bloody finger or popcorn balls with candy corn on them to look like pumpkins? If you’re wanting to cut corners on time, perhaps order a pre-made charcuterie board (some places will even align it with your party’s theme). You can’t forget the sweets! Cookies, brownie bites, or even pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles for eyes to make them look like ghosts.
The post 7 Spooky Essentials to Plan a Killer Halloween Party appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
A couple accidentally returned a real wedding ring instead of a cheaper “fake” one to Amazon, leading to a rabbit hole of calls with the company to get their ring back. In a video with over 188,000 views, Hannah (@hannahhuffer7), and Orlando lifestyle content creator set to get married this year, explained how she accidentally returned the wrong item to Amazon.
In her video, she described how she wears a fake engagement ring to work, bringing her actual engagement ring to other events like her Bible studies. When she went to put on her ring before a study one day, she noticed that her actual, incredibly expensive ring wasn’t there. Her fiancé had accidentally returned her real ring to Amazon instead of the fake one that she’d been using for work.
The top 10 sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing today
Housing in the U.S. has never been so expensive. Home prices have risen for more than two years, and rents are near an all-time high. These costs are taking a toll on households. A majority of Americans can’t afford a median-priced home where they live, and a record 24% of homeowners and 50% of renters now spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
This reality is reflected in a recent Redfin Real Estate survey, in which 44% of homeowners and renters said they struggle to afford housing. Gen Z and millennial households reported being under the most pressure, with 41% of homeowners and 70% of renters having difficulty making monthly payments.
To make ends meet, many people are making big sacrifices—from working extra hours to skipping meals or even forgoing medical treatment. It’s a clear sign of how much people are stretching to stay in their homes.
Let’s take a look at the most common things people are giving up to keep up with housing costs. Then we’ll analyze some of the less common but more significant tradeoffs.
The 10 most common sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing
The most common sacrifices tend to be smaller lifestyle changes rather than major family-related decisions. Two in five (41%) of those who struggle with housing payments said they eat out at restaurants less often to afford housing, making it the most common.
Family-related sacrifices Americans are making to afford housing
Some households reported making more significant family-related sacrifices for the sake of affordability. While less common, these changes ranged from moving in with parents, to giving up pets, to even postponing divorce.
Younger generations face the steepest challenges
Millennial and Gen Z households reported higher rates of struggle than Gen X and baby boomers. Among younger renters, 22% said they skip meals completely or have sold belongings to make their monthly payments, and 19% have delayed medical treatments.
When will affordability improve?
For homebuyers
While it may not feel like it, housing affordability has improved since the pandemic thanks to slower price growth, higher wages, and easing mortgage rates. But substantial improvement that will reverse the dramatic pandemic-era increases will take years, barring a major economic shift.
For renters
Renters have had it tough since the pandemic, especially low-income renters. Nationwide, prices are 24% higher than they were in January 2020, and the share of cost-burdened renters has skyrocketed.
However, more apartment construction has helped rent prices level out recently, helping affordability improve slightly as wages rise. If more supply hits the market, affordability could rise further—unlikely given the current economic landscape.
Methodology
Based on a 2025 Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos, which received responses from more than 4,000 U.S. homeowners and renters–around 2,000 of whom said they struggle to afford housing. The results for this combined group of survey respondents have a credibility interval of +/-2.7 percentage points.
The survey asked the respondents who said they struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payment (greatly, regularly, or sometimes) the following question: “Which of the following, if any, changes or sacrifices did you make in the past year to afford your monthly housing costs, including mortgage or rent, insurance, parking, heating/cooling/electricity or HOA dues?” Respondents could select all sacrifices that applied.
This story was produced by Redfin Real Estate and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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