From the costumes to the candy, Halloween is a spooky good time. And decorating your house can be as much fun as dressing up. So when the jack-o’-lanterns are perched on the porch and the gravestones are sticking out of the lawn, let’s take things inside. Kids can’t survive on caramel apples and candy corn alone, so a Halloween-themed table setting can make mealtime part of the holiday.
Before you set the table, drape a black lace tablecloth over it. The next step is to find orange plates, preferably ones shaped like pumpkins. Black goblets should replace glasses, so it will be like sipping from a miniature, boiling cauldron. And napkins printed with ghosts or skulls add a festive touch. Plastic spiders can be found almost anywhere this time of year, so sprinkle them all over the table (and a few on the plates if you want to give your guests a fright).
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Lighting is key when creating a spooky ambiance. Drape faux spider webs over your chandelier and the backs of chairs, but keep the lights off. Instead, place tall black candelabras on the table, which will cast shadows around the room. At the bar, feature bone-shaped corkscrews and cocktail stirrers. For the finishing touches, place black willow branches in a vase so that they look like skeletal fingers, and attach toy bats to them so that they dangle, as if flying, over your guests.
