The anticipation for Halloween has been building, and now it’s finally here! And that warrants a proper party. Since this hallowed eve falls on a Friday, you have even more cause for celebration! Check out these tips to throw an awesome Halloween bash.

1. Find some music

No party is complete without a themed playlist. “Thriller” and “The Monster Mash” are classics, so that’s always a good place to start. Songs like “I Put a Spell On You” by Screamin Jay Hawkins, “This House is Haunted” by Alice Cooper and “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” by David Bowie can add some variety to the more obvious hits.

2. Come in costume

Seriously, it’s a Halloween party, so everyone should dress up. Embrace the spirit of the holiday and find your alter ego.

3. Choose your décor

Not everyone’s a Martha Stewart party thrower, and that’s okay. You can keep it simple with pumpkins and fake cobwebs, make things eerie with old black and white portraits or have fun with plastic skeletons and bones.

4. Make your own fog

Fill a metal or plastic container with hot water and slowly add small chunks of dry ice to make a smoky fog. Warm water creates more fog, but the dry ice will disappear faster. Cooler water will give slightly less fog, but the ice will last longer. If you’re using dry ice in drinks, be sure it is food grade and don’t touch it or swallow it.

5. Food and drink

Are mummy dogs and deviled egg eyeballs cliché? Yes. Do we still want them at the party? Yes! You also can’t go too wrong with homemade root beer, which also happens to use dry ice, and create a festive fog.

6. Keep it simple

Sending out invites on Facebook is a great way to quickly invite a big group of people. Delegate some jobs to friends and ask everyone to bring snacks. Pick up Earth-friendly cups and plates that can be recycled and put out a bin for recyclable garbage. Move back the furniture and put away the breakables.

So Happy Halloween, Wildcats.  Now let’s party!