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Two Wicked Thrifty (and Last Minute) Halloween Table Settings

A case for the Halloween Night “Pop-in & Eat” Meal

As my kids have gotten older, it’s been a tradition to provide a “pop-in and eat” meal on Halloween.  They “pop-in” with their friends between parties and trick-or-treating to eat something nourishing and hearty.  Soup takes center stage on Halloween night, simmering all evening in a large black pot like Witch’s Brew, with corn bread muffins, yeasty rolls, and bowls of croutons adding spirit to a simple dish.

This simple (and soon to be traditional) Halloween meal casts a bewitching spell when served on beautiful dishes or cheeky paper-goods that add to the fun of nighttime revelry.  I’m serving up both for you.  Choose the table setting that boosts the mood of your trick-or-treaters, whether they be big or small.

I Put A Spell On You Halloween Tablescape

Set the mood for a grown-up night of play with a beautiful table.  Invite some friends over to play cards, and encourage their kids to drop in so you can keep a sneaky eye your older trick-or-treaters.

Start with golden chargers normally reserved for Christmas to bring a gleam to simple white dishes.  Add to the fun by picking up a handful of Halloween themed salad plates, readily available this time of year in almost every home store for an inexpensive boost for your everyday dishes.

Pull together a centerpiece by borrowing from the decorations that have been adorning other areas of your home—in my case, Jack-o-Lantern buckets filled with seasonal silk flowers.  Candles, pumpkins, and tree branches also make spellbinding centerpieces for your soup fest.  You’re just going to put it all away tomorrow, so move it around and enjoy it!

To add to the atmosphere, I made a simple sign asking visitors to “Stay For a Spell,” using my Cricut die cut machine.  If you want to make your own, pick up the project sheet here.

Eat, Drink, and Be Scary Halloween Party Paper Table Setting

When your “pop-in” meal caters to the smaller ghosts and goblins, it’s smart to use disposable paper-goods, but they aren’t exactly friendly for small hands.  Reinforce your plates by using wicker plates underneath, or your gold chargers.  Make sure you use a few pieces of double sided tape to attach the plate firmly to the charger, so the plate doesn’t slide off!

Elevate your table by adding these cute bottle wraps and napkin cuffs.  I designed them using my Cricut die cut machine and embellished them with a few googly eyes from the craft store.  You can snag the project sheet here.   I love corralling utensils and a napkin with a napkin ring or sleeve so that each guest has everything they need to enjoy the meal in hand.

All Traditions Begin Somewhere

When my family was young, we moved into a home at the top of a hill, and ventured out on Halloween with three kids, and a stroller.  I was working full-time and wasn’t very good at planning my days around the needs of the little kids yet, so I had picked them up from daycare, put them in costumes and handed them each a pillow case before heading out.

GET MORE FALL CRAFT PROJECTS HERE!

It didn’t take long for my Tinkerbell daughter to look more like an irritated elf, her empty bottle clinched between her front teeth like an enlarged cigar.  It was hot outside and my son had vampire makeup running down the front of his costume, complaining that his tummy hurt.  My other boy, dressed as Mike Wazowski in a fleece jumpsuit with a big pocket across the belly for candy, was jogging along with the candy bouncing up and down with each step—stuffing handfuls of it in his cheeks at each stop.

We were a sugar-coated, melting mess when we knocked on Shelly’s door.  She was married to my husband’s cousin and all I really knew about them was that they lived in our neighborhood.  She took one look at us and invited us in for some dinner.  We were worried about imposing when a car load of teenagers pulled up and emptied half a dozen costume-clad girls onto her lawn.  They walked into the house, pulling my kids in their wake.  Before I knew it, we were all cradling big bowls of soup and laughing at the stories being told around the kitchen.  The kids looked so happy to be fed that I almost cried.  The boys shared their haul with the teenage girls, and my daughter popped up on my lap and fell asleep on my shoulder.

We outstayed our welcome, I’m sure, but I loved my first pop-in meal.  More carloads of teens dropped by, and more neighbors stopped in with their kids—all invited on the spot by Shelly.

Pop-in meals became a tradition for us when our children grew older and Halloween became a night for friends.  I always made a point to invite a family or two in for soup from the front door, to carry on with tradition.

With these fast and easy Halloween table ideas you can build your own Halloween meal traditions.  If you host a “pop-in” meal for Halloween, I’d love to hear about it!

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