Hosting a fall party is a gift to friends and family. Fall parties are a great kick off to the holiday season! I’ve done my share of fall parties (15 years), and I have some fall party ideas that may just inspire you.

I think hosting a fall party can become a family tradition like Thanksgiving or Christmas.

 The coming of autumn kicks off the holiday season, at least for our extended family. We have get togethers every month through the end of the year…it’s our time to celebrate and catch up and have a little fun.

We don’t always do the same things at our fall party. Ten years ago, there were no tiny people, only teenagers and twenty-somethings. Those were the days of elaborate pumpkin carving contests.

Now days there are 12 grandchildren between my sister and I, so we shifted from pumpkin carving, to chili cook-offs, halloween costumes, and games for the kiddos.

Here are a few ideas to inspire:

Tip #1

With pre-teens, teenagers & twenty-somethings a Pumpkin Carving Contest is perfect! For years, that was our perfect party!

 Pumkin Carving parties are easy…

*set up tables covered in paper, *have everyone bring their own carving tools, a pattern and a pumpkin,  *appoint 3 or 4 judges…

Our pumpkins started our simple but every year the bar was raised…the ‘trash-talk’ started in September with everyone keeping their “designs” top secret!

Tip #2

A Chili Cook Off is great if you have young married couples!

Couples just starting their lives together (or even older couples who have a few years behind them) find it fun to collaborate and come up with a “family” signature chili recipe and share it with everyone! Chili Cook Offs are the easiest party ever…Every family bring their ‘signature chili’ and you appoint a panel of judges to do blind taste-test (bowls w/ names on the bottom keeping the chili identity from the judges! 🙂 )

Tip #3

If you have a contest of any kind…you have to have a prize or two!

The prizes don’t have to be expensive…one year I had a little trophy engraved, one year I did a small poster collage of our past parties, other years I did Starbucks or Target gift cards! Not a lot is required BUT you could ask each entry to throw in $5 or $10 bucks and give CASH to the winner! Use your imagination and keep your guests in mind…what would they like?

Tip #4

Whatever your menu…let your guests help!

My friends and family love to bring their favorite fall dessert, favorite chili or favorite fall dip! We end up with a dessert bar that rivals our Thanksgiving dessert table! As for food, normally the menu includes barbecue, baked beans, mac and cheese…you know, typical fall food. (except for the Chili Cook Off year!)

Tip #5

A must-have at a fall party is a place for a photo op-

Just a little corner in the yard, front porch or even inside, where families can have a picture taken…

This is a fun photo opp I put together with my friends at Balsam Hill…

The biggest benefit of staging a photo op is having photos year after year…here’s the cousin photo from 2012…

And one from 2013…

And this cousin photo one was taken last weekend at our 2014 party…

Tip #6

If there are kids coming…make it FUN for them~you’re making memories!

Both my sister and I have tiny grandchildren, so I like to plan some fun things for the kids! Depending on the year, I’ve done a little or a little more…what I mean is, it doesn’t take a lot to make a lifelong memory for your little person. Put out some fall stickers, crayons, markers and paper…challenge them to make a picture and then hang their artwork up for everyone to see…play freeze tag or hide-and-seek…just take a little time to focus on something fun for them!

This year I decorated the playground area of our yard…(because I already had these things!)

The Boo-Banner was from last year–>HERE.

These easy Pumpkin Kitties —> HERE.

(The owl and the pussycat —> HERE...)

I put bean bags in the bottom of these pumpkins (to hold them in place) and set up an easy ball-toss game…

Of course there were prizes…

And everyone loves a piñata …(this was a FAVORITE thing!)

And setting up an easy craft gives the kids something to do in between running around and eating sweet stuff…

Tiny vials of bubbles aren’t messy (because they’re tiny) and the kids love taking a minute to blow their own bubbles!

A couple of years ago, we did this cute Whoooo Loves You Owl (this craft required adults to help-so it got everyone involved!)…HERE

Tip #7

Do most of your prep & decorating beforehand so you can relax and enjoy the day of …

 Fall party prep is easy, especially if you decorate for fall anyway! Use what you have around the house to decorate and buy just a few fun things, like *paper straws and *chalkboard labels for food labeling-both can be found at Target or craft stores…

If you have kids coming to your party, *these cups are a BIG help…(from Target)

A few picks, feathers, and branches make for a quick and easy centerpiece…

Bring in beautiful fall color with gourds from the grocery …

Spread a quilt or blanket in the yard for anyone wanting to have a picnic…
If you have a place, set up a table outdoors. If you don’t have a table you can put outside, make one  using a couple of saw horses and a piece of plywood—instant table, then simply cover it with a drop cloth! Or even better, buy a 6 foot fold out table! In autumn, the best decoration for your party is your outdoor space!

Tip #8

If you want to start a tradition, keep your party on the same weekend year after year…

We normally have our party the last Saturday in October, but this year we have a new baby due October 20th so the party was early. I suggest, if you want to start a tradition, that you keep your party on the same weekend every year. Especially if you’re having a large number (we have 35-45 people)-a particular Saturday in October is easy to remember year after year and everyone will begin keeping that date open…

Tip #9

Set up spiced cider and hot chocolate outside, especially if it’s a chilly day!

There’s something about standing outside with a warm cuppa! Greeting your guests with spiced cider and hot chocolate for the little ones creates the atmosphere from the moment they arrive…

Tip #10

When you’ve got a couple of years behind you-create a memory collage-

Last year, Mike made a chicken wire screen and I ordered pictures from all of our past fall parties…as everyone stood looking at pictures from over the years, the conversation was priceless. Remember when Stacie put on that clown nose? Look at how tiny Ellie was! Look at all the kids around Uncle Timothy! Effortless trip down memory lane… and as a fun bonus,  everyone got to grab a few of their favorite pictures to take with them…

While friends and family are in one place take a minute, or thirty, to get a photo of everyone…

At the end of the day…a Fall Party is fun because unlike Thanksgiving or Christmas, there are no expectations. No pressure to have a perfect turkey and the perfect gifts…just family and friends laughing, loving, making memories and kicking off the holiday season.

 Does your family have any fall traditions?

Sending love my friends~