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October is Here – Spooky Season is Upon Us!
Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays. I get excited early every single year. It’s just such a fun, stress-free holiday. We all get to dress up, be someone new for a day, and embrace a little magic and mischief. I love that!
This year, I finally created something I’ve dreamed of sharing for a while — a Halloween-themed dinner party. And it was such a blast! We had the best night not only styling and bringing this party to life, but also enjoying it together. With a few close friends (and help from an amazing team), I got to turn my vision into a simple, cozy, spooktacular Halloween gathering.
I took so much of your feedback from our summer entertaining story in Palm Beach and tried to create a mix of approachable ideas + beautiful details to this fall party. I’m so excited to finally share this Halloween chili dinner with you!
And while I can’t say I love it more than Christmas, I really do love this spooky, month that is October.
For the menu, I knew instantly I wanted to serve chili. Growing up, we always spent Halloween trick-or-treating, then ended up back at my Nonnie and Grandpa’s house for one of two dinners: carry-out pizza and salad or Nonnie’s homemade chili with beer bread. And, of course, a mountain of candy after. I loved both meals, but chili felt like the perfect nostalgic, cozy centerpiece for this party.
This menu is simple, delicious, and can be almost entirely made ahead of time — exactly what you want for entertaining.
When it comes to hosting, I always say: keep it simple — but make it beautiful and delicious. Especially as the holiday season ramps up. The easier your menu is, the more you’ll enjoy the night.
My tips
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Cook what you love and feel confident serving.
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Don’t be afraid to delegate!
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Do as much as you can ahead of time so you can actually enjoy your guests.
And most importantly — have fun with it! That’s what Halloween (and fall entertaining in general) is all about.
The Menu:
I wanted a menu that could be made completely ahead of time, something easy, cozy, and delicious. Chili felt perfect. It’s the kind of dish you can have simmering away on the stove (or in the crockpot) while guests arrive — totally hands-off, yet so comforting.
Because it’s a Halloween party, I gave the chili a fun twist by finishing it in the oven and serving it inside a big, spooky-looking pumpkin (Whole Foods always has great options). It was surprisingly easy — and everyone was obsessed with it!
If you don’t have time to carve out a pumpkin, no big deal. Just grab a gorgeous Staub Pumpkin Cocotte and call it a day. For serving, I love using the Staub Mini Pumpkin Cocottes — they’re the perfect little single-serving size and instantly make the table feel extra fun and festive.
For drinks, I kept things simple but festive. I turned my Sanderson Sisters Smash into a big-batch punch — one version with alcohol and one without. I added a few “bitten” apples and giant ice cubes to the punch bowl for a spooky touch. We also served wine, pumpkin beer, and seltzers to keep everyone happy.
For the appetizer, I made the Deathly Hallows Cheese Board, complete with a witch-hat cheese ball, spider crackers, and a few playful vampire teeth. The best part? You can make the hat, crackers, and vampire teeth a day or two ahead, then just assemble the board a few hours before the party.
And dessert… well, I couldn’t choose just one! I made a handful of my Halloween favorites. Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownie, Spooky Halloween Pretzels and BOO! Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. You could also add broom stick cookies for a cute, whimsical touch.
If you want to keep things easy, have guests bring a dessert, or just pick one or two recipes to make yourself. And of course — don’t forget the candy. It’s Halloween, after all!
A Witchy Chili Menu
Frightful Punch + Cheeseboard
Smoky Sanderson Sisters Black Magic Punch
A Bloody Good Salad
Harvest Brie and Cheddar Apple Kale Salad
Jack-O-Lantern Chili
Crockpot Spicy Queso Beef Chili
Pairs well with this Alquira Reserva Red Blend wine
The Spookiest Dessert Table
Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies
BOO! Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
The Theme:
Hocus Pocus: A Witchy Dinner Party
Honestly, I was always a witch growing up, so this theme came to mind immediately. Plus, I love Hocus Pocus! It felt so natural to build a dinner party around — especially since I already knew “witch” recipes I wanted to use.
For the Cocktail Table
I wanted the table to be cute and spooky. I set out tall candles, a dramatic punch bowl, dark florals (mostly red dahlias), some fun candies, and simple black and purple cocktail napkins.
Don’t skip the candles! They instantly set a moody, magical vibe. If you’re using tall tapers, just a few make an impact. If you go with low candles, you can use lots — or mix the two for depth and texture.
For the Dinner Table
We found some amazing plates at Williams Sonoma and layered a black tablecloth with a purple one for texture and movement — it created the perfect spooky backdrop. Here’s another cute option.
For the centerpiece, I used the chili-filled pumpkin (or the cocotte) and a big seasonal salad. If you don’t have time to carve out a pumpkin, simply use this beautiful Staub pumpkin cocotte. You can also suse the mini cocettes to serve the chili in then scattered candles and dark florals (again, mostly red dahlias) down the table. I kept everything simple and functional — always leave room for serving and eating!
For Serving up the Spooky Desserts:
Nothing fancy needed here. I just brought the sweets out after dinner and let everyone help themselves. Simple, easy, and so much fun!
And then the night wrapped up with everyone heading home — of course with extra dessert in hand. The perfect spooky night with friends.
Next up… Thanksgiving!
A huge thank you to our incredible team that helped us create such a fun night and captured amazing content for me to share!
Everyone made this magical evening come to life!
Photography by Johnny Miller
Props by Sarah Smart
Creative Producer/Styling by Jess Damuck
Wardrobe by Caitlin Harvey
Makeup by Sierra Matthews
Hair by Hailey Logan
my look
This post was originally published on October 6, 2025
Where was this staged/ filmed? Is it a house? Someone’s home that you know?
Hey Kate,
Yes, it was a home in New York:) Thanks for asking, have a nice week!
Your dress is stunning! Did you send out a dress code for your party? If so, what would you call it on the invite? A costume party? Or a mix of casual jeans and formal dresses? I’d love to give my guests some guidance. Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much, Caroline!! The dress code is totally up to you and the vibe you want for your party:) If you want a full on costume party I would note that, otherwise you could say “costumes optional” or something along those lines. I hope this helps!
I’m not sure I love the idea of a partially “eaten” apple in the punch bowl, but the rest of it is pretty cute! Do think serving the chili in a crock pot would be ok?
Hi there,
Yes, you can definitely serve the chili in a crockpot. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
What a wonderful, spooktakular party! Tieghan you make a beautiful witch! LOVE the outfit! Everything looks amazing! Thank you for sharing your brilliant ideas with us!
Happy Spooky Season!
Hi Sara,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and read today! I appreciate your kind message! Happy Fall! xx
Please please! Where is your cool black dress from? Love this entire post! Thanks!
Thanks Emilie! Here is the link for the dress:
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Can you explain how you finished the chili in the oven? Thanks!
Hey Susan!
I used a large baking pumpkin, hallowed it out but left all the outer flesh. Then spooned the chili into the pumpkin, place it on a baking sheet and topped it with cheese. Baked at 400 for an hour before serving!
It turned out so cute! Let me know if you have any other questions! Hope you love it!
This is absolutely STUNNING, Tieghan! You look beautiful in the witch costume and the decor is gorgeous. You chose my favorite chili recipe of yours for this shoot. It’s a family favorite. What a great idea to serve it in a pumpkin! I also love the idea of the apples in the punch with a “bite” taken out. Very clever!
Thanks a lot, Lisa:) I had so much fun with this, so I am glad you enjoyed reading today! Thanks for making the chili so often for your family! Have a great week!
Love the spooky look of bitten apples in the punch, you are so creative! Can you give specific instructions on how to achieve this look in a sanitary way? I’d love to recreate it but don’t want to have germy apples in a communal punch bowl. Thanks!
Hi Candace,
Just use a spoon or a knife to carve out some of the apple. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Doesn’t putting the chili into the pumpkin immediately make it cold?
Hi Anne,
Just make sure the chili is super hot and it should be just fine. You can also skip the pumpkin and keep it in the pot:)
Tieghan, beautiful pictures! Gorgeous, spooky food!
Thanks a bunch, Ann! Happy Fall!
Tieghan …. WOW! What an amazing Halloween party and photo shoot. You look beautifully spooky in your witch costume and the food and props are beyond incredible. I can’t wait to try some of your fun bewitching recipes. You knocked it out of the park. Keep doing what you’re doing and dismiss the naysayers … they are just truly jealous of all of your incredible talents and achievements! We all love you and HBH. 👻 🧙🏻♀️ 🎃
Aww, thanks so much, Gayle! I had so much fun with this, so I am glad you enjoyed the ideas:) Have the best week!
I loved this post. Our family has traditionally made and served chili every Halloween for decades. Our now adult children grew up with that being our traditional Halloween meal. It continued with our grandchildren stopping in with their Dad after trick or treating for a bowl and to sort their candy. Such fun!
I love this! Thank you so much for taking the time to read today, PJ. I loved learning about your Halloween traditions:) Happy Monday!
Great post and pix, Tieghan! We have an annual Halloween soup party that’s always 3 soups and often includes chili. Served with appetizers, various breads and fun desserts. Enjoyed by all!
Love this! Sounds like the perfect Halloween party, Becky!
Love this! Your pictures are great and so fun. I’ve not thought of it before, but chilli is perfect for Halloween. Xx
Thanks so much, Kelly-Jane! Hope you are off to a great Monday!
Thanks for the info! I would love to save the image of your menu to use for my party, but there are a few typos in it. Is there any way that could be corrected and updated so that I could use it? Thank you!!
Thanks Gloria! Yes, this has been fixed:) I hope this helps!
I really enjoyed this post. It was a story with all the details. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much, so glad it was enjoyed:) Have a great week!