Happy Halloween! Cozi and Target got together to bring you a complete countdown and shopping list to plan this year's Halloween party. 

Halloween is about having fun. Is it any wonder that adults and kids alike get excited when Halloween rolls around? If you’re planning to welcome a bunch of witches, zombies, superheroes and princesses to your home this year, here’s what you need to throw a monster bash!

Three Weeks Before Your Party

• Make a guest list. Plan early and ask around to make sure your go-to guests can make it. 
• Choose a theme. The internet can be overwhelming if you simply search for Halloween decorations, recipes and games, so pick your theme early to help focus the rest of your planning. It can be as broad as a color scheme (black, orange and red) or as specific as a movie, like The Nightmare Before Christmas or one that's super popular with your kids' peer group (The Hunger Games, anyone?).

Two Weeks Before Your Party

• Send out invitations. Whether emailed, Evited or snail-mailed, set the tone of your party with a themed invite. Offer prizes to encourage all guests to wear costumes. 
• Get your costumes!
• Gather decorations, games and contest prizes. Here are a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

- Have a costume contest, award prizes for silliest, most original, most colorful, scariest.

- Plan games that are easy in any type of costume: bean bag toss into a jack-o-lantern, pin the hat on the witch, body part guessing game (peeled grape “eyes,” scrambled egg “brains”).

- Float a ghost on a wire to spook the kids.

- Install black lights in one room, line the walls with white poster paper, and give the kids yellow highlighters to decorate the walls.

• Find a source for dry ice if you’re using it.
• Plan your menu. Coordinate the menu with your theme, or serve a simple meal with a special Halloween dessert to complement the rest of your party fare. For more food inspiration, here are over 35 creepy menu ideas

A Couple Days Before the Party

• Decorate the house.
• Shop for ingredients for your menu.
• Prepare items that can be made ahead of time, like dips and party mix.
• Plan the music. Set the mood with your own custom mix (Monster Mash, Thriller, Scallywag) or simply tune into Pandora or Spotify for Halloween-themed music stations.
• Test out the music sound system.
• Set aside dishes, cups and eating utensils.
• Remind guests about the party.
• Gather extra costumes or accessories so that all guests will have something festive to wear.
• Set up an easy-to-make Halloween craft that can be made while guests are arriving, such as a goodie bag or mask.

Day of Party

• Get extra ice and any last minute supplies.
• Make food and punch.
• Make sure your camera is ready to take plenty of pictures!

Halloween Party Shopping List

(Shop at Target for great deals on everything on the list - except the dry ice! Try your supermarkets' meat department for that.)