A Halloween date night at home: a plan, games and questions for two
Halloween parties are loud, crowded and somehow always in a flat with one bathroom. A night in can be the better date: candles, a film you'll only half watch, and a game that gets you talking. Here's a plan for two that takes about an hour to set up.
It works for new couples and for couples who've done every Halloween party there is. Nothing here is scary for real, and nothing needs a costume budget. Take what you like and skip the rest.
The plan, in four parts
- Set the scene (20 minutes). Lights low, a few candles, one carved pumpkin. That's enough.
- Dinner with a theme. Anything orange, anything red, or "a dish you've never cooked, made together, no recipe".
- The game. Ten would you rather questions and a few dares, below.
- The film. Sofa, blanket, something you can talk over.
The order matters a little: play before the film, while you're both still awake and chatty. A film first and the game never happens.
Set the scene in twenty minutes
- Light. Turn off the big light and use lamps and candles. Battery tea lights inside jars look great and won't set anything on fire.
- One pumpkin, carved together. Pick a face each and draw them on the same pumpkin, front and back. It's a better conversation than it sounds.
- A playlist. Film soundtracks you both know, low enough to talk over.
- Phones away. In a drawer, in another room, anywhere but the sofa. You'll want them for photos; take two and put them back.
Halloween would you rather, couples edition
Answer each one on your own first, then compare. Writing your pick down, or saying it at the count of three, stops anyone from copying. The interesting part isn't the answer, it's the "why".
- Would you rather have a horror film marathon, or carve pumpkins together?
- Would you rather wear matching couple costumes, or surprise each other with costumes?
- Would you rather visit a haunted house, or tell ghost stories in the dark?
- Would you rather have all the sweets, or all the scary films?
- Would you rather trick, or treat?
- Would you rather get a vampire bite on your neck, or a witch's spell?
- Would you rather have candlelight only, all night, or a blackout and one torch?
- Would you rather hide in your partner's arms during the scary bits, or pretend you're not scared at all?
- Would you rather dress up as each other, or as a famous couple?
- Would you rather be the vampire, or have your partner be the vampire?
Want more? There are 60 would you rather questions for couples, from sweet to spicy.
Dares that stay sweet
One rule before you start: either of you can skip any dare, no questions asked. A dare is an invitation, and the game only works when "skip" is easy to say.
- Tell your partner a ghost story, in a whisper.
- Use your scariest monster voice to ask for a kiss.
- Give your partner a Halloween name and use it all night.
- Turn off every light and find your partner by touch alone.
- Feed your partner a sweet without using your hands.
- Give your partner a slow vampire kiss on the neck.
Questions for the dark part of the night
With the lights down, people say things they wouldn't over breakfast. These start spooky and end somewhere warmer.
- What scared you as a kid that you've never told anyone?
- Which horror film character would you survive longest as?
- If our home were haunted, which of us would move out first?
- What's the bravest thing you've ever done?
- What's something you used to be afraid of and aren't anymore?
- What do you do when you can't sleep?
- When do you feel safest?
- What's one thing you'd like us to be braver about, together?
For more, here are 40 questions to ask your partner, from easy to deep.
Films worth the popcorn
Pick by mood, not by scariness. A film you can talk over is the point.
- Cosy: Hocus Pocus (1993), The Addams Family (1991), Coraline (2009).
- Romantic with a witchy streak: Practical Magic (1998).
- Funny: Shaun of the Dead (2004), What We Do in the Shadows (2014).
- Properly spooky, still a date: The Others (2001), Scream (1996).
A small game for the film: each of you guesses who'll survive, and the loser makes breakfast.
The Halloween pack in La Brasa
From 24 October to 2 November, La Brasa has a Halloween pack for Would you rather and one for Dare roulette, with everything above and a few warmer ones. You each answer on your own and see your partner's picks only once you've both answered, or play side by side on one phone. Your ember can dress up for it too: there's a witch hat in its closet.
Get it on Google PlayNot sure what kind of night suits you two? Take the spice-type quiz together and compare.
Questions
What can a couple do for Halloween at home?
Turn the evening into four small parts: set the scene with candles and a carved pumpkin, have a themed dinner, play a short game like would you rather or a few dares, then end with a film you can half-watch together. It takes an hour to prepare and feels like a real date.
How do you make Halloween romantic?
Keep the scary part light and the closeness real: low light, a blanket on the sofa, questions that make you talk, and a game where you both pick what happens next. Halloween gives you an excuse to be a little silly, which is half of what makes a date fun.
What are good Halloween games for two?
Would you rather with spooky choices, a handful of dares you can skip, ghost stories in the dark, and a costume swap where you dress as each other. Answer the would you rather questions separately before you compare, so nobody copies.