I’m not gonna lie guys – coming up with a theme for Halloween this year was not easy. I had so many random ideas that it was hard to land on just one. I kept going nostalgic: I felt like incorporating a throwback theme from old 80’s movies that I loved. The Witches of Eastwick. Beetlejuice. Or maybe a dark disco 70’s vibe. Some Ziggy Stardust? Now you see where this is going… and maybe how on earth I landed on a Disco Magic Halloween Party. 
This witch prefers her disco ball to a crystal ball, and her dancing shoes to a broomstick. She takes her tarot cards and her cheese boards very seriously. And she loves a good full moon cocktail!
To set the scene? A quick-order disco ball (no need to hang it!), a black tablecloth sprinkled with stars, and some pink light bulbs to cast a little magic…
While in years past I’ve set some fun and spooky Halloween tabletops, this year I opted for the more realistic way of hosting for this holiday: a spread of snacks for friends and kiddos who have gathered to party it up before or after the big trick-or-treat run.
I can’t forget to mention how I cozied up my breakfast nook with some new pillows to fit the theme. Black macrame, leopard print, and vintage florals for the win!
And while I did put together a little centerpiece for the table, the real star of the show is the Moon Cheese Snack Board… 
To say I’m obsessed with how this board turned out would be an understatement. I had a vision in my head of it coming together, but I won’t lie – it took me moving a few things around here and there ro get it to look the way I really wanted! The key, I discovered, was to start with the moon (which I did) and build around it with the darkest ingredients first (which I didn’t do and had to move things around a few times!)
Moon Cheese Board // serves 4-6
- a variety of white cheese
- purple potato chips
- purple cauliflower
- purple carrots
- purple or white radishes
- dried cherries (could also use figs or dates)
- candied nuts
- blackberries
- dark olives like black olives or kalamatas
- darker crackers or crisps
Start with creating the moon shape with one layer of cheese. We used a variety of mini mozzarella, blue cheese and cheese curds to create our moon! I started with the curds as the base layer, then added the mozzarella and blue cheese as I built up. Then, I started placing the other ingredients starting with the darkest and working outward! You should be sort of random with the placement, but then build out an ‘edge’ to your board. Pro tip: let the olives sit on paper towels before placing them on the tray so they dry out a teeny bit! Or use a bowl for them. Otherwise their juice will seep everywhere!
The one element I didn’t incorporate that I wanted to was some kind of beet-colored hummus dip for the veggies! Maybe even add some edible glitter to it for a galaxy effect? Next time, I’ll test that out!
And then, of course, come the cocktails…
Personally, I like calling any drink that uses large round ice balls a Full Moon Cocktail (inspired by my friend Jojotastic!)! You can use a sturdy coupe or a low ball glass for these fun concoctions. We filled vintage ice cream bowls a couple different concoctions – both in white – for a full moon effect.
Marbled Moon // serves one
- 1.5 oz vodka
- .5 oz white chocolate liqueur
- dash of chocolate bitters
Shake the vodka and white chocolate in a shaker with ice, then strain over the round ice cube. Add a dash of chocolate bitters and swirl with a toothpick to create a marbled effect on the surface of the cocktail.
Parisian Moon // serves one
- 4 oz milk
- 1 oz pastis
Place in shaker, shake and strain over the ice to serve.
Once the cocktails were poured, it was time to get out the tarot cards…
I’m just starting to learn how to read the cards and do different types of spreads – there are many layers to understanding tarot! I also stocked the table with books on casting white magic spells and ways to use crystals. What better time to be a witch-in-training? 
If you’re a last-minute Halloween planner like myself, I highly suggest combining some of your craziest ideas together for one fun theme. It definitely keeps things more interesting!! While I usually stick to more subtle and sophisticated when it comes to Halloween, it felt good to let out my my playful side this year. Plus, having a mystic-inspired disco playlist? Well, that’s a heck of a party.
