The wizardry and witchcraft that is at the heart of the Harry Potter stories makes an ideal theme for a Harry Potter Halloween party.

For many children today, a Harry Potter book is the first full length book they will read. The Harry Potter theme is very popular with any age group that extends right up to the older teenagers who have followed it through the years as each book has been released. And although the last Harry Potter book in the series by J. K. Rowling has been released, the movie series is still rolling out, and will keep the stories alive for years to come.

The Harry Potter story offers a rich source of inspiration for Halloween decorations and costumes. A wide selection of typical decorative Halloween items featuring witches, hats, wands, wizards, ghosts, goblins, magic potions, broomsticks, spiders, spider webs, skeletons and a great deal more are all relevant to a Harry Potter Halloween party theme. You can add some specific Harry Potter decoration items, featuring characters from the books, the school at Hogwarts, crests, posters, frogs, owls, and much more. There is a growing interest in the Harry Potter theme as a feature at Halloween and a corresponding increase in the Harry Potter decorative items available at Halloween time.

Invitations to a Harry Potter Halloween Party can draw on the many sources of Harry Potter images and fonts available on the internet. You need to specify the time, date and place for your guest list, and ask for an RSVP confirmation to make your catering easier. As the guests will be children or teenagers, all the parents should be consulted about transport and safety arrangements.

Harry Potter costumes are mainly about the accessories. The clothes are mostly fairly conservative and something suitable may already be in your children's wardrobe. The additions you will need include things like scarves, black capes, wands, black rimmed glasses and broomsticks. Harry Potter himself needs to be made up with the distinctive scar. Some characters, especially members of the staff at Hogwarts, will need more elaborate costuming such as wizard's cloaks and hats, beards, and the like. The movies provide the guide to the costume designs you need.

Activities at your party can include watching the Harry Potter movies, video and computer games, play acting, book readings, searching the internet and Harry Potter fan sites, discussing the stories, characters and actors, making up variations of the stories, craft activities to make Harry Potter costumes and accessories, and much more. A simple craft project is to provide some wooden dowels and a variety of paints and glitter, and have everyone make a Harry Potter wand for themselves.

Food at a Harry Potter Halloween party should be served if possible in something resembling the typical Hogwart's dinner table setting, as shown in the movies. As host you will impress your guests if you magically reveal the served food as you suddenly remove a covering cloth accompanied by the flourish of a wand.

Harry Potter enthusiasts seem to find ways to spend hours sharing the Harry Potter experience. There is so much to do you may want to make the party a sleep over if the guests are old enough.