The group chat finally made plans. Make it a Ghouls Night.

A little spooky, a lot more personal

A Halloween girls night does not need six activities and a schedule nobody follows. Pick one place for snacks, one place for the game and a moment when people are actually ready to sit down. If you are going out, do not put the game between getting ready and a reservation you cannot miss.

Try a simple sequence: arrive and catch up, take the costume photo if everyone wants one, play a round, then decide whether to keep playing or put on the movie. Keep music low enough to hear the caller. Mocktails, sparkling water or coffee work just as well as a themed drink; nobody needs to drink to join.

16 custom cards for your favorite ghouls

For a 4 × 4 board, start with at least 16 distinct cards. Try these photo prompts: La Bruja / The Witch, La Calabaza / The Pumpkin, La Escoba / The Broom, El Gato / The Cat, La Vela / The Candle, La Luna / The Moon, El Sombrero / The Hat and El Disfraz / The Costume.

Then make the rest unmistakably yours: La Comadre / The Friend, El Chisme / The Gossip, La Botana / The Snack, La Playlist / The Playlist, La Foto / The Photo, El Cafecito / The Coffee, La que llega tarde / The Late One and El Grupo / The Group Chat. Use photos of your own props or willing friends. These are starting ideas, not included cards or an editable ready-made deck.

Keep the jokes affectionate. Ask before putting a friend’s face or nickname in the game, and let anyone swap a card they do not like. Leave relationship updates and private stories out. If the game gets shared beyond your group, check permission again rather than assuming a party photo is public.

From your phone photos to a finished Lotería

Gather the photos in one folder, open Maker and start a free custom draft. Add a clear image and a short name to every card. For the classic white-and-red look, keep the background light and the labels easy to read. You can make your own Halloween design with photos and colors; these examples are not a promise of a preset theme with the party’s name.

Move from Cards to Board Design and check the preview before generating boards. A 4 × 4 layout uses 16 positions; a 5 × 5 layout needs at least 25 distinct cards. A larger source deck gives the generated boards more variety. Generate the number your guests need within the access limit, then review every board rather than assuming different layouts mean no repeated combination.

Choose your completion option, save the final set and open the saved download files. Keep the calling deck made from that same project with its boards. If an image is missing, replace or finish that card before trying to print. Do not use a screen capture of the editor as your print file.

A first round everyone can follow

Give each player a board and markers. Choose the winning pattern before drawing anything, such as a complete horizontal row. Show one practice card, read its name and let people find it. Call both Spanish and English names if that suits your group; a friend who does not speak Spanish should not have to guess.

Shuffle the matching calling deck and show each card as it is drawn. Keep drawn cards visible to check a winning call. Agree on ties in advance. A small snack prize or choosing the next song is plenty; you do not need cash stakes or a drinking penalty. Keep cups beside the paper, not on it.

Want the party, not a photo-editing project?

Our original Spooky Lotería is a separate ready-made option. Preview the actual cards to see whether its humor and references fit your guests, then choose the listed digital or physical format. A digital shop set is for you to print; it does not send a package.

A ready-made purchase is not the same as a Maker project pass, and this guide does not promise that every shop design can be edited. If the goal is your friends’ faces and nicknames, make a custom project. If the goal is to set the table and play, a finished design may be the easier choice.

Create free. Then choose how to finish your game.

Create and preview a draft free. A new project pass covers one project with up to 50 boards bearing the Maker logo, 30 days from purchase to edit and three final saves. An active paid membership allows unlimited projects, up to 100 boards per project and unlimited edits and final saves, with logo-free exports while active. Older passes keep their original benefits.

You can also order 50 or 100 printed boards with their matching calling deck from a saved free draft without first buying digital access. A physical order does not unlock paid digital downloads. Printing, shipping, AI credits and ready-made games are separate purchases. Check the actual order price and delivery estimate; we do not guarantee arrival before Halloween.

One print test before the ghouls arrive

Print one board at the intended scale. Check the names, image crops, margins and contrast in your actual lighting. Set out markers that will not ruin the print. If children are joining, pick age-appropriate supplies and supervise them. Keep the deck with the matching boards when the night is over.

The best part might be hearing a friend yell “La que llega tarde!” just as that friend walks in. Leave room for those moments. A game can start the conversation; it does not have to take over the night.