Do your Halloween decorations consist of a few strands of fake spider webs and a Jack o’ lantern by the front door? Don’t be afraid to have some fun this season. Transforming your home into a creepy spectacle is easier than you might think. And with a few alterations, you can use many of the same decorations through Thanksgiving.
The big spending season doesn’t begin on Black Friday. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend a whopping $7.4 billion on Halloween decorations, costumes, and candy this year. If you want to join in the fun and give your home a delightfully scary makeover, here are a few ideas that can help.
Begin with Decorations You Already Have
If your house were suddenly inhabited by ghosts and other things that go bump in the night, how might they make themselves at home? Creating a Halloween display doesn’t require buying all new decorations. (Read: Halloween Traditions in Your Community?) A big trend in recent years is to build on what you’ve got, and just give it a haunting tweak.
A fireplace mantle, sideboard, or any other large, flat surface is a perfect place to set the theme. Exchange your usual candles for orange or black ones, and fill containers with spooky items instead of potpourri. Silver platters or mirrors reflect candlelight to give the whole display a nice glow, and a Trick or Treat paper cutout sign on the wall is the finishing touch. Once Halloween is over, pluck out the scary items and add a few fall leaves.
Create a Welcoming Halloween Entry
Trick-or-treaters will know your house has the very best candy when you go out of your way to welcome them. A perfectly spooky entryway doesn’t have to be terrifying; it only needs a nod to the season.
Garlands of fall leaves surrounding the front door add loads of color. A few pumpkins, whether real, artificial, or a mix of both, act as a visual anchor for the decor. From there, all you need to do is tuck in a few black ravens and maybe some lanterns, and you’re all set. On November 1, you can send the birds on a migratory pattern to your storage room until next year.
Use Small Halloween Touches for a Subtle Look
If you don’t want to overwhelm your entire home with grand Halloween displays, just add a few touches here and there. When seasonal decor livens up unlikely spots, the effect is subtle and stylish. (Read: Fall Decorating Ideas Without a Big Investment)
Major craft stores are loaded with fall decorations this time of year. You’ll find artistic pumpkins with colorful sprigs, and small elements to add to lamps and candlesticks. Choose a few small items that are specifically related to Halloween and place those prominently, and you’ve got just the right balance between harvest and All Hallows Eve.
Go All Out with Halloween Decorations
If your home resembles the Griswold’s during the holidays, there’s no reason not to give the scariest night of the year the same attention. Setting up a major Halloween makeover isn’t something you can likely do in a day, but your neighbors will be talking about it until next October rolls around.
The idea with a whole-house Halloween display is to make your home look like the zombies and vampires and ghosts have sent you packing — or that you’ve joined their ranks! Everything is fair game. Create eerie black construction paper silhouettes for your windows, and even board up a few to give it that less-than-lived-in look. A menagerie of ghosts and ghouls on the front porch and through the yard test the courage of trick-or-treaters and parents, alike. Spooky music is the final touch.
Halloween has grown from one night when candy and treats are handed out to a whole season of spooky fun. There’s something for everyone, whether you want a total transformation or just a few little creepy decorations as accents.
By starting with and building on what you already have, you’ll cut down on the need to buy rooms full of new decor. And if you’re crafty, you can save even more by making your own Halloween decorations. With a few new items or a whole home full of scary delights, you can make this Halloween the best one ever. Devote some decor to harvest color, and you’re halfway there toward decorating for Thanksgiving once November arrives.
What's your favorite Halloween decoration?
Your favorite Halloween costume?
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