Between the candy, costumes, and parties, Halloween is a holiday that can take a surprising toll on your bank account, especially in our house! If you want to get in the spirit by dressing up your house in spooky finery, but want to make sure you have money left in your pocket for Christmas, here are a few tips to help you save on the creepiest, coolest Halloween décor.
Balloon headed creatures
A simple pack of balloons can be transformed into all manner of scary, spooky creatures to decorate your house and garden with! Drape a cloth, sheet, or white garbage bag over a balloon, tying it with string and hanging it from a tree branch or doorway to create an instant fluttery ghost. Use makeup to decorate it zombie-style, or draw a face with sharpie to create a more dramatic effect.
Recycled costumes
Have the kids outgrown last year’s costumes? They probably contain elements that can be reused as part of your décor, whether it’s a witch hat or corpse bride costume. Stuff these with newspaper and prop them up in a chair for an eerie effect, or pin them to the wall for a party.
Clever spooky lights
Illuminate the walkway leading up to your home with paper bags or empty milk cartons. You can place a bit of sand in the bottom of these empty, semi-sheer household containers, as well as artificial candles. Decorate them with bats, words like “boo,” or ghost faces. Christmas lights can also be used to fill the bags or milk cartons, giving you a seasonal 2 for 1.
Homemade tombstones
Another popular outdoor decorating idea that doesn’t cost too much is to create your own tombstones in the garden. These can be made out of cardboard, Styrofoam, or wood, depending on what you have on hand. Get the kids involved for a fun afternoon craft that everyone can get creative with. Paint the cardboard to resemble crumbling tombstones, cutting them into oval and cross shapes as needed. Paint them grey and decorate with a simple “RIP” or more elaborate epitaphs. You can match these to your costumes as well to tie a party theme together. If you choose Star Wars fancy dress ideas like these at Funidelia, for example, you could make tombstones for characters from the film.
Haunted house
Finally, create a super scary ambiance in one of the rooms of your home by turning it into an abandoned, haunted space. You can place white sheets over the furniture to make it look like no one has lived there for awhile, and plant fake cobwebs all over the place. Remove regular decorations and sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on hard surfaces to simulate dust. Dim the lights and you’ll have an eerie space to welcome trick or treaters or party guests as needed!
It doesn’t take too much to get into the Halloween spirit. And if nothing else, a few jack o’lanterns on the porch will have your house ready for the season straight away.
Pumpkin image and Happy Halloween image by Shutterstock.
