13 frightful Halloween decorations

Photo credit: Family Chic/Oh So Savvy Mom

Halloween brings out the kid in all of us. For some, Halloween is all about the candy. Others love the challenge of creating unique costumes. Then there are those who can’t get enough of Halloween decorations.You know who you are! All shapes and all sizes, scary or not so scary — if it’s Halloween themed, it’s happening. If you can still find room in your house or your front yard, these 13 frightful Halloween decorations will be right up your alley.

Wicked witch legs

An actual wicked witch crashing in your yard would be ideal — but highly unlikely. Barring the unexpected, we’re here to help. You can make your very own pair of wicked witch legs from Grillo-Designs that will leave neighborhood kids wondering if they need to call someone for help. This Halloween decoration is guaranteed to cause a double-take — followed by smiles and even giggles.

With a few supplies, some ingenuity, and a bit of time, you can create a Halloween decoration you can be proud of — and make your neighbors jealous while you’re at it. Give yourself a couple of days to have this display ready. You’ll need time to gather all the necessary materials, put it all together and have an overnight of drying time. Plan accordingly.

If you’re fresh out of colorful long socks or stockings, or shoes that you’re willing to spray with glitter paint, visit a thrift store to find what you need while saving some money. Solid color stockings can easily be painted or decorated to make them something a wicked witch would wear. The more colorful and outrageous your design, the better.

If kids want to get in on the fun, they can help build the legs, cover with mod podge and paper, and then finish the design by adding the shoes and stockings. The finished product can be placed in a bush in your yard or a large plant container. It’s guaranteed to delight Halloween lovers of all ages.

Photo credit: Grillo Designs

Wall bats

Bats are not high on the list of creatures we want hanging around our house. Actually, they aren’t anywhere on the list. Unless, of course, you’re talking about these Halloween wall bats from Made Everyday. For these, we’ll make an exception — but only for these.

Lucky for you, these bats will stay exactly where you put them. No late night hunting, no forays into other rooms of your home. So you can feel safe accenting your home with a small (or large if you prefer) colony of bats. We think that once you get started you’ll want to add a few more to your collection. After all, even bats need company.

Depending on how many you think you’ll make, you might want to bribe some kids to help you cut them out. Most kids love using scissors — at least for a little while. And they don’t have to be perfect! Like snowflakes, each can be unique. Let your helpers hang some in their room, as long as they’ll be able to sleep without having nightmares.

These bats can safely and easily be placed on walls in your home, or hanging from lights and shelves. You could also place them outside on your house, porch or hanging from tree branches. However, since they are construction paper, they may not last long depending on the weather conditions. If you want to guarantee they last through Halloween, you’ll have to keep them as house pets.

Photo credit: Made Everyday

Tortured candles

When you think of candles, do you picture relaxing in a spa with cucumbers on your eyes? Well, these are definitely not those kind of candles. These tortured candles from Family Chic are reminiscent of all those scary movies where a character walked down a dark, creepy hall with nothing but a candle dripping wax. Yes, that kind of candle. And boy are they a fun and easy Halloween decoration to make!

Even making these candles feels a little spooky — which is exactly what you want at Halloween, right? Start with big, white, inexpensive pillar candles. Nothing pricey. The first step in creating the tortured candle look is adding carpet nails which, honestly, look a bit creepy all by themselves. So far, so good. If you have kids that want to help, sticking the tacks in is the perfect step for them to get in on the fun.

Adding melted, red candle wax dripping down the sides of the candle gives it that gruesome, spooky feel. The final touch is to place a couple of candles together on a platter with a few wee spiders for the ultimate Halloween centerpiece. Or, have a few sitting on old fashioned looking pillar stands around the house. Nothing like a nightmare inducing tortured candle on your nightstand or greeting you on a midnight trip to the bathroom or kitchen.

You definitely wouldn’t want these candles sitting next to you on your next spa day!

Photo credit: Family Chic

Floating witch hat luminaries

If you want a Halloween decoration that is definitely not icky, not exactly spooky, but a combination of slightly eerie while also fun, then these floating witch hats from Polkadot Chair are just the thing. They are fun and easy to make and are guaranteed to stand out in your neighborhood. Isn’t being noticed part of the Halloween fun?

For these to really make an impact, make a few to hang together. As you gather supplies, Keep an eye out for inexpensive witch hats at dollar stores or places like Walmart. Even thrift stores might carry some as Halloween approaches. For the light up part, you can use any type of light stick or flameless tealights. Whatever light source you choose, it can be tied under the hat with fishing line and will provide the impressive glow you’re after.

Close your eyes: can’t you just picture the effect of the finished floating hats? Darkness has fallen, the moon is covered by clouds ,you turn on your floating witch hats and just stand back and stare at how incredible they look. Everyone else will be staring with you — and then asking how you made them. Place several together hanging from your front porch or scattered around your yard hanging from tree branches. You could even hang them inside your home from the ceiling or chandeliers (but then you’d miss out on the compliments from your neighbors).

Photo credit: Polka Dot Chair

Head in a jar

The head in a jar is the ultimate decoration for Halloween enthusiast. If your goal is to outdo everyone else, to win the coolest decoration award and to have neighbors stare at you in awe and bow down to your decorating brilliance, then search no more. This head in a jar craft from Handimania is exactly what you are looking for!

Along with the desire to win the neighborhood decorating war, you’ll need to bring some tech skills to this project.. IIf you know a little bit about Adobe Photoshop and have access to a printer and laminator, you’re good to go. Beyond that, find a large jar and some food coloring and prepare to amaze.

The effect of this decoration is strongest when it is personalized with the the face of someone you and others know. You could even use your own image. The most difficult part will be creating the image using Photoshop. After that, laminate the photo so it doesn’t dissolve in the water, add your choice of food coloring to the water in the jar, and place the picture into the jar. You want your water to resemble the amber liquid you see in movies when body parts are being preserved in jars (euww!), so, think yellow, orange, and green.

Now, for the really fun part: place this jar where it will have the greatest impact. Cammoflauged in a bookcase or in refrigerator, perhaps? Nothing like opening the fridge for a late night snack and seeing a head in a jar staring back at you. Once you have squeezed all the mileage you can from hiding the jar in various places, set it out on the table for a centerpiece that will make it impossible to eat at the same table.

Photo credit: Handimania

Halloween village luminary jars

One thing that you are almost guaranteed to find in houses around Halloween is something that illuminates the nights. From jack-o-lanterns to Halloween candles, decorations that light up are in abundance at Halloween. These upcycled Halloween village luminary jars from Oh So Savvy Mom fit right in — but also stand out for their uniqueness.

If you begin planning early, you can start saving the jars you’ll need for this craft a few weeks in advance. Finished the mayo today? Save the jar. Emptied the salsa with dinner? Set it aside. Collect jars in a variety of sizes and ask others to do the same so you’ll have a number of jars to decorate at the same time.

Jars collected, with some printable Halloween stencils, shiny metallic spray and a black felt tip pen, you’re ready to create. Make sure the jars have been thoroughly cleaned and dried; dried peanut butter does not add to the luminary’s effect.

From start to finish, these will take a couple of days, so don’t wait until the last minute to begin. With a little help tracing the stencil images, little kids could make their own; older kids should be able to handle the whole project with your guidance. Coloring in the image just takes a bit of patience, otherwise the end results may not quite resemble the stencil you began with.

Once the jars have dried sat overnight, place tealight candles (real or battery-operated) in the jars and place the jars on a table as a centerpiece, in windows for passersby to enjoy or on shelves and other locations throughout your home. Light the candles, turn down the lights, and enjoy the Halloween glow.

Photo credit: Oh So Savvy Mom

Want more? Check out these other spooky Halloween decorations!
Sweet or savory specimen jars
Wriggling snake wreath
Printable witch
Cardboard tombstones
Cheesecloth spirits
Haunted house with silhouettes
Skeleton door decor