Halloween is a time of fun and superstition; a celebration of life and death falling on the eve of the day honoring dead ancestors, saints and martyrs. From the Gaelic festival of Samhain, when people wore costumes and lighted bonfires to ward off roaming spirits, the present-day Halloween has evolved. Today, it features child-friendly trick-or-treating and both simple and elaborate costumes for kids and adults.
If you enjoy decorating, there are many ways to get into the Halloween spirit. Let your creativity soar with flourishes for the outside of your home.
Jack-o’-lanterns
Most people are familiar with jack-o’-lanterns, the carved-out pumpkins associated with Halloween. They are named after the strange flickering light over peat bogs. A jack-o’-lantern is prepared by cutting off the top of the pumpkin to serve as the lid, scooping out the flesh inside, and carving an image of a comical or monstrous face that shows the hollow inside. A light source, usually a candle or electric light, is placed inside to create an eerie image of a hollow face with big eyes and a mouth. Jack-o’-lanterns are typically placed by the doorstep or on windowsills.
You can put a new spin on the old tradition of carving pumpkins by painting the pumpkin instead of carving it. It’s less messy and can enable you to create more elaborate scenes. You can also adorn pumpkins with fabric, corn stalks, googly eyes and a number of other “props.” Don’t limit yourself to the standard orange pumpkin. White pumpkins and gnarly gourds make great canvases, too. And if you’re tired of the same old scary-faced pumpkins, try carving a Halloween scene or fall floral pattern.
Other Halloween Décor
People decorate their houses and their lawns with zombies, tombstones, and coffins. Here are a few items you can find online to spook the neighbors:
- Black and red-lighted skull reaper with cigar– This can be hung from your front porch so the skeleton appears to be floating. The skeleton, with black hat and cape, will float in the dark with flashing red eyes and what appears to be a lighted cigar in its mouth. Beware if you’re faint-hearted.
- Halloween foam skull smoking a cigar – This Halloween decoration is a12-inch by 9-inch skull wearing a top hat and smoking a cigar. Both the eyes and the flame at the tip of the cigar have battery-operated blinking red lights for a frightening effect.
Adorn your home for Halloween this year. It will add an extra spark to the holiday for your family and neighbors.
