Homeowners need not leave all the treats to their kids this year. By following five simple tricks this Halloween, you can add an element of festivity to your home that everyone can appreciate—while they’re not busy shoveling out candy to local trick-or-treaters, that is.
Front Entry Decorations - Start with the front porch. Surely you want the dozens of doctors, superheroes, and princesses that approach your door to be impressed with your décor! Just like at Christmas, you can hang up a seasonal wreath that says it all. Glue or tie together twigs, vines, or weeds from your own yard clippings, or pick up a premade wreath from your local arts and crafts store. Add red and orange leaves for an authentic look (although in Mount Dora homes, ‘authentic’ will most likely have to come out of a bag.) Hanging skeletons, inflatable goblins, and mock cobwebs are simple additions to the front yard, and clearly exude the message, “We’re home, and we have candy!”
Costume Parties - If you’re trying more to impress the twenty-something and older crowd, throw a costume party. For many homeowners, it can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Utilize outdoor entertaining space to emphasize the spookiness of the night, and add string lights or torches to create a warm ambiance. Casual seating is best—just throw a few colorful cushions on your current lawn furniture and you’re set.
Haunted Houses - Turn your house haunted—at least for a night. The transformation is not as hard as it seems. Attach linens to doorways, place flashlights strategically on counters and tables, and hang skeletons or pillowcase ghosts throughout. Turn off all the lights and play scary music and cackles throughout. Your friends and family will appreciate the challenge.
Jack-O-Lanterns - It wouldn’t be Halloween without at least one Jack-O-Lantern. Granted, hand-carved pumpkins can often turn out lopsided and messy, but they light up your home and make for a quick, inexpensive decoration. Whether you go pumpkin-picking or pick a few up from your local grocer, place a few on your mantle, bookshelf, or kitchen counter for a boost of Halloween spirit everywhere in your home.
Be Creative! - Even if you like your decorations a bit more subtle than pumpkins and scarecrows, you can still switch up your home for the holiday in creative ways. Play oldie jazz music throughout the house for a monster-movie feel. Switch your normal glasses and dishes for themed ones, at least for a few days. Stick spooky, bent branches in the vases you already have out. Decorating in these understated ways can make your home feel more in tune with the season, and increase the spirit for future holidays.
