Using Themes for Halloween Decorating

What's Halloween without decorating? Decorating for Halloween begins outdoors. Although you probably want to give your home the aura of the season, do so in an inviting way. Some people have a tendency to make their home too frightening, which can scare away young trick-or-treaters. Others overdo their Halloween décor to the point of overkill, which results in a cluttered, unappealing mess. I have found it not only easier but better for everyone when Halloween decorating is based on a theme.

For instance, if you want something a little less ghoulish and a bit more festive, why not implement a harvest theme. This is easy to do. Simply set the mood with a few bales of hay placed around the yard. Arrange corn stalks around the hay bales and pull it all together with some festive-looking Indian corn, colorful ornamental gourds and various pumpkins. Don't forget to include a carved Jack-O'-Lantern, friendly of course. For additional interest, hollow out a large pumpkin and transform it into a beautiful container for mums or cut flowers. Create the same inviting effect on the front porch with an odd-shaped pumpkin placed on a turned-up crate or hay bale. Scatter some autumn leaves, ornamental gourds, and dried flowers around the pumpkin. You could even add a handsome scarecrow sitting next to it. For the trick-or-treaters, and in keeping with the harvest theme, why not give out healthy apples rather then candy. Locate a bushel basket or similar device and fill it with apples. Place this next to your scarecrow, perhaps even in his lap, and allow the kids to treat themselves to their healthy treat.

Add some charming luminaries to the harvest theme, placing them along the walkway. Although you can purchase small, terra cotta pumpkins for this, you may find it easier, if not cheaper, to create your own luminaries. For example, hollowed-out gourds are great for the harvest theme. Cut the bottoms out and carve faces in the gourds just as you would for a Jack-O'-Lantern. Place them over a light source, such as a flashlight or small votive candle. You could also create wax-lined lunch bag luminaries. Fold down the top of a brown, paper lunch bag (about two inches). In keeping with your harvest theme, draw faces or apples on the front of the bags and carefully cut them out. Place a piece of wax paper on the inside front (backside of cutout) with tape or glue. Use a small amount of sand in the bottom of the bag to help weigh it down and set votive candles or glow sticks (better choice) in the center. Another idea to consider for your harvest theme is apple candleholders. Simply core out large apples and place candles in them to create these appealing luminaries.

If you have small trees in the yard, hang some small plastic pumpkins and apples from the branches. Group various gourds together in bowls and use these as festive centerpieces on the porch. The possibilities are nearly endless. Use your imagination and for even more fun, allow the kids to help come up with ideas. After all, they know what's deemed as too scary. Halloween decorating requires adequate planning beforehand, but in order to make the best of your seasonal display, having a theme can go a long way. This will not only save you time and money, but will provide guests, trick-or-treaters, and passersby with an inviting environment they'll appreciate rather than run from.