Create The Most Haunted House on the Block

Everyone knows about one house in the neighborhood that sends chills down their spine all throughout the month of October and many of us secretly wish that we could pull it off, too. Creating a well-staged Halloween scene can be both fun and addictive as you let your imagination run wild.

Feeling daunted by the idea of trying to build such an elaborate display? Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, so selecting a frightful theme that you can build on from year to year is the key to mastering the art of Halloween decorating without breaking the budget.

To assist you in the theme selection process, our American Greetings Halloween experts have offered up a few ideas to get you started:

Harvest festival: If you have little ones at home or close by, selecting a more neutral autumn theme may be a good introduction to Halloween fun. Corn stalks and bales of hay are inexpensive, yet make a great look when paired with scarecrows, pumpkins, and other natural seasonal items.

Creepy cemetery: Creating an ominous graveyard scene involves more than scattering a few tombstones on the lawn. Don’t forget to add bouquets of dead flowers, a hand reaching out from under the ground, and maybe even a wheelbarrow of bones and dirt spilling over.

Fright night: Make your house a haunted one by cutting out silhouettes for your windows to depict creepy scenarios like witches, black cats, and spider webs. Carry that look all the way to the curb with shadowy figures tucked behind bushes and a great “Beware!” sign.

Witches coven: With a long black cape, witch’s mask, hat, and a broom, it’s easy to assemble a lifelike witch by draping it over a frame made from a ladder or stackable milk crates. Have her overlook a bubbling cauldron with a green light in the middle or make four witches and have them stand in a circle as if they’re casting a spell. Rest an extra broom next to the front door to show that the witch is in!

Ghost town: Almost any real life scene can be depicted in an eerie manner when humans are replaced with ghosts or skeletons. A skeleton wedding, western ghost town, and haunted pirate ship all make great scenarios.

All of these themes can be topped off with lighting and a scary sound CD for an even more frightful effect. Colored lights, strobe lights, and fog machines are Halloween staples that can be reused from year to year, even if you decide to adjust your theme from year to year. Happy haunting!