Forget pumpkin spice. October is about one thing, and one thing only: Halloween. Sugary treats and ghoulish tricks, Halloween is the best holiday of the year. Don’t believe me? The candy flows, the parties get wild, and almost everyone celebrates just to have fun — and you don’t even have to worry about what to gift your brother’s girlfriend or explain to your family over a turkey about why you’ve disappointed them yet again (maybe this is just me). Halloween is the holiday you get to celebrate exactly how you want, where you want, and with whoever you want.
And decorating your home is a huge part of the fun. Whether you throw a raging costume party or your guests are mere trick-or-treaters, these tips will leave everyone who comes to your door screaming. With a mix of darn good decorations that will last year after year, and some DIY tricks that will reveal your cleverness, everyone will wonder how you managed to transform your house into a truly haunted mansion.
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Amazon
Take a Swing at This Spook
Pick up a cute Halloween pinata at the party store, or make your own. When it comes to filling it, shove it full of
fake cockroaches
and
spiders
. For some added screams, add in a
remote controlled cockroach
, and let it rattle the pinata a few times before the whole thing is let loose. You may want to have some candy on the side for those who were really looking forward to a sweet treat.
Amazon
The Itsy Bitsy Spider All Grown Up
If you enjoy subtlety in your spooks, this
motion activated spider
is sure to catch your eye in its web. It looks like a normal spider decoration, but get too close and you’ll activate screaming sounds, sure to spook anyone nearby. It’s also activated by clapping or loud noises, so you can surprise your friends even if the motion sensor is covered with other clever decorations.
Amazon
100% That Witch
While there are many versions of “peeper” scares, this one takes the cake. Pick up a
witchy window tapper
and put it to good use this Halloween season. Most put this in the front of their house to scare trick-or-treaters and delivery drivers, but if you have friends coming over, or want to scare the crap out of your family members, feel free to stick this by any bathroom or bedroom windows. Get creative. Make everyone’s second thought — after their terrified panic — be how the hell you got this creepy witch up there. For a lower tech version of this trick, grab an old baby doll head to tape into a window from the outside. It won’t make noise on it’s own, but once in a while you’ll hear a terrified shriek when your guests spy it.
Amazon
This Will Drive Your Guests Batty!
Grab some scissors and black paper (or felt!) for an absolutely batty spook. You can cut out bat shapes (print off a stencil online) and stick them on the ceiling, hang them from string, or tape them to your fireplace as though they are flying out. You can also skip the cutting and get a set of
vinyl decals
if you aren't a DIY-er. For added scare, you can pick up a few
automatic flying bats
to hang inside or out. They are pretty inexpensive as far as moving Halloween decorations go, so you can decorate with freaky flyers all over your house.
Amazon
You Don't Have to Go to The Upside Down
If your dog doesn’t shy from visitors or costumes, this fur-ocious costume will
freak out many of your stranger
friends. Demogorgon familiars aside, your pet can be a seriously cute salve to anyone you spook too hard, so pick up this
un-bee-lievably cute costume
for some cute relief from your haunted home!
Amazon
Need a Hand?
Need a helping hand to hold the door for your guests and trick-or-treaters? Zombie hand door stops are the answer to your Halloween holding horrors. You can fill a few latex gloves with cement, prop it up into the shape you want, and let it dry. After that, you can paint it (optional) and use it as a doorstop to creep up on your guests. And if you don’t feel like DIYing this, you can get these
zombie hands door stops
off of Amazon for a similarly creepy effect.
Amazon
Under Pressure
For a hiding-in-plain-sight scream, stick
this pressure sensor under your doormat
and all who enter your threshold will scream as it does. If this is the only outdoor decoration you do, it’s an even sneakier Halloween scare! Keep it out year round if you have a problem with ding-dong-ditchers or enjoy watching security camera footage of delivery drivers getting spooked.
Amazon
Spooky Scooting
Ready to greet trick-or-treaters before they get to your door? Glide out to them on a
scooter
, hidden under any costume with billowing robes. You can paint it matte black with spray paint if you're really dedicated to the costume. The speed and lack of steps will scare anyone walking up into thinking they’ve met Dracula. Trust me, it was my dad’s favorite trick when we returned home from trick-or-treating with mom, and it scared the bejeezus out of me every year. Just make sure you don’t stick it under a dress or robe that’s long enough to get caught under the front wheel!
Amazon
Heads May Not Roll ... But Eyes Will
Visitors beware ... of this
alarming ringer
. It might make some eyes roll, but it will also give your neighbors and friends a shock of fright when they first see it awaken. And it adds an adorable yet spooky vibe to your Halloween decor, setting up exactly the right impressions for any guests you invite in. As a bonus, your Amazon delivery driver will have a nice chuckle when he eyes this little spy.
