|
There is almost nothing better than being told by a parent that their child had to come to your house to trick-or-treat because it is the scariest on the block.
Making an original yard haunt requires using a little imagination rather than running to the big box retail store to buy decorations. Making your own decorations is an inexpensive option, but the best part is, the whole family can get involved, provide ideas and have fun together.
Decorations
The props used for a Halloween yard haunt set the scene and may have a theme. Examples include a cemetery, a zombie attack or classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein or the Wolf-Man. No matter what the scene is the props will be the centerpiece.
* Dummies – Old pants and long-sleeved shirts can be stuffed with newspaper, packing material or straw to create scarecrows, zombies or monsters. The ends of the pants legs and shirt sleeves can be tied to hold the stuffing inside. Push a dowel rod inside the top of the shirt and place a milk jug on top to serve as the head. Cardboard masks can be put over top of the milk jugs.
* Tombstones – Thick, block shaped Styrofoam packaging that would otherwise be thrown out can be turned into cemetery tombstones. Use gray spray paint over the whole thing, with the option to darken a little with black or to use some light green to add a mold-like effect. Names and dates or clever phrases can be painted on using black. See who can come up with the most imaginative epitaph. For a simpler approach, use twine to tie two boards together to make cross-shaped grave markers. Use tent pegs and wire or string to secure them in position on a lawn, or simply prop them up against a tree or wall.
* Hanging Things – Items hung strategically from trees, porches or above gateways and paths can add a spooky element to a yard, particularly at night time. Make spiders using egg cartons and pipe cleaners, bats from cardboard, cobwebs from pieces of spaghetti and ghosts from old sheets tied around balls.
* You – Don’t be afraid to insert yourself or family members into the scene during trick-or-treat. This can be especially effective if people have been walking or driving by the haunt for a few days in advance. They may think they know all about it, but will be in for quite a surprise when one of the “dummies” moves toward them!
Lighting
The appropriate amount of lighting for a yard haunt can be just as important as the decorations. Too much light and the scene isn’t scary, not enough light and passers-by will miss all the hard work that went into it.
* Jack-o-lanterns – These traditional Halloween decorations can serve several purposes. Scary faces carved into the gourd can add to the overall fright of the yard haunt, or silly ones can lighten the mood. Either way, the light they give off when lit can be used enhance particular decorations and add to the mood.
* Strobes – A strobe light can simulate lightning, or if set on one of the faster modes, can draw attention to a prop.
* Colors – Small spotlights can be used with colored bulbs to add certain effects. For example, try green for aliens or red for devils. Or simply replace the bulbs in your porch lights with colored bulbs.
Halloween is a holiday that actually encourages people to be as mischievous as their imaginations will allow them. You can find more fun tips at halloweenpartyideas.org. Homemade decorations will make your yard haunt one of a kind and provide hours of entertainment for everyone involved.
Comment on this article or submit your tip to CreativeHomemaking.com.
Click here for a printer friendly version of this page.
Follow me on Pinterest.
Receive new article links via Twitter!
Follow Creative Homemaking on Facebook!
Recommend this article to a friend!
Search our article archives.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
|
