5 Frightfully Simple Ways to Halloween-ify your Entryway
Halloween isn't exactly a "less is more" kind of holiday. In many neighborhoods, it seems to be more like "all or nothing." When faced with the task of decorating for Halloween, some people go totally insane -- the more jack-o'-lanterns, fake cobwebs, plastic tombstones, skeletons and flashing lights they can cram onto the house, the better. Add some life-size coffins, creepy music and a fog machine, and the effect is complete.
On the other side of the street are the folks who won't even stoop to set a pumpkin by the door. These party poopers turn off the lights on the big night to discourage trick-or-treaters, which makes them target number one for a midnight toilet-papering and yard egging.
So what are you supposed to do if you like Halloween but don't have the time, inclination or funds to go over the top with decorating? Our advice is to concentrate on your front porch and door, and keep it simple. Here are five easy yet festive ways to Halloween-ify your entryway.
1: Wreath
The first rule of outdoor holiday decorating is that you can never go wrong with a wreath. In fact, we'd go so far as to call them mandatory, especially if you're only decorating your entryway. If you want to keep it simple, we suggest weaving orange and black ribbon and some small bunches of fall berries through a basic frame of twisted vines and branches. Of course, it's also fun to go all out with feathers, shrunken plastic skulls and gigantic fake spiders. The choice (and budget) is yours.
2: Paper Bag Luminaries
Luminaries are a beautifully spooky idea if you have a long path leading to your front door. All you need is a stack of paper lunch bags (available in many colors at party supply stores), votive candles and some sand or gravel to keep the finished product upright on windy nights. You can draw, paint or cut out scary scenes on the bags, but they're just as effective unadorned. Simply put an inch or two of sand in the bottom of the sack, followed by the (unlit) votive candle. Arrange a luminary every foot or so along your walkway and then light the candles as the sun goes down. Instant ambiance, and it's dead simple!
3: Bloody Hands
From a distance, this approach might not look all that impressive, but anyone who comes closer will notice a spooky twist. Decorate your entryway however you like, but with an oh-so-subtle addition sticking out from under the door: twisted, bloody (plastic) hands. It might not be noticed by everyone, but it'll really freak out innocent guests and trick-or-treaters. Extra points for a pair of legs "crushed" under the garage door.
If you have large enough windows around your front door, spook 'em up with silhouette curtains. Paint a scary black figure -- a ghost, vampire or witch, maybe -- on a plain white curtain. Hang a white chiffon curtain between the painted curtain and the window to blur the silhouettes and enhance the shadowy effect. Backlight everything, of course. Our favorite idea? A "head" hanging from a rope at the top of the window.
Here's a challenge: Ditch the usual jack-o'-lantern routine this year and create tasteful pumpkin pillars on either side of your front door. Simply put large pumpkins in the base of several urns, then group them together and stack progressively smaller pumpkins on top of each other to create the pyramid structure. You can carve or paint faces on the pumpkins or leave them au naturel. Either way makes a statement.