How to Create an Outdoor Halloween Scene

Create your scene by taking advantage of the natural landscape and existing structures.

Decorate your outdoor space in a Halloween theme to get your visitors into the trick-or-treating spirit. The ideal outdoor area for a spooky scene is one that is highly visible to guests, yet has some shade from trees or structures. Consider investing in a large automated Halloween decoration, such as a life-like witch to stand next to a cauldron, or a Lurch-type figure to stand at the entrance of a luminary path.

Things You'll Need

• Black permanent marker
• 24 white paper bags
• 48 cups of sand
• 24 votive candles
• 11 12-by-18-by-2-inch rectangles of Styrofoam
• Spray paint in silver or gray
• 24 pumpkins
• Paint pens in silver, gold and/or copper
• 4 to 8 small square hay bales
• 6 white latex balloons
• 6 sq. yards cheesecloth
• Ribbon
• 3 36-by-2-inch straight sticks
• Twine
• Plastic pumpkin bucket with a handle
• Candy
• Firewood

Instructions

1. Write words or phrases that are Halloween-themed, such as "Boo" or "Trick or Treat," using a black permanent marker on 24 white paper bags. Pour 2 cups of sand in each of the bags to anchor them. Insert votive candles in the bags and place them along a path to light the way to your Halloween scene.

2. Construct a graveyard. Paint a 12-by-18-by-2-inch rectangle of Styrofoam with silver or gray spray paint; let the paint dry. Repeat with 10 more foam rectangles. Write epitaphs, such as "RIP" or miscellaneous names and dates, on one side of each board. Place the handmade tombstones upright and spaced at least 6 feet apart. Support the tombstones by placing rocks on the ground along the front and back of each tombstone.

3. Spray paint 24 pumpkins of various sizes with black spray paint; let the paint dry. Draw jack-o'-lantern faces on the pumpkins using metallic-colored paint pens, such as silver, gold or copper. Arrange 4 to 8 small square hay bales in a group, stacking some of the bales and turning others on their sides. Place the painted pumpkins on top of the hay bales and on the ground in front of the bales.

4. Inflate a balloon and tie in a knot as the base of a ghost. Cut a 1 sq. yard piece of cheesecloth. Drape the cheesecloth over the balloon so the balloon is in the center of the square. Cut a 36-inch piece of ribbon and tie it around the cheesecloth at the base of the balloon; use the excess length of the ribbon to hang the cheesecloth ghost from a tree limb. Repeat with five additional balloons so you have a total of six ghosts.

5. Form a tepee shape with 3 36-by-2-inch sticks to support a witch's cauldron. Tie the top of the tepee together with a piece of twine. Hang a plastic pumpkin bucket from the top of the tepee with a 24-inch piece of twine. Fill the bucket with candy. Arrange pieces of firewood under the bucket in a pyramid shape.

6. Give the scene a bit of a dead look by placing dead tree branches around the Halloween scene.

Tips & Warnings

• Only fill the bucket with candy under supervision to prevent unwanted pests from stealing the sweets.

• Do not leave the lit votives in the luminaries unattended.

• Always make sure the candles are completely extinguished when you put the flame out.

References

• Good Housekeeping: How Tos -- Haunting Halloween Decorations
• Martha Stewart: Witch's Cauldron

Resources

• Enchanted Learning: Balloon Ghost Craft
• FamilyFun: Spirit Jugs