DIY Halloween Decor: Decoration Ideas

Halloween in our country began to be celebrated relatively recently. All Saints Day Eve gained the greatest popularity in the countries of North America, but even for these states it is not “native”. Since the witches in pointed hats and luminous pumpkins began to appear more often on October 31, we have become more serious about the holiday. At first, those who dressed up were considered simple cranks, then they began to organize theme parties. Halloween was gaining momentum. Celebrating the theme requires themed decor. Some companies even compete, whose costumes and paraphernalia will be more realistic. In stores you can buy artificial cobwebs or imitations of orange pumpkins, but holiday decorations made with your own lessons are much better than stamped props. Of course, a certain part of society refers to the “alien” Halloween with skepticism, offering the same Christmas time as an alternative.Recent years have shown that both holidays can coexist peacefully with each other. Let's get acquainted with the history of All Saints Day Eve and consider the master classes on making Halloween decor.

Holiday History: Symbols, Attributes and Traditions

Halloween was first celebrated in Scotland and Ireland. Subsequently, this tradition spread throughout the UK, and immigrants from the Old World brought it with them to America. All Saints' Day is considered a holiday exclusively in English. This is part of their culture, which was inherited from their ancestors - Celtic tribes. Halloween is the new name for the holiday. In ancient times, the Celts called it “Samhain” or “Samhayn”. October 31 was the last day of the year. This date marked the end of the harvest, the onset of winter and the contact of two worlds: the living and the dead. When the “doors” opened, the evil spirits in various guises walked calmly on the earth and mischiefed people in every possible way. To protect themselves from the attacks of devils, ghosts and witches, the Celts went on tricks. They put out the fire in the houses, and in the courtyards left treats for evil spirits to appease it. People dressed up in animal skins and painted their faces. In such a cunning way, a man expected to conduct evil spirits, pretending to be one of them. Then all gathered around the bonfires, which were kindled by the priests, made sacrifices (animals).Everyone took home a piece of fire that was considered sacred. Pumpkin has become the main symbol of the holiday. She was associated with the harvest and carried sacred fire in her home. Here you can draw parallels with the Slavic New Year (New Year), which was celebrated in Russia on September 14. After the completion of field work, the Slavs extinguished the lights in their homes. In the morning they lit new ones that “started talking” for the winter. According to a similar scenario in the post-Soviet space spent Christmas time - a festive period from Christmas to Baptism. These days they wondered, walked in "terrible" costumes, caroling. By the way, customs came from paganism. After the adoption of Christianity, they were simply confined to church dates, since people did not want to abandon the usual holidays.

So, Samhain was celebrated by the Celts until the time of their conquest by the Roman Empire. After almost a century, Halloween acquired new features, as it managed to mix with two Latin holidays. Pomona Day - dedicated to the goddess of plenty. One of its symbols was considered an apple. Many have suggested that the Halloween apple-catching game was a direct reference to this holiday. Feralia - Memorial Day (Parent's Day). Later, when Christianity began to supplant pagan beliefs, Catholics created a new holiday. On November 1, All Hallows Even was announced, which literally translates as "Mass of All Saints." Subsequently, the long name was reduced to a concise "Halloween". It is a de facto Christian church holiday, but it has tightly grown together with the legacy of pagan rites (appeasement of spirits, dressing up). With "wild" customs for a long time fought, but could not exclude them from Halloween. On this holiday, children dress up, take baskets with them, get lost in company and go to neighboring houses, asking for sweets. More precisely, they offer a choice: either a treat or a dirty trick (trik or trak). Girls divine on apple peels or with candles and mirrors (this is very similar to the tradition of holy divination). Adults also dress up, decorate apartments, invite guests to home parties or attend clubs where they hold thematic meetings.In large American cities, large-scale masquerades are organized on this day.

Halloween decor should be scary. The blood in his veins is unlikely to freeze from him, but a slight fright and awe should make it look. The main symbol of Halloween is a hollow pumpkin. In the states it is called Jack-o-lanterns (Jack Lamp). Various faces are cut out on it, which are illuminated from the inside with flashlights. Also, houses are decorated with cobwebs, bats, skeletons, luminous bones, ghost silhouettes, chests with ominous predictions, mummies, witches, spiders and wreaths of snakes. Jewelry can be very diverse. They are borrowed from native cultures and beautifully adapted to the classic attributes of Halloween. The main thing is that the decor should be scary.

The color scheme of the holiday

The design of the room in the style of "Halloween" is carried out in the traditional colors for this holiday. Since the design should be as gloomy and intimidating as possible, the main role is given to the most dynamic combination - black and red. They complement the composition with “shades of autumn”, that is, tones of yellow, brown, orange, pumpkin, dirty brown, burgundy, wine. You do not need to combine all these colors in one room. It is enough to choose only two or three tones. They will become the basis of the composition. To bring harmony to the interior, use “dusty” gray (asphalt and mouse shades), blue (dark tones) and less often purple or lilac.

Create festive lighting

Halloween lighting should be dim and sinister. If the lamps in the room are too bright, then they are replaced by candles and decorative lamps. You can also wrap the light source in a matte shade. Halloween light is diffused. It is desirable that it be colored red, yellow or blue. The hue depends on the situation of the area that the light bulb illuminates. For example, for stone crypts with ghosts or grave mounds with bony zombie arms sticking out from the ground, blue light is suitable. “Bloody” decorations emphasize red and yellow. The violet hue is more suitable for the theme of “carrion”.

How to make bloody candles

The ideal option for the decor of the festive table will be "bloodied" candles. Making them simple enough. All work will take no more than an hour. To create a decor you will need:

• A plain white paraffin candle.
• Stationery knife, matches.
• Paraffin candle painted in red.
• Paper (work surface) and flat saucer.

A white candle is cut across into several pieces of different lengths. Use a clerical knife. It is necessary to cut carefully so that paraffin does not crumble. Then, on each miniature candle, the “tail” of the wick is released. Now they are placed on the saucer with an asymmetric group. A red candle is set on fire and generously dripped with "bloody" paraffin on a "plate" composition. Using the composition, decorate and fix the group on the saucer. The composition is hoisted in the center of the festive table. Additionally, you can pierce candles in several places with black pins or put miniature spiders near the saucer.

The red candle should be painted completely. When buying this nuance should pay attention. There are candles that are painted only on the outside. The effect of "blood spots" can not be obtained from them. You can buy plain white and add dye to the molten paraffin.

Pumpkin: traditional lanterns and other design ideas

Jack-o-lanterns, too, did not arise from scratch. Jack's lamp illuminates in darkness the road to Purgatory for restless souls. It was precisely such symbolism that the Celts endowed the pumpkin head. The Scots used to have a legend about Jack the drunkard, who once decided to skip a glass with the Devil. There was nothing to pay for the drink, so he suggested that his companion turn into a coin. Instead of handing it over to the innkeeper, Jack tossed the money into his pocket, which already contained a silver cross. The devil fell into a trap, since he could not regain his former appearance due to the proximity of the sacred Christian symbol.As a result, Jack made a deal and released the Devil. He in return promised a whole year not to arrange tricks in revenge. A little later, the unclean again fell into the bait of the cunning drunk smith and made a new promise not to hunt for his soul after death and give him another 10 years of life. Perhaps Jack would have really spent these years if he had not died. He was not accepted into paradise. To hell too. The devil remembered his promise and sent Jack to wander the world in anticipation of the Day of Judgment. In the end, the unclean threw a coal to the blacksmith, with whom he illuminated his path.

Jack's lamp is made from ordinary pumpkins. The “cap” is cut off from the vegetable, the middle (pulp and seeds) is cleaned, then lightly dried. Now “faces” are cut out on the pumpkin peel. The most common expression is an ominous grin in a grin of sharp teeth and frowning eyebrows. To make it easier to cut, first apply the drawing in pencil. If even the image of the face is given with difficulty, then templates are used. After working on the pumpkin face, put a candle inside the vegetable and close the lid. By the way, Jack Lamp can also be made from papier-mâché. To make the artificial pumpkin hollow, the paper-glue mass is applied to the balloon, which is subsequently "burst". Those whom the grinning pumpkin faces greatly frighten decorate the vegetable differently. It is painted, sprinkled with sequins, decorated using decoupage technique, put on knitted “sweaters” and hats.

Jack's lamps were originally made from turnips and rutabaga, and they turned to pumpkins much later. If this vegetable is not available, then there is a great natural alternative. Sometimes the lamp is replaced with a balloon, which is painted with a black marker.

Branches, snags and fallen leaves

Branches and driftwood are collected right in the park or in the forest. The future decor is harvested for the future, shaken from litter and carefully dried. Then the surface of the twigs and snags is generously covered with black paint. It is this color that looks the most gloomy and spectacular.After the decor has dried, compositions are made from it. Twigs are collected in "bouquets". They are complemented by a web of thread or gauze and artificial spiders. Snags are simply laid on the floor or on the shelves. The stuffed raven “sitting” on the branches will look realistic and ominous. From a branchy snags you can make a luxurious lamp. It is decorated in the manner of a Christmas tree with tiny pumpkin-balls. Fallen leaves are also collected in parks. It is enough to just dry them slightly and you can artistically scatter them on the floor, windowsill and shelves. Wide vases and jars filled with leaves will look creative. If you string them on a string, you get an autumn garland.

Wall decoration and more

The walls are decorated with various Halloween decorations. To artificial living creatures include bats, spiders and snakes. This is the three most “vile reptiles”, and therefore their atmosphere surrounds the corresponding. Bats and spiders are easily cut out of cardboard. Just a couple of stencils with animals of different sizes, so that the decor does not look like stamping. Traces of human legs or feet of animals are cut out according to patterns. These black prints are glued in chains on walls, floors and ceilings. Black silhouettes of ghosts carved from paper are fixed on the windows. The figures of the "gallows" highlighted due to the curtains will look very gloomy and unusual. A group of wall-mounted mirrors of various sizes are pasted over with pictures of "creepy" faces, as if peering at guests from the other side. A very “evil” door will welcome guests if it is decorated with a frowning grimace. At the top, fabric strips are fixed, which will become hair. Eyes are glued under them. The strip of mouth is sealed with masking tape. Of it, severely shifted eyebrows are made. Real trees decorated with a flock of artificial crows, rags and candles in glass flasks will look great. Clawed witch arms can grow from some walls.You can beat the plot of Snow White and put a fake apple in one of them. Black polyethylene shades in the shape of pointed witch hats with flashlights inside are suspended under the ceiling.

Garlands are considered the simplest wall decor that can be built in just a couple of hours. If there are a lot of them, then other decorations will not be needed in the room.

How to make a stylized do-it-yourself garland

Halloween garlands are very simple. To work, you need sheets of cardboard in three colors (usually orange, white and black), templates, scissors, a stern thread, glue, adhesive tape, a pencil and a marker. First you need to print the stencils of ravens, bats, skulls, cats and simple triangular-shaped flags. No need to choose complex figures. For example, the silhouettes of spiders with numerous paws will have to be cut for a long time. Then the templates are placed on sheets of cardboard and circled in pencil. Now you can cut. To make inscriptions, they take white cardboard, draw circles on it, circle the contours with a black marker and write letters. These elements are cut out and pasted on triangular flags. All the details of the garland are fixed on a stern thread using squares of tape.

Tips and ideas for table setting and decoration

Table decoration begins with a tablecloth. A graceful snow-white canvas for Halloween will not work. Choose a tablecloth of bright colors (orange, red, black). Specialty materials with thematic designs are sold in stores. Instead of vases for bouquets of scarlet or white flowers, papier-mâché skulls coated with gray or black paint are used. A drop of fun will bring sparkles that sprinkle decor, after sprinkling it with varnish. White candles in black candlesticks and currant berries in transparent vases will add a gloomy atmosphere. Pumpkins are used as lamps. In the center of the table set a small tree with bare branches in a pot.You can use another composition of twigs, ears and dried flowers. A bouquet is collected from the components, which is dipped in black paint. Then it is suspended so that the excess composition of the glass. After drying, the bouquet is put in a pot. To ensure that the festive table is saturated with the spirit of Halloween, snow-white utensils, silver appliances and black napkins are used. On each plate for guests they place a “scroll” tied with a dark ribbon. It may contain a greeting, a prediction, or a task if a fancy dress is planned. The legs of the table can be “shod” in striped stockings and witch boots, and on the backs of chairs to put on “backpacks” for gifts.

Scary dishes for the holiday

Jack-o-lanterns can be beaten differently and served in pots in the shape of a vegetable. For the first, real pumpkins are also suitable. In some restaurants, this is traditionally the way dishes are served. Decanters, glasses and bottles can be painted black or orange. It is enough to cut out the template and stick it on the place that should not be painted. All containers are dipped in paint. After the composition has dried, the sticker is removed. Most often, in this way, “faces” are applied to bottles and glasses, expressing various emotions. Complex forms (skulls, for example) to recreate on their own are not always possible. It is better to purchase such dishes in advance in a specialized store. Glasses and cups can be decorated with “bruising” of paint (non-toxic). Briefly but frighteningly they will look like red napkins, rolled up with a tube, and fixed with special fanged jaws-clamps. This decor is placed on each plate. The bloody material contrasts best with black dishes, which also underlines the whiteness of the “teeth”.

Sweets or passions

The menu should surprise not so much with taste as with appearance. No Halloween table is complete without cookies.They need to stock up also for children who in the ultimate form will demand sweets. For cookies in advance, you should buy special molds (in the form of skulls, brain, teeth and skeletons). Cooking pastries according to your favorite recipe. Candies should also be added to the liver. The treat is wrapped in orange crepe paper or pieces of netting and tied either with green ribbons (ponytail tails) or satin stripes. Of cold drinks, preference is given to tomato juice for children or “Kiss of the Vampire”, “Bloody Mary” for adults. Slippery lychee berries that resemble the eyes are added to your favorite cocktail of “bloodsuckers”. To impress guests with an unusual serving of drinks, they are not poured into glasses, but into syringes. Tools are filled with pomegranate juice and put like spoons in glasses. The “bloody” cranberry sauce is perfect for snacks (chicken or Mexican nachos). Ghosts are made of marshmallows by painting them with eyes and smirks of chocolate. These kids decorate pumpkin pie. Additionally, it can be decorated with “witch fingers” with tiny claws. Stuffed eggs are decorated with spiders made of olives: one half on the body, and the other cut into strips for the legs. The foam of a chocolate cocktail with a powder of ground cocoa perfectly imitates the “loose earth”. A pair of jelly worms is placed in it: a disgusting drink is ready. Grapes are strung on skewers for canapes or toothpicks. The “muzzle” of a vile caterpillar is decorated with clove eyes. Miniature brooms are obtained from straws and pieces of cheese with fringe stripes. Salads can be served in cups of oranges, which are prepared, like pumpkins. They clean the pulp (go to the juice), cut the mug on the side and fill it with food.

Making a Halloween wreath on the door

The halloween wreath on the door is created according to the same principle as the Christmas wreath. For work you will need:

• Wire;
• Vata
• Scissors, nippers;
• Thread or fishing line;
• Black feathers;
• New Year's balls;
• Paints, sparkles, brushes;
• Black satin ribbons.

Making a wreath is not so difficult, it may seem at first glance. Start with a wire frame, which must be given the correct round shape. Then it is carefully wrapped with cotton to add volume and fixed with a thread. Next, Christmas balls are tied to a fishing line. It is also wound around a wreath in a circle so that the decor is evenly distributed. Balls are painted in black, gray, orange and covered with sparkles. Now black feathers are collected in bunches. Each bunch is tied to a thread that is wrapped around the frame. They use a lot of feathers so that voids do not form in the wreath. They can easily be replaced with autumn leaves.

A wreath can be made from interwoven branches or wrap the frame with cardboard bats on a string. Red eyes, rhinestones will complete the gloomy image of artificial animals.

Bringing, cobweb and other ideas

Ghosts are easy to make from balloons and gauze. Also, to work, you will need a marker, which draw a face. Balloons are filled with air. Then they paint and tie it to the ceiling. Now they are covered with a “cloak” of gauze, the ends of which hang freely in the air. An artificial web is made of the same material. She is soaked in a bucket with divorced black gouache. It will turn a grayish fabric, as if covered with a layer of dust. A pair of holes in gauze and artistic hanging in the corner are enough for a thick, old web. To get a thin cobweb, the material will have to be dissolved for a long time on a thread. Flags of various sizes are needed for witch stocks. They pour liquid (tinted water) into them and put “creepy” objects: artificial fingers, spiders, rat claws and other witchcraft paraphernalia. The covers are decorated with twine, burlap, gauze cobwebs and bloody smudges of paint.

Ideas for decorating the facade and garden of a private house

The main decoration of the porch of a private house will be a composition of traditional pumpkins. Often courtyards are decorated with groups of cute ghosts that greet guests. Add a Halloween entourage to the site will help crooked driftwood, compositions of bare branches, heaps of autumn leaves and even shoes forgotten by some unlucky witch with a "parked" broom. Cardboard silhouettes of mice or spiders are glued onto the steps. Garlands of black and orange balloons are placed above the entrance. The veranda or terrace is covered with a layer of gauze cobwebs and terrible hairy spiders. A wreath of dry branches on the front door will immediately show guests that they are waiting for "big Halloween troubles." You can emphasize the decor using the backlight.

Conclusion

The holiday will turn out to be memorable only in those cases when it is held in the original setting. It is not necessary to spend large amounts on luxurious decor in specialized stores. You can decorate the house for Halloween with the help of improvised means. It is enough to connect imagination and ordinary things after a series of manipulations will turn into terrible jewelry, from which blood runs cold in the veins. And it doesn’t matter at all whether this holiday is “native” for our country or not. This is a great reason to get together and have a great time with friends and family.