Home Decorating for Halloween
October is the month for fresh Halloween decoration ideas. If there is ever a time of year when the ghosts and goblins roam the streets of the modern world, that time would be Halloween. Today's ghost and goblins are probably a little more frightening than at any other time in history but they are often tempered by a princess seeking frogs, a few witches and wizards and other less scary characters along the way. Halloween is a great day to be a kid but can also be a great fun day for grown ups as well. Decorating for Halloween can be almost as much fun as going out trick or treating.
Besides, having a well decorated home for this holiday gives you the perfect excuse to scare the evil out of some young ghoul or vampire that thinks he or she has the market cornered on frightening. The really cool thing about decorating for Halloween is that it is not one size fits all. You are perfectly free to find some very scary home decorations for this delightful holiday or take on a kinder, gentler, more kid friendly style of decorating. The decision is yours and yours alone and should carefully monitor the scare-ability of your own children when deciding. You certainly don't want them to be afraid to come home, and you need to consider the age of the children - toddlers are more easily frightened and should be taken care of at Halloween.
For a more frightening Halloween scene you will probably want to use some strobe lights, frightening music and sound effects, dry ice in order to incorporate a spooky fog, and plenty of spider web type netting in order to give those who dare approach your door bells a complete and thorough case of the willies. Doesn't this sound like so much fun? Coffins with headless straw men are also a great addition as well as skittering spiders and perhaps even a modern effect with the occasional chainsaw or two. A glow in the dark hockey mask may also be a good choice. Bodiless heads suspended by fishing wire are also quite the highlight for a true and robust fright.
If your goal is to create a kid friendly Halloween atmosphere there are cheerful pumpkin decorations that can be found in many shapes and sizes as well as Casper the friendly ghost, Frankenstein piñatas, and countless other fun party favors that are designed to bring entertainment and delight rather than terror and fear. String pumpkin lights around the porch for added lighting and another friendly face in addition to keeping plenty of candles and lanterns lit nearby. Not all trick or treaters are older kids who appreciate a good scare so keep this in mind as the little ghosts, goblins, princesses, and super heroes arrive.
Favorite suggestions for adult parties would include strobe lights, low additional lights such as pumpkin jack-o-lanterns, and perhaps black lights to create a glow in the dark effect, especially near the popular food and drink area of the party. More dry ice (if tolerable - some people have difficulties with the smell, particularly those with allergies or asthma, so you may want to avoid this inside your home and leave it for the exterior). Bales of hay in the corner make excellent additional seating and can contribute to the harvest and autumn aspect of the Halloween atmosphere you are attempting to create. Just remember that the underlying goal is for you and your guests to have a great time. Have good food, good music, and good friends, and then your imaginative Halloween decoration ideas really should be a secondary concern.