When to Start Decorating for Halloween

Is there a socially acceptable time when to start decorating for Halloween? Perhaps the answer lies in the numbers, which we’ll share with you later in the text. Furthermore, whether you are a gothic decor lover or just a holiday decor fan, we’ve come up with a budget-friendly list to help you perfect your Halloween decor this year. Our tips and ideas will help you kick off the holiday season by transforming your home into a scary and spooky oasis.

Historical Context Behind Halloween Decorations

The zest for Halloween decorations today, heavily influenced by commercial appeal, actually finds its roots deep in ancient traditions. The Celts, residing over 2,000 years ago in regions now known as Ireland, the UK, and northern France, ushered in their new year on November 1st. This day signaled the culmination of summer and the beginning of the bleak winter, a time typically linked with death. They firmly believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became ambiguous the night before the new year. 

This festival, termed Samhain, was thought to be when ghosts of the departed roamed the earth. To deter unwanted spirits, they’d light bonfires and adorn costumes. Additionally, they crafted decorations from materials at hand, such as carved turnips (an early version of our jack-o-lanterns), bones, and harvest symbols.

As time flowed and Christianity expanded across these territories, it melded with the existing Celtic rituals. Over the eras, All Hallows Eve (later termed Halloween) preserved many age-old traditions while embracing new ones. For instance, when American settlers introduced pumpkins, they gradually replaced the European carved turnip custom.

Modern Halloween decorations amalgamate elements ranging from the eerie to the playful, granting each person the liberty to craft their unique festivity. While store-bought items dominate today’s scene, the essence of Halloween decoration remains a blend of celebrating life’s continuity, the seasonal transition and venerating ancient customs.

By delving into this historical backdrop, one appreciates the depth and significance of Halloween decorations. Recognizing its origins can shape when and how one embarks on Halloween preparations. Beyond just contemporary trends, it’s about resonating with a rich tradition that has thrived and transformed over thousands of years.

The question is: When to start decorating for Halloween?

The drill used to be the same each year: you would start carving your pumpkins in late October, then you would enrich your fall decor with the spooky Halloween one. Finally, after the holiday was over, you would find a box to store your Halloween decorations and save them for the next year.

However, this year almost everyone desires a change. Whether by supplementing your embellishments or changing the start date, some change is bound to happen.

So, if you are wondering when to start decorating for Halloween, here’s the breakdown. These are the percentages the YouGov survey got:

  • Only 5% of respondents said it was acceptable to put up your Halloween decor before Labor Day.
  • 16% agreed that it is okay to start your Halloween decoration between Labor Day and October 1st.
  • Another 21% said people should wait between October 16th and 30th to put up the decoration.
  • Only 3% said Halloween day is the day when you should decorate your home.
  • Finally, 47% said they would be starting with their Halloween decoration somewhere between October 1st and 15th.
A girl carving out a pumpkin
Once you decide to start decorating, getting into the holiday spirit gets easy (Photo by Pexel.com)

In our humble opinion, we think people need more encouragement and help to get them into the spooky holiday spirit. But, no matter when you decide to put up your decoration, there’s always room for more until the holiday comes. For this reason, consider doing some budget-friendly projects and crafts to help you and your home get into the holiday spirit.

On the other hand, if you plan a complete Halloween makeover of your home, don’t worry. We got you covered either way. We will share some of the most popular Halloween decoration ideas with you while trying to align with everyone’s likings and budget.

Steps you need to take to make your Halloween decor perfect

If you want to make this a fun experience but are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, it’s essential to plan. Here are the steps to follow:

1.     Choosing a theme is essential

You should decide on a theme right away. All the Halloween decor looks tempting, and it might lead to impulse buying. Doing so, you will end up with a lot of unmatched scenery with nowhere to put up.

Therefore, try narrowing the list down. For example, you can choose to do a zombie theme, a witches’ gathering, or ghosts in the graveyard. Once you select a theme, try looking for inspiration online and decide what items you need to add to your collection. Then, you can narrow it down once more. Remember, if you are not that much into blood, Halloween doesn’t have to be about that. There are still many options to choose from, like going for a gothic, vintage style.

2.     Check what you already have and can make use of

Before you head to the store, it is essential to know what items you already own. Also, look for brooms, different types of cans and containers, balloons, and other things you can use and DIY. There must be plenty of items just lying around your home, and now it’s time to put them to use.

3.     Set a budget

After completing the previous steps comes the task of making a budget. Even though spooky decor seems tempting, it’s essential to make a budget in line with your financial resources.

So, after you’ve set aside the money for your regular monthly expenses, you can calculate a number for this holiday. To come up with the correct number for you, you will also need to include everything you are routinely spending money on, like eating out or casual shopping. You should also have Halloween costumes and candy on this list.

4.     Consider the ways you can save some money

We also have a few tips for you, which will get you the decoration you need, but in another way. First of all, try avoiding Halloween specialty stores since their prices are right at the top. Instead, go to the local arts and crafts store and get the supplies you need.

Furthermore, you can choose to shop at a Dollar store. The things they offer might surprise you. Some of the must-have items you will most certainly find there are spider webs, hanging ghosts, crime scene tape, creepy eyeballs, foam tombstones, skulls, bones, skeletons, and many more.

A skull, a lit candle, a potion, and a book.
You don’t have to break your wallet to have great Halloween decor. ( Photo By Pexel.com)

Pro tip: You can buy pumpkins at the grocery store to save some coins!

5.     Involve your kids

Last year was hard on everyone, especially on children. Wearing masks, virtual learning, and being away from their friends has taken its toll. Therefore, try and make them involved as much as possible. There are numerous Halloween DIY arts and crafts for kids, which will lift everyone’s spirits.

Easy and fun ways to decorate your home for Halloween

Finally, here’s the ultimate guide of spooky Halloween ideas for you and your family to try!

Two girls in Halloween costumes.
Once you decide when to start decorating for Halloween, make sure your kiddoes are
involved! (Photo By Pexel.com)
  • Style your pumpkins
  • Make candlesticks out of your bottles
  • Make a bubbling cauldron
  • Have a creepy spider web wall
  • Make a spiderweb cake
  • Create an effortlessly spooky living room
  • Make bat branches
  • Skull candle holder
  • Phantom presence on the mirror
  • Make scary Halloween party cups

1.     Pumpkin decor

The options with good old pumpkins are endless. Here are some of our favorites:

            1. Pumpkins with leaf motives in a wheelbarrow

You can use your uncarved and undecorated pumpkins and still make them look fab. You can cut out some vintage leaves from wallpapers or newspapers, or you can paint the leaves and color them in fall colors.

            2. Give your front door a sophisticated look

For this project, you will need to get three pumpkins, one large, one medium, and a small one, so that you can stack them. The next step is to lightly sketch a vine pattern with a pencil and finally etch out each design with a linoleum carving tool. You can then add berries or some other type of beads to add a little spice. This way, you will have sophisticated decor when greeting your guests.

2.      Family painting

Pumpkin carving isn’t for everyone. Instead, you can unleash your imagination and try painting funny faces on your pumpkins.

A father and his daughter painting the pumpkins.
This is one of the projects you can do and enjoy with your little ones. ( Photo by Pexel.com)

3.      Candlesticks

If you admire the gothic look, we are sure you can find some old candle holders and make it extra spooky with black candles.

Two women sitting at a table with fruits, a cat, and a candle holder on it.
Add a touch of scary to your Halloween decor with vintage candle holders. (Photo by Pexel.com)

You can also get skull candle holders from the Dollar store or put the pillar candles in your pumpkins. Also, if you are looking for ways to recycle, you can paint your used wine bottles black and stick some candles in them.  

4.      Bubbling cauldron

Find a pot or a bucket, paint it black, and get some dry ice from your local grocery store. Add a little water, and you’ve created a spooky fog!      

5.      Phantom presence

Turn off your LED mirrors and use them as a part of your holiday decor. The key to getting this project right is to use a sheet of frosted window film. Draw a ghostly figure, cut out the silhouette (the eyes and mouth), and smoothly apply the film to your mirror to create this spooky reflection.

Another idea is to cover your mirrors with white sheets and get an abandoned, frightening look.

6.     Decide when to start decorating for Halloween and give your living room a deserted look

To create this effect, you will need a couple of white sheets to cover your furniture, and voila!

7.      Bat branches

To spruce up your outside area, you can use a black ribbon and tie a bow around the branches. If you are super meticulous about your decoration, use white nail polish to add the eyes in the middle.

8.     Create candy bags and spooky cups with your kiddoes

You can either buy black plastic cups or spray paint the white ones you already have. Add some googly eyes, and you have cute monster creations.

 can i decorate for halloween in august
When the trick or treaters come, make sure they remember your doorstep! (Photo by Pexel.com)

Furthermore, you can invest a little more time and effort into making the kids from the neighborhood happy. By following the simple steps from the picture above, you will create unique pumpkin candy bags and bring smiles to many little faces.

9.      Spiderweb

And finally, let’s not forget about the spiderweb. To add extra spookiness to your home, stretch the spider web material across your plants outside or your buffet wall. You can go a step further and spray paint your branches black and then add the spiderweb to make things even scarier.

The takeaway from when to start decorating for Halloween

If you are a big Halloween fan like we are, you don’t need an excuse to decide when to start decorating for Halloween. We like to be thorough and meticulous about our planning and decorating. Whether you are the minimalist type or you want to go all-in and turn your house upside down, from your fireplace to the windows, we hope your tips and ideas help you along the way.

Leave a Comment

0 Shares
Tweet
Share
Pin
Share