Halloween decorations

By Liz Stansfield, Oct 4, 2011

Halloween decorations have come a long way from the days of just ripping up a couple of bin liners and taping them to the door frame at the last minute before the party starts.

It can be easy to go to town on expensive, fancy decorations, and these of course will last you for Halloween years to come, but if you're more of a buy-every-year mum or dad, try Aldi, Sainsbury's and Poundland for bunting, cheap bowls and paper skeletons that do the job for less than a fiver.

Decorations for a spooky party

Pumpkin Cake Tin, £9.99 for Halloween Set from <a href="http://www.firebox.com/" target="_blank">Firebox.</a>
Halloween Assorted Partywear, from 99p from <a href="http://www.aldi.co.uk/" target="_blank">Aldi.</a>
Animated Skull Bowl, £14 from <a href="http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp" target="_blank">Sainsbury’s. </a>
Make Your Own Halloween Garland, £3.50 from <a href="http://www.elc.co.uk/" target="_blank">ELC.</a>
Glow In The Dark Halloween Trick Or Treat Bag, £1.99 each from <a href="http://www.tch.net/" target="_blank">The Contemporary Home.</a>
Halloween Crackers, £3.50 from <a href="http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp" target="_blank">Sainsbury’s.</a>
Halloween Napkins, £1 from <a href="http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/index.jsp" target="_blank">Sainsbury’s .</a>
Trick or Treat Shabby Chic Shelf Blocks, £23.49 from <a href="http://www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk/" target="_blank">Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous.</a>
Handmade Cotton Halloween Bunting, £15 from <a href="http://www.giftwrappedandgorgeous.co.uk/" target="_blank">Gift Wrapped and Gorgeous.</a>
Lanterns, £14.61 from <a href="http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/home.html" target="_blank">Pix Mania.</a>
Paper Cups, £10.45 for a set from <a href="http://theletteroom.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Letterroom. </a>
Balloons, £1 a pack from <a href="http://www.poundland.co.uk/" target="_blank">Poundland. </a>
Pumpkin Bowl, £1 from<a href="http://www.poundland.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Poundland.</a>
Breathless Banquet Enter if You Dare Sign, £4 from <a href="http://www.talkingtables.co.uk/" target="_blank">Talking Tables.</a>
Wooden Halloween Garland, £8.99 from <a href="http://www.tch.net/" target="_blank">The Contemporary Home. </a>
Screaming And Flashing Skull Drinking Straw, £3.49 <a href="http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/" target="_blank">Find-me-a-gift.co.uk.</a>

Tags: cheap, decorations, family, halloween, Halloween crafts, kids, kids-best-buys

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22 Comments

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jmmcmkn

Unfortunatly my next door neighbour recently lost his job, and so finding himself unemployed.he has found trying to stand out from the other several million unemployed while going round firms handing out his CV is a major problem.

So I have advised him to combine it with trick or treating on the lead up to Halloween, Money for the Guy the lead up to November 5th and a spot of Carol singing the lead up to Christmas. Even if he doesn't get a job they'l remember who he is and with a bit of luck he'll be up a few quid by the end of the year.

October 22 2011 at 5:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

nskl2

How dare people intrude on the privacy of my home to beg sweets for their offspring. It's not the kids fault, they don't know any better!!

October 22 2011 at 3:57 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to nskl2's comment

ballinurejoker

miserable sad person

October 22 2011 at 6:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

bettybattenbu106

If anyone comes trick or treating at my door, I shall answer it wearing my deluxe David Cameron face mask - frighteningly realistic. A bargain at 99p. More scary than Freddie or Jason - it'll send them packing!

October 22 2011 at 2:32 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

mikeburns64

lol, I dont mind it actually. Not that many kids come to the door trick or treating - so the day after its an excuse to eat all the left over sweets!

October 22 2011 at 1:43 PM Report abuse Permalink +5 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to mikeburns64's comment

riamacq

We have a house in the US and even when we've put on the light, decorated the garden and the porch we rarely get any trick or treaters - it's largely centred on schools nowadays and perpetuated in the media e.g films. Our first year we had three callers, the first was our next door neighbours with their young children (Puerto Ricans), the next was an English family on holiday and the third was abunch of local teenagers who looked more like film extras from Gangs of New York than anything spirity or witchy. Made us laugh tho'. Our second year = no-one.

October 22 2011 at 2:04 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

chinnyrekon

yet again, another link from AOL that doesnt work

October 22 2011 at 1:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

paulknnr

"Halloween parties"? My, how American. Rather like "trick and treat", business' will make an event of anything to rake in the cash from the impressionable.

October 22 2011 at 11:43 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to paulknnr's comment

riamacq

Quite - it is infact a 'festival' of celtic origin and both Scotland and Ireland both have Hallowe'en traditoins. England and Wales don't. That is why it is still fairly well celebrated in the US - so many emigrants from S and I in the 17th 18th and 19th centuries took their home traditions with them.

October 22 2011 at 1:51 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jennifer

I don't mind people celebrating Halloween in their own homes or even having parties, but I hate Trick and treating with a vengeance!! Why on earth is it ok for children to knock on a strangers door, in the dark at night and beg for treats and then if they don't receive their treats they trick them by throwing flour or even worse eggs at their house or car!!
I'm afraid that 'trick and treaters' are not welcome at my house and will find themselves soaked in ice cold water if they dare knock on my door!!
It's become all very 'Americanised' and why do we want to follow what they do?? Beats me!!
Call me miserable if you like I don't care, but begging is illegal so why does the law allow this???

October 22 2011 at 11:22 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Jennifer's comment

Michelle

I think you'll find that some little kids dressed up knocking for sweets is hardly begging. The majority of them just knock and take a sweet, I normally have to force them to take more than one! Very few of them play tricks. I think you'll find that the ones who play tricks on you are teenagers from the neighbourhood who don't like you for one reason or another. Don't get me wrong I am not for one moment condoning behaviour of that kind. But then I have never personally been at the receiving end of a 'trick'.
I would call you more than miserable. And I can promise you that if you threw anything at any children I was chaperoning (including water) you would find yourself in more trouble than you would care to deal with.
There are much worse things that the law allows so try getting all hot and bothered over something that actually matters.

October 22 2011 at 11:58 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Michelle's comment

JanetandPeter

It IS begging, most of them want money, not sweets. Never have any refused to take any sweets, biscuits or other comestibles offered. And, for all writers on this site, it is Hallowe'en, i,e., the eve of All Hallows Day, Nov. 1st.

October 22 2011 at 1:38 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down

riamacq

It's not ok - in the US children and young people don't knock on every door or call at every house. People signal their willingness to participate by leaving their hall or porch light on and/or hanging/placing appropriate decorations outside and only then will the youngsters 'trick or treat' the occupiers. Here, as is usual when the activity is commercially driven, those taking part don't know or understand the rules and therefore get it wrong.

October 22 2011 at 1:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to riamacq's comment

jmmcmkn

riamacq
Thanks for the explanation in the difference between US and Halloween trick or treating. Untill now I always wonderd just how trick or treaters in the US didn't end up getting shot dead for their antics. What with wearing masks and hammering on strangers doors in the dark, making threats...an otherwise disasterous combination when you consider US householders usual readiness to open fire with a lot less provocation the rest of the year

October 22 2011 at 6:03 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down

johngreenwell

I am a bit angry they have taken off the Haunted Hotels feature, it was getting some good reviews and e mails. Maybe AOL don't like it when people respont to EACH OTHER.

October 22 2011 at 10:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

spookyjoshua

Oh don't get me wrong I agree. It is a time for kids, I loved it. Its just the way parents moan and groan about everything. . However no kids ever come to my cottage. It's in a very long dark lane with little lights in the back of nowhere. Quite scary I suppose, ha ha ha very fitting. I wish they would, I got a great spooky mask hanging by the door to wear. BOO !

October 22 2011 at 10:34 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Reply

col2reid

i love halloween the best hols of the year its a bit of fun and the weans arent looking a fortune spent on them . lighten up everyone and have a ghostly party x

October 22 2011 at 10:31 AM Report abuse Permalink +5 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to col2reid's comment

riamacq

Not a holiday - check the meaning of the word in a dictionary - it's a festival celebrated by some and not others. Just like Christmas, Eid, Hannaker and Djiwali. But if you want an excuse for a party and dressing up then it's as good a reason as any.

October 22 2011 at 1:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to riamacq's comment

ballinurejoker

sad person

October 22 2011 at 6:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down