Frugal Halloween Decorations

From Sundy:

I heard a short blurb in the background on The Today Show this morning. The announcer said that last year, Americans spent approximately $5 billion on Halloween alone, and this year, that figure is expected to go up 14%. Well, I don't know about the rest of Americans, but I always figure that just because I spend more money, that doesn't mean I'm going to have more fun...so I economize as much as I can.

My children are older now. There is only one left in the house, and he's fifteen and a little past all the Halloween hoopla.

BUT! BUT!

My husband is NOT past it (and neither am I, really)...he is adorably excited about Halloween. Our grandchildren (1 and 3 years old) are supposed to be coming down to visit, and we want to decorate for Halloween and pass out candy.

My son agreed to help me, although he thought it was a little late to start. But I figure if we do one or two small decorating projects over the next few days, we should be able to have a frugally decorated house.

So....here are my planned projects.
1. Scarecrow(s) -- I've seen them for sale in the stores, and I think, "Why oh why would someone BUY these, when they can make them for free?" When I was little, I seem to remember doing that. Take some old pants and a long sleeve shirt, stuff them with crumpled up paper or scraps of whatever is on hand. Add shoes and gloves, and then for the head, an old pillowcase works GREAT! Top it with a hat, and you're done!

2. Ghost(s) -- throw an old sheet or pillowcase over a ball or balloon or crumpled up paper. Tie a string around the bottom of the "head." Attach a string to the top of the head (sew or safety pin), hang the little ghosties from your trees or your eaves -- and you're done. These can be large or small, depending on how you make them.

If you don't want to ruin your sheets by painting the eyes and mouth on (and let's face it, most of us don't), then you can pin them on or use children's paste. The paste will wash out as long as you pre-treat it. Or you can leave them without faces for a spooky effect. (FYI: Large squares of white tissue paper also work well if you have them on-hand.)

3. Window painting -- cover your windows with plastic wrap, then paint whatever you want! My husband wanted window clings, but I thought the ones I saw in the store were too tiny to warrant a buck for three little pictures. I already have the paint and the plastic wrap! :) One thought I had was to have several pairs of eyes peeking out from the windows and light them with our blacklight.

4. Chalk! Chalk is cheap. Draw spooky designs or fake tombstones or creepy sayings on the sidewalk leading up to your house. Since many little kids trick-or-treat before it's fully dark, they'll still be able to see what you've drawn.

5. Plastic milk jug ghost luminaries -- Cut a fist-sized hole in the back and string white lights inside (you can do a whole row of them this way if you have enough lights). Use a black marker to put a face on the jug.

These are my frugal ideas, using mostly stuff I already have on hand (which is my favorite way to do things).

Costumes for another post.... ;) Oh, the things I can do with a vinyl tablecloth or a bridesmaid's dress! LOL