13 Spooky Good Halloween Hacks

Less stress. More spook.

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Let’s get real. Halloween requires a whole lot of creativity, and sometimes it’s hard to come up with cute costumes, adorable pumpkin ideas, tasty party food and festive home decor. Enter, clever Halloween hacks — 13 of them, to be exact (totally spooky, right?).

PUMPKIN HACKS

Make a Wine Keg Using a Pumpkin

Hallo-wine 2 Ways
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Serve Hallo-wine at your Halloween party using pumpkins as vessels for your favorite box wine. Guests will applaud your creativity.

Use a Cookie Cutter to Carve a Pumpkin

Cookie Cutter Pumpkin Carving

Step 5: Hammer in the Cookie Cutter

Use a rubber mallet to tap in the cookie cutter. Children can help with this step, but supervise carefully to avoid injury.

Photo by: Images courtesy of Jessica Yonker

Images courtesy of Jessica Yonker

Tired of carving the classic jack-o’-lantern? This year, carve a pumpkin with a Halloween-themed cookie cutter, instead. 

Light Your Pumpkins With Christmas Lights

Create a field of sparkling pumpkins with a drill and strands of Christmas lights. Hollow out your pumpkins and use a drill to make a pattern of holes over the surface. Fill each hole with a Christmas light and plug them in for a star covered pumpkin.

Starry Pumpkins

Create a field of sparkling pumpkins with a drill and strands of Christmas lights. Hollow out your pumpkins and use a drill to make a pattern of holes over the surface. Fill each hole with a Christmas light and plug them in for a star covered pumpkin.

Make a twinkly, starry outdoor display with pumpkins and Christmas lights. First, completely hollow out the pumpkins, and create a pattern of holes on each pumpkin using a drill. Then, fill each hole with a Christmas light, and plug them in.

DECOR HACKS

Make a Spooky Wreath With Ping-Pong Balls

Googly Eyes Halloween Wreath

You're Being Watched

Keep an eye on trick-or-treaters with a googly-eyed wreath. To make it, pick up two to three bags of white Ping-Pong balls online or at a sports store. Use hot glue to attach them, in layers, to a foam wreath form with hot glue. Once all visible parts of the wreath form have been covered, attach small and large googly eyes. Tip: It's best to hang the wreath with a door hanger, rather than wrapping ribbon around, so the layers of Ping-Pong balls remain undisturbed.

Craft a super-easy, googly-eyed wreath to playfully spook trick-or-treaters upon their arrival. Buy two to three bags of white Ping-Pong balls, and hot glue them on a foam wreath form in layers. Once the wreath form is covered, attach small and large googly eyes.

Turn Trash Bags Into Spider Webs

Trashbag Spider Web Beauty Shot

Trashbag Spider Web

Dramatic, inexpensive and, best of all, this trashbag spider web decoration is made from materials already in the house.

All you need to make these creepy hanging spider webs are black trash bags, tape and scissors. Ballin' on a budget, my friends.

Use Leftover Candy Corn as Decor

Candy Filled Hurricanes on Halloween Porch

Aromatic Candy Corn Candles

Expecting trick-or-treaters or Halloween guests? Add a sweet aroma to your front porch with candy corn-filled hurricanes. To create them, place pillar candles inside clear glass hurricanes of different sizes then fill each hurricane, roughly halfway, with candy corn.

I realize some people truly love candy corn, but I know there are some wishy-washy people out there like me. I’ll eat a piece or two, sure, but I don’t love it. Instead of throwing away the rest of the bag, dump the leftovers into glass hurricanes with pretty pillar candles, and set the hurricanes on the front porch to greet guests. Be sure to blow out the candles before they burn below the candy.

COSTUME HACKS

Be a Glow-in-the-Dark Stick Figure

Need a last minute Halloween costume? With some black clothing and a pack of glow necklaces, you can whip up this bright outfit in less than 10 minutes.

DIY Glow-in-the-Dark Stick Figure Costume

Need a last minute Halloween costume? With some black clothing and a pack of glow necklaces, you can whip up this bright outfit in less than 10 minutes.

Photo by: Chelsea Faulkner

Chelsea Faulkner

Did you forget to come up with a Halloween costume? This ultra-clever stick figure idea is for you. Grab an all-black outfit, glow sticks and packing tape, and prepare for *glowing* reviews.

Make a Last-Minute Kid Costume Using a Hoodie

Your trick-or-treater will be hopping with excitement over this fun frog costume

Your trick-or-treater will be hopping with excitem

Your trick-or-treater will be hopping with excitement over this fun frog costume

No time to sew a masterpiece for your little one? Craft a simple costume out of a basic hoodie, instead. These ideas are so cute, nobody will know the difference.

Turn an Old Shirt Into a Dog Costume

Your pet will be ready for Halloween with this cute outfit. Repurpose old clothing to make a costume that is all business

Handmade Pet Halloween Business Man Costume

Your pet will be ready for Halloween with this cute outfit. Repurpose old clothing to make a costume that is all business

Bring the phrase, “working like a dog,” to life with an old dress shirt and a cheap clip-on tie. This hilarious dog costume is sure to be a hit with friends.

FOOD + DRINK HACKS

Turn a Margarita Into a Morgue-A-Rita

Halloween Cocktail

Halloween Morgue-A-Rita Cocktail

This ooey-gooey margarita will ensure your guests have a frightfully good time at your Halloween party. The blood red maraschino syrup adds the cherry 'on the bottom' while sugary green "goo" lends a creepy twist.

Photo by: Sam Henderson

Sam Henderson

Instead of concocting a difficult cocktail for your Halloween guests, make a tried-and-true crowd pleaser with a spooky twist. You only need two extra ingredients to make the oozy green slime.

Make This: Morgue-A-Rita

Make (Healthy!) Monsters With Apples

Turn tart apples, dried fruit and nuts or seeds into healthy treats for your favorite trick-or-treaters.

Monster Apples

Turn tart apples, dried fruit and nuts or seeds into healthy treats for your favorite trick-or-treaters.

Photo by: Heather Baird SprinkleBakes.com

Heather Baird SprinkleBakes.com

Kids will adore this nutritious snack that’s just as adorable as it is tasty. 

Make This: Monster Apples

Make Edible Eyeballs With Cheese Rounds

Halloween Appetizer

Halloween Party Appetizer: Cheesy Eyeballs

This fun-to-make appetizer will have your Halloween party guests doing a double take. A few simple ingredients make this savory snack a scary-easy addition to your party table.

©Sam Henderson

Sam Henderson

You’ll only need three ingredients to make these creepy eyeballs. The cheese-based appetizer is perfect for a Halloween party.

Make This: Cheesy Eyeballs

Make Scary Fingers With Goat Cheese

Goat Cheese Fingers and Crackers

Spooky Goat Cheese Fingers

Cheese and crackers take a decidedly spooky turn when goat cheese is fashioned to look like fingers with sliced almonds taking the place of fingernails. Pair with whole-wheat crackers and flatbreads for a flavor combo that's sure to appeal to guests of all ages.

Another creepy, cheese-based recipe, this appetizer would pair perfectly with the edible eyeballs to make a spook-tacular cheese tray. 

Make This: Goat Cheese Fingers

Our Best Costume + Makeup Tricks

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Deck out your little trick-or-treater and yourself with one of our 50+ handmade Halloween costumes or silver screen-ready makeup ideas.

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Next Up

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Channel your inner spellcaster to magic up a wine-dispensing cauldron along with tastefully terrifying (and delicious!) liqueur-soaked fruit garnishes.

Our Best Pumpkin-Carving Tips and Tools

Browse our tips for selecting the right tools, carving, preserving and illuminating a Halloween pumpkin.

DIY Halloween Outdoor Decor That Will Have "All Eyes on Boo"

Create some Halloween curb appeal with a mischevious monster door. Inexpensive card stock, crepe paper and tape are a budget-friendly way to deck out your home before Halloween guests or trick-or-treaters arrive.

Make This Easy-to-Sew Spider Hand Puppet for Halloween

No sewing machine is required for this darling spider hand puppet!

Halloween Treat: Healthy Monster Apples

Turn tart apples, dried fruit and nuts or seeds into healthy treats for your favorite trick-or-treaters.

Halloween Treat Recipe: Lucky Black Cats

Made from salty pretzels and creamy chocolate, there's nothing to fear from these delicious Halloween black cats.

3 Ways to Put Outdoor Planters to Good Use This Halloween

It’s time you planted a whole lot more than mums on your porch this year. Try one of these creative planter ideas instead.

Dia de los Muertos Mule Cocktail

The traditional Moscow Mule gets a spicy twist using tequila and a pinch of ancho chile powder. Plain mini sugar skulls can be purchased online, then decorated at home with our instructions.

40+ Last-Minute Halloween Costumes You Can Order Online

Are the holidays sneaking up on you? We've got you covered for the first one to hit the scene — Halloween — with costumes you can get delivered to your home in a matter of days.

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Halloween isn't just for humans! Show your four-legged best friend some love with these festive dog treats, toys, accessories and costumes.

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