Observing Halloween in the United States started in the 1840s but the tradition has been around since the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, according to a Reuters article.
2,000 years ago, the Celts who lived in what is now Ireland celebrated New Year every November 1 of the year. They believed that the world of gods appeared to mankind on that day. Until now, it is said that November 1 is the day when the veil that separates the dead and the living is thin.
Interestingly, the word Halloween originates from the Catholic day of honoring saints which is on November 1. It’s called All Saints Day or “All Hollows Day'' that October 31 became the All Hallows Eve or Halloween that we know today.
The tradition traveled to America along with Irish immigrants who were fleeing from their land after a potato famine. Trick or treat is also said to have come from the Irish who would go door to door to collect money and cake when a relative dies. No treat given meant the birth of a practical joke.
Irish folklore also started the Jack-o-lantern practice. Legend has it that a drunk Jack tried to trick Satan to climb a tree so that he could trap him with a cross he carved in the trunk. Satan agreed to leave his soul after death but heaven won’t accept Jack as well so his embers were left in a hollowed turnip wandering through the darkness for eternity. Eventually, the turnip became a pumpkin.
It has become both a business and a hobby in the US to produce all sorts of events with pumpkins. According to the same Reuters report,major pumpkin-producing states produce pumpkins worth 101 million dollars. These states include Illinois, California, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Because Halloween is a major event in America, people not only dress up in costumes but also decorate their homes, much like how Christmas lights cover houses when the Christmas season draws near. We drop some Halloween decor ideas below if you want your house to be the spookiest of them all.
1. DIY Ghouls. Make bells out of white tissue paper and glue dots of black construction paper to make eyes and mouths of ghouls. Drape with a cheesecloth to finish. Put them on the floor or hang them on Floating Shelves installed in your wall.
FlexiSpot has floating shelves that come in three for every purchase. You may choose from either maple or mahogany, whatever suits your Halloween decor better. Each shelf can carry up to 44 pounds and come with hooks where you may hang the ghouls. The ghouls may also be resting on the shelf itself with its 17.7" long, 0.98" thick, and 6.67" wide space.
2. Bats. Cut branches from the trees and bring them inside to decorate the wall where your FlexiSpot floating shelves are installed. The shelves would help hold the branches together. Next is to tie black ribbons on the tree stands to make them look like bats from afar, or should we say, bats waiting to transform into vampires at night.
3. Hanging Cages. If the two above do not excite your vision, this might do. Hang cages in the hooks of the floating shelves. You can make the cages from laundry baskets so it won’t cost you more than a hundred bucks. Chain them to the floating shelves from FlexiSpot and fill the “cage” with skeletons, creepy animals, and whatnot.
4. Candy Hanger. Not long enough, trick or treaters would be knocking on your door. Treat them even before they knock by leaving a pumpkin hanging on a floating shelf installed on the door. The pumpkin must have its mouth open and would be carrying the candies for kids who would dare to knock on the door of your spooky home.
5. Spider Web Wall. Make spiderwebs out of paper and glue, mixed with a little bit of dust (cotton) to transform a vacant wall and cover it with spiderwebs. Have the FlexiSpot floating shelves carry the dangerous spiders.
6. Candle Lantern. Hang candle lanterns onto the installed floating shelves in the wall. Tie a spooky ribbon or fill the candles with spiders and insects. Choose a wall or a dark area so that the candles have to be illuminated. This would make for a spooky wall of lights.
7. Potion Wall. Create a corner in your room where magic potions are being concocted. The floating shelves have ample room for bottles. Mix the decor with “ingredients” for the potions. Add smoke and lights in this corner for maximum effect.
8. Flying Broomsticks. Are we in Hogwarts or what? Make broomsticks out of sticks and paper and arrange some to seem to levitate in the air while others are displayed on top of the floating shelves. Some can also be hanging in the built-in hooks of the FlexiSpot floating shelves.
9. Halloween Garlands. Probably one of the easiest and fun to make with your children is Halloween garlands. Create paper cutouts and tie them to a string so that you can hang them onto a FlexiSpot floating shelf.
10. Christmas Lights for Halloween. Hang Christmas lights onto the hooks of the FlexiSpot floating shelves. Fill a vacant wall or half of it. For every other light on the strong, cover it with orange paper where eyes and mouths are drawn. These would make little, lit-up jack-o-lanterns.
Final Thoughts
Decorating your house for Halloween can be a fun bonding time with your family. You may involve your kids in creating crafts that would make your house spooky and ready for your neighbors. The decor doesn’t have to be expensive; you just need a spark of creativity and teamwork to make the dream work happen. Even just buying FlexiSpot floating shelves can transform a vacant wall in your home into a Halloween masterpiece. If you can, recycle paper and other decors from last year’s Halloween. Encourage your kids to squeeze their creative juices with you for a fun celebration of one of America’s most favorite holidays.
