Celebrate Halloween 2016 with these 5 spooky decoration ideas

It is that time of the year again when one can dress up as a Vampire or even an evil Minnie mouse and take part in parades, indulge in the American tradition of "trick-or-treating" and turn the otherwise cold winter months into a fun celebration. While the tradition dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (harvest), modern day festivities take place all around the world.

Typically, Halloween celebration – which is observed on 31 October – involves costume parties, creating jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, children playing pranks and asking for treats from neighbours and everything eerie and scary.

With the spooky holiday around the corner, here are five tips and ideas to turn your house into a magical place during Halloween.

Pickled head jar

How about a little horror at the dinner table when your friends and family join you for a meal on 31 October? Create a head in the jar using a simple mason jar, some food colouring, a photo editing software and paper lamination. When a laminated flattened head image is put in a jar along with water and food colouring, it creates a 3-D effect and could be a much effective way scare guests.

Accessorise it further with artificial hair to take spooky to the next level. For more instructions on the Pickled Head Jar, click here.

Headless horseman at the door

What is Halloween without a spooky welcome for children up to some pranks? Enthusiasts can create the headless door greeter with a simple mannequin – of course minus the head – and dress it up in black costumes and a fancy cape. In case a headless mannequin is not your cup of tea, follow these instructions to make your door greeter from scratch.

DIY skull candle stand

Everyone knows skulls are associated with the dead and Halloween is the perfect time to decorate spaces with little skull accessories. All you need is three to four plastic skulls, hot glue, and sturdy plates or saucers. Arrange them one over the other maintaining balance before coating them with a layer of black paint. Finally, place a black candle on the stand and voila! The DIY skull candle will scream Halloween.

Scary eyeball wreath

A single eyeball hanging in the air is enough to scare the bravest of hearts, now imagine a hundred eyeballs stuck on a wreath and hanging on your front door. None will dare pull a prank on your house. An old Christmas wreath can be turned into a Halloween horror by following these steps.

Bottles of poison and potion

This is the easiest Halloween decoration idea, which requires least labour and could be a lot of fun. To create the ancient-looking bottle of potions, clean multi-sized and shaped wine bottles and paint them simply in black or spooky metallic colours. A handwritten label that reads witch's blood or frog's tongue will add quirk to the ornamental pieces. Surprise your guests by pouring a glass of beverage from these eerie bottles.