Autumn has come, and with it a tell-tale rattle of golden leaves rustled by the gusts of brisk air. The spicy treats and dress-up fun of the season is here again. So too is the chance to participate in the spirit by transforming your lovely home into a den of Halloween horrors or autumnal beauty. Charleston is uniquely suited to this time of year as well. Its distinctive plant life and harvest season crops can lend the sights of fall to your home as well as the surrounding country. Using your own backyard you can make a Halloween grotto among the trees or draw from the city’s rich history to set up spooky scenes that will put a creative spin on the tired haunted house.
Family Friendly Displays
The chill in the weather that gives this time of year its crisp feeling triggers the great deciduous forests of the Eastern Seaboard to burst to life in a display of vibrant colors. Taking cues from the harvest goods and natural beauty of the season you can turn your home into a friendly Halloween destination for your own kids as well as trick-or-treaters. Bunches of yellow and red leaves can frame a window pane or hearth after a quick rinse and dry. Charleston’s famous farmer’s markets are sure to have bins overflowing with a spectacular array of seasonal gourds and miniature pumpkins to decorate your home.
Being home to distinctive varieties of Oak and Willow trees, it’s easy to use the tree’s long tendrils to create a Halloween grotto for passing ghouls on that big night. Hanging faux spider webbing among the branches and using moody outdoor lighting with red or black light bulbs can set a spooky atmosphere above decorative cauldrons full of candy. Old bed sheets or cheesecloth stuffed with inexpensive cotton will produce fun ghosts that you and your kids can make together and hang about the yard.
New Twists on Old Favorites
Every other house on the block will have traditional scarecrows. Yours could be done up in ghostly soldier or zombie costumes that are easy to find in the seasonal Halloween shops that show up this time of year. If you are less keen on inviting people into your home on Halloween night, you can consider decorating your living room as a haunted hotel and dressing as a zombie-bellhop to answer the door when the children stop by for a treat. Draped sheets over your furniture and a moody Halloween themed CD or MP3 will add atmosphere to your home as a set piece.
Decorating Your Home for Halloween
Using the ingredients nature and history lend to the season you can make this a Halloween to remember. Plant life and harvest goods can bring a touch of autumn into your home while providing an inexpensive source of beauty. The stories of Charleston’s past can put a new spin on old concepts, not only giving your guests a fun reason to visit but also renewing your own sense of wonder for this exciting time of year.
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