For me, Halloween isn't just about dressing up. It's also about decking out my place in all things ghost, witch, and pumpkin. I need a place the Sanderson sisters would approve of.
While there's all sorts of decor that can help you achieve that effect, there's one in particular that you've got to focus on: lighting. Stringing up strands of tiny luminous jack-o'-lanterns or hanging a glowing witch from your ceiling — different options can completely transform your pad.
Ahead, we've rounded up 30 of the best Halloween lights, gadgets, and animatronic accessories. Best of all: Some of them are worth using all year round. Read on for our picks.
Replace your typical night-light bulb with one of these flickering flame versions to simulate a candlelit effect.
Creative Hobbies A101 Flicker Flame Light Bulb, $16.95, available on Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
If you're going for more of a "mad scientist's lair"-vibe, screw in a few of these Edison bulbs. (Best of all, you can keep on using them once Halloween is over!)
Aplstar Bulbs Edison Vintage Bulbs, $21.99, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
All right, it's not quite the same as the black flame candle from Hocus Pocus, but you can at least channel that same idea with this 5-inch black pillar candle.
Boston Warehouse Mystique 360-Degree Flameless Pillar Candle, $35.60, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
These faux candles look like they've been burning for ages, but in actuality, they're LED-operated, and automatically turn off after six hours. Turn them on before you fall asleep, and their batteries won't be dead in the morning.
Classic Glow Battery Operated Candles, $12.95, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
Use Halloween as the excuse to buy these chic glittery votive candles…but then leave them up all year long. They're available in six packs of silver or gold.
Party City Glitter Silver Votive Flameless LED Candles 6-count, $4.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
Stab this projector into the lawn or a potent plant in front of your abode, and watch it cast images of green flying witches and cats onto the walls. The head swivels so you can get the positioning perfect, and it works well for smaller yards or spaces (the images may get blurry if it's further than 15 feet from a wall).
Whirl-A-Motion Witches with Cats Green Projection Spotlight, $19.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
If witches aren't your thing, project these dancing skeletons onto your walls instead. (Also perfect for Día de Los Muertos.)
Whirl-A-Motion Witches with Cats Green Projection Spotlight, $19.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
This spotlight shines a mix of yellow, orange, and red LED light for a fire-like effect. It's designed for outdoor use, but you could also position it for a demonic scene in a haunted house.
Gemmy 966237 LED Outdoor Fire and Ice Lightshow, $24.90, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
The animated mummy hand in this bowl moves when anyone tries to grab food from inside.
Gemmy Animated Mummy Hand Candy Bowl Halloween Decoration, $12.97, available at Walmart.
Photo: Walmart.
You can get a Wicked Witch of the East-type vibe with this pair of illuminated witch legs.
Home Accents Holiday 34-inch Pre-Lit Tinsel Witch Feet, $29.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
Have this witch guard your bowl of candy to creep out partygoers (and keep them from snagging too many candy corns).
Home Accents Holiday 36-inch Animated Halloween Witch with Animated Moving Jaw, $39.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
Hang this witch from the ceiling and then pose her arms however you choose. Her eyes light up, as witches' eyes do.
Walmart Hanging Witch 72-inch Animated Halloween Decoration, $25.77, available at Walmart.
Photo: Walmart.
Stretch this 5-foot web across a doorway or a wall to ensnare your victims.
Party City Spider Web Lights, $19.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
This special bulb gives a swirly, purple and pink glow to a room.
1-Light Fire and Ice PPO Light Bulb, $12.88, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
Swap out the bulb in a table lamp for a black light to make whites glow in the dark.
Walmart Black Light Bulb, $7.96, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
Arrange these three pairs of 6-inch-wide glowing eyeballs in your window, or in and around a table filled with food, for a subtly spooky bit of decor.
Peep n' Peepers Flashing Eyes Halloween Lights, $19.99, available on Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
These glowing, moving eyeballs are meant to be positioned outside on a lawn, but because their motion and sound activation works best at close quarters, they'd also work well on either side of your front door, or in a potted plant indoors.
LightShow 20-inch Lighted Moving Eyes Pathway Markers, $27.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
This 10-inch-tall candle makes a great centerpiece for a dining or coffee table. With three AA batteries, the scene around its circumference spins so it looks like the witch and bats are flying.
DFL INC Halloween Witch Tornado LED Lighting Flameless Candle, $25, available on Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
You sure can't beat the price on these adorable pumpkin lights. One strand has 10 happy little jack-o'-lanterns. String them around a window, or along the edge of a table.
Philips Halloween LED Jack-O'-Lantern String Lights, $8, available at Target.
Photo: Target.
These multicolored ghost string lights will give your Halloween decor a welcome splash of non-orange color.
LEVIITEC Halloween String Lights, $15.99, available on Amazon.com.
Photo: Amazon.
At 5 feet tall, this pumpkin isn't just big on ambience — it's also just plain big.
Home Accents Holiday 5-foot H Inflatable Outdoor Pumpkin with Witch Hat, $29.98, available at Home Depot.
Photo: Home Depot.
When you're done carving your pumpkin, stick this tiny strobe light inside for a more intense — and safer — illumination effect.
Amscan Pumpkin Strobe Light, $3.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
Alternatively, you can use this light so your pumpkin glows all sorts of different colors.
Amscan Color Changing Pumpkin Light, $3.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
A Halloween party isn't spooky until you've got fog floating around your ankles and knees. Stash the unsightly unit itself under a table or coffee table to keep it hidden, and to keep guests from tripping over it.
Party City 1000-Watt Fog Machine With Controller, $69.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
And if you grab a fog machine, don't forget to also pick up some fog juice (yup, that's sold separately). You can grab it by the pint or the gallon, but since you can never really have too much fog, you may as well spring for the full gallon.
Fog Liquid Fog Juice 1 Gallon, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
If you want the whole shebang, this kit includes a 400-Watt fog machine, fog liquid, white stretchy fake spiderweb, and a ghoulish fog machine cover — perfect for graveyard scenes.
Party City Fog Machine Super Halloween Kit, $85.99, available at Party City.
Photo: Party City.
This green glowing skeleton could be creeping out of your front yard, a balcony, or a table in your house.
Walmart 2-inch Green Skull with Hand Halloween Prop Halloween Decoration, $9.97, available at Walmart.
Photo: Walmart.
Drape this four-by-6-foot net of 150 green lights over a table, balcony, or bush to signal the impending zombie apocalypse. (And then, use 'em again in December if you celebrate Christmas.)
Christmas Lights Etc 150 Green Mini Net Lights on Green Wire, $14.99, available at ChristmasLightsEtc.com.
Photo: ChristmasLightsEtc.com.
Yes, you need glow sticks. Yes, 100 of them.
Merry Art Glow Sticks — 100-Pack, Assorted Neon Colors, $12.98, available at Walmart.com.
Photo: Walmart.
Whether you are hosting some sort of Halloween shindig or just hanging out, grab a UE Megaboom. Waterproof, portable, and not too large, it delivers just the right amount of sound to fill an apartment with music.
Ultimate Ears UE Megaboom, $239.78, available at Amazon.com.
Photo: Ultimate Ears.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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