Planning Your Decorations
Pick a theme. This is your time to get creative. Pick a theme that speaks to you. Consider your favorite cartoon characters, movies, and Halloween decor. The options are endless! You could decorate your car like the Batmobile or another famous vehicle. You might want to opt for a spooky, classic theme, like a spiderweb, graveyard, or pirate ship. You could also go for a sweet, non-scary theme, especially if you’ve got little ones. Look to your children’s favorite Disney movies and picture books for inspiration.
Choose road-safe decorations if you plan on driving. The decorations you pick may be very different depending on whether you want to drive your decked-out vehicle or keep it parked. If you need to drive your car, choose decorations that won’t create safety hazards on the road. Road-safe decorations shouldn’t obstruct your view or other drivers’ views. They should be well secured, and shouldn’t block mirrors or windows. When in doubt, talk to your local authorities before hitting the road.
Get creative when decorating a stationary vehicle. If you’re not planning on driving your car, you have very few restrictions. You can build add-ons, attach giant spiders, or black-out your windows! The sky’s the limit. Trunk or treat events, in which participants decorate their open car trunks and assemble in a parking lot for some trick or treating, are great opportunities to go all out on decorating a stationary vehicle. Keep reading to learn more about pimping your ride for an event like this.
Make some of your decorations to save money. You don’t have to break the bank purchasing car decorations. In fact, if you’re feeling creative, you can make many of your decorations with household items like construction paper, cardboard, and styrofoam. Plus, crafting decorations can be a fun activity for the whole family. Cut out scary teeth from white styrofoam or cardboard. Use colorful tissue paper to make bouquets of tropical flowers. If you’ve chosen an outdoorsy theme, you might be able to use natural materials like hay, leaves, rocks, and branches. Visit DIY blogs and check out family craft websites for more ideas!
Coordinate your costumes with your car theme. A decorated car can be the perfect way to pull together a spooky (or cute) family Halloween ensemble. If your family members are dressing up as pirates, turn your car into a pirate ship! Have family members dress up as Harry Potter characters and decorate a Hogwarts-themed car. Create a Disney-themed car. Family members can dress up as their favorite Disney characters!
Decorating a Driver-Friendly Exterior
Buy Halloween-themed decals or magnets. You can find these online or at your local Halloween store. Stick them onto your windows, bumper, or doors, and you’re ready to go!
Use washable window markers. Get little ones in on the decorating with washable window markers! Draw Halloween-inspired designs on car windows, from black and orange polka dots to howling ghosts. When Halloween’s over, simply wash off the marker with a little water. You can purchase these online, in a craft store, or in the craft section of superstores like Walmart or Target.
Wrap your car in spiderwebs. For an easy spooky look, purchase gauzy fake spiderwebs from your local Halloween store, and wrap them securely around your car. Your once cheerful SUV just became a spider’s den!
Hang fake limbs from your trunk. You can buy fake limbs from your local Halloween store. They often have a wonderfully frightening assortment, from bloody arms to zombie legs. To secure your limb, close part of it in your trunk, and leave the rest sticking out for all to see!
Check out car-specific Halloween decorations. Many Halloween stores will sell an assortment of Halloween car accessories. You can find eyelashes for your headlights, bat wings, and even shark fins for the roof!
Decorating the Interior
Buy spooky lights. Try arranging battery-powered string lights inside your car, or placing battery-powered tea lights here and there. You can even purchase tea lights that flicker for an extra eerie feel. Some stores sell Halloween-themed string lights. Match the lights to your theme. If you are dressing up your car Luau-style, opt for lights shaped like flowers.
Make a “ghost passenger.” Purchase a creepy skeleton or make your own ghost out of sheets and pillows. Then, place your undead companion in the passenger seat to creep out fellow drivers. If your car is parked, you can turn your “ghost passenger” into a “ghost driver” by placing it behind the wheel.
Try seat and steering wheel covers. These can take your car interior to the next level. You can purchase classic Halloween-themed covers or ones specific to your theme. If your car is jungle-themed, you could buy animal print covers.
Decorate your dashboard. Place some fun Halloween bobble heads or knick-knacks on your dashboard. Make sure the items you pick are small--you don’t want them crashing down while you’re driving. If your car is Disney-themed, put a few Disney princess figurines on your dashboard.
Put on some Halloween music. Now that the inside of your car is thoroughly decorated, pop in some jams! You might pull out your favorite Halloween CD or tune in to your local holiday radio station. Again, you can pick music that works with your theme. For example, play the Harry Potter movie soundtrack to bring your Hogwarts-themed car to life!
Decorating for Trunk or Treat
Pick decorations that will fit the size of your car. If you have a truck with a bed in the back, you will have a lot more flexibility than if you have a small car with limited trunk space. Assess the size of the car and plan your decorations accordingly. Remember that you’ll need fewer decorations for a smaller vehicle. If you have a big truck, you may be able to create an elaborate barnyard scene, but a smaller car may only have room for a few statement decorations, like a miniature pig pen and some stuffed animals.
Utilize all your space. If you want extra trunk space, put down your seats. While the open car trunk is usually the centerpiece, don’t forget about the doors and roof. Fill your entire pick-up truck bed with fall leaves to create a charming autumn scene. For a sea-themed car, hang netting from your roof and doors. You can put decorations in front of your trunk, too. For a hoedown-themed car, try placing a small hay bale on the ground in front of your trunk display.
Line your trunk for a sleeker look. The inside of a car trunk often isn’t so pretty, so line your trunk with fabric, plastic, or paper to transform it. Tablecloths, garbage bags, and poster boards work well. Pick a color that matches your theme. If you are doing a creepy graveyard, a black liner is great. However, for a Candyland-themed trunk, you might want to go for something a little brighter.
Go big with your decorations. Since your car will be stationary for the trunk or treat event, you won’t have to worry about choosing road-safe decorations. Get as crazy and bold as you want! Consider building add-ons made of cardboard or fabric. If your car is McDonald’s-themed, try building a cardboard storefront in front of your trunk. Build a cardboard mast on top of your car to create a fearsome pirate ship. Check out blogs and craft websites for tons of amazing trunk or treat inspiration!
Purchase themed candy. Kids appreciate a well-decorated car, but their true love is candy. Select candies and treats that play into your theme. Make sure you purchase enough for all the sugar-loving kiddos! You can sprinkle the candy around your trunk or place it in a themed container. A pirate-themed trunk might have candy “booty” in a treasure chest. Is your trunk cookie-monster themed? Give out chocolate chip cookies!
Incorporate an activity. Take your trunk or treat game to the next level by planning activities for the kids to do when they visit your car. Try setting up a little game for kids to play before receiving their candy. Kids might “fish” for candy pieces in an ocean-themed trunk. If you have a soccer-themed car, have kids score “goals” with pieces of candy.
Put on some music. Play a little music to bring your theme together. Use your car radio or bring a portable speaker. Jaws music is perfect for a Jaws-themed car!
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