Outdoor Halloween Decor

Outdoor Halloween decorating has one hard constraint that indoor decorating does not: weather. Anything that goes on a lawn or a porch has to survive rain, wind and a temperature drop, and most of the cute stuff does not.

Start With the Walkway

Guests see your walkway before they see your door. Stakes pressed into a flower bed or a lawn edge give a display depth that a porch-only setup never gets, and they cost a fraction of what a full-size figure does.

Weight, Not Tape

The single most common outdoor decorating failure is a piece that looks great in still air and ends up in the neighbor's yard by midnight. Anything that stands on its own needs a weighted base or a ground spike. Anything draped needs to be tied, not taped.

What Survives the Season

Plastic, resin, foil and PVC all handle a wet October. Fabric, paper and anything with a battery compartment facing upward does not. If a piece is going to live outside for five weeks, check that its seams and its finish are meant for it.

For indoor pieces, see Halloween Figurines & Statues.