I’m keeping a secret from my Halloween-obsessed colleagues here at Country Living. The thing is, I’ve never decorated for October 31st. It’s not that I don’t like holidays. I never felt the need to stop and sniff my cup of spooky woodland pudding, or always seemed to declare myself a little too busy. I mean, I’ve never carved a pumpkin (seriously!), cleverly placed a decorative gourd on my front stoop, or even attempted a spooky front door decoration.
JOYIN Tree Wrap Ghost Decoration, 47 inches
But then my husband and I moved out of our condo in Washington, D.C., to a charming ranch on a suburban street full of kids in Birmingham. And we also had a baby! Since this year will be my son’s first Halloween, I felt it was time to change my ways. Still, I didn’t know where to start. I’m not smart enough to make my own Halloween decorations. And, let’s be honest, we’re still too overwhelmed with life with a tiny toddler to spend a lot of time and effort on big displays. So I started looking for Halloween decoration ideas that would give me maximum impact with minimal effort. My thoughts immediately turned to the much talked about 12-foot-tall hardware store skeleton. It looks cool, its poses are semi-customizable, and its eyes even shine! But after looking at the price tag and the fact that he was on the lawns of several other houses in the neighborhood, it was time to move on to pastures new.
sarah zlotnik
I know they won because my son smiles every time he sees these ghosts.
Introducing: these completely original Amazonian wrap ghosts. Thanks to the inner wire frame, you can easily wrap it around a tree, a drainpipe, or in my case, a porch post. The wires extend all the way to the creepy hands so you can add some movement to the pose, and comes with a variety of facial styles. (I chose “cute” because I like round mouths.)
It took me 30 minutes to style it the way I wanted it. However, it would have taken less time if it had been wrapped around a thinner pipe or tree. I didn’t even have to lift the fishing wire. (I did use some strategically placed push pins for reinforcement, though.) Add a few black bats flapping in the wind, and voila! Preparations are complete.
These sure-fire Amazon Wrap Ghosts come in two sizes: 47 inches and 53 inches. I purchased the 47 inch shoes for $26 and they are still available for delivery before Halloween. Need it faster? These 53-inch “Happy” Ghosts come with 2-day delivery for $33. Get it now before it’s sold out. You can start and finish decorating for Halloween while your child is napping.
Sarah Zlotnick is Country Living’s lifestyle director, covering a little bit of everything: small towns, country living, and her favorite antiques. A research buff at heart, she loves digging deep into the history of vintage finds and uncovering the reasons behind time-honoured traditions.
