Last Minute Halloween Ideas

Today, we’re sharing last-minute Halloween ideas for those of you who might need quick and easy party suggestions.

It’s also for those of you who are this close to letting the day pass by but have decided to enjoy a little light-hearted last-minute spooky fun this year. 

Our Last Minute Halloween Ideas Inspiration

Truth be told, I’ve never really been into Halloween all that much.  I’ve lived on the island for over a decade now and not once have we ever had trick-or-treaters because our properties are all gated.

It’s not that I don’t have a soft spot for Halloween. 

I definitely do. 

In fact, I lost my first tooth on Halloween and was beside myself when I realized blood had gotten on my red crayon costume. 

Thankfully, my Mom scooped me up and grabbed a warm washcloth to help clean everything up.

Once I was calm, she taught me how to spell Halloween. And oh, my word, I remember feeling like such a big deal because Halloween was such a big word.

After that, she gave me a pep talk, reapplied my red lipstick, and off we went, albeit toothless, with plastic jack-o-lanterns in hand.

Years later, two of the littles asked if I would help them create a “spooky house.”

One day while they were in school, I decided to surprise them. I went to their house and spent the afternoon making everything super festive. 

When they got home, you would have thought I had given them a million dollars because they were screaming and jumping up and down. 

It’s still one of my favorite memories to this day.

While it took a little bit of planning and effort, watching their faces light up was absolutely worth it.

And it’s in their honor, we scatter a little bit of Halloween here and there around the house each year now. 

Last-minute Halloween ideas can be festive, super easy to create, and budget-friendly too. 

Here’s a look at how we create last-minute Halloween ideas without a lot of extra fuss…

Set a Halloween Tablescape Everyone Can Enjoy

Even if there are only 2 people in your family you can still create a beautiful last-minute Halloween tablescape.  

Plan a festive meal or grab take-out, create a signature drink or mocktail, dim the lights, eat by candlelight, and put on some fun music.

It doesn’t have to be fancy at all to be impactful!

Set up a Halloween Treat Station

If hosting a Halloween dinner feels like too much pressure, consider creating a Halloween treat station.   

You don’t even have to bake anything either if you’re short on time. 

Simply pick up a few special treats at your local bakery or the grocery store. Then pile everything together on a treat tower, cake stands, or special Halloween plates.

Decorate a Store Bought Cake for Halloween

Another quick and easy idea is to decorate a store-bought cake for Halloween.

Most grocery store bakeries have baked and frosted cakes ready to go which is helpful no matter what time of year it is.

To make this graveyard-inspired cake, we used sandwich cookies to make the dirt and skeleton hand embellishments and honestly, it took us longer to drive to town to pick up the cake than it did to decorate it!

Create a Signature Drink

Every year my parents host a Halloween party and my Mom combs Pinterest for all sorts of ideas. To help make it easier on her, we’ve started bringing themed goodies too.

Sometimes she’ll ask us to put together a Halloween Charcuterie board, other times it’s a pot of chili. Either way, we all try to keep it simple but festive.

This signature drink is nothing more than a green apple mix and ginger ale, The grapes are called Midnight Beauty Black Grapes which are always a fun garnish because they look like fingers.

Layer Creepy Cloth or Faux Spider Webs Around the House

Creepy cloth and faux spider webs can usually be found at the dollar store or at your local craft supply store. 

It’s relatively inexpensive and really pops against a white or orange backdrop.

Add Faux Bats or Spiders to the Wall

Adding bats or spiders to the wall is another super easy and budget-friendly way to decorate for Halloween. 

They’re easier to store than Halloween artwork and you can use them year after year too. 

These large bats are made from foam.

And you can find these smaller bats online at Amazon.

Just a heads up if you have textured walls though and you go in and out of the door a lot each day, you might need to secure them with extra (or stronger) putty.

Spray Paint Branches Black

Whenever I need something to look spooky or elegant this time of year, I almost always grab my can of black spray paint. 

We made these DIY Halloween trees from fallen branches in our yard. I spray painted them black and they were a huge hit for less than $5.

Make Your Pumpkins Festive

This week is a fabulous week to carve or make festive pumpkin decorations if you haven’t already. 

It’s a great way to gather your family for some uninterrupted time to be creative and enjoy each other’s company.

Try Glass Glitter Pumpkins

Speaking of carving out extra time to craft, cozy weekends are always a great time to try new craft ideas.

We added glass glitter to dollar store pumpkins several years ago and we loved it so much that we used glass glitter on our Christmas ornaments too.

It’s one of those projects that is crazy messy but also a lot of fun!

Age an Old Fall Wreath

If you have an old Fall wreath being stored in your attic or basement, consider giving it a fresh feel with this simple repurposing technique.

It doesn’t take very long to create and you can dress a vintage-inspired wreath like this one up or down throughout the season.

Create a Curiosity Cabinet

This curiosity cabinet may take a bit of planning because you’ll need some empty bottles for jars.

But it was another one of those budget-friendly and last-minute Halloween ideas the littles thought was really fun.

The bonus is almost everything we put inside the bottles and jars is available at the grocery store or local dollar store.

We were literally rolling off our chairs and crying at what the littles thought was inside. 

It was so funny!

Only one of them guessed the “toenails” in the “witches’ brew” were pistachios.

Dress Up

One of the things that makes Halloween so much fun is dressing up. 

There are people like my bestie S that plan their Halloween costumes like I plan my Fall front porch.

But I am not one of those people. 

She is always something super creepy and the littles go bananas over it!

While I definitely don’t go all out, I still like to make an effort. 

Several years ago, I had a thrifted “Team Zombie” costume which the littles loved because it was so out of character for me.

They still talk about it! 

Most of the time, I pull together pieces I’ll be able to wear again throughout the holiday season.

I picked up a mask and hat from Walgreens on sale, ordered a tulle skirt from Amazon, and called it good.

Make a Glow in the Dark Candy Bucket

If you’re headed out trick or treating or staying behind to pass out candy, make it easy with a glow-in-the-dark candy bucket!

We found all the supplies at the dollar store and it took less than 20 minutes to create!

I know the past few years have been a completely different kind of celebration because of everything that’s been going on in the world.

Maybe you’re hosting a Halloween party and decorating the entire house.

Or maybe you’re planning to avoid it altogether.

Perhaps, you’re like us and planning something in between.

If you’re thinking you’ve missed the boat and wondering if decorating is still worth it though, I’ll gently remind you there’s no better time to celebrate big milestones and little milestones than right now.

Let us know if you have any last-minute Halloween ideas to share! Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Other Fall Posts to Enjoy:

• Elegant Fall Home Tour 
• Fall Dining Room Centerpiece 
• Elegant Fall Front Porch 
• A Fall Grapevine Wreath for Beginners
• How to Personalize Pumpkins with Paint 

Many blessings,

CoCo