We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A Ouija board welcome mat for your doorstep — don't worry, it's not the dead contacting you, just your mother-in-law dropping in for an unexpected visit. 🙃
Promising review: "This mat was perfect this Halloween. It adds the perfect amount of subtle eeriness, and it held up really well under our covered doorway. I'm sure this will last for at least another three years. The ink is clear, and the words are legible (which was a concern I had prior to it arriving). But, despite the inexpensive price tag, it's actually a well-made mat that's true to the provided picture." —Morgan Benedict
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
2. A haunted doorbell to give your delivery people, trick-or-treaters, and other visitors a delightful fright when they go to ring your door. Its green eye will open wide and turn to look at them, making a loud creepy sound as well!
3. A 21-inch jumping animatronic spider that'll have screams echoing from your doorstep all October long.
Also, if you want to hear the godforsaken sounds this thing makes, you can hear them in this video.
Promising review: "The is a great display item. The spider is about two feet across with its legs out. She jumps up and at you about a foot with a scream and background noises. I had just finished putting the batteries in and turned it on: I guess I made a noise or something, THE SPIDER JUMPED! I spilled my coffee, LOL. It appears to activate out to about three to four feet, and the cats don't like it at all! So if you want something to scare the crap out of you, get this spider!!" —Wes
Get it from Amazon for $69.99.
4. A pack of decorative 3D bats in different sizes to bring a spooky flair to any front door or porch.
These come with adhesive that allows you to stick them on, and they adhere *very* well — though not necessarily designed for outdoor use, reviewers say they help up through very windy weather and even tropical storms. If you want to avoid any residue left behind as some reviewers mention, you could use double-sided mounting tape instead.
Promising review: "I put a few of these on my front door this year and loved the look!! The adhesives worked well, only one fell off. When removing, some of the adhesive ripped so some was on the bat, and some was on the door — not a major deal, just had to use a little heat to loosen up the adhesive and remove from door." —NateandAmanda
Get a set of 28 bats from Amazon for $6.99.
5. A classic cauldron letting everyone know a witch dwells within...and to enter if they dare.
To recreate the foggy glow like the photo on the left, grab a light-up mist maker. If you're looking for a lot of colorful smoke for a photo or short moment, the reviewer on the right used a smoke stick.
Promising review: "I got this to make a honey pot for my son’s Winnie the Pooh Halloween costume. This little witches cauldron worked great — I painted it and added some rope for a handle. By itself it would make a cute Halloween candy bowl, too!" —Claude Daigle
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
6. And a set of three hand-holding witches (a mini coven, if you will) either casting a protection spell on your home or placing a curse on all of your enemies — you decide. You could arrange them in front of a cauldron (like the one above) or around a few jack-o'-lanterns to help set the scene!
The heads come pre-lit but these don't make any sounds! They're battery-powered (two AA batteries each) and you can put them on a timer so they come on at the same time each night for six hours.
Promising review: "I started my collection three years ago and will continue to add to their coven! Well-made. Stand up to time. I tried a copycat and realized how much better the quality of this product than lesser priced versions. Adding ghosts this year. So cute our local paper put us on front page." —Beth12345
Get the set of three from Grandin Road for $90.30 (originally $129).
7. A noise-activated hanging cocoon corpse that'll let out a scream and open its glowing red eyes at the sound of chattering trick-or-treaters — better grab your candy and run, kiddos!
It uses three AAA batteries!
Promising review: "For the price, this was a great Halloween decoration. It came with a little loop that you can use to hang it up. While hanging it up, you’ve got to be careful, though. The exterior is made of the same stuff Halloween spiderwebs are made of — be careful not to let it drag on the ground; everything seems to get stuck to it. Overall a good value!" —Pita
Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in two styles).
8. A pair of skeleton flamingos (skele-mingos, if you will) to watch over your yard — they're so cute, you might just be tempted to leave them out well past Halloween.
Promising review: "These are super cute! I love mine — I had them out for most of October, and they held up well under a pine tree canopy; they look exactly like they did when I put them out. Once I put them in the ground, they stayed put, no issues with blowing over. The white paint on the bones (which are raised shapes, not just painted) is not the best, but you can't tell unless you are up close. Once it fades over time, I will repaint them properly." —Queen of the Yard
Get the two-pack from Amazon for $19.99.
9. An inflatable UFO decoration that's ~out of this world~. Pair it with an inflatable cow to make it look like the poor thing is being sucked up into the mothership, with an alien figure looming at the top. You may want to keep your distance!
To be clear: The cow doll is not included! But you can get one on Amazon (frequently bought with this inflatable UFO) for relatively cheap. And if you like that alien abduction sign the reviewer used on the right above, you can get it here.
Promising review: "The hardest, most time-consuming part about putting this decoration up is how many neighbors and random passersby yell compliments from their cars and/or stop by to tell you how cool they think it looks while you’re trying to hang the thicc-boy cow inflatable inside with fishing wire. Seriously, it’s a neighborhood hit! 🛸🐄👽 Once you get past the initial setup, it deflates/inflates without issue and is a unique, cool Halloween decoration!!!" —Tiffany
Get it from Amazon for $111.99.
10. A coffin letter board — it makes an awesome gothic decor piece year-round but offers sooo many possibilities around Halloween, whether you position it next to your candy jar at the front door or incorporate it into your outdoor display, like one clever sports fan did below.
Promising review: "Used it for Halloween decorations near our front door, but I can’t wait to use it year-round — great buy, super cute!" —JuneGemini
Get it from Amazon for $34.97 (also available in three other colors).
11. A light-up hanging ghost that'll beckon your guests and trick-or-treaters to come near...but only if they dare. The glowing blue light will bring an eerie ambiance as this lonely spirit stands watch outside your home at night.
Reviewers say this particular hanging ghost strikes a good balance between being cute, spooky, and not *too* scary for kids.
Promising review: "No one else in my neighborhood has anything like it. Their ghosts do not light up, or at least not blue. This beautiful, flowing blue ghost hanging under my porch creates a perfectly un-scary atmosphere, yet so Halloween. The blue lights do attract bugs, but they leave when the lights are off. I hope the lights will keep working to make this ghost so pretty at night. Not sorry that I bought this one at all." —Linda H.
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (also available in two other styles).
12. Or a simple but amusing ghost designed to wrap around a tree, but you could also position it around a fence, balcony, or lamp post. It's almost like he's begging you to come play the most haunted game of hide-and-seek.
Promising review: "Sometimes he looks like a pole dancer ghost, and we love that for him. He really hangs on, too. We used him for a Halloween festival and left him out for a week, and he stayed up in the exact same spot the entire time." —Starr Joy
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available with cute, angry, or smiling facial expression).
13. Classic stretchy spider webbing you can drape over bushes, under trees, along your porch, and more — the options are endless. The bags contain enough webbing to cover over 800 square feet, so you can really let loose and turn your home into a spider's nest if you like.
Promising review: "This bag of fake spider webbing is huge! I own a 3,000-square-foot house and was able to place webbing on the entirety of the first floor for a party. This included placing webbing on both the back deck and screened in porch. Imagine an entire corner of a room filled from floor to ceiling and about 3' wide on either side and multiply that by 7 or 8, and that's how much webbing this is. I used clear push pins to stretch the webbing over and it gave the party a great effect. This does not come with little black spiders." —Scott Hutchings
Get 800 sq. feet of webbing from Amazon for $12.99.
14. And some creepy black cloth that'll make a great backdrop for other hanging decor and ramp up the haunted house vibes.
Promising review: "I specifically ordered this cloth because of the amount you get for the price. I used it for a Halloween party for decoration, and it was exactly as pictured and as I expected. I cut it in half to use in different areas. It is thin, but that is the purpose of it. It drapes and hangs nicely and looks great over string lights." —Taryn M.
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
15. Humorous tombstones for creating a ~spoOoooOoky cemetery~ in your front yard — creepy for anyone who's not old enough to actually read the names of the perished souls.
They're made from recycled blue pine with an all-weather grey stain so they'll hold up well against the elements!
Hands and Homes is a small biz based in Littleton, Colorado. Psst — if you're a horror movie fan, they also have a great sign post decoration pointing directions toward various fictional locales like the Overlook Hotel and Elm Street.
Promising review: "We have been looking for great quality headstones to add to our front yard and these are exactly what we were looking for! It’s very windy where we live and need heavy duty that won’t blow away! They are great quality and were shipped very promptly! If more funny headstones are made we would definitely buy them." —greeneyes1821
Get the set of three from Hands and Homes on Etsy for $59.
16. Plus, a graveyard skeleton to really set the scene — someone buried a body around here but, well, didn't do the best job.
17. Whimsical witch hat string lights you can control with a remote to turn off/on, switch between eight modes, or set a timer so they flip on for six hours every night. People might just think they've taken a wrong turn and ended up in Salem.
Promising review: "I am always hesitant when buying things like this online, but I am more than happy with these lights!! The only thing is I have to get close to the lights with the remote, but that could be due to where the battery box is placed in the tree. These lights are a must-have. Love, love, love!!" —Kelly moline
Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $25.99.
18. A sound- and touch-activated creepy doll that'd be soooo happy to welcome trick-or-treaters in your stead...don't worry, she won't touch a single precious hair on their heads (at least not when you're looking). TBH, I think even Chucky would be weirded out by Haunted Holly.
Holly is actually on pivoting wheels, which will let her fully turn and move around — if she bumps into any walls or objects, she'll back up and turn around (like a robot vacuum, lol). I wouldn't leave her outside 24/7 because she's not meant for that, but bring her out to roam your porch, sidewalk, or driveway on spooky nights. And feel free to rename her, like many reviewers did — at your own risk, that is.
Promising review: "When I first brought Victoria to my office for a month-long Halloween celebration, she was a little shy at first. After a few startled screeches from passersby, however, she came out of her shell and gained enough confidence to follow around my coworkers — even referring to some of them as her mommy. Precious." —Gina
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
19. Front porch banners so you can declare your love for Halloween to the world (and let all the neighborhood trick-or-treaters know where the GOOD candy's at).
Psst — If you want to create a similar look as above, you can also snag some leaf garland to frame your door with!
Promising review: "Bought these last year for Halloween and flanked my front door. Got so many compliments! The material didn't feel super cheap; they stayed up for the whole month of October and part of November. They feel like a mix of vinyl and cotton. No wrinkles and hung great. I have vinyl siding and bought some clips for the siding to hang them. Perfect length for your standard door size." —TBW
Get them from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two Halloween styles).
20. A skeletal French bulldog to incorporate your furry family member into your outdoor Halloween decor, Tim Burton-style.
Target also has versions of this for other dog breeds like chihuahuas and dachshunds as well as other animals, like cats, snakes, and bats.
Promising reviews: "Really cute! I’ve been eyeing this little guy for a while, and when he arrived, I was not disappointed. Really good quality for the price!" —Shoppy
"I am a French bulldog breeder, so it was necessary for me to add this guy to our Halloween decor! I received it via shipping and loved it even more in person!" —Chunka Chunk Bullies
Get it from Target for $15.
21. An adorable inflatable ghost trying to heave home his filled-to-the-brim candy bucket before all the goblins and ghouls can steal it. It's great if you're looking to evoke chuckles, not screams!
Promising review: "Love this! Bought this for decorations and fun for my 2-year-old son. He loves it, too! It is quick to inflate and made it through rain and wind during our fall season. It is still in great shape, and I'm excited to bring it back out next year. It was perfect size, too." —Kevin
Get it from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in four styles).
22. Some solar garden lights that are honestly pretty enough to leave out year-round, but they'll also add to the witchy ambiance and light your pathway for trick-or-treaters.
Promising reviews: "So cute. We got these for Halloween, but liked them so much we kept them out." —jennyjeans
"These are so fun!! I'm seriously obsessed with them. They're packaged nicely. All you do is open the pieces, peel the plastic off of the solar panel, flip the button to on, then pop the top on the cone and a stake into the bottom. Easy peasy. And they're really bright! The patterns are so vivid. Just really pretty little pop of magical lighting." —Meagan Paullin
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $33.99.
23. A Michael Myers window decal to make any neighbors and passersby think the Halloween killer has visited your home — and they might be next.
Note the dimensions before buying! Reviewers say the smaller size (pictured above) is still pretty "life size."
Promising review: "Oh, this is the best Halloween decoration so far. I have a life-sized Michael Myers outside, but this outline of his face literally appears to be looking at you!!! When we walk by our window at night (inside the house, too), this is the scariest thing ever!! Love this! Great price, too!!" —D. Ruth
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes, and also as a car decal).
24. Or a vinyl witch window cling with a light-up 3D moon to warn trick-or-treaters that they *might* have a spell cast on them if they're not careful. Some people like to put a candle or backlight behind this to help illuminate it at night.
Promising review: "Wow, is all I can say. This is a deal for the money paid. The decal is large, easy to apply and adheres well. I had read reviews where people complained the moon was too heavy or difficult to hang but using common sense and thinking outside the box helps. I simply attached the nylon thread to a Command hook and works like a charm. Absolutely love this! To make visible at night I put one of my Christmas candles behind it. It’s beautiful!" —SMH
Get it from Amazon for $15.52.
25. A 12-foot towering ghost guaranteed to become the statement piece in your Halloween display, looming over trick-or-treaters with its eerie blue glow.
I recommend checking out the reviewer photos to see how incredible this looks in people's yards! It has multiple flashing light patterns, and despite its fragile look, multiple reviewers say it's held up through strong wind storms.
Promising review: "I love how cool this ghost looks at night! I didn't want a decoration that talks and sounds corny. The ghost is creepy without being so scary as to make little kids not want to come to my house. I do wish it had a light setting where it doesn't flash at all. I'd like him to just have all the lights stay on. The setting where his face and hands don't flash is the best, because his face looks really great at night. Pictures don't do it justice, you need to see it in person." —Jensers
Get it from the Home Depot for $349.
26. Or a singing Jack Skellington animatronic that's even *bigger* at 13 feet tall and sure to be a neighborhood favorite. What's better than having the Pumpkin King himself be part of your setup?
You can also totally throw a Santa hat on his head and keep him up with your holiday decor! The set comes with two interchangeable head pieces you can swap out depending on how spooky you're feeling.
Promising review: "Everyone in our neighborhood stops to enjoy him. He’s withstood multiple thunderstorms in Miami, and we’re so happy with the purchase." —Tiffany
Get it from the Home Depot for $399.
27. A set of five classic ghosts — they definitely won't be scaring anyone, but they *will* look absolutely adorable lining a walkway or huddled together in a yard, like a group of lost souls gathered to watch all the Halloween festivities.
These are made of MDO plywood and 100% waterproof.
Ivy's Wood Creations is a Roseville, California-based small business that makes engraved wood yard art. If you like the candy corn decorations shown above, they also sell them in a set of five.
Promising review: "The five Halloween ghosts are just perfect. The eyes and mouth are not just painted on; they are cut out and then painted. These will certainly last for years." —Vicki M.
Get the set of five from Ivy's Wood Creations on Etsy for $103. Free shipping is included.
28. An inflatable pumpkin patch that'll look so classic and festive in your front yard (and be a nice compromise if you can't make it out to a real pumpkin patch this October).
Promising review: "It's a bit larger than expected, which is a good thing. It looks nice. And it already survived a few raining days. We use a timed switch to turn it on and off every night without manual adjustment; it works perfectly." —Liu Yufei
Get the set of seven from Amazon for $52.99 (also available in other sets).
29. Solar-powered waterproof string lights for ramping up the creepy ambiance in your garden, porch, or front yard. You can even hang them off your other Halloween decor to help light it up at night!
Promising review: "These little string lights are awesome. One order came with two strings of lights, each with its own solar charger and connectable stake/post to set up the solar charger (I just put mine out on the deck and it charged fine). There are no batteries or plugging involved, which is why I bought these. There are several modes for the lights, a few blinking options and a steady glow option. They are bright and easy to see from outside. I am going to buy more." —EarthWindAndFeather
Get a two-pack of string lights (20 feet each) from Amazon for $15.29 (also available in three other Halloween styles).
30. A creepy garden skull that might have your mail carrier doing a double (and triple) take on their way up to your front door.
Moore Skulls is a small business based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that specializes in handcrafted horror decor and gifts.
Promising review: "A nicely made, heavy weight life-size human skull. It's flat on the back so it can lay nicely on any flat surface. Great addition to my Halloween decor. This year, I decided to toss out my cheap stuff and upgrade to Halloween things that looked better and were more durable, and this skull is certainly both. Great price, quick shipping, and item was carefully packed and arrived in perfect shape." —ctumasz
Get it from Moore Skulls on Etsy for $23.75 (originally $25). Free shipping is included!
31. A neat Halloween-themed silhouette you can set up with the included orange LED spotlight, creating the coolest shadow effect at night. It comes in several different designs!
Promising review: "Probably the easiest outdoor decoration you could get! It was easy to set up and came with everything we needed. We set the light back far enough so the reflection came off the house. Loved it!" —Kris
Get it from Balsam Hill for $109+ (originally $149+; available in five styles and sizes).
32. Finally, a set of bendable arms and legs for that big pumpkin you picked at the local patch — this'll make it ~come to life~, especially if you've carved or drawn a face on it. Now it can sit outside and welcome trick-or-treaters with a smile...or a grimace, or no face at all (anything goes)!
Just insert each piece into your pumpkin and adjust the pose to your liking!
Promising review: "These arms and legs are so awesome! I just decorated my pumpkin, and made it come to life. They were VERY easy to install (into my real pumpkin) and easy to pose. Very happy with this purchase! I hope they will last for years; I have the pumpkin on a covered porch, so it is somewhat protected from the weather." —JT
Get the set from Amazon for $29.99.
Your light-up ghosts, half-buried skeletons, and mini witch coven waiting to greet trick-or-treaters:
