Halloween is such a fun time to decorate, but purchasing the cute things you see at the stores can really add up and wreak havoc on your finely tuned budget. So is there an easier, cheaper way to create decorations? Yes!
You know those little path lights you see. Some people use them to outline their driveway at holiday time. Others place them along their sidewalk and still others strategically place them throughout their yard. It doesn’t really matter where you place them, there is a frugal alternative for making them and it is super easy and uses items you probably already have. Try one of these below:
Cans
Obviously this would be the easiest and safest to do. Cans come in all sorts of sizes, coffee, soup, veggies, etc. allowing you to choose what sizes you want. Begin by drawing a pattern on the can in dotted form (as if you are creating a dot to dot for someone). Next, using a drill, make holes at each of the dots. You can also use a screwdriver and a hammer to make the holes. Just place the screwdriver on the dot and use the hammer to hit it into the can. Once you are finished you can paint or decorate the can, place sand, cat litter or rocks into the can to weigh it down. Put a candle or other light source into the can and put them where you want them. You can use Christmas lights strung through the cans too. We did this. And they look great but putting them away after the holidays is a challenge every year.
Glass Jars
Glass jars will also work. You can do exactly the same thing above with painting and decorating, but you will not need to drill any holes, since the glass jars are clear. Follow the directions above, but no drilling.
Paper Bags
Paper Bags work great and are the traditional way to do this. However, in the fall and winter months we have to be concerned about water, either from rain, snow or ice melting. There are some sealants you can purchase to keep the bags dry. They do make some bags for exactly this reason, but it defies the frugal way of doing this if you purchase them. They can be created the same way the first ones were created, with the exception of the drill again. You can just poke the holes into the bag wherever you want them. Be very careful inserting a candle into paper bags unless they have been sealed and protected. I would recommend the battery operated candles that are sold now, for this method.
Cardboard Boxes
We tried this last year to see if it would work. And it does! We used all sorts of sizes of boxes. Our favorites were the tall tissue boxes. We painted the outside, poked holes through them and then strung our Christmas lights through. You can use boxes of all shapes and sizes, but remember to add some sort of protection to the box, via a sealant or something, if you plan to actually place a candle inside.
How do you create your path lights?
More great articles:
Frugal Holidays Path or Driveway Lights
Hosting a Frugal Halloween Party
Planning Food for a Frugal Halloween Party
Frugal Games and Entertainment for Your Halloween Party