Have a Hell Yes Halloween

Halloween has to be the savoury yeast spread of all holidays, you either love it or your hate it, you’re a hell yes or a hell no, if you will.

However you feel about the spooky celebration it’s only getting bigger here in the U.K., heavily influenced by America’s need to promote absolutely everything (national ‘Name Your Car Day’, anyone?!), and the shops seem full of tat to deck out your home, which is the thing I find most off-putting about the whole shebang. Why does it all have to be made out of cheap plastics that crack on sight and are far from eco-friendly? Disposable purchases are my idea of a nightmare!

So, I’ve been on the trick or treat trail to find us some fang-tastic* Halloween decorations that you’ll keep, reuse and love for many seasons to come. Get your candy buckets at the ready, you’re gonna love these!

*Sorry, but what’s a Halloween blog without a few terrible Halloween puns?!

If I’m left to my own Halloween devices, it tends to be the traditional route I travel with pumpkin carving and apple bobbing a firm fixture - it's a real family-friendly event.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my fair share of ‘Mean Girls’ parties (“I’m a mouse, duh!”) but I think the days of dressing up in what could only be described as a barely-there costume in the name of All Hallows’ Eve whilst knocking back dubious-looking jelly shots with an eyeball in them are well behind me.

Now I’m into my burnt orange fabrics and softly flickering candles that give an atmosphere of eerie without being plastic-fantastic. My other half, however, could easily have a whole Halloween month, creating a haunted house to scare the bejaysus out of the neighbourhood kids and so we compromise and make a pretty decent show each year; the perfect blend of creepy-classy and outrageous scare-fest. 

We manage this by having both overtly Halloween decorations alongside more subtle versions; some things we keep out all month such as our flock candelabras with the fab black to red 'bleeding' vampire tears candles and my adorable pumpkin patch plaque, then some things that only stay for the festive week like skull and skeleton ornaments.

Thankfully, my husband only dresses as a vampire on Halloween itself so that’s saved me from having an awkward conversation with him (no, you can’t go to the petrol station with your cape on, it’s 10am on a Thursday darling).

If you’re more into the wizarding size of things (we all know him - glasses, bit of a scar) then you can definitely put a Potter twist on your Halloween with some magic and mystery.

Your crisp October morning coffee (pumpkin spice latte anyone?) from a bone china witch mug is a fun way to kick off your ‘weeny week and the 'Don't Let Anybody Steal Your Magic' plaque' is a motto that quite frankly we think should be on display all year round, as indeed it is here at B&G HQ.

My favourite devilish décor is my Halloween floral arrangement - yep, doesn't sound so ghoulish but once I've slotted my russet faux ferns and orange toned flower heads together and finished with some tiny fairy lights it all looks a bit Bride of Dracula and I'm 100% here for it.

Mine stands on my fire hearth next to my silver foil pumpkin and black wire glow lanterns which make for a spooky little nook, for added impact you could always lace some fake spiders webs through the stems too.

I'm going full hell yes this scary season as you can probably tell. It's been one heck of an 18 months for us all so if I can inject a bit of frivolous fun into my home for a few weeks then I am all in and hope you will be too!

See you on the spooky side...