Happy October, friends! I’ve always loved Halloween - the creativity of it, transforming ordinary food into macabre variations, being able to go out in disguise, the spooky atmosphere of trick or treating as a child. All of it! So here are some ideas for decorating, baking, hosting and generally bringing a Halloween aesthetic to your home. 🖤

If going OUT out is on your mind this year, I’ve also put together a list of What’s On in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London (where most of my readers in the Uk are based). Love Autumn but hate Halloween? You might enjoy this article, filled with cosy, gentle Autumnal things instead. 🍂🍁

Decor inspiration

Personally I love a contemporary, monochrome Halloween aesthetic. Bat silhouettes and ravens, bell jars brimming with gruesome surprises and flickering lanterns aplenty.

I’ve put together a sophisticated Hocus Pocus / Salem inspired moodboard and shopping edit.

Moon Candle by Evermore
Wooden Cat String Lights by Lights 4 Fun
Witch Hat Hanging Decorations by Ginger Ray
Sanderson Witch Museum Tshirt by Blue Town Design
Human Spine Candle by The Blackened Teeth
Pumpkin and Mocha Velvet Cushion by Persora
The Uncommon Chocolate Toad by Fortnum & Mason
Danni Taper Candle Holder by Anthropologie
Candlelight Glass Bottle Matches by Oliver Bonas
BAIES by Diptych (aka the Black Flame Candle)
Harvest Juice Glass by Anthropologie
Matte Black Candle Holder by Light & Living
Witch Cap by Nuance Label
Black Ivy Garland by Ginger Ray
Ring Stand Candle Holder by House Doctor
Brazier W Firewood Grid And Stand by Ib Laursen
Mushroom Tureen by Bordallo Pinheiro 
Mug , Fruit Bowl and Jug from FERM Living Flow Range
Vintage Star Tumblers by Fortnum & Mason
Vintage Star Coupes by Fortnum & Mason
Midi Dress With Panels by Zara
Gathered Bi-Material Dress by Zara

I also love a bright, bold colourful set up like this pumpkin display by Jess Hurrell of Gold is a Neutral, who always puts together such rich, creative Halloween interiors.

A Beautiful Mess is one of my favourite blogs for endless craft and DIY inspiration like this Halloween Village that can be expanded each year and Spooky Little Halloween covers everything from food to party themes and beyond.

I love the soft homemade aesthetic of vintage halloween decorations, like the simplicity of these Paper Dreams honeycomb creations. Charlotte Jacklin’s floral ghosties are a delight and the recent Meri Meri campaign brought such childhood nostalgia to life. I particularly loved this gigantic eyeball balloon archway, oversized sparkle bats and their pretty fringed halloween garland.

More Decor findings from across the Internet

Le Spooky Food

Now with her own series, Christine McConnell is known for creating morbid-looking desserts like gingerbread haunted houses, caramel spiders and edible bones. Design journalist Rohini Wahi has some amazing tutorials for Halloween delights (like these cookies that inspired the eyeball brownies I made below).

So simple but effective, these vampiric cupcakes are my go-to Halloween dessert. For the base, whip up a batch of vanilla cupcakes with white, vanilla buttercream frosting (I use the Hummingbird Bakery recipe for invariably light and fluffy results).

Then, take a wooden toothpick and poke two parallel holes in each cupcake (swirling it around until they are suitably bite-mark sized). Then take another toothpick and dip in red food colouring, dripping a few drops into each hole. Then drag out the colour for a Dracula fang flourish.

I also used the Cryptopher set of caramel milk chocolate by Hotel Chocolat to top another series of cupcakes…

I also used them on hot chocolates - because they are so beautifully dense, they sink into the cream pretty quickly, so need to be eaten right away - no bad thing..!

A mortar and pestle makes the perfect dramatic chalice..

You might also remember these super effective eyeball brownies from last year’s Halloween. You can buy ready-made edible eyeballs, but being 2020, they had sold out everywhere so I made these from a simple block of fondant icing and some food colouring.

Savoury Food

My attempt at emulating an idea I found on Pinterest to make spell book grilled cheese sandwiches - they turned out a bit of a flop (literally) as I made them too big, but would be much better around half the size!

Take a soft corn tortilla, cut into a rectangle shape and fold in half. Fill with your favourite things. Toast flat in a pan on either side until brown, then use edible ink pens to decorate and write book titles of choice.

I garnished this Mushroom & Flat Leaf Parsley Risotto with creepy little mushroom skulls, carved using a small sharp knife.

More trick or treats

Hoxton Street Monster Supplies is my first port of call for a sophisticated, vintage take on Halloween supplies. Run by creative writing charity Ministry of Stories, their online shop can even be translated to fluent mummy, vampire bat, zombie or werewolf for your convenience.

Order delights including Cubed Earwax Fudge, bottled London Smog (the authentic taste of the city), Toasted Bone Chunks, a tin of Creeping Dread and a jar of Thickest Human Snot (tastes like lemon curd).

Sugar Tits have launched their range of grown up Halloween Treats this year, including this gorgeous I Scream Sundae kit (complete with black waffle cones and meringue tombstones) and a DIY Donut Kit .

The Biscuiteers Halloween DIY Haunted Biscuit House would make a delicious Sunday afternoon activity and Blondie’s Kitchen Ready To Bake Cookie Dough Roll takes all the hard work out of these really impressive cookies.

The M&S product team are on fire just now with a Spooky Night In Kit, Ultimate Halloween Fright Night Feast and even a Spooky Colin on offer.

The Chocolate Gift Co’s trick or treat tin would make a spectacular gift (their packaging is exquisite - wait until you see what they create for Valentine’s Day and Easter). Some of my highlights from the impressive Fortnum & Mason Halloween range are this Chocolate Coffin ft. White Chocolate Bones and a satisfyingly green Witches Brew Hot Chocolate.

Spooky Season Bookshelf:

Curl up with a gorgeous atmospheric book and ALL the candles in a bathful of LUSH (their Halloween range is the best ever this year - favourites include shower ectoplasm, a glowing ghost-in-the-dark soap, bat bubble bar, monster octopus shower jelly and Screamo Bubble Bar.

Happy Halloween, Friends 🌙🖤⚡️

Check out my what’s on guide for Halloween 2021 and this cosy Autumnal article too. If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember my (slightly demented) article from last year covering COVID-safe trick or treating, things to do at home, decor ideas and more.

*Disclosure: This article contains some affiliate links. I have carefully chosen each product featured and if you click through and choose make a purchase, will earn a (very small) commission, at no additional cost to you. I truly appreciate your support in this way, Merci Beaucoup xoxo.

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