Move over, inflatables—this simple yet spooky outdoor Halloween decor is larger than life—and you won’t believe how easy it is to create! Keep reading to find out how to make your house the most haunted in the hood with these ghost shadows.
If you like the idea of decorating for Halloween but you’re not into giant skeletons or spiders, this simple trick is going to rock your world. The idea came to me while brainstorming new ways to add a spooky effect to our home’s exterior, and I spent days researching and experimenting to perfect this technique.
The result is a very basic and low-cost setup that anyone can do, but you’ll need to follow this specific method.
Jump to:
Supplies
- Solar spotlights (these work too)
- Ghost yard signs (if they sell out again, try these, these) + more linked below!
How to make Halloween ghost shadows
Only two supplies are needed to create this effect. The first (and most important!) is the type of spotlight. The key to a clear, crisp shadow is a light with a single bulb origin. I used this light, but I confirmed this one from Home Depot and these from Amazon work as well. These also work as a multi-color option. Your phone’s flashlight will also work if you want to test it out.
The second thing you’ll need is yard stakes. I was originally planning to DIY my own, but I found this set on Amazon and they worked like a charm.
The only change I made was cutting new mouths for two of the ghosts, because I didn’t want them to be happy. Spooky vibes only!
The ghosts are weather-resistant corrugated plastic and come with stakes to place them in the yard. You’ll have to spend some time making adjustments to the spotlight and ghosts to get them just right. Ours have held up great through wind and rainstorms.
The closer the ghosts are to the house, the darker and crisper the shadow gets.
And the closer the ghosts are to the light, the fuzzier they become. The spotlights have dusk to dawn sensors, so they will automatically turn on every night without any effort from you.
I’m digging these ghost silhouettes but there are so many other themes you can use—the possibilities are endless!
Can I use any outdoor light to create the shadows?
Negative, ghostrider. You’ll need to use the same type of solar spotlight I used. Multiple LED bulbs and housings with fractal-type mirrors will create blurry shadows. You can see the difference below:
Will the shadows show up on darker houses?
Yes! The spotlight will brighten any color house. The contrast may not be quite as high on a dark surface, but the shadows will still be clearly visible if positioned properly.
Where can I find more shadow casters?
In my deep dive research, I came across a variety of yard stakes that would work great for this. You can click/tap on any below for more info:
You can also shop my Haunted House roundup on Amazon.
I think this will go down in history as my favorite Haunted Heights House! I’m looking forward to seeing all the creative ways people will use this trick. Let me know if you plan on trying it out 👻
Shan says
for the ghosts in the windows…do you just have them sitting against the glass?
Jenna Sue says
Hi Shan, you can see how I made those here: https://www.jennasuedesign.com/diy-halloween-window-silhouettes/
Emily says
Hi, I love this simple design. I bought the Home Depot lights but I can’t get the same effect. I am wondering if it’s because my house has siding and a cape cod style not allowing a solid area for the shadows. I do have lots of shrubbery too. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Jenna Sue says
Oh no! I would just try the Harbor Freight lights then. Make sure you don’t have any other lights on. The shadow should still be clear on any surface.
Tracy marriner says
Love! The link leads me to green ghost though?
Jenna Sue says
I just saw that! Unfortunately they sold out, so I just updated the post with several other options.
Doris says
Definitely trying! I’ve been excited about it ever since you first posted! Love how it turned out!
Jenna Sue says
Thanks Doris! Excited to hear how yours turn out 😀