3. Haunted House Lantern from Upcycled Jars
Bring a warm, haunting glow to his nightstand or desk with a DIY haunted house lantern. This eco-friendly craft transforms ordinary glass jars—like old pasta sauce or mason jars—into mesmerizing silhouette lanterns that cast spooky, dancing shadows when lit. It is a fantastic way to recycle while creating a sophisticated piece of Halloween decor that looks like it was bought from a high-end boutique.
To create this, thoroughly clean your glass jar and remove any label residue. Next, paint the entire outside of the jar with a thin, even coat of matte black acrylic paint, or wrap it in black tissue paper using Mod Podge for a textured, frosted glass effect. Once dry, use a craft knife or scissors to cut out silhouettes of a haunted house, flying bats, gnarled bare trees, and a graveyard from black cardstock. Adhere these silhouettes to the outside of the jar. For a pop of color, you can paint the inside of the jar with a translucent orange or deep purple glass paint. Drop a battery-operated LED tea light or a string of fairy lights inside. When the lights go down, the jar will emit a gorgeous, eerie glow, highlighting the spooky silhouettes perfectly.