How to decorate for a socially distanced Halloween

I know it’s only August, but I’m already thinking about Halloween.

Not only was I married on Oct. 31, but I decorate the house with the same gusto that many of us reserve for Christmas.

Halloween 2020 will be on a Saturday this year — which is great — but the big trick-or-treat warmup party we would like to host is almost 100% not happening, due to COVID.

All the more reason to “go big” on delighting your neighbors from a distance.

A few years ago, I ordered a “Witching Hour” DVD from a company called AtmosFX, which specializes in digital decorations. The scenes of a witch conjuring spells around her cauldron was perfect for the witch theme I’ve created at our house for the past 10 years.

I use an old TV projector and some “Window Projection Material” from AtmosFX to display these scenes in our bay window throughout the month of October.

The videos at the top of this blog post show what it looks like from inside and outside our home.

Each year, AtmosFX releases new digital downloads for Halloween — and they have expanded their collection to include what seems like every holiday, including birthdays.

As you can see from the video, I use other lighting tricks to illuminate a wooden silhouette of a witch; my crafty Dad made it with a template from Martha Stewart.

I adore the life-sized yard decoration (especially as a memory with my Dad), but moving, setting up, and storing the heavy witch is much more of a chore than the digital decorations.

The AtmosFx projections give you more impact for the money.

Even if you don’t end up purchasing any decorations, just scrolling through the options will ignite your imagination and get you in the Halloween spirit!