Vintage Halloween decor has never truly gone out of style, but it’s certainly back in vogue these days. From Target to Michael’s, major retailers have been taking cues from the past to create their Halloween collections. Additionally, content creators have also been sharing actual vintage Halloween decorations from bygone decades.
So what did vintage Halloween decorations look like back in the day? Here’s some context on the nostalgic spooky styles you might be seeing on your feed.
‘70s Halloween decorations
The ‘70s were simpler days when it came to Halloween decorations, but simple didn’t necessarily mean boring. While you were out and about around spooky season, you could find plenty of bold colors and funky, exaggerated illustrations.
@glammedbysuzy Halloween in the 1970’s #oldhollywood #vintage #vintagecandy #retrocandy #vintagefoods #1970saesthetic ♬ Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
Halloween die cuts were all the rage, featuring illustrations of spiders, skeletons, scarecrows, pumpkins, and more.
@craftylumberjacks There’s just something about vintage Halloween die cuts. 🎃 Did you have any of these? 💀🕷️👻 #vintagehalloween #retrohalloween #vintagehalloweendecorations #halloweendiecuts #cutouts #diecuts ♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song – PeriTune
One of the most popular types of Halloween die cuts was this spooky black cat.
@nightcarverdesigns I’m making a vintage cat from the 1970s because I absolutely loved it when my mom used to hang it up every Halloween and I dearly miss it. Do you remember this cat? Was it something that your mom also hung up every year? ——— TBC Build Team: @nightcarverdesigns @handcrafted_by_trey @parkerplacewoodwork @mcdermottwoodworking @southernpinedesignco ——— Sponsored by: @kregjig @triton_tools @keenutility @surfprepsanding @dapproducts @strongtie @wagnerspraytech @besseytools_northamerica @calaveratool ——— #makerschallengecentral #spookychallenge #thebuilderschallenge #tbc16 #Vintage #VintageCat #VintageHalloweenCat #HalloweenHalloweenCat #HalloweenDecor ♬ WHISTLE SONG (From “Kill Bill” and “American Horror Story”) – REMIX – Attic Stein & Trap Music Now
Glitter plaques, or melted popcorn decorations, dominated this decade. Made from plastic shreds, they came in all sorts of shapes, including pumpkins, ghosts, witches, and more.
@8tracktape WHO REMEMBERS THESE!?! Been wanting halloween ones for a few years!! I’ve known them as popcorn decorations but they’re actually called Glitter Plaques!! Its just melted plastic shreds that are put into shapes!! #vintage #retro #1970s #1980s #halloween #vintagehalloween #halloweendecor #popcorndecorations ♬ Halloweentown Theme – Retrospectre
‘80s Halloween decorations
In the ‘80s, die cuts and melted popcorn decorations continued to reign the Halloween decor front, but there were also more pieces like blow molds, window clings, and pumpkin leaf bags, as shown below.
@tikittytalk Melted popcorn decor ftw #80snostalgia #80shalloween #halloween #80saesthetic #vintage #childhoodmemories #genx #80s ♬ The Killing Moon – Echo And The Bunnymen
Blow molds typically came in the form of large light-up yard or indoor decorations, but you could find sized-down pieces, too.
@theshannabananashow This spooky Tuesday we’re taking it bsck to the 80’s! #halloween #vintagehalloweenstyle #vintagehalloweendecorations #spooky #trickortreat #vintagehalloween #vintagehalloweendecor #halloweendecorations #halloweendecoratingideas #halloweendecor ♬ Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell
This was also around the time that the McDonald’s plastic Halloween pumpkin pails took off.
@retrovania.land This classic #McDonald’s Halloween Happy Meal 80’s commercial featuring a spooky McDonaldland monstrous McNugget puppets with Ronald, plus the creepy trio of terrifying Halloween pails is still the spookiest childhood nightmare. McWitch is also still my favorite for Trick or Treating! #80skids #80shalloween #80skid #nostalgia #80sthrowback ♬ original sound – Retrovania Land
For those who love more of a funky look, there were these Todd Masters foam pumpkins with gnarly burnt orange faces. The pumpkin head characters belonged to the Oh Lantern family — like Jack Oh Lantern, get it?
@tales.from.the.thrift Hit the vintage Halloween jackpot today. #thriftstorefinds ♬ Trick or Treat – FASSounds
When it came to collectibles, people also picked up these light-up ceramic haunted houses in the ’80s.
@theholidayclassics Look at this vintage ceramic haunted house from the 80’s I found thrifting today 😭🥹 #theholidayclassics #spookyszn #thrifttok #halloweentok #vintagehalloween #90shalloween #80shalloween ♬ original sound – The Holiday Classics 🎃🎄✨
‘90s Halloween decor
While the bold and colorful blow-mold look stayed strong in the ’90s, more muted pieces surfaced around this decade, too.
Along with incorporating blow-mold Halloween yard decor from the prior decade, the ‘90s gave us things like these quirky blow-mold lights. Besides traditional orange pumpkins, these came in shapes such as Frankenstein’s monsters, bats, and ghosts.
@theholidayclassics Obsessed with 90’s Halloween stringlights 🧟♂️🎃👻 #theholidayclassics #spookyszn #halloweentok #vintagehalloween #thrifttok #90shalloween #foryou #fyp ♬ I Only Have Eyes for You – The Flamingos
If you were a ‘90s kid, you may have seen — and definitely heard — these shaking ghosts that made a very loud and eerie wailing sound.
@jennaabarclay You could not escape these shaking Halloween decorations and they all made this sound 👻 #90s #halloween ♬ Fall October Halloween horror classic(177261) – rareNote
Very similar to that shaking ghost was this shaking Telco witch with freaky glowing eyes.
@fidgetalex95 Telco Witch was from 1989-1990. She either held a Skull or a pumpkin in her hand and airs and head moves with her eyes glow red and make an eerie sound. One of my favorite ones because my Old Grandma had one when i was growing up. #halloween #90s #telcomotionette #telco #motionette #animated #favoritehoilday #80s #noise #nostalgic #thatnoise ♬ shaking sonic eerie noises – Fidget
Of course, not all ’90s autumn decor was super conspicuous. Those who preferred a more understated aesthetic could light up some of these floating pumpkin candles.
@aperfectpumpkin One of my favorite thrift finds🎃 Does anyone’s family member have one of these or remember them? What’s a Halloween/ Fall decor from the 90’s you recall?✨ • . . . . . . #90style #vintagehalloween #nostalgicmusic #90shalloween #thriftingfinds #goodwillfinds #halloweendecor #everydayishalloween #spookyszn #classichalloween #90saesthetic #halloweenlife #halloweencountdown #falliscoming #pumpkincandle #halloweendecorations #halloweenhome #girlswithtattoo #pumpkinseason #90snostalgia #trendingtopics ♬ original sound – Corin
Vintage Halloween influences on major retailers
If you can’t source actual vintage Halloween wares, there are likely vintage-inspired Halloween goodies at your neighborhood chain stores. Here are how some brands are taking cues from the past.
At Target, for example, you can pick up some retro blow-mold decor.
@hallow_eden Blow Mold Halloween Decorations at Target. Did you grab any of these spooky cuties? I love the black cats 🎃🖤🎃 #halloweentok #halloween #spookyseason #blowmold #retrohalloween #lightuphalloween #iloveit #creatorsearchinsights #targethalloween #targetfinds ♬ Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
There are blow molds at Home Depot, too.
@jaglever Throwing it back to the 90s with my nostalgic Halloween party! @The Home Depot had so many incredible halloween decor items that really made this theme come to life! 🎃✨ I also created some DIY cassette & vhs tape decor, sourced magical vintage halloween lights from Home Depot and of course had to get this EPIC Frankenstein animatronic! They also have so many perfect blow mold light up pumpkins! #90saesthetic #halloweenvibes #spookyseason #halloweendecor #homedepotpartner #THDhalloween ♬ original sound – jaglever
Michael’s doesn’t specifically draw from past products, but it does have a groovy ‘70s-inspired hippie Halloween collection full of disco balls and flower motifs. If you’re springing for vintage vibes and not specifically vintage pieces, this is perfect.
@jessiecostantino its not my cup of tea! but what do you guys think? #michaelscraftstore #michaelshalloween #halloweendecor #spookyszn #spookyseason #halloweendecoration #halloweentok #halloween2024 #halloweentiktok #halloweenaesthetic #pinkhalloween #vintagehalloween #retrohalloween #falldecor ♬ Almost Famous. Southern Nights – ☂️ TUA and GVF🎸
Examples of vintage Halloween decorations
If you’re into a vintage Halloween look, chances are that your decor is probably a bit eclectic and mismatched. Here are a few videos for some creative vintage Halloween decorating inspiration.
@cookoutqueen666 Okay now I can finally relax…🎃 #vintagehalloween #retrohalloween #halloweendecor #halloween ♬ Jeepers Creepers – Jack Teagarden
@goldn.vintage Can’t stop, won’t stop 🎃👻 #vintage #homedecor #vintagehalloween #halloween #blowmold #vintagestyle #thrift ♬ original sound – Notworthit
@irock99katie nothing beats having a halloween loving mom that has stockpiled decor since the 70s for you to use🎃 #halloween #halloweendecor #vintagehalloween #vintagehalloweendecorations #spooky #spookyseason #halloween2024 #🎃 #roomdecor #roomtour #retrohalloween #70s #80s #90s ♬ Trick or treat – sophie
@goldn.vintage Vintage Halloween blow mold collection 🦇👻🎃🐈⬛ Found three more today to add to the group 😍 #vintage #homedecor #eclectic #thrift #mcm #vintagestyle #halloween #vintagehalloween ♬ Haunted Waltz – Halloween Music & Halloween Sound Effects & Halloween All-Stars
@theshannabananashow Halloween decorating in 60 seconds #vintagehalloween #vintagehalloweendecorations #vintagehalloweendecor #vintagehalloweenstyle #halloween #halloweendecorations #halloweendecor #spooky #trickortreat #blowmold ♬ original sound – Mufasa
@whilefloriansleeps Vintage orange and black Halloween decorations 4 eva❤️ #vintagehalloween #nostalgia #halloweendecor ♬ Trick or treat – sophie
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