How To Keep Your Halloween Decor Up Through Christmas

I tend to decorate to improve my mood. I like to take my time, it's a big process, and regardless if it's healthy or not, it's MY THING. This was one THING that really worked in my favor after I had kids. I was able to get away with my obsession to decorate for every holiday by blaming it on making sure I bring joy to my kids. I mean...it's mostly for them.

Not everyone is like me though, and convenience is key.

For those of you who want to bring joy into your home, whether it's for the children or not...
If you want a dose of serotonin by reliving your childhood memories, because you deserve it...

These are the best tips I've accrued throughout the years to have more of a one-stop-shop when it comes to decorating for Halloween all the way through Christmas. Or Hanukkah! I even have some tips to utilize Halloween for other holidays like Easter and St. Patrick's Day.

1. Use clear twinkle lights to decorate instead of orange or purple.

• Ditch the orange and purple all together. Put up clear lights, once, for October-December. Add pumpkins, foliage/garland, spider webs, barrels of straw for fall, and just toss it before the holidays. This tip is especially good if you live in cold climates because you can get your lights up before it gets super frigid.

2. Put up your Christmas tree early (if it's artificial), and decorate it with foliage or fall decor. If you have kids, make some Halloween crafts to put on the tree. Not only does this save a step when it comes to breaking out the holiday haul, it adds a huge presence for Halloween.

3. Paint pumpkins red and green. Carve a Christmas tree into the pumpkin. Leave it out until it starts to rot.

4. Keep up skeletons and pop a Santa Claus hat on them. Two skeletons? Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

5. Pine cones tend to work for October decor all the way through December. They can be styled as easy as simply putting them into a bowl. I like to add pine cones to the top of a vase of an artificial tree.

6. Wreaths, like trees, can be transformed from fall to winter with a few simple additions.

7. Need to save money on a costume this year? Want something you can utilize other times of the year? Go as Santa for Halloween.

• Other options you could use at other holidays: Mrs. Claus, Elf, Reindeer, Bunny, Leprechaun, Cupid.
• PRO TIP: If your child is in the Nutcracker for his/her holiday program - keep the costume for Halloween next year.

8. Nightmare Before Christmas decorations can work for both holidays and be left up through the new year.

9. Instead of full fall foliage garland, use pre-lit holiday garland and add easily removable fall or Halloween decorations to it. These can be ornaments, loose foliage pieces, attachable fake gourds or pumpkins, bats. Be as creative as you like! Using holiday as a backdrop is like a blank canvas. And less work when converting your house from haunted to holiday.

10. My last tip, which we have already covered, really adds some festivity to any home. Whether you keep an artificial Christmas tree up, or use a real tree outdoors, or even use an artificial tree that was already inside the home...keep it up for all seasons.

• Jan.-Feb.14th: Hearts/Valentines Day
• Feb. 15th-March 27th: Shamrocks/St. Patrick's Day
• April: Eggs/Easter
• June/July: American Flags/4th of July
• August: Back to School
• Sept/Oct. 31st: Halloween
• Nov./Dec. 31st: Holiday and New Year