Cutest 20+ Halloween Garland Ideas You’ll Be Obsessed With for Mantels, Doorways, and Porches

Cutest 20+ Halloween Garland Ideas You’ll Be Obsessed With

Halloween season brings pumpkin spiced lattes, small handmade garlands, and a chance to turn shelves and doorways into cheerful displays. The collection that follows grew out of that spirit, and out of a yearly habit of decorating every reachable wall.

A few weekends before Halloween, family and friends gather for a craft day, share ideas, and enter a friendly contest. The winner receives a 50 dollar gift card, which makes the day a fun way to spend quality time together while trying new designs.

The 20 ideas below cover felt, paper, yarn, ribbon, wood, fabric, and light, so there is a choice for a mantel, a bookshelf, a closet door, a reading chair, or a porch.

Some projects take only minutes, while others invite a slower afternoon of cutting, knotting, and stringing. For more seasonal inspiration, explore Cute Halloween decor ideas and cute Halloween garland ideas.

Start with a simple shape or a familiar material, then let the finished garland set the mood for the rest of the room.

Good starting points include:

• White felt and twine for soft shapes
• Black cardstock for bold silhouettes
• Yarn in white, orange, and yellow for candy corn color
• Twine, ribbon, and beads for stringing and finishing

HALLOWEEN GARLAND IDEAS

Each idea below keeps the making process clear and the display easy to enjoy. Look for a project that matches the space, the time available, and the materials already at home.

A garland can frame a mantel, soften a bookshelf, brighten a porch after dark, or turn family photos into a seasonal display. For a mantel focused guide, explore DIY Halloween garland for mantel.

Small garlands can change a shelf or a doorway without a large budget or a long project.

1. Felt Ghost Garland

Little felt ghosts bring a gentle charm to a mantel, and slightly crooked smiles only make them better. Cut simple ghost shapes from white felt, add small faces, and string the shapes together with twine.

Drape the finished garland across the mantel so the ghosts sit in a soft, even row. The simple shapes keep the project approachable, while the white felt stands out against darker autumn decor.

2. Paper Bat Garland

Bats feel essential to Halloween, and a swarm of paper bats flying across a wall costs almost nothing. Fold black cardstock, cut half a bat shape on the fold, and open it up to reveal the full shape.

Repeat the shape to build a lively swarm. For renters, command strips can hold everything up without damaging the walls, which keeps the display easy to remove after the season.

3. Pom-Pom Candy Corn Garland

About half the family may strongly dislike candy corn, yet even they find the pom pom version adorable. Wrap white, orange, and yellow yarn in layers to create the familiar candy corn stripes. The layered yarn gives each piece a soft, rounded look.

The project also used up some yarn from a stash, which makes it a practical choice for makers who already have yarn at home.

4. Dried Orange And Black Ribbon Garland

Dried orange slices paired with black ribbon make a standout display. While the slices bake in the oven, the house takes on a candle store scent.

Bake the slices at a low temperature for a long time, then thread them onto twine, adding small ribbon bows between the slices. The garland can remain displayed until Thanksgiving, which gives it a longer season than many Halloween only decorations.

5. Linked Skeleton Garland

A linked skeleton figure built from small paper loops has a lot of personality. Children can form the loops while an adult makes the skull, hands, and feet. Join the pieces into a playful figure that moves with a light, jointed charm.

The finished skeleton was hung on a closet door throughout October, where it could greet visitors and add humor to an everyday space.

6. Spider Web Lace Garland

A spider web garland made from lace is the most elegant option in this collection. Thrifted doilies resemble small webs. Dye them grey or black and join them together with satin ribbon. The result looks both spooky and fancy, which suits a mantel, a doorway, or a table display that needs a refined touch without losing its Halloween character.

7. Wood Bead And Tassel Garland

A wood bead and tassel garland is neutral enough to remain up past Halloween through Thanksgiving. String chunky beads onto jute, and knot a fat tassel at each end. The project took about fifteen minutes while watching a movie, which makes it an easy choice for a busy evening. Its warm, natural look works in many rooms.

8. Vintage Diecut Banner Garland

This diecut banner suits anyone who enjoys vintage style decor, with artwork resembling old newspaper printing that looks like it came from an antique shop. Print the free templates, punch holes in the corners, and thread ribbon through them.

The finished banner takes about ten minutes, which onlookers are unlikely to believe. It offers a collected, storied look with very little effort.

9. Mini Pumpkin Twine Garland

Mini pumpkins strung on twine are the simplest option here. Small fabric pumpkins come in packs at the dollar store, so a single shopping trip supplies everything needed. Use a large needle to thread the pumpkins onto the twine and tie knots at the ends.

The garland works well draped along a bookshelf or wrapped around a narrow mirror frame, where the small pumpkins add steady autumn color.

10. Black Leaf Foliage Garland

For those who do not want orange throughout their decor, black leaves create a moody, dramatic effect. Swapping regular fall stems for black ones gave the living room a gothic academia feel. The dark foliage reads as elegant rather than loud. Adding a few orange fairy lights among the leaves provides the finishing touch and a warm contrast.

11. Eyeball String Garland

Eyeball strings are playful, and guests often do a double take when they notice them. Party stores sell bags of plastic eyeballs around October. Alternate the eyeballs with colorful beads and let them gaze at visitors throughout the month.

The mix of bright beads and watchful eyes keeps the garland lighthearted, even as it adds a spooky surprise to a doorway or wall.

12. Fabric Scrap Rag Garland

Fabric scraps can be repurposed into a rag garland, and tearing the strips into pieces is the most therapeutic part of the project. Knot the strips onto twine until the garland looks full.

Old bed sheets are a good material for this, which makes the project a smart way to reuse fabric already at home. The soft, layered texture suits a cozy Halloween display.

13. Moon Phase Garland

A moon phase garland made from clay circles shaped into different phases gives it a boutique look. Roll the clay flat, cut the phases out with a jar lid, and then bake the pieces.

String the finished phases in order so the cycle reads clearly across the wall. The finished garland is shown hanging above a reading chair, where it adds a calm, celestial touch.

14. Crochet Pumpkin Garland

This crochet pumpkin garland uses a free pattern with basic stitches, making it suitable for beginners. The little crochet pumpkins were the maker’s first ever pattern. The first two resembled tomatoes, but by the fifth one the technique was mastered. That learning curve makes the project encouraging for new crocheters who want a finished garland they can enjoy all season.

15. Black Velvet Bow Garland

A black velvet bow garland is made by tying the bows by hand and then gluing them edge to edge in a long line. It resembles a designer version that sells for over 100 dollars, while the homemade version cost less than a movie ticket.

The rich velvet texture gives the garland a polished look, and the repeated bows create a steady rhythm along a mantel or doorway.

16. Orange Ombre Tissue Tassel Garland

Orange ombre tissue tassels give this garland a festive look, with colors fading from deep orange to soft peach. Fold the tissue paper, cut the fringe, and roll the pieces into small tassels. A single pack of paper yields roughly a dozen tassels, making the project very inexpensive. The soft color change keeps the garland lively without needing many supplies.

17. Mini Witch Hat Garland

This garland features miniature witch hats, which are especially cute. Make them by rolling small paper cones, adding brims, and stringing them beneath the mantel. They look charming beside candlelight in the evening. The small scale keeps the display delicate, while the repeated hats create a clear Halloween theme across the mantel.

18. Photo Clip Memory Garland

A photo clip memory garland is possibly the favorite idea on the list. Clip the kids’ costume pictures from each year onto it and revisit them throughout the season. The only supplies needed are twine and a pack of mini clothespins; the photos provide the rest. Guests tend to stop and look through every photo, which turns decoration into conversation.

19. Spooky Silhouette Cutout Garland

These spooky silhouette cutouts recall the paper snowflakes made in childhood, using the same folding technique but with cats and bats. Fold the paper, cut half a shape on the fold, then unfold it into a whole connected chain.

It feels like a little magic trick each time. The connected chain makes a long, flowing garland from a simple sheet of paper.

20. Light-Up Jack-O-Lantern Garland

This light up jack o lantern garland closes out the list. Once the sun sets, its warm glow gives the porch a festive feel. Draw silly faces on orange paper lanterns and clip them over string lights, which makes the porch look happier after dark. For porch planning, see Halloween outdoor decor ideas.