41 Creative Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for Halloween That Are Spooktacularly Unique
Make sure your car outshines them all this with one of these fun and easy-to-execute decorating ideas.
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Like many holidays, Halloween is a time of tradition. Fall activities like pumpkin picking and carving, choosing fun Halloween costumes or making your own, decorating the house in hues of orange, black and purple, watching classic horror movies and, of course, trick-or-treating on Halloween night have always been favorites. But one newer tradition that we can't get enough of? Trunk-or-treating.
Not everyone lives in a busy neighborhood or has the opportunity to pound the pavement, going door to door for delicious treats, which is why trunk-or-treats were created. Participants typically bring their cars to a central location, usually a parking lot or park, and pop open their trunks to set up an elaborate candy display that trick-or-treaters can come to and score some good loot. Whether you're attending your first trunk-or-treat this October or have been partaking in the newer tradition for years, there's always room for inspiration, thanks to our easy trunk-or-treat ideas that bring fun to any spooktacular celebration.
With simple ideas that involve the usual decor like skeletons, pumpkins and tombstones and others that show you how to DIY your own red carpet for a Hollywood movie theme or create a cardboard version of the house from Up (balloons included), you can really choose any idea that fits your crafting level (most are h0memade how-to's) and your budget, since some items require more items than others. Just don't forget the most important thing of all — the candy!
Hollywood Movie
What better way to show off some truly stellar costumes than with a red carpet decorated with stars from the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame? As for the treats, serve up the movie theater boxes of candy and mini servings of popcorn for a more unique offering.
Pumpkin and Spider Web Decor
Sometimes simple is the way to go. Depending on the type of car you're working with, you can easily use pumpkins and gourds in a variety of sizes along with some spooky cobwebs window decals for a low-key but still very photogenic trunk or treat setup.
Glam Cemetery
One thing about Halloween? A spooky cemetery setup is always a winner with a trick-or-treater, and this one makes the perfect backdrop for photos.
Spooky Romantic Dinner for Two
Don't worry, this dinner for two is happy to get interrupted when it comes to giving out candy to eager trick-or-treaters.
Hawaiian Luau
It might be October, but some of us can't keep the summer energy away. Besides, what will stand out more about cobwebs, costumes, skeletons and more than a colorful Hawaiian luau-themed trunk or treat?
Super Mario Bros.
Kids who were thrilled checking out Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad and Bowser on the big screen will get a kick out of this Super Mario Brothers trunk — I mean the Spooky Mario Brothers trunk. (Well, there are ghosts.) For this video game scene, paper lanterns became ghosts and chain chomps and tissue poofs became the bombs.
Flamingo
This setup offers some good advice — if you don't know what to be for Halloween, be a flamingo! Something like this is perfect for a family that doesn't want to do anything ghoulish or scary.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
You don't have to re-create the grimy New York City sewers to pay homage to those heroes in a half shell (though you always could — they are frightening). This trunk-or-treat setup took inspiration from the TMNT's love of a pizza and decorated the car to look like a pizzeria (though you can see the sewer entrance manhole in the left corner).
'Up'
Kelly Parker of The Craftpreneur made this Up-themed trunk-or-treat setup so vibrant, it looks like it's going to take off from the trunk! And yet, she says it only costs $14 in supplies (even with the lights for nighttime illumination).
Minecraft
Trunk-or-treat and Minecraft are both all about crafting, so they make for a natural match. This one features DIY pumpkins, TNT and — the pièce de résistance — a life-size creeper. (There's also an Enderman just out of the frame, but you'll see it if you click through to the blog post below.)
Pokémon
When it comes to Halloween candy, "Gotta catch 'em all!" isn't a bad motto. Run with it with a Pokémon-themed trunk. This one features a giant Pokéball made from cardboard.
'Star Wars'
Crossed lightsabers and a pumpkin carved to look like the Death Star are the focal point of this Star Wars-themed setup, which is perfect for nighttime events. Other touches, like the Millennium Falcon and other ships, are the icing on the cake.
'The Addams Family'
Try to walk past this trunk without snapping twice. Wednesday fans are encouraged to bring their own "Goo Goo Muck" dance moves.
RELATED: How to Easily Create the Ultimate Wednesday Addams Halloween Costume
'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'
Everyone knows that the truly loyal wait in the pumpkin patch on Halloween, hoping the Great Pumpkin will rise up and give them treats. If your kids can't wait that long, a scene like this is the next best thing.
'Hocus Pocus'
Okay, who lit the Black Flame Candle? This Hocus Pocus-themed trunk-or-treat setup includes gravestones for some of the movie's favorite characters, along with cauldrons, witch hats, skulls and other spooky items.
' The Wizard of Oz'
Follow the yellow brick road to this re-creation of the Emerald City. The striped socks of the Wicked Witch of the East sticking out from under the bricks is truly a great detail.
Three Little Pigs
Did you make your house with straw, sticks or bricks? (Or, heaven forbid, candy!) A Three Little Pigs theme is the best way to incorporate a trio costume like the ladies of HersheKissis did — just be on the lookout for the Big, Bad Wolf.
RELATED: Iconic Trio Halloween Costumes
Welcome ... to Jurassic Park! While the full Jurassic Park trunk-or-treat decorating kit is currently sold out at Oriental Trading, life finds a way, and you can still buy pieces of it — like raptor cutouts, fake leaves, dinosaur footprints and paper cones and tissue paper to make torches — all individually.
'Beetlejuice'
There's a lot going on in the afterlife as envisioned by Beetlejuice, which makes for great trunk-or-treat fodder. In this display, black and white tablecloths make for the striped backdrop, and flashing LED globe lights even illuminate the sign at night.
Minions
Everybody say "Banana!" Evil Minions and good ones gather together in this trunk-or-treat setup, which even has a Minion pumpkin.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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