BOO! These Spirit Jugs are so easy to make and about as inexpensive as they come. We came across the idea for these ghostly guys a couple years ago on family fun. We knew with as much milk as our kids go through, it would take us no time at all to have all of the supplies handy. So if you are ready to get decorating for Halloween this is a great project to start with.
Spirit Jugs
what you’ll need: [affiliate links included]
- clean gallon milk jugs
- black permanent marker
- craft knife
- string of clear low-wattage christmas lights
step one: draw some spooky faces (or not so spooky faces) on your milk jugs using your black marker.
step two: let your kids color in the faces while you bake a batch of cookies.
step three: using the craft knife (mom), cut a hole in the lower backside of the jug. about the size of a half dollar (or maybe a little bigger since i couldn’t picture a half dollar).
step four: line all of your ghosts up and stuff several lights in each one.
step five: place your group of glowing spirit jugs along your walkway or front porch to welcome those cute little holiday guests.
You could also use battery operated lights if you wanted to spread them out all over your yard. The nice part about them all being hooked together with the Christmas lights though is all you have to do is plug the cord into one outlet and you are in business!!
Here’s a few more fun Halloween Ideas…
Jamie
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Cute…real cute! And simple enough for ME to make! Yeah!
How cute it that!
Oh I LOVE this! Going right now to take all the milkjugs OUT of the recycling!!
what a great project.
Love this!! Thanks for sharing!
Done & Done, I can have 20 by Halloween! Thanks for this brilliant idea.
I have this idea saved from last year 🙂 so cute!!
Lol…cute! It's like the old plastic cup/light Christmas wreaths from a few years ago.
Lol…cute! It's like the old plastic cup/light Christmas wreaths from a few years ago.
THIS is Just SUPER fantastic!!!! THanks for Sharing 🙂
i love this! my daughter can do most of a project like this on her own..she's going to be thrilled when i show her this post!
How low is low wattage?
This idea is SO cute and inexpensive too!
Oh my gosh! I am going to start saving milk jugs right now!!! Totally cute!
http://www.makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com
So cute! My kids would LOVE THIS! See…truth be told….they don't get their hands on much crafty goodness around here. Let's just say their mother is a teenie-tiny bit anal. What? I can't help it! They would DIE if I told them to do a craft from start to finish! What fun!
Wow! I absolutely looooove this…simple, fun, and cute…this craft is right up my alley! Thanks for sharing!
So adorable! I am going to grab my milk jugs out of the recycling right now!!
super cute! I'm going to have to try this one!!
So cute! I might even try with one of our orange, orange juice jugs and draw a pumpkin face! Thanks!
I love these spirit jugs. I sent your link to my daughter, great idea for the kids to make.
I have also used the battery flickering candles inside for cool effects.
If the lights are not on a string they can be placed randomly.
I love crafting from recyclables! This is great. Thanks.
crap…not I have to go dig my milk jugs out of the recycling bin! I love this.
Fun idea! I think I might try it with orange lights inside the jugs – I just saw some orange ones at Michael's the other day! Can't wait to try it!
I love this!
Love it. I started saving my jugs as soon as I read this post.
How are you keeping the jugs from blowing away??
Try putting sand in the bottom of each one
beautiful, I did some spirit jugs but I used candles to light them
We tried this today. It was fun and easy to do. Here is a link to where I blogged about it http://milestogrow.blogspot.com/2010/10/jack-o-lanterns.html
I'm working on a post about Halloween crafts to do with kids for TLC's Parentables website. May I have your permission to use one of your photos and link to this post?
I'd appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl
I'm writing a round up style post for TLC's Parentables.com website and would love to share your halloween craft project.
May I have permission to use a photo and link back to your post?
Sincerely,
Brittany aka Pretty Handy Girl
I'm not crazy about the ghost thing, but cute idea. Do you think it would still work if we painted them orange and used them as pumpkins?
I was thinking of using orange glow sticks (instead of white Christmas lights) to make it look like a pumpkin. Hope it works?!
Just found this on Pinterest! I love this idea! I'm totally doing this for Halloween this year! 🙂
You could also drop glow sticks into them for different colors and not have cords to trip on!
Luv the idea I'm trying them this Holloween. Thanks
Do you have a problem with lights getting too hot?
How do you weigh them down? I was thinking of adding some sand?
We are definitely making this for Halloween! I've already called my daughter and asked her to save her milk and juice jugs 🙂 I shared this craft with our group members on CafeMom – Holiday and Party Crafts – with a link back to your blog for the tutorial. Have a 3B Day! Bright! Beautiful! Blessed! ~Yolanda~
These are adorable thing I'm going to try these this year
very cute idea!
Such a great Idea! So cute!
If you have some hooks on your porch for hanging baskets, you could string some of these together. They would look cute floating up high.
MY SON & GRANDDAUGHTERS WILL LOVE THIS ONE.. HALLOWEEN IS THERE FAVORITE TIME.. AT LEAST HIS & MIDDLE GRANDDAUGHTER.. HE CAME HOME HALLOWEEN NIGHT WHEN BORN AND SHE WAS BORN DAY BEFORE HIM…KINDRED SPIRITS THEY ARE..
I have been looking for some "cheap" ideas for our Harvest Festival at church..I love this. I bought orange Halloween lights and I'm gonna do pumpkin faces. Thank you and may God bless you
Use Battery Operated Tea Lights Instead Of A Strand Of lights
Going to make these today with the grandsons….using battery operated tea light. Thanks!
For everyone asking how to weigh them down… I have come up with an interesting idea. Buy some glow sticks instead of christmas lights… that would be a good way to make pumpkins, ghosts, monsters AND frankensteins. Then, when you put them out, fill them with water and put the glow stick inside too. We always light our jack-o-latern with glow sticks… so this is just another great way to use the extras in the package! Dollar stores usually carry glow sticks, so it would still keep this as a frugal fun craft!
That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing!!
Cool
Don't forget to take off the cap if you are using a real candle. Otherwise, the heat can't escape and it is a fire hazard.
How do u get the milk labels off?? They are so stubborn. Any hint??
I think we got lucky with these ones, but usually some soap, warm water and a dish scrubber work for me. Hope that helps.
I love these! The donuts border on terrifying, though 🙂
Adorable!!! Just wanted to let you know that I included the spirit jugs in my roundup of cute ghost ideas and products. Thanks!! http://theroadtocrazy.blogspot.com/2014/10/31-days-of-halloween-2014-day-21-50.html
Nice idea thanks for sharing
I love your spirit jugs but instead of me using Christmas lights I’m going to use glow sticks. COOL PROJECT!
Great idea!!! 🙂
Cool, who ever thought of this is so creative
Just fill with water and use glow sticks.