Trunk Or Treat Car Decorating Ideas

portrait of cute boy with jack o lantern during halloween

Tatiana Soares / EyeEm Getty Images

Trick-or-treating is great and all, but it has some setbacks: It only really works in neighborhoods where houses are in walking distance from each other. Those who don't want to anticipate have to find some way of signaling that they're not opening the door (and risk the judgement of all those around them). The houses can be decorated, but they can't become characters in their own right.

Enter trunk-or-treating. For those who don't know, a trunk-or-treat event has participants gather in one central location (usually a parking lot). The cars get just as decked out as the kids, and then everyone goes from decorated trunk to decorated trunk to pick up some candy (and admire the creativity on display).

The only hard part is figuring out a theme. These trunk-or-treat ideas run the gamut from totally cute to truly spooky. Some are inspired by classic childhood books, others come from famous movies and TV shows and others just make use of the Halloween atmosphere of skeletons or monsters. The one thing they all have in common is they look great as the backdrop of an Instagram picture, so get ready to pose!

And if you're looking for what to wear yourself, we have ideas for costumes for kids, family costumes and group costumes that can be worn to your trunk-or-treat event, too.

Toothless

For her "frunk-or-treat" (since Teslas have their trunk in the front), Jen Street of Forged Flare took her inspiration from the How to Train Your Dragon series. She designed the car with a 30' wingspan and a 12' tail, and made it so the headlights give the eyes a green glow.

See more @jenstreet »

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Cat in the Hat

You know when Thing 1 and Thing 2 show up to your trunk-or-treat, there's fun to be had! The folks at K&K's Cheesecakes used a Dr. Seuss-inspired color palette to match their Cat in the Hat-themed costumes.

See more @kkcheesecakes »

Cookie Monster

It's only fitting for a business called Cookie 911 to make a Cookie Monster-themed trunk-or-treat display. Just cross your fingers that Cookie Monster doesn't eat all the candy himself!

See more @cookie911.fl »

Candy Land

What could be more appropriate than a Candy Land-themed scene? Just make sure no one tries to eat the decorations!

See more @tara_borchansky »

Trolls

Trick-or-treaters would have sunshine in their pockets and good souls in their feet when they see this cheery Trolls-themed trunk-or-treat setup. The balloon arch really makes it!

See more @balloonsandbeyondct »

Scooby-Doo

With just a few tweaks, your trunk can be transformed into a Mystery Machine! But then you have to watch out for all those meddling kids (aka trick-or-treaters).

See more at An Alli Event »

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.

See more at Klos + Co »

Frog

A pair of big, round eyes and a long tongue make this trunk look just like a creature you'd see parked on a lilypad. (Hope you're not dressed as a fly!)

See more @ajparkerdesigns »

Gumball Machine

A bunch of blown-up balloons transforms any trunk into a world-class gumball machine — and makes for a colorful display! It's going to put everyone in the mood for gum, too, so make sure you have some to give out.

See more @chevydtv »

Beehive

You'll bee the buzz of your trunk-or-treat if you choose a beehive theme for your car. Extra points for dressing as a bee and beekeeper!

See more at @alyssaplong »

Superhero

You'll probably see a lot of superheroes pass by on Halloween. Why not give them a comic-book skyline to pose in front of?

See more at Deonna Wade »

The Great Pumpkin

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.

See more at Intelligent Domestications »

Sweet Shop

This display, dubbed The Black Hat Bake Shoppe, is full of Halloween treats. The cake pops are little bubbling cauldrons, and a crow watches over other sweets in apothecary jars.

See more at Giggles Galore »

Hogwarts

Somewhere around Platform 9 3/4 you'll be able to find this trunk, a magical re-creation of the Great Hall at Hogwarts, complete with house banners, floating candles and snowy owls. Just don't be careful with those any-flavor jellybeans.

See more at The Quiet Grove »

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.

See more at Tikkido »

Marisa LaScala Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala covers all things parenting, from the postpartum period through empty nests, for GoodHousekeeping.com; she previously wrote about motherhood for Parents and Working Mother.

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