safari themed trunk or treat

10 Unique Trunk-or-Treat Ideas That You Can Totally Recreate This Halloween

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Next to gift-giving holidays, we can bet that your kid is consistently excited for Halloween each year. From being able to dress up like their favorite character to watching scary movies in the dark to getting a pass to eat way too much candy, there really isn't much to not like about it. Take your trick-or-treating skills to the next level this year by decorating your car trunk to complement your little monsters' costumes.

Vampire Mouth Theme

Take a big, toothy bite out of the spooky holiday with this vampire fangs-inspired trunk-or-treat theme. You can purchase the big chompers online and craft your own tongue out of a disposable tablecloth. Throw in some festive signs for some extra flair, and you are set!

More: Keep Up the Festivities This Season With These Halloween Masks for Kids

'Beauty and the Beast' Theme

A tale as old as time, this is the perfect family costume trunk-or-treat setup. You can choose any scene you want or recreate this look that really encompasses the entire movie.

Set out a table filled with cool trinkets from the movie like the infamous wilting rose and a candlestick holder . Add an incredible castle ballroom backdrop and a banner to your trunk, and everyone will be in awe.

Shop Ballroom Backdrop

Basic Halloween Theme

Who says that you have to follow a specific theme for your trunk-or-treat set up to be cool? This basic Halloween look is perfect. Toss in a few plastic pumpkins , gourds, and oversized spiders with some webs and you're set. The festive string lights really bring it to life.

Shop String Lights

Under the Sea Theme

Transform your trunk into a deep sea adventure in a snap. Trick-or-treaters will feel like they are on a tropical island when they stop by your festive trunk. You can get as creative as you want with this look.

Attach blue and green streamers to your trunk with a few underwater friends, like hanging jellyfish .

Shop Underwater Streamers

Mermaid Theme

How divine is this mermaid theme? If you have a pickup truck, this is a no-brainer! Aside from the stunning mermaid costume, the star of this show is the shell floatie. Add a candy treasure chest to complete the queen-of-the-sea look.

Shop Shell Floatie

'Lilo & Stitch' Theme

How perfect is this Lilo & Stitch -themed costume and trunk-or-treat look? The costume is super easy to execute and so is the tropical trunk behind them. The hanging pineapples and repurposed grass skirt give this theme the right amount of island style.

Shop Tropical Leaves

Superhero Theme

Boom! Bam! Pow!

Jump into action with this hero-themed trunk-or-treat with a Halloween twist. Whether you're dressing up as The Incredibles or another crime-fighting gang, this theme will fit right in. The distressed spider's web and skull give the hero theme just enough of a spooky spin.

Shop Superhero Backdrop

Safari Theme

In the spirit of Carol Baskins, this safari-themed trunk-or-treat is a super easy one to execute. You can DIY the signpost or add in a Tiger King -esque prop if that's the direction you're headed.

Shop Hanging Vines

'Alice in Wonderland' Theme

Get lost in the wonky world of Alice in Wonderland . Another great great theme that can be as customized as you want it to be, we love the big paper flowers , tea set , and that sneaky little Cheshire cat in the background.

Shop Checkered Tablecloth

'Stranger Things' Theme

Are you ready to head to The Upside Down? Your trick-or-treaters sure will be. This fun Stranger Things- themed trunk is a spooktacular Halloween option.

We love the cool accessories from the show like the Eggo box, Rubik’s cube , and Slinky . Throw in an alphabet blanket and Christmas lights , and boom, you're set! Shop Alphabet Blanket

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19 EASY and clever Trunk or Treat DIY Ideas

September 21, 2016 by Katie 2 Comments

Trunk or Treat Ideas

Do you have trunk or treats in your neighborhood? This year we are going to one, so I’ve set out to find the very best that’s out there. These are fun! Now to just decide which one to do!

1. After seeing a certain musical this summer, I’m totally in the mood for this one! Here .

2. It’s not Halloween without watching our favorite Charlie Brown episode! This trunk will make everyone smile!  So cute!  Here .

3. This one would definitely be a hit with my kids!  It’s even intereactive!  Here .

4. Ghostbusters – shows how to make the costume and the trunk decorations.  Nice call. Here .

5. Skeletons.  I am liking this one, wouldn’t take much shopping- just round up the Halloween decorations on hand, carve some pumpkins and you’ve got a spooky trunk!  Here .

6. Bakery.  Because who can’t resist some baked goods on a night like tonight?  Yum!  Here .

7. Pirates and Halloween.  Always a good fit.  Here.

8. Mad Scientists know how to do it right! Bright colors make this trunk a winner! Here .

9. Cute Zoo theme – a hit with the kids!   Here .

10.  Giant candy pieces make this trunk a colorful and fun one!   Here .

11. Of course we’ve got to include the classic trunk with the teeth and tongue.   This is pretty clever!

12.  50’s theme. Complete with costumes, music and games!  Groovy!   Here.

13.  I’d say this was one pretty cost-effective.  It made me laugh though – who wants to clean up the same leaves twice? Here .

14.  Another mouth with teeth. Super simple and inexpensive but totally cool.  Here .

15. The Magnetic Dart board looks like it would be a favorite among the teens!  Great use of things found in your garage! Here .

16. Stock up on the toilet paper, this Mummy will use it up! Includes great step by step directions. Here .

17.  Spooky ghosts and lights help create this effect.  Add some music and you’re set! Here .

18. This one has scored high in the cuteness factor! Loving the banner! Here . She also includes free treat bag topper printables!

19. The Candy Cottage.  With real enter and exit doors and a window to get the candy through.  So. Adorable.   Here .

Will you be trunk or treating this year?  What’s your favorite trunk featured here?

Check out our other popular Halloween posts!

19 Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes

28+ of the BEST family Halloween Costumes. So Funny.

About Katie

Katie is a stay at home mom of 5, married to her best friend and enjoys attending the theater, being creative, spending time with her family, and eating Mexican food. She loves working at HowDoesShe!

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Shirley Wood says

September 23, 2014 at 12:09 pm

Thank you so much for including our Candy Cottage in your collection 🙂 We had a LONG line the entire night. It was just so much fun.

Mommy of Twins says

September 25, 2014 at 2:25 pm

Remember the little ones too. My toddlers would not go up to a spooky trunk. I love the zoo theme one. farm, safari or princess or Frozen would also be great themes.

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43 Creative Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for Families Who Love to Go All-Out

Small sedan or SUV, these are what the best-dressed cars will be wearing come Halloween.

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If you're looking for some inspiration, these are the best trunk-or-treat ideas for 2023. Many of them are pulled from favorite movies and TV shows, like The Super Mario Bros . Movie , Wednesday , Encanto or Pixar films. Others are more of a mood or a vibe, be it a spooky one or something that's more colorful and cool. And still others like to turn the cars themselves into giant creatures, be they monsters, black cats or dragons. Whichever way you decide to go this year, you're sure to have a well-dressed ride.

And if the effect is only greater if you or your family wears a costume that goes with the theme. To that end, take a look for inspiration for costumes for kids (including costumes for babies , costumes for toddlers and even maternity Halloween costumes that show off those baby bumps), family costumes and group costumes that can be worn to your trunk-or-treat event, too.

Super Mario Bros.

Kids who were thrilled checking out Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad and Bowser on the big screen this year 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.

See more at Frog Prince Paperie »

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.

SHOP INFLATABLE FLAMINGO

See more at Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Dreams »

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).

SHOP PIZZA DECORATIONS

See more at The Ashley Maria Blog »

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 cost $14 in supplies (even with the lights for nighttime illumination).

See more at The Craftpreneur »

After the Barbie movie comes out in July, more Barbie girls are going to be living in Barbie worlds. This prop is great for photos, and it comes in heights of 2 feet to 6 feet, so adults can get in on the act. It also comes with a silver curtain streamer backdrop.

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.)

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.

SHOP POKEMON BALLOONS

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.

See more at Curly Crafty Mom »

RELATED: The Best Star Wars Family Halloween Costumes

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.

See more @clookie »

RELATED: How to Easily Create the Ultimate Wednesday Addams Halloween Costume

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 »

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 favorites characters, along with cauldrons, witch hats, skulls and other spooky items.

See more at Pineapple Paper Co. »

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 »

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.

See more @hershekissis »

Jurassic Park

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.

See more at Tikkido »

Everybody say, "Banana!" Evil Minions and good ones gather together in this trunk-or-treat setup, which even has a Minion pumpkin.

See more @maybmor.realtorcoloradosprings »

RELATED: The Easiest DIY Minions Halloween Costume Ever

Alice in Wonderland

You're invited to a tea party — a mad tea party. This Alice in Wonderland -themed trunk-or-treat is set out for tea with a checkerboard table runner and oversized playing cards.

SHOP ALICE IN WONDERLAND DECORATIONS

See more at A Lovely Design »

We'd recognize that purple door anywhere! This trunk-or-treat Friends tableau is titled "The One Where They Went Trunk-or-Treating," and it comes with the colorful umbrellas featured in the show's opening credits (which is helpful in case of inclement weather).

See more @2sweetllc »

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. When it's open (which you can see on her Instagram), there are two rows of teeth!

See more @jenstreet »

The Sandlot

Wendy of Wendy Kathleen Photography admits that her then-14-year-old beagle, Sasha, stole the spotlight from this Sandlot -themed trunk-or-treat display. Sasha made a perfect Hercules.

See more @wendykathleenphoto »

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Your ride deserves decorations!

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Planning a Halloween theme for your car might seem a little daunting, but we're here to help you make it doable. There are endless Halloween car decoration themes to choose from, and we've rounded up some of the best trunk-or-treat ideas, including spooky suggestions like an Egyptian tomb or haunted ghost town and sweet options like a retro snack "car bar" or Cookie Monster-themed trunk-or-treat. Some cars can even incorporate games and prizes! Once you're done decorating, the only thing left to do is sit back and enjoy a honking good Halloween with your friends, family, and neighbors.

Minions Trunk-or-Treat

The best part about Despicable Me is arguably the Minions. They're too cute and funny! Pay tribute to Gru's little yellow henchmen this Halloween with a trunk full of Minion balloons. They're easy to make with yellow balloons and big googly eyes.

See more at An Alli Event .

Cookie Monster Trunk-or-Treat

"Me want cookies," is exactly what everyone will say when they see your Cookie Monster-themed trunk! In addition to making your whole car look like everybody's favorite cookie-loving muppet, you can also dress up as him and pretend to munch on oversized treats!

Drive-In Movie Theater Trunk-or-Treat

This trunk-or-treat puts a whole new spin on a drive-in movie theater! Deck your trunk out with a drive-in sign, oversized popcorn and tickets, and even a TV or laptop playing one of your favorite movies.

101 Dalmatians Trunk-or-Treat

The world was such a wholesome place until...Cruella, Cruella de Vil! A Dalmatian-print sheet and a few stuffed dogs are all you'll need to create this simple trunk-or-treat idea. The Cruella and puppy costumes will add plenty of personality from there!

Your Favorite Sports Team Trunk-or-Treat

No matter your favorite sports team, you can use this Steelers-inspired trunk-or-treat idea for inspiration. Cover your car with jerseys, pennants, and other memorabilia for a look everyone in town will be cheering on.

SHOP JERSEYS

King Arthur and His Castle Trunk-or-Treat

Welcome to Camelot! Transform your trunk into King Arthur's castle, complete with a functional drawbridge! You and your family will look and feel like true royalty with this trunk-or-treat idea.

'Frozen' Trunk-or-Treat

Let it go this Halloween with a Frozen -inspired trunk that's fit for a queen. To make the falling "snow," you'll thread cotton balls and white tinsel pom poms onto clear cording with a large-eyed needle.

See more at Fun 365 .

SHOP COTTON BALLS

'Top Gun: Maverick' Trunk-or-Treat

Feeling the need for speed this Halloween? Try a Top Gun -inspired trunk-or-treat that would make Maverick proud.

Super Mario Trunk-or-Treat

Power up! Decorate your trunk with a DIY Ball & Chain, mushrooms, and more to recreate Super Mario's magical Mushroom Kingdom.

See more at Fun 365.

'Mandalorian' Trunk-or-Treat

Want to embrace a Madalorian theme for Halloween? As they say on the show, "This is the way!" For treats, you can give out oversized pink gumballs in turquoise bags: They'll look just like Grogu's favorite snack, frog eggs in water!

SHOP GUMBALLS

Marvel Trunk-or-Treat

Calling all Marvel fans! Everyone in the family can dress up as their favorite superhero to complement this trunk that's overflowing with spider webs and Marvel memorabilia.

Ghostbusters Trunk-or-Treat

Who you gonna call this Halloween? The answer is always, "Ghostbusters!" And if they don't pick up the phone, everyone will have to head over to this "office" trunk manned by secretary Janine, the Ghostbusters themselves, and of course, Slimer!

'Jurassic Park' Trunk-or-Treat

Welcome to Jurassic Park! The sign is the key to crafting this trunk-or-treat, but it wouldn't be complete without you in costume as a park ranger and T-Rex.

Circus Trunk-or-Treat

Welcome to the big top! The circus is in town, complete with a ringleader, baby lion, and bags of freshly popped pop corn.

'The Wizard of Oz' Trunk-or-Treat

Dorothy herself would be impressed with this display! There are so many cute details, including a yellow brick road leading to the Emerald City, and even the Wicked Witch of the East's striped socks!

See more at Klos + Co .

Mickey and Minnie Trunk-or-Treat

Disney kids and adults alike will love this idea! Decorate your drunk with a Mickey and Minnie backdrop, mouse-ear banner, and colorful paper pom-poms.

'Toy Story 4' Trunk-or-Treat

Pay homage to one of the best sequels ever with a carnival-themed trunk-or-treat featuring Forky pumpkins and a paper plate Bunny and Ducky.

See more at Love More Live Blessed .

Candy Cottage Trunk-or-Treat

You'll have the sweetest trunk in the lot with this adorable candy cottage them! Make the "candy buttons" by splitting ball pit balls in half and then glue them to the roof and window.

See more at Intelligent Domestications .

The Black Hat Bake Shoppe Trunk-or-Treat

This bewitching bakery, called The Black Hat Bake Shoppe, will have everyone lining up for spooky treats like cake pops that look like little bubbling cauldrons.

See more at Giggles Galore .

Scooby-Doo Trunk-or-Treat

Transform your trunk into the Mystery Machine this Halloween! To take it to the next level, dress up as the Scooby gang, including Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne. You can even get your dog in on the fun!

Tierney McAfee is a freelance writer and Country Living and The Pioneer Woman contributor who covers entertainment, holiday & entertaining, food & drinks, design ideas, DIY, and more.

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Russia's Nuclear Deterrent Command Center Imperiled by Winter Freeze—Report

A Russian nuclear deterrent command center in Moscow has been imperiled by power outages that have impacted more than one-quarter of the region's cities amid freezing temperatures, a Russian Telegram channel has reported.

The VChK-OGPU outlet, which purports to have inside information from Russian security forces, reported that the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings—part of the Russian Space Forces, a branch of the country's Aerospace Forces—near Solnechnogorsk in Moscow is without power.

It serves as the space forces early warning network against potential ballistic missile attacks.

The development comes as Russians are reported to be suffering from power outages in their homes in the Moscow region caused by technical issues at plants amid subzero temperatures.

On January 4, a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant in the town of Podolsk, which is about 30 miles south of central Moscow. Since then, tens of thousands of Russians are reported to have no heating in their homes.

Affected areas include the cities of Khimki, Balashikha, Lobnya, Lyubertsy, Podolsk, Chekhov and Naro-Fominsk, a map published by a Russian Telegram channel and shared on other social media sites shows.

Other Russian media outlets reported that in Moscow, residents of Balashikha, Elektrostal, Solnechnogorsk, Dmitrov, Domodedovo, Troitsk, Taldom, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Krasnogorsk, Pushkino, Ramenskoye, Voskresensk, Losino-Petrovsky and Selyatino are also without power.

The Telegram channel said that at the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings, "the crew...is on duty around the clock."

"It is here that the decision on a retaliatory nuclear strike is executed," the channel said.

Newsweek could not independently verify the report and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.

Power outages have also been reported in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, in the country's western Voronezh region, in the southwest city of Volgograd, and in Rostov, which borders Ukraine, a country that Russia has been at war with since February 24, 2022.

On Sunday, two shopping malls in St. Petersburg were forced to close because of problems with light and heating, reported local news outlet 78.ru. Hundreds of other homes in the city have had no electricity, water or heating for days amid temperatures of -25 C (-13 F).

Russian authorities have also been forced to compensate passengers of a train that ran from Samara to St. Petersburg (a 20-hour journey) without heating during -30 C (-22 F) temperatures. Videos circulating on social media showed carriage windows frozen over. A passenger also said the toilet didn't work during the trip because of frozen pipes.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via [email protected].

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