Watch How This Halloween Décor Takes Fire
Normally, guests will gravitate towards a fire pit because it’s so cozy and inviting. But with Halloween coming up, it’s time for your backyard to show off its spooky side.
And this year, we’ve got some decor to help you get that hoodoo on, thanks to the new Halloween-inspired ceramic skulls and pumpkins that are part of our ceramic fire pit decor.
Both items are made from lightweight, premium ceramic fibers – the same refractory material that’s used for faux fireplace logs. All ceramic fire décor is safe to use both indoors and outdoors and does not produce any harmful toxins or chemicals. They withstand scorching temperatures of 3000°F; and they have hollowed centers that allow flames to show through the eyes, nose and mouth. Just one will liven up your fire pit or fireplace, but several will up your Halloween game!
Below, we’ve listed some ideas to help get you started.
FOR CHILDREN
- Trick or treaters: If possible, bring your fire pit to the front yard and position a few Jack O’Lanterns so that flames are jumping out of their eyes. Turn down your front lights and make sure you have lots of candy!
- Children’s party: Settle the Jack O’Lanterns in your indoor fireplace or in the outdoor fire pit, with their fiery grins facing the house. Turn down the lights and put on a scary movie that’s best suited to the age of the children (kids, tweens or teens). Only if you are using a wood-burning fire pit, you might try toasting marshmallows and making s’mores (otherwise, it’s a messy cleanup).
The Jack O’Lanterns are recommended for children, especially little ones, as the skulls might upset young minds (although a walk through the Halloween aisles of Walmart and Target could have you thinking otherwise).
FOR ADULTS
- Days of Yore: Whether you’re recreating the world of Conan the Barbarian or Game of Thrones, you’re going to need to pile plenty of skulls. Our new ceramic skulls come in black and gray – feel free to mix ’em up! Like our pumpkins, the skulls are hollow, so you can see flames come out through their eyes and noses. For extra creepiness, however, consider filling the skull with ruby-colored fire glass diamonds, so that the eyes glow red. Or for that GOT effect, partially bury the skulls in a drift of snow-colored fire glass beads because, after all, Winter Is Coming.
- Walking Dead: Party like it’s the post-Apocalypse! For a zombie effect, position the skulls in drifts of blue- and ruby-colored fire glass to simulate decomposing flesh. (Sweet.)
A Word About Halloween
All fun aside, the American Halloween has always been a titillating (some say controversial) holiday. It evolved from All Hallows Eve, which celebrates the passage of souls between this world and the next and has its roots in pagan rites. Skulls, for example, have always been considered potent magic. Ancient civilizations like the Aztecs of the New World and the Celts of the Old World hoarded the skulls of their enemies and captives. In later times, actual skulls gave way to representations made of turnips and rutabagas that – unlike the Jack O’Lanterns of today (which are made of New World squash) – look like something out of The Wicker Man and could actually scare the bejesus out of you. But skulls and skeletons were still used to illustrate how swiftly death could follow upon life, particularly in times of plague and natural calamities. Today, we use Halloween to laugh at our fears, but back then, with widespread belief in witchcraft and demons, it was spooky indeed.
Don’t be in such a hurry to pack up your Halloween decor! There are two more holidays for which they can come in handy.
POST HALLOWEEN DECOR
- Day of the Dead: Actually from October 31 to November 2, this Mexican holiday is becoming increasingly popular in Southern California. Celebrants use calaveras (skulls) painted in colorful colors and strew graves with flowers and food in order to remember and honor the departed ones. While you won’t be able to paint our ceramic skulls, you can still get creative, surrounding them with colorful patterns made out of fire glass.
- Thanksgiving: Create a harvest display in your fire pit. You can use your ceramic pumpkins by turning their Jack O’Lantern faces inward. Heap them with ceramic fire balls of various sizes to resemble grapefruits and oranges, and use some fire glass for extra luster.
These are a just a few of the ideas we’ve come up with for decorating your fire pit this fall season. What are some of your ideas? Let us know!