The DIY Pumpkin Lanterns To Line Your Yard With This Season

If your idea of Halloween decorations vibes more with "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" than the latest "Saw" movie, it might be harder to find outdoor decor than it used to be. Halloween decor seems to get scarier every year, and that's not for everybody. Luckily, there are some wholesome Halloween DIY ideas out there, and Instagram has a great one that uses those old-school plastic pumpkins and your solar-powered path lights. Not only is it quick and easy, it's versatile and customizable.

Whether you have a short walkway, a long, winding driveway, or just a couple of steps up to your porch, this outdoor lighting hack will work for you. And since the lights are solar-powered, there are no batteries, power switches, or electrical wiring to worry about. Just set it and forget it. Moreover, once the holiday has come and gone, the lighting easily reverts back to its original appearance, ready to use for the rest of the year. It's a great deal.

If you already have solar pathway lights, you're halfway there already. If not, you can buy sets of them — usually in groups of four or six — just about anywhere that sells home goods, hardware, or landscaping materials. These can range in price point, but most are very affordable, and the Instagram hack recommends the ones that have the look of traditional lanterns with lipped lids so the solar panel will still be fully situated outside the pumpkin.

To create these adorable solar lights to adorn your front walk, buy one plastic Halloween pumpkin bucket for each light you're using. Remove the bucket handle and drill a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, big enough to fit easily over the stake that holds the pathway light in the ground. Slide the stake through the top of the pumpkin and the newly drilled hole in the bottom, then fit the light top onto the stake and pull it all the way down until the lantern lid fits against the top of the pumpkin head. Place them along your driveway or front path however you like, then watch each night as your simple lighting hack spreads some wholesome Halloween cheer.