You know what’s trending harder than Elfcore this year? Tim Burton-core. Think: moody lights, monochrome madness, and a holiday vibe that screams spooky sophistication.
If your Pinterest board is 50% haunted house and 50% hygge, you’re gonna want to buckle up for these DIY “The Nightmare Before Christmas” decor ideas.
We’re talking everything from Jack Skellington ornaments to Oogie Boogie wreaths that would make Martha Stewart say, “Who dis?”
Grab your glitter, summon your sass, and prepare to craft the most aesthetic chaos since Sally stitched herself together.
1. Jack Skellington Wreath That Screams “Slay” at Your Front Door
Imagine Jack Skellington’s chic little skeletal face surrounded by black mesh, white twine, and poppin’ purple LEDs. Add a big ol’ dramatic black satin bow (because drama is the moment). Hang it up and let Jack give every Amazon package delivery person a fright they’ll never forget. Vogue meets Villain.
2. Zero the Ghost Pup Porch Lanterns – Floaty, Fluffy, Freakin’ Adorable
Craft floating lanterns with white cheesecloth, glow sticks, and a sassy red pom-pom nose for your beloved Zero. Suspend them from tree branches or porch hooks, and boom – you’ve got spooky, floaty ambiance that howls, “Yes, I’m extra.” Bonus: Kids will literally lose their minds over it.
3. Oogie Boogie Dice Garland – Sinister But Make It Statement Decor
Paint oversized foam dice neon green and splatter them with glow-in-the-dark paint for a full Oogie Boogie glow-up. String them like you’re crafting for Coachella, but it’s HalloweenTown-core. It’s edgy. It’s nostalgic. It’s slightly terrifying. And yes, it pairs beautifully with spiked cider and sarcasm.
4. Lock, Shock & Barrel Sock Puppets – Creepy Cute Chaos Incoming
Photo Credit – @kimchi_cosplay
Throw it back to grade school DIY but make it fashion. Felt, buttons, yarn hair, and a glue gun are all you need to create these chaotic trick-or-treaters. Pop them on mantle shelves or turn them into plant pokes – it’s giving Tim Burton but also cottagecore.
5. Mischievous Mantle Skulls With Sparkle – Haute Goth Holiday Vibes
Grab cheap plastic skulls, hit them with matte black spray paint, then glam them with glitter, rhinestones, and metallic paint pens. These aren’t your Spirit Halloween leftovers, honey – they’re couture. Picture Morticia Addams throwing a dinner party with Beetlejuice. That’s the energy.
6. “This Is Halloween” Banner With Velvet and Vibes
Channel dramatic theater kid energy by cutting velvet letters spelling “This Is Halloween.” Drape it over your fireplace or above a snack table. Add spiderweb lace trim for flair and bat-shaped confetti. It’s giving Broadway in a graveyard, and yes, we’re here for the standing ovation.
7. Sally-Inspired Patchwork Pillows – Cozy Meets Creepy
Mix and stitch fabrics with clashing but fabulous patterns like stripes, polka dots, and stitched seams. Think thrifted couture. The result? A pillow that screams: “I stitched this during my moody indie movie marathon.” Also works great as cuddle props while binge-watching.
8. Candy Cane Striped Coffin Boxes for Snacks or Favors
Mini coffin-shaped cardboard boxes + peppermint paint job = your snacks never looked so slay. Line them with black tissue, fill with candy, and prepare for your guests to say, “WHERE did you get these?!” Bonus points for adding little name tags and placing them as ghoulish place cards.
9. Sandy Claws Tree Topper – A Christmas Crossover Queen
Ditch your star and crown your tree with Sandy Claws himself. Craft his beard with cotton batting, add a lil’ angry eyebrow, and place him like he rules the North Pole and HalloweenTown. You just invented Nightmare Noël. Pinterest called – they want your secrets.
10. Vampire Teddy Bear Ornaments With Bite
These aren’t your grandma’s tree ornaments. Make little plush vampire teddy bears with felt and a splash of red paint (aka “blood,” duh). Hang them with crimson ribbon and watch your guests nervously giggle. It’s festive. It’s feral. It’s giving vintage Hot Topic energy.
11. Haunted Hallway Mirror with “Boo!” Flashbacks
Take any vintage mirror, distress it with black paint, and stencil in a foggy Jack Skellington face with frosted spray paint. Every time someone walks by, they’ll jump – and then compliment your creativity. Scare and slay? We call that multitasking, babes.
12. Glow-in-the-Dark Jack & Sally Silhouettes
Cut dramatic silhouettes of our tragic goth couple out of black foam core and highlight with glow-in-the-dark tape. Hang them in windows for a visual that makes the neighbors whisper “what an aesthetic legend.” Also doubles as a heartbreak shrine? Maybe. But we love the drama.
13. Pumpkin King Painted Pumpkins (Skip the Carving Chaos)
Carving is cute until your wrist gives out. Skip it and paint Jack’s face on a white pumpkin, add black swirlies, and top it with glittery vines. It’s low effort, high impact, and still says, “I am the Pumpkin Queen.” Bonus: no gooey pumpkin guts.
14. DIY Spiral Hill Snow Globe – Shake It Like a Spooky Queen
Create your own little microcosm of HalloweenTown in a mason jar. A bit of fake snow, a paper cut-out of Spiral Hill, a Jack and Sally figurine, and glitter. Shake it like a snowstorm and cue the Danny Elfman soundtrack. TikTok gold? Absolutely.
15. HalloweenTown Street Signs for Your Yard
Craft wooden street signs that say “Dr. Finkelstein’s Lab,” “Jack’s House,” and “Town Square.” Paint them with spooky fonts and prop them in your lawn or hallway. Suddenly, you’re not hosting a party – you’re throwing a Tim Burton immersive experience, darling.
16. Themed “Deadly Nightshade” Apothecary Bottles
Repurpose glass jars, print aged-looking labels (bonus if they say “Worm’s Wort”), and fill with herbs, glitter, or just… mysterious liquids. Line them on shelves and cackle like Sally poisoning soup. They’re spooky chic – and they’ll haunt your guests (in the best way).
17. “Kidnap the Sandy Claws” Musical Wall Art
Print your fave lyrics in spooky script on aged paper, mod-podge them onto wooden plaques, and decorate with ribbon or distressing paint. Who knew villainy could be so vibey? Hang them gallery-wall-style for that haunted music-room-meets-MTV-Cribs energy.
18. Black Light Bat Mobile Over the Table
Cut paper bats, suspend them from embroidery hoops, and hit them with blacklight paint. Float them above your dining setup for a Tim Burton tea party fantasy. Yes, they twirl with the air conditioning. Yes, it’s mesmerizing. Yes, your friends will scream.
19. Bone-Chilling Butler Skeleton Butler With Serving Tray
Give your life-size skeleton a glow-up: Add a bow tie, tiny top hat, and tray for candy or cocktails. It’s the nightmare butler of your dreams. Also? He doesn’t talk back or spill tea (unless you want him to).
20. Sally’s Potion Bar Cart – Mixology With a Hex
Transform your bar cart into Sally’s apothecary: labels like “Poison Apple Cider” and “Black Widow Bubbly,” add creepy straws, tiny skulls, and dry ice. It’s haunted hydration, babe. Don’t drink and summon, though.
21. Creepy Classroom Wall of Character Quotes
Perfect for teachers or crafty queens who love a good quote. Print Jack, Sally, and Oogie’s iconic lines, frame them in bold black, and make a Nightmare-themed word wall. It’s educational! It’s eerie! It’s extra.
22. DIY Character Mason Jar Lanterns
Paint jars to match each main character’s face – add battery tea lights for the ultimate creepy glow. Arrange them along walkways or as a centerpiece. When the lights hit just right? Movie magic, IRL.
23. Mini DIY Jack Skellington Piñata for Party Vibes
It’s not a real party unless Jack gets whacked. Use a balloon, paper mâché, black and white tissue, and turn him into the star of your bash – literally. Bonus: fill it with themed candy like “Boogie Guts” and “Deadly Nightshades.”
24. DIY Nightmare Before Christmas Tree Skirt – Couture But Creepy
Make your tree skirt a fashion moment: black velvet, stitched red threads, and patches that scream Sally realness. Drape it with faux spiderwebs and tiny pumpkins for the perfect eerie elegance. Martha Stewart, who?
25. Spiral Hill Lawn Feature – Iconic, DIYable, and Insta-Worthy
Cardboard, a hot knife, and lots of black paint. Make a lawn-sized version of the Spiral Hill silhouette and backlight it with purple LEDs. You just turned your yard into a Tim Burton TikTok set.
26. Sally’s Sewing Corner – Creepy Cozy Decor Setup
Set up a display with scissors, spools, stitched fabric, and a journal labeled “Plans to Escape.” Even if you’re not a sewer, it adds a deeply moody feminine vibe. Crafting but make it dramatic.
27. Haunting Hanging Chains with Skulls and Ribbons
Take plastic chains, drape them from the ceiling or door frames, and add skulls, glittery bows, or even roses. Gothic, glam, and gives major haunted mansion vibes. Honestly, Rihanna would decorate her foyer like this.
28. Shadowy Silhouette Photo Booth Backdrop
Silhouettes of Jack, Sally, Oogie, and that iconic curly hill – all backlit for moody photo ops. Throw in a coffin prop and you’ve got influencers in your living room. Say boo-tiful!
29. Sally’s Stitched Garland Made From Felt Hearts
Felt hearts in mismatched colors, stitched with black thread like her iconic dress. String them across walls or headboards. Emotional damage, but in a cute way.
30. Black Christmas Tree With Bone White Baubles
Channel Wednesday Addams and swap the traditional for a sleek black tree decked with skulls, bones, and dramatic ribbons. Add purple fairy lights and you’re officially a festive goth legend.
31. Coffin-Shaped Countdown Calendar – 13 Days of Spooky Cheer
Craft a wooden or cardboard coffin, then add 13 mini doors or drawers filled with treats or trinkets. It’s like an advent calendar… but for ghouls. Think of it as the spooky sister to your glam skincare advent. Opening one each night? Insta story-worthy, obviously.
32.floating Jack heads on a fishing line. Dressing in High Fashion: Haunted
Cut out light-weight foam Jack Skellington faces, paint “his famous smile,” then suspend them from the ceiling using transparent fishing line. Regarding the floating effect? Pure ghostly beauty. Though you absolutely do not, this kind of image shouts “I have a design degree.”
33. Oogie Boogie Shadow Lamp for That Creepy-Cozy Glow
Take a thrift store lamp, swap out the shade with a homemade version featuring Oogie’s silhouette (cut from black cardstock). When lit, his terrifying outline glows on your walls. You just created ambiance, atmosphere, and anxiety in one flick of a switch. We stan.
34. DIY Nightmare Village with Miniature Mayhem
Create tiny houses styled like HalloweenTown from cardboard boxes, felt, and LED tea lights. Display them like you’re curating a spooky snow village. Add fake fog for drama. It’s giving holiday decor, but make it haunted and hella artsy.
35. Sally’s Potion Bottles Bath Display – Bathroom Goth Goals
Repurpose shampoo bottles and wrap them in custom labels: “Witch’s Wash,” “Bubbling Bath Brew,” and “Poisonous Potions.” Line your tub’s ledge and prepare for your next #BathtubPhotoShoot. Yes, your guests will peek in there. Give them something to be jealous of.
36. Nightmare Before Christmas Tree Toppers That Rule the Room
Create various toppers: a Jack head, Spiral Hill silhouette, or even Zero with his ghostly ears flopping. Hot glue and wire are your besties here. This is not just a tree topper – it’s a personality statement. And that personality is festive AF.
37. Glittered Gothic Ornaments with Quotes
Clear plastic ornaments filled with black glitter, hand-lettered with quotes like “We Can Live Like Jack and Sally If We Want.” Nostalgic? Yes. Emo? Obviously. And low-key, they double as therapy. Hang them or gift them – just don’t cry on them (unless it’s glitter tears).
38. Zero’s Doghouse Candy Display – Pup-Approved & Pinterestable
Craft a mini doghouse out of foam core or wood, paint it dark red, and add Zero’s nameplate. Fill with candy or treats at your next party. Honestly, if you’re not feeding your guests from a ghost-dog’s house, what are we even doing here?
39. Hauntingly Elegant Dinner Table with Bone-Chic Place Settings
Bone-shaped name cards, spiderweb chargers, and black wine glasses – serve those spooky snacks like the elegant witch you are. Add a fog machine under the table for that subtle “we’re dining in the underworld” ambiance. Bone appétit, darling.
40. Creepy Classroom Cubby Tags or Locker Labels
Perfect for teachers or students obsessed with the spooky season. Make laminated name tags with Jack, Sally, and the gang. It’s the kind of detail that makes you the cool teacher or the hallway style icon. Can someone say Class President of Halloween High?
41. DIY Nightmare Window Silhouettes That Stalk From the Shadows
Cut out full-sized character shadows from black poster board, and press them against your windows. Backlight them from inside and watch your neighbors do a double take. Warning: May cause local children to name your house “that creepy-cool one.”
42. Gothic Glam Fireplace Setup With Hanging Ornaments & Lace
Turn your fireplace into a haunted dreamscape. Black lace draped across the mantel, dangling skull baubles, and purple candles. It’s spooky sophistication. Honestly, it looks like Morticia Addams did your seasonal styling – and she’d totally approve.
43. “What’s This?” Gift Wrap Station for the Extra Obsessed
Set up a wrapping station with Jack-and-Sally-themed paper, custom tags, and black satin bows. Add fake snow for flair. You’ll feel like Sandy Claws in a Vogue photo shoot. Extra? Absolutely. But extra is the assignment.
44. Mini DIY Nightmare Banners for Bookshelves & Bed Frames
Use mini triangles of felt in iconic colors (purple, orange, black), then glue on character faces or patterns. Drape it wherever needs that extra pop of spooky charm. It’s giving cozy haunted dorm room or Pinterest-perfect reading nook.
45. DIY Jack Skellington Advent Wreath With Skull Candles
Swap out the traditional greens for black twigs and purple ribbon. Add skull-shaped candles to light weekly. It’s got all the anticipation of Christmas… but make it goth and candlelit. And yes, it’s totally altar-worthy.
46. Nightmare Baby Shower Decor (Because Creepy Can Be Cute)
Throwing a shower for a horror-loving mama? Make it a HalloweenTown theme: onesies with “Little Boogie,” Jack Skellington cupcake toppers, and bat garlands. Spooky bottle favors, anyone? It’s creepy. It’s adorable. It’s chaos and cuteness in a cauldron.
47. “He’s the Pumpkin King” Yard Sign – DIY Royal Entrance
Craft a yard sign with glittery orange and black foam board, paint a dramatic “He’s the Pumpkin King” in gothic script. Add skeleton hands holding it like a throne. Anyone who walks by will know royalty lives here – and loves Tim Burton.
48. Zero Nightlight Made From a Milk Jug – Wholesome AND Haunting
Cut a milk jug, add Zero’s face with marker, and place a light inside. Boom – glowing ghost pup! Eco-friendly, adorable, and a little spooky? Sustainable spooks are so 2025.
49. DIY Nightmare Costume Closet for Quick Changes
Got kids? Roommates? Dramatic guests? Set up a costume corner with DIY hats, masks, and accessories. Think Sally’s stitched apron, Jack’s bat bowtie, Oogie Boogie’s burlap sack mask. Honestly, why change clothes at all when you can cosplay full-time?
50. Cursed Candy Cauldron With Glowing Green Slime
Take a big black cauldron, fill it with green LED lights, drape slime-green cellophane, and top with candy.
It’s the kind of candy display that screams, “These treats are cursed… but chic.” Guests will dig in and film a reel.
Why choose between holidays when you can slay both? These Nightmare Before Christmas DIYs don’t just decorate they declare.
You’re here for iconic moments, handmade magic, and turning tradition on its (skeleton) head.
So go forth, glam your gloom, and don’t forget to tag @nightmarebestie on Insta with your masterpiece.
Craft loud, live spooky.