Make some DIY Halloween lanterns and luminaries to impress your friends and neighbors this year!

Mason jars, tin cans, milk jugs, and other types of recycled Halloween lanterns emit a gorgeous subtle glow used as centerpieces, on mantles, in windows, hung up, or on doorsteps on Halloween night.

Real pumpkins are classic Halloween luminaries. This list includes everything but real Jack o’ lanterns. Whether you like friendly or spooktacular… you will find it below.

Related: Halloween Pumpkin Salt Painting

Gorgeous Glowing DIY Halloween Lanterns

To see the full tutorial for each craft click on the link or the name of the creator for each project.

Not feeling too crafty but love these looks? We have provided some ready-made Halloween luminary options just for you!

Related: Turkey Leaf Lanterns Thanksgiving Craft

 

Related: 13 Healthy Treats and Fun Alternatives for Halloween

Gorgeous Glowing DIY Halloween Luminaries

 1.  Enchanting Halloween Lanterns | Adventure in a Box

I am in love with these enchanting Halloween lanterns… aren’t they gorgeous!? Click on the link above to learn how to make these amazing luminaries.

2.  Halloween Painted Jar Luminaries | Crafts by Amanda

I love all of the different colors and fun hand-drawn faces on these painted jar lanterns. There are so many ways to decorate a lantern using this simple technique.

Some cute ready-made mason jar lanterns can be found HERE.

Other amazing versions:

• Painted Halloween Jar Candles | Jedi Craft Girl uses stencils cut using a Cricut or Silhouette.
• DIY Jack O Lantern Tea Lights | Moms and Crafters instead of paint this craft uses permanent markers.

3.  Tissue Paper Mason Jar Jack-o-Lanterns | My Crafty Spot

This version of tissue paper Jack O’Lanterns won my heart because of the different colors of tissue paper used along with the fun designs and different sized jars. A few more of my favorite versions can be found below.

Other spooktacular tissue paper luminaries:

• Halloween Lanterns Vlog | Red Ted Art
• Jack o’ Lantern Nightlight Jars | Fireflies and Mudpies

4.  Halloween Mummy Jars | All You

I have seen these mummy jars done in many ways but appreciate the easy straightforward tutorial using canning jars, Mod Podge and gauze by Nora Nalle of All You.

You may also like these ready-made pumpkin mummy luminaries that you can find HERE.

More mummy lantern ideas:

• Mummy Lanterns | Bloom Designs provides a slightly different way to make them using glue, cheesecloth, and tall candle holders.
• Mummy Mason Jars | It All Started With Paint uses black and gold paint.

5 More Glowing DIY Halloween Lanterns

5.  Jam or Mason Jar Spider Web Lanterns | Mum in the Madhouse

Can you guess what material was used to create the spooktacular effect of these awesome spider web lanterns? Click on the link above to find out!

You may also like the inflatable solar light Halloween lanterns that you can find HERE.

6.  DIY Paper Lanterns for Halloween Decorations | Lia Griffith

These DIY paper luminaries are breathtaking, aren’t they!?

Other super fun pre-made lanterns similar to these can be found HERE, HERE and HERE.

Other Amazing Paper Luminaries:

• Halloween Paper Lanterns | This heart of Mine
• Hanging Vellum Halloween Lanterns | Martha Stewart (made with orange vellum paper)

7.  Halloween Tin Can Luminaries | Jolly Mom

I love the simple look of this collection of recycled coffee can Halloween luminaries. You can also punch words and/or classic Halloween designs into them and paint them in any color you choose.

I found some slightly different ready-made tin can lantern options you might like HERE and HERE.

 

8.  Pottery Barn Knock-Off Pumpkin Lanterns | Making Lemonade

These hanging Chinese pumpkin paper lanterns are so adorable and there are so many ways to make them. You can find some cute ready-made versions HERE and HERE.

I also found some super cute orange lanterns that are made to look more like pumpkins that you can use to make your own HERE. Or you can use the plain orange lanterns found HERE.

Check out this fun collection of colored Halloween paper lanterns HERE and HERE for even more inspiration!

Another different but equally awesome hanging DIY Halloween lantern idea:

These floating witch hat luminaries by Polkadot Chair are a super creative alternative!

9.  Paper Bag Lanterns | My Ghoul Friday

As the author admits, paper bag luminaries are not new, but I love these trees! There are many other ways you can choose to make these. Punching holes to write words or make designs, clip art stencils, etc.

Some ready-ready made paper bag luminaries you can use can be found HERE and HERE and HERE. You will also need some flameless tea light candles!

Other Gorgeously Glowing Versions:

• Halloween Paper Bag Luminaries | Unoriginal Mom
• Scary Message Lanterns | Martha Stewart

10.  Milk Jug Lanterns “Spirit Jugs” | Eighteen 25

These use a strand of Christmas lights, but I have also seen them with glow sticks placed inside for a glowing effect. Scroll all the way to the bottom after clicking on the link above to find the tutorial for these.

 

More Milk Jug Halloween Lanterns:

• Quick, Inexpensive DIY Halloween Ghost Luminaries | Third Stop on the Right
• Milk Jug Monsters | Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom

No matter which of the jar crafts from above that you choose to make, you can use canning jars, candle holders you have waiting to be repurposed, or upcycled jars right out of your own recycle bin!

Wait… there are more fun recycled luminary options!

Related: Healthy Treats and Fun Alternatives for Halloween

More DIY Halloween Luminaries

We made a super cool Pumpkin and awesome Ghost Halloween sensory bottles that would make a fun lantern for kids on Halloween night. Click on the links for the tutorials!

These awesome DIY Halloween lanterns are easy to make. They are a fun way to decorate your doorstep and windowsills for parties and Halloween night. Most of them are upcycled crafts for both kids and adults.

Milk jugs, coffee cans, paper, mason jars, and jars in the recycle bin can be used to create these fun Halloween luminaries.  Try your hand at one of these ideas or find inspiration to create your own!

For more fun fall luminaries, be sure you check out our Turkey Leaf Lanterns and our Heart Leaf Lanterns!

If  You Liked Halloween Lanterns, You may also like:

• Halloween Pumpkin Salt Painting
• Glow in the Dark Ringer Game Sensory Bottle
• Tissue Paper Ghost Craft
• 13 Healthy Treats and Fun Alternatives for Halloween
• Top 10 Fall Nature Crafts (Contains pumpkin and jack o’ lantern ideas)