Halloween is coming! Here are the best spooky decor pieces you need in 2021

Apollo Box

It’s true that each year, stores seem to release holiday-themed collections earlier and earlier. For example, At Home, represented below, had Halloween items on shelves this year in June. June!

There are a few reasons for these premature onslaughts, though, including one that’s easy to find when you scroll through the YouTube or Instagram pages of avid collectors, enthusiasts, and influencers focused on the holiday. Folks like Jade The Libra (with whom we spoke last year), Aurelio Voltaire, Halloween Happy, and Midge Munster post their scouting and shopping adventures starting in the summer and for the months leading up to the big day, tens of thousands of followers join in the fun and often share their hauls with likeminded individuals in the Halloween hunting community–Etsy maker BooKimi even makes a patch for those who want to wear their hobby on their sleeve.

This rise in popularity can also be attributed to the increased collectibility of the items being released, as explained by Mark B. Ledenbach, the author behind HalloweenCollector.com. His “About” page outlines a brief history of Halloween collectibles and how, in 1995, books started to emerge on the topic and drove up prices on collectibles you’d find secondhand, eventually leading him to pen his own tome on the subject, Vintage Halloween Collectibles, now in its third edition.

Before this Halloween renaissance of sorts, items were more cheaply made and meant to be disposable. Die cuts were taped up then tossed out after the party; paper table toppers were stuffed into bins once Samhain dinners were done; wax candles were melted into disappearing pools to be scraped up and thrown out after trick-or-treat. Once folks tapped into the nostalgic delight of holding onto these items, manufacturers began to treat them more like Christmas-type heirlooms that could survive multiple generations of storage and use, and now the decor cornucopia overflows with creepy delights.

And so combining the two forces (better-made pieces and an increased presence in social media) gives you the rai·son d’ê·tre behind shelves stocked early, fun collections, and the rabid hunting down of key items each year, such as the current fixation on Bath & Body Works’ Halloween line (a bit more on that below) or the Rae Dunn craze that sees folks camping out in front of their local HomeGoods stores in anticipation of reselling the coveted holiday pottery.

Plenty of folks want in on the fun, but to them, participation in the rat race to be first and buy the most isn’t appealing. Thus we wanted to curate a list that highlights some of the year’s best pieces that can be conveniently delivered to your door without the hassle of lining up before a store opens just to ensure you get the piece you want.

We’ve tried to represent popular and more independent vendors alike, and be assured that this list will be updated with more and more items as October 31st approaches. Keep scrolling to find your new favorite Halloween decor piece, and as always...

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn a commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing, expert advice and our own research. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Black Cat Halloween Sofa Throw

We’re in love with this “hauntingly comfortable” throw blanket that’s great for Halloween but also nice to keep out all autumn long for maximum cozy and spooky vibes. It’s made from soft material and comes in various sizes, so you can match the blanket to your needs. It also makes an amazing pet blanket!

Apollo Box

$54.73

Halloween is coming! Here are the best spooky decor pieces you need in 2021

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