Halloween packaging: cellophane for treats, favors, and decor

A small sheet gathered around a handful of candy and tied at the top is faster to hand out than loose candy, and kids can see what they got. For cookies, brownies, popcorn balls, and caramel apples, a sheet takes the shape of the treat. For step-by-step ideas, a sizing table, and closures that hold, see our guide to Halloween treat bags and wraps with cellophane sheets.

For a class party or a birthday that lands in October, fill a clear candy bag, close it with curling ribbon, and add a tag with each child’s name. To make a plain bag look like Halloween, slide a small orange or black transparent sheet inside as a liner, or wrap the favor in a Halloween print sheet first and drop it into a clear bag. Self-sealing bags work well for non-food favors like stickers, pencils, and small toys, which is also an easy way to include kids who can’t have candy.

Colored cellophane is one of the cheapest ways to decorate for Halloween, and most of the ideas take an afternoon.

• Stained glass windows. Cut bats, cats, or a jack-o’-lantern face out of black paper, back the openings with orange, purple, or green transparent cellophane, and tape the panel to the inside of a window. Daylight and room light shine through the color.
• Jack-o’-lantern lanterns. Wrap a clean glass jar or a paper lantern in orange transparent cellophane, add a black paper face, and light it with a battery-operated LED tea light. Use LED lights only, never candles, and keep cellophane away from open flames and hot bulbs.
• Ghosts. Wrap a foam ball in white tissue paper, cover it with a clear sheet, gather it at the neck, and draw the eyes. Hang a few from the porch ceiling or a branch.
• Wreaths. Tie short strips of orange, black, and purple cellophane around a wire wreath form until it’s full. The crinkle catches the light by the front door.
• Centerpieces. Fill a tray or a glass bowl with small wrapped treats and cover it with a sheet of the Halloween print, gathered with a black ribbon.
• Party backdrops. Cut long strips from a black metallized roll or the black organza roll and hang them behind the dessert table or the photo spot.

Wrapped items are easier to price, carry, and grab from a table. Keep one design for the whole season so your photos and your display match. Cardboard reinforced bottom bags hold cookie stacks upright, caramel wrappers cover homemade candy, and if you heat seal, use film made for it, like the clear 1.2 mil heat-sealable sheets. Add a label with your shop name and ingredients. For packaging with your logo, see custom printed cello sheets and custom printed cello bags.

A Halloween basket for a teacher, a client, or a neighbor needs a clear or printed wrap, filler, and a bow. Use a Halloween roll or a basket bag, add orange or black accents, and finish with ribbon. Our guide on how to wrap a gift basket with cellophane walks through the folds.