This DIY lighted pumpkin candy holder is just what you need to share the goodies on Halloween night in a festive, fun way without having to be home!! I love the idea of leaving a bucket at the front door for trick-or-treaters while you take your little ones around the neighborhood.
This project started as part of a Home Depot DIY workshop, an event where you could go to the store and make your own Halloween decorations. The event has since ended. The original idea was a bit more "scary" than mine.
I'm more of a friendly pumpkin, Disney princess Halloween kind of girl. So I swapped their suggested skeleton and bag of bones for a lighted pumpkin and a "welcome" sign. It fits my whole pretty pumpkin theme at home a little better.
Honestly, the box and gravestone would make a perfect backdrop for any type of Halloween candy holder you like. So whether you go sweet or scary, decorate it however you'd like!
However you make it, we've been using this adorable pumpkin candy holder every Halloween night for almost a decade, and I love bringing it out every year! My kids love it too! I think they'll end up fighting over who takes it with them when they have kids of their own. So I may be making another one someday. Ha!
What You'll Need to Make a DIY Lighted Pumpkin Candy Holder
- 1 – 2′ x 2′ x 1/2″ plywood (my store only stocks 1/2 inch plywood in 2′ x 4′ sheets, so if that's all you can find, no worries! Just make two and share, or save the rest for another project.)
- Lighted Jack-o-Lantern –
- Jigsaw
- Circular Saw
- 1 1/2″ Brad Nails
- Brad Nailer
- Measuring Tape
- Carpenter's Square
- Clamps
- Pencil
- Safety Goggles
- Sanding Block
- Paint or stain of your choice
- Vinyl lettering, if you want to add words to your project
- Mod Podge, if you want to add words to your project
How to Make a DIY Lighted Pumpkin Candy Holder
1. Measure out all of the pieces you need to cut from your plywood.
I've labeled all of the cuts on my photo for you.
1b. Draw the arc of the gravestone/back piece.
Measure down 10 inches from the top of the back piece and hammer a nail into that spot. Tie a string 10 inches long to the nail, attach a pencil to the other end, and draw the arc.
2. Cut the straight lines in the plywood with a circular saw.
I use this Ryobi circular saw that came in my Ryobi starter kit, and I love it! It's lightweight and gets the job done. Always wear safety goggles when cutting and follow all safety precautions.
3. Cut the arc on the top of the back piece with a jigsaw.
(Don't forget those safety goggles!) I'll admit it: I've owned a jigsaw for years but had never used it before! This was my first time, and it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected. Yay!
Tip: Use a sanding block to smooth any rough edges.
4. Paint or Stain the Box.
I chose to stain the box at this step, because the paint needed to be more detailed once the box was assembled. Staining it before I put it together definitely helped!
5. Attach All of the Box Pieces.
Hold the box sides up against the front piece of the box form, making sure they sit flush with the edges, and fasten with a brad nailer and 1 1/2 inch brad nails. Then attach the box sides to the back of the box form, keeping the edges flush. Fasten with the brad nailer.
6. Cut the jack-o-lantern pumpkin in half so it can sit flush against the back of the board.
The pumpkin is made of plastic, so it wasn't easy to cut. I used my jigsaw, but please take all safety precautions. I recommend having someone help you if you don't feel comfortable with this step.
7. Cut the hole for the back of the pumpkin light.
Since I cut the back off the pumpkin, I needed a hole in the backboard for the light to fit through. I traced the pumpkin where it would sit on the board, then traced the spot for the light hole using the opening cut from the pumpkin.
I drilled several holes around the outside of the light hole with a large drill bit, then cut out the rest with the jigsaw.
8. Add the "Welcome" Sign.
I cut out the "welcome" letters in the Abraham Lincoln font on my Silhouette Cameo, then placed the vinyl on the top of the sign above where I had traced the pumpkin.
Next I brushed Mod Podge over the letters so the edges would stay crisp when I painted over them.
9. Paint the Box.
I painted my box with a white chalky-style paint. I dry brushed it on everywhere except where the pumpkin would sit and on the very front board of the box.
Then I painted the front board of the box with black chalkboard paint.
Let everything dry.
10. Remove the Vinyl Letters.
This part is easy, and now you have a cute saying on your project!
11. Attach the Pumpkin with Super Glue.
I used Gorilla glue, and it works great! I should note that I didn't cut the pumpkin perfectly straight, so not every side touched the board. I glued the parts that DO touch the board really well, and it's holding up perfectly!
12. Add the Light to the Back of the Board.
13. Add candy and a chalkboard message to the front, and you're ready for trick-or-treaters!!
I'm so happy my vision came together just the way I imagined! I love how it turned out!
As you can see, the light shines up from the back of the jack-o-lantern. As I mentioned, I wasn't able to get the pumpkin completely flush against the board. I may go back and try adding some hot glue or clear caulk to seal the gap so the light doesn't come through. But then again, I may just leave it!
You can also see why I left the board behind the pumpkin stained instead of painted. I wanted it to look dark behind the pumpkin when the light is off, and I didn't want any white brush strokes showing back there.
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