Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for 2024: Get Ready to Wow with These Spooktacular Themes

Forget doorbells—this Halloween, it’s all about the trunk.

When Halloween rolls around, most people think of kids running door-to-door, pillowcases in hand, hoping for king-sized candy bars.

But if you’re one of the growing number of trunk-or-treat enthusiasts, then you know that Halloween has found a new home—in the back of your car.

That’s right, the trunk-or-treat tradition has turned parking lots into mini-haunted neighbourhoods where the creativity (and candy) flow freely.

So, how do you make sure your car steals the show?

Whether you’re going for cute, creepy, or completely over the top, this guide has trunk-or-treat ideas that are sure to give your ride some serious Halloween flair.

From DIY setups to themes that will have kids—and adults—lining up for treats, here’s how to make your car the star.

What Exactly Is Trunk-or-Treat?

(Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who’s asking.)

Trunk-or-treat is like a Halloween tailgate, minus the game and plus a lot more candy.

Families gather in a central location (usually a school or church parking lot), park their cars, pop open the trunks, and decorate them with Halloween themes.

Kids go from trunk to trunk, collecting candy in a safe and fun environment.

It’s a fantastic alternative to traditional trick-or-treating, especially if your neighbourhood isn’t as bustling on Halloween night.

For more details on how to organize a safe and fun event, check out this guide to trunk-or-treat safety.

50 Trunk-or-Treat Ideas for a Halloween Like No Other

Easy Trunk-or-Treat Ideas (For When You’re Short on Time)

(Minimal effort, maximum impact.)

@travel2usawithus Trunk or treat for everyone who don’t know what it is: you’re decorating the trunk of your car and distribute some treats to the children it is a lot of fun! #trunkortreat #halloweenforchildren #pumpkinpatch #usa #travel2usawithus ♬ The Pumpkin Patch – The Happy Racers

Classic Pumpkin Patch
Decorate your trunk with a couple of inflatable pumpkins, autumn leaves, and orange fairy lights. It’s simple, classic, and gives off a cozy fall vibe that’s perfect for Halloween.
Spooky Spider Web
Cover your trunk in fake cobwebs and plastic spiders. Add some glow-in-the-dark webbing for extra creepiness. This is one of the easiest setups that still packs a spooky punch.
Skeleton Crew
Position plastic skeletons sitting in your trunk, maybe having a “party” or “driving” the car. Simple props can do wonders when arranged in fun, playful scenes.
Glow Stick Wonderland
Line your trunk with glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark decorations. Use neon tape to outline spooky shapes or words. It’s a cheap and fun way to light up the night.
Mummy Car
Wrap your trunk in white fabric or toilet paper to create a mummy. Add big googly eyes, and voila! You’ve got a wrapped-up masterpiece that’s both cute and eerie.

Creative Trunk-or-Treat Themes (Stand Out from the Crowd)

(Get your Pinterest boards ready—these are showstoppers.)

Candyland Dream
Create a sugary wonderland with oversized candy props, colourful decorations, and pastel-coloured lights. It’s a whimsical theme that’s perfect for kids (and adults with a sweet tooth).
Super Mario Kart
Transform your trunk into a scene from the Mushroom Kingdom. Add Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi cutouts, and hang power-up icons like stars and mushrooms. Bonus points if you wear the costumes!
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Recreate Hogwarts in your trunk with broomsticks, a Sorting Hat, and spellbooks. Line the inside with flickering (battery-powered) candles and maybe some “floating” keys.
Jurassic Park
Who doesn’t love dinosaurs? Deck out your trunk with dinosaur toys, palm leaves, and a Jurassic Park sign. You could even dress up as a park ranger or T-Rex for added fun.
Star Wars Galactic Empire
Whether you’re on the light side or the dark side, a Star Wars theme is sure to be a hit. Add lightsabres, stormtrooper helmets, and maybe even a Darth Vader cutout.

Scary Trunk-or-Treat Ideas (For the Brave)

(For those who want to add a bit of fear factor.)

Haunted Graveyard
Create a mini graveyard in your trunk with faux tombstones, skeletons, and some fog for atmosphere. Add a few eerie sound effects to amp up the spookiness.
Zombie Apocalypse
Turn your trunk into a post-apocalyptic scene. Use ripped clothes, fake blood, and cardboard “zombie hands” reaching out. Add an old radio playing static for a haunting vibe.
Vampire’s Lair
Decorate your trunk with black and red drapes, a faux coffin, and some plastic bats. Don’t forget the vampire teeth and fake blood!
The Exorcist
For the true horror fans, recreate a scene from The Exorcist. Use a doll or mannequin to represent the possessed girl and play spooky music to set the mood.
Witch’s Potion Shop
Set up a potion-making station in your trunk. Use bubbling cauldrons (dry ice or fog machines are perfect for this), and label bottles with “eye of newt” and other spooky ingredients.

Pop Culture-Inspired Trunk-or-Treat Ideas

(Everyone loves a good pop culture reference.)

Hocus Pocus
Pay homage to everyone’s favourite witch trio. Create a scene with a cauldron, broom sticks, and spooky gravestones. Dress up as the Sanderson sisters for a bewitching touch.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Bring Jack Skellington to life with black-and-white decor, pumpkins, and some glow-in-the-dark accents. It’s a fan favourite, blending both spooky and whimsical.
Stranger Things
Recreate the Upside Down with Christmas lights, “missing” posters, and dark, creepy vibes. Add some 80s props for extra nostalgia.
Disney’s Haunted Mansion
Turn your trunk into a mini version of the iconic Haunted Mansion. Use portraits that appear to “move” and dim lighting for a spooky, magical effect.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Arrr, matey! Set sail with a pirate ship scene complete with treasure chests, a pirate flag, and some skeleton crew members. Maybe even throw in a Jack Sparrow costume.

Cute Trunk-or-Treat Ideas (For the Little Ones)

(Soft, adorable, and perfect for younger kids.)

@ba6ically.beautiful.life My favorite trunk or treat hack by far! Chances are, your fridge are covered in these like mine so that’s one less thing to buy for your trunk or treat set up! I still used tape around the top but using the magnets on the sides allowed for me to fully cover the back of my vehicle and create a more seamless look. Also the paint on my truck went unharmed which made my husband really happy. save and share with a friend. #magnets #trunkortreat #hack #momhack #halloween #spookyseason #easydiy #babysharktrunkortreat #good2grow #easylife #easylifehacks ♬ original sound – Sheena Shanell

Under the Sea
Create an underwater scene with blue fabrics, fish cutouts, and seashells. You can even add a treasure chest full of candy for kids to “dive” into.
Farmyard Fun
Bring the farm to your trunk with hay bales, stuffed farm animals, and maybe even a cardboard barn. It’s cute, fun, and easy to pull off.
Teddy Bear Picnic
Set up a cozy picnic scene with teddy bears, blankets, and picnic baskets filled with candy. It’s perfect for a sweet, innocent trunk-or-treat theme.
Toy Story
Who doesn’t love Toy Story? Use your car to create scenes from Andy’s room, complete with Buzz, Woody, and the gang. A giant cardboard “Etch A Sketch” adds the perfect touch.
Fairytale Forest
Turn your trunk into an enchanted forest filled with fairies, gnomes, and woodland creatures. Use twinkling fairy lights and artificial trees for added magic.

DIY Trunk-or-Treat Ideas (Get Crafty)

(For the folks who love a good DIY project.)

Haunted Library
Fill your trunk with old books, cobwebs, and spooky portraits. Make it feel like a haunted library by adding flickering candles and eerie music.
Carnival of Horrors
Create a creepy carnival scene with striped fabric, balloons, and maybe even a creepy clown or two. Set up a candy game, like ring toss or fishing for treats.
Medieval Castle
Turn your trunk into a medieval castle with cardboard drawbridges, faux stone walls, and knights in rmor. Perfect for those who want to feel like royalty.
Mad Scientist’s Lab
Fill your trunk with “science” props like beakers, dry ice fog, and crazy inventions. Hang a “Beware: Experiment in Progress” sign and hand out candy as “science samples.”
Outer Space Adventure
Go cosmic with an outer space theme. Use black fabric and white dots for stars, add some inflatable planets, and maybe even an astronaut figure to explore the galaxy.

Classic Trunk-or-Treat Ideas That Never Get Old

(Sometimes the oldies are the goodies.)

Monster Mash
Fill your trunk with cutouts of classic monsters—Dracula, Frankenstein, mummies, and more. Add some fun music, and let the “mash” begin!
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Create a scene right out of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Use pumpkin cutouts, Snoopy’s doghouse, and other classic Peanuts characters.
Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call? Decorate your car like a Ghostbusters vehicle with logos, slime, and even a few proton packs. Add some green lights for the full effect.
Western Wagon
Turn your car into a western scene with bales of hay, cowboy hats, and horseshoes. Dress up as a sheriff or cowboy to complete the look.
Space Invaders
Go retro with a Space Invaders theme! Use pixelated aliens, cardboard spaceships, and neon lights to create a fun throwback vibe.

More Trunk-or-Treat Themes to Steal

(Because we’re not done yet!)

Frozen
Transform your trunk into Elsa’s ice palace with white fabric, glittery snowflakes, and blue fairy lights. Add some cotton snow and let it go!
Minecraft
Use DIY blocks to create a Minecraft scene. Green, brown, and grey boxes mimic the game’s pixelated aesthetic. Add a cardboard creeper for extra points.
The Addams Family
Snap twice and bring the Addams Family to life. Use gothic decor, fake cobwebs, and black and white colors. Don’t forget Cousin It!
Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine
Turn your car into the iconic Mystery Machine, complete with Scooby, Shaggy, and the gang. Hang a “Mystery Solved” banner and hand out Scooby Snacks (or candy, of course).
Minions Mayhem
Deck out your trunk with Minion balloons, yellow props, and some fun Despicable Me references. Dress up as Gru or one of his loyal Minions for a hilarious twist.

Last-Minute Trunk-or-Treat Ideas (Procrastinators, Rejoice!)

Bat Cave
Black fabric, paper bats, and a few spooky lights can transform your trunk into a simple bat cave. Easy, fast, and effective.
Sports Stadium
Represent your favourite sports team by turning your trunk into a mini stadium. Use jerseys, pennants, and sports memorabilia to show your team spirit.
DIY Monster Mouth
Cut out giant teeth from cardboard and attach them around your trunk’s opening. Voila! Your car has transformed into a candy-gobbling monster.
Wizards and Witches
Grab a few witch hats, brooms, and spellbooks. Line your trunk with purple and black fabric to create a mystical scene. Perfect for a last-minute trunk that still feels magical.
Pirate Ship
Use cardboard cutouts of a ship, throw in a treasure chest, and a few “pirate” props like an eye patch and toy sword. It’s an easy theme that still impresses.
Retro 80s Trunk
Get groovy with neon colours, cassette tapes, and boom boxes. Throw on a pair of leg warmers, and you’re ready to party like it’s 1985.
Dinosaur Dig
Use toy dinosaurs and “dirt” (brown fabric or paper) to create a dino dig scene. Kids can “dig” for candy among the dinosaurs.
Fairy Garden
Create a magical fairy garden with flowers, twinkle lights, and fairy statues. Add a mini candy trail leading to your trunk’s treasure.
Haunted Circus
A haunted circus is a classic yet eerie choice. Use red and white fabric, clowns, and spooky music to set the stage for a creepy trunk setup.
Retro Drive-In Movie Theatre
Create a retro drive-in scene with a small screen playing classic horror movies. Add a popcorn stand and old-school movie tickets for a nostalgic touch.

Final Tips for a Successful Trunk-or-Treat Setup

Don’t Forget the Candy – Stock up on a mix of chocolates, gummies, and fun-sized treats. It’s the highlight for the kids!
Keep the Weather in Mind – If rain’s in the forecast, have a backup plan to cover your decorations.
Choose a Theme That Suits Your Style – Whether you’re a DIY wizard or more of a last-minute decorator, pick a theme that works with your time and resources.

If you’re still wondering, what is trunk-or-treat and how did it become so popular, this NPR article explains how this fun, family-friendly event has evolved over time.