Halloween Buckets & Lanterns

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a Halloween candy bucket. Long before plastic pumpkins became a familiar sight on Halloween night, children carried decorated pails and containers for treats, and colorful paper mâché designs became part of the holiday's visual history. Surviving vintage examples are now sought after by Halloween collectors, particularly those with expressive jack o lanterns, black cats and other classic characters. Today's artists and makers continue that tradition with vintage-inspired designs that capture the wonderfully strange faces and playful spirit of early Halloween decorations.

Pumpkins may be the most familiar, but they certainly don't have the collection to themselves. Black cats, skulls, witches, owls, devils, ghosts, bats and other peculiar characters turn simple containers into decorations with personalities of their own. Some have cheerful grins and wide eyes, while others look appropriately sinister. Vellum inserts, cutout faces and open mouths allow certain designs to become lanterns or luminaries, giving those expressions an entirely different personality when illuminated after dark.

Paper mâché remains an important part of the collection and is especially well suited to the irregular shapes and aged finishes associated with vintage Halloween. Bethany Lowe Designs offers an extensive selection of nostalgic buckets and containers, while Cody Foster explores everything from traditional jack o lanterns to wonderfully unexpected characters. Seasons Gone By draws heavily from antique Halloween imagery, and Rags A. Muffin Junction brings primitive textures and timeworn finishes into the mix. Tin, resin, glitter, crepe paper, wire and other materials create still more variations for collectors to discover.

Halloween buckets are also remarkably easy to work into a display. Group several sizes together to create a gathering of faces, place a small figure or bottle brush tree beside a larger bucket, or use open containers to hold wrapped candy and lightweight seasonal accents. Illuminated lanterns can add a warm glow among pumpkins and folk art figures, while miniature buckets are perfect for feather trees and smaller tabletop scenes. The handles, unusual silhouettes and expressive faces add height and shape even before anything is placed inside.

Why Shop Halloween Buckets & Lanterns at Traditions?

Halloween buckets might just be one of our favorite things to collect. There's something irresistible about finding another strange old fashioned face, especially when it looks as though it could have been discovered in an attic with generations of Halloween decorations. We seek out everything from smiling pumpkin pails to peculiar cats, devils, skulls and creatures that are difficult to describe but impossible to pass up.

Serving collectors since 1994, Traditions is a family-owned holiday store with a deep appreciation for vintage-inspired Halloween décor and folk art. Our selection brings together buckets and lanterns from Bethany Lowe Designs, Cody Foster, Seasons Gone By, Glitterville, Rags A. Muffin Junction and many other artists and makers. We personally inspect products as they arrive and photograph our pieces in-house so collectors can see the faces, finishes, colors and textures clearly before choosing the next character for their collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I display a collection of Halloween buckets?

Varying the height and size of the buckets creates a much more interesting grouping than lining them up evenly. Place larger buckets toward the back, raise a few smaller designs on risers or boxes, and turn some slightly so the handles create different silhouettes. Small pumpkins, bottle brush trees and Halloween figures can fill the spaces between them. A grouping of different faces often looks especially charming when it feels like a collection gathered gradually over many Halloweens.

Can decorative Halloween buckets be used to hold candy?

Some decorative buckets and containers can hold lightweight items, but collectible pieces are primarily intended as decorations unless the individual product states otherwise. Materials such as paper mâché, vellum, glitter and crepe paper can be delicate, and unwrapped food should not be placed directly inside unless the item is specifically described as food safe. Wrapped candy can often be displayed inside an appropriate container while protecting its decorative finish.

What is the difference between a Halloween bucket and a Halloween lantern?

A bucket or candy pail generally has an open top and handle, recalling the containers traditionally carried for treats. A lantern or luminary is designed to create a lighted effect, often through openings, translucent inserts or a carved face. Some modern Halloween designs combine both ideas, preserving the familiar handled bucket shape while incorporating features that allow the character's face to glow.