DIY Hanging Jack-O'-Lanterns Like in Harry Potter 🎃✨

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating that magical floating jack-o'-lantern scene like in Harry Potter, you’re in luck! This DIY is super fun, easy, and will give your home that spooky, enchanting vibe perfect for Halloween. Here’s how I made my floating jack-o'-lanterns—and you can too!

What You’ll Need

Here is a link to everything listed below.

• Craft pumpkins (I used 9-inch)

• Carving tools

• Battery-operated remote-controlled tea lights

• Clear wire or fishing line

• Command hooks with clear tape

• Drill

• Floating candles (optional, but highly recommended for extra magic!)

Step 1: Buy & Carve Craft Pumpkins

First, pick up some 9-inch craft pumpkins from your local craft store (I bought mine from Micheals). These pumpkins are perfect because they’re lightweight and easy to carve. Get creative with your jack-o'-lantern faces—classic grins or spooky expressions, it’s all up to you!

I used a small sanding stick to smooth out the styrofoam. Not necessary but I like how it cleaned it up a bit!

Step 2: Cut a Small Square for the Tea Light

Next, on the back of each pumpkin, cut a small square just big enough to fit your remote-controlled battery tea light. This way, you can easily turn the lights on and off without removing the pumpkin from the ceiling.

Step 3: Drill a Hole & String Clear Wire

In the top of the pumpkin's stem, drill a small hole to string clear wire or fishing line through. This clear wire is key to achieving that “floating” effect—no visible strings!

Step 4: Hang from the Ceiling

Use Command hooks with clear tape to attach to the ceiling. I ended up not using the adhesive that comes with the command hooks because after a few tests, it didn’t hold very well. However, the Gorilla clear mounted double sided tape worked wonders.

Hook the clear wire around the Command hook to suspend your pumpkins. Space them out for that perfect floating jack-o'-lantern scene!

Step 5: Add Floating Candles & Enjoy!

To really nail that Harry Potter vibe, I added floating candles (which I found on Amazon) to enhance the look. Once everything’s in place, turn on the tea lights, dim the room, and enjoy your magical floating pumpkins!

Final Thoughts:

This DIY is perfect for creating a spooky yet magical atmosphere in any room. Whether it’s for Halloween night or just to set the mood for the season, these floating jack-o'-lanterns will impress everyone who walks in! 🧙‍♂️