Halloween decorations get gory, and some prefer to dial it down

By KIM COOK
Associated Press

For some people, the scarier the better when it comes to Halloween decorations. There are plenty of bloody zombies and monsters with glowing eyes and sound effects. That can be part of the fun. But others, including those with little kids, find the aesthetic disturbing and prefer Halloween without the gore. There are plenty of ways to dial down the violence and still get a spooky and dramatic Halloween look. Some decorations play off of old science and wizardry, with celestial illustrations and potions. Some take a playfully gothic turn. You can stick to the traditional orange-and-black color scheme, or not. One crafter makes rainbow-hued garlands and paint-splattered pumpkins. Another uses just black and white. You can buy floating candles a la Hogwarts to go over a party table.