Halloween Ghost on a Swing - 5ft Hanging Outdoor Decoration with LED Lights

Description

This is a life-size Halloween ghost sitting on a real, working swing, lit from within by LED lights with a remote and eight lighting modes. The ghost stands 110 to 120cm and the swing hangs on ropes up to 180cm long, and because the seat takes 100kg, a child can actually sit on it once the ghost comes off.

Most outdoor Halloween decorations are flat, static and read as decorations from about two metres away. A ghost on a swing does something different: it hangs from a tree or a verandah beam at head height, it moves when the wind moves, and at night the fabric glows from inside. People walking past do a double take, which is the entire point. It is the piece that makes a house the one the kids talk about on the way home, rather than one of the houses with some decorations up.

Specifications

What's in the Box

Why This Works When Flat Decorations Do Not

• It hangs at head height - most Halloween decorating happens on the ground or on the wall. Something suspended in mid-air in your front yard is unexpected, and unexpected is what people remember.
• The fabric is weighted - thickened, weighted draping fabric hangs and flows properly instead of blowing flat like a bedsheet. That is what makes it look like it is floating rather than like laundry.
• It lights itself - LED lights inside the ghost with eight modes and a remote, so it glows from within after dark instead of needing a spotlight pointed at it.
• The timer means you set it once - 6 hours on, 18 hours off, so it comes on and goes off by itself every night through the season without anyone touching it.
• The swing is a real swing - rated to 100kg, so once Halloween is over the kids get a swing out of it rather than the whole thing going in a box.

How Do You Hang a Halloween Ghost Swing?

Find your anchor first and everything else follows. A solid horizontal tree branch is the classic choice, but a verandah beam, a pergola rafter or a sturdy porch joist all work. The rule is simple: whatever you hang it from has to comfortably hold an adult's weight, because the swing is rated to 100kg and someone will eventually sit on it. Throw the ropes over the branch or beam, adjust to your preferred swing length up to 180cm, and tie off securely - a properly tied knot beats a hook you are not sure about. Assembly of the ghost and swing itself takes about 10 minutes following the instructions. Hang it where it has room to swing without hitting a wall, a window or a fence.

Can a Child Actually Sit on the Swing?

Yes - the swing is rated to hold up to 100kg, which is what makes this different from a decoration that only looks like a swing. In practice most people run it as a decoration through October with the ghost in place, then take the ghost off and leave the swing up for the kids afterwards. Two things matter if you are going to let anyone sit on it: the branch or beam has to be genuinely solid, not a limb that flexes when you pull on it, and the knots need checking before each use rather than assumed. Children on any swing should be supervised, and it should hang clear of hard edges, fences and paths.

How Long Does It Take to Set Up?

About 10 minutes for the ghost and swing according to the instructions, plus however long it takes you to get the ropes over your chosen branch. Do the fiddly part on the ground: assemble it, fit the 3 AA batteries into the light unit, and test all eight lighting modes with the remote before it goes up, because standing on a ladder discovering the batteries are in backwards is nobody's idea of a good afternoon. Once it is up, set the timer and you are done for the season - 6 hours on and 18 hours off means it handles itself every night.

Where People Hang It

The front yard tree is the obvious spot and the one that gets the reaction, because it is visible from the street and from passing cars. Verandahs and front porches work well because the ghost is protected from the worst of the weather and still clearly on display. Pergolas, patios and back yard trees are the choice for people running a Halloween party rather than trick-or-treating, where the swing becomes the feature everybody photographs. Indoors, a high ceiling in a hall or a large open space will take it, and the internal lighting means it works in a dim room without extra lighting.

Pair It With

A hanging ghost is the centrepiece; the rest of the yard should support it rather than compete. 3pk Hanging Ghost Decorations in smaller sizes hung around it turn one ghost into a group. Web the tree trunk and the fence with a 2.5m Giant Stretch Spider Web or the Giant Stretch Cobweb Set, with a Giant Spider Prop caught in it. A Life Size Skeleton seated on the ground beneath the swing, ideally in the Novelty Shackles and Chains, completes the scene. Light the ground with 50pk EL Glow Wire and hand out 6 Inch Glow Sticks to the kids who come to look.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is this hanging ghost?
The ghost itself is adjustable between 110cm and 120cm tall, and the swing hangs on ropes adjustable to a length of up to 180cm - roughly 5 feet - so the whole assembly is substantial rather than a novelty size.

Does it come with batteries?
No. It needs 3 AA batteries for the LED lights and remote, and those are not included. Have them on hand before you start, and fit them before the ghost goes up.

What are the 8 lighting modes?
The remote cycles the LED string through eight different patterns - steady, fading and flashing effects. Test them on the ground first and pick the one you like, because it is much harder to fiddle with once it is hanging from a branch.

How does the timer work?
The remote sets a 6 hours on, 18 hours off cycle. Switch it on at the time you want it to start each evening and it repeats on its own daily, so you are not going outside every night to turn it on.

Can I leave it outside in the rain?
It is made for outdoor display, but the battery-powered light unit is the part to protect. Bring it in or shelter it in prolonged heavy rain or strong wind, and be aware that wet fabric hangs heavier and takes longer to dry than it looks.

What can I hang it from?
Anything that would comfortably take an adult's weight - a solid tree branch, a verandah beam, a pergola rafter. Do not hang it from a thin limb, a gutter, a fence rail or a light fitting.

Can we use the swing after Halloween?
Yes, that is one of the better things about it. The seat is rated to 100kg, so take the ghost off and it stays up as a swing. Check the ropes and the anchor point before each use.

Fast Australian Shipping

We ship from Australian stock to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin, plus regional addresses in every state. This is the kind of piece people plan a display around, so order early - it is our fastest-moving category through late September and October.

Colours may look slightly different on screen due to lighting and monitor settings. Please allow a small variation in measurements, as sizes are taken by hand. Batteries are not included. Hang only from a structure that will safely take an adult's weight, check ropes and knots before every use, and always supervise children on the swing. Keep hanging ropes and fabric well away from children under 3.