DIY Lit Halloween Cauldron – Witches’ Brew, Spiders, and a Bonus Cocktail!

Spiders, witches brew, and lights—oh my!

We love Halloween! In the southern part of the U.S., we’ll do just about anything to pretend summer has finally ended, even if the thermometer still says otherwise. When the afternoons are hot but the evenings start to cool, it’s the perfect time to bring out the decorations and a little bit of spooky sparkle.

This glowing cauldron project was a fun way to kick off October. For now, it’s brightening up our living room, but on Halloween night, it’ll head outside to greet trick-or-treaters with a little extra magic.

Materials

• Plastic cauldron — found at most craft or hobby stores

• A string of white lights on black wire

• Fluffy fake spider web

• Fake spiders (we went classic black, but any color works)

• Extension cord

The spooky cauldron

Once you have everything gathered, you’re just a few steps away from a bubbling, glowing centerpiece.

The lights!

The spooky spider web and spiders.

Everything ready to go!

Instructions

Start by adding the lights to your cauldron. No need to be artistic—just coil or layer them inside until you get an even glow. If your lights have green, white, or clear wire instead of black, that’s perfectly fine too.

Because these are incandescent lights, they’ll warm up a bit as they run. Turn them off when you head to bed, and never leave them unattended—especially around little ones or curious pets.

For extra spooky fun, try a set of chasing lights. The gentle flicker creates a bubbling, “boiling brew” effect that brings your cauldron to life. You can see how chasing lights create that fiery shimmer in the photo below.

Next, tuck the fake spider web over the lights.

Then, add your spiders. Ours managed to get tangled in the webbing long before we reached this step—completely by accident, of course. We decided to leave them as they were rather than untangle the chaos, which somehow made the whole thing look even better.

Artistic critique: We love the contrast of the small and large spiders perched over the glowing “witch’s brew.” It’s spooky, a little whimsical, and—dare we say—worthy of display in the living room.

Plug in lights. You're finished.

Wasn't that quick and easy?

And here’s another photo—because we can.

Have a lovely (and slightly spooky) Halloween, everyone! 🎃

If you try this project at home, we’d love to see it! Share your spooky cauldron photos and tag us @christmaslightsource or use #christmaslightsource on Meta.

With all this talk about witches’ brew, it feels only right to wrap up with a beverage recipe to enjoy after all that hard work.

Witch’s Brew Cocktail

A quick and easy sweet cocktail to toast your Halloween creativity!

You’ll need:

• Highball or rocks glass (the glass you choose will determine how much soda you add)

• 1 oz Midori

• 1 oz vodka

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Juice of ½ lime

• Sparkling water or soda

• Ice

To make:
Fill your glass with ice. Pour in the Midori, vodka, and citrus juices, then top off with sparkling water or soda.

For a smoother version, skip the ice in the glass—combine everything except the soda in a shaker with ice, shake well, and strain. Add a splash of soda to finish.

 

Witch’s Brew Mocktail

A sweet, fizzy non-alcoholic version of our Witch’s Brew—perfect for kids, designated drivers, or anyone who just prefers their magic without spirits.

You’ll need:

• Lemon-lime soda or sparkling water

• A splash of pineapple juice

• A few drops of green food coloring (optional, for that eerie glow)

• Ice

• Optional: gummy worms, candy eyeballs, or a slice of lime for garnish

To make:
Fill a glass with ice. Add the pineapple juice and food coloring, then top with soda and stir gently. Garnish however you like—creepy or classy, your choice.

Cheers to Halloween fun for everyone! 👻

Check out the video of this project!

Published 10/2/2020. Edited and republished 10/19/2025.