Forget plain plastic buckets — trick-or-treating deserves a little more creativity. With a few simple supplies (and maybe some hot glue), you can make candy carriers that are fun, festive, and way more personal. Here are 20 ideas to inspire your homemade Halloween bags and buckets.

1. Pillowcase Ghost Bag

Use an old pillowcase, draw spooky faces with a fabric marker, and tie a knot at the top. Simple, roomy, and classic.

2. Painted Canvas Tote

Grab a plain canvas tote and paint it with pumpkins, bats, or ghosts. Durable enough to reuse every year.

3. Pumpkin Paper Bags

Orange paper bags decorated with jack-o’-lantern faces. Great for parties or younger kids.

4. Mason Jar Buckets

Small jars with handles, painted in black or orange, with LED candles inside for extra glow.

5. Recycled Box Bucket

Cover a small cardboard box in black paper, cut a handle slot, and decorate it like a coffin or monster.

6. Felt Monster Bag

Sew (or hot glue) colorful felt pieces onto a tote to create silly monster faces. Googly eyes optional but encouraged.

7. Glow-in-the-Dark Bag

Use glow-in-the-dark paint on a black tote bag to make spooky designs. Kids will love seeing it light up at night.

8. Spider Web Bucket

Wrap white yarn around a black bucket to make a web effect. Add a plastic spider for extra creep factor.

9. Candy Corn Stripes

Paint a canvas tote in orange, yellow, and white stripes to look like candy corn. Sweet and simple.

10. Bat Wing Backpack

Cut felt bat wings and attach them to a small drawstring backpack. Instant transformation into a wearable costume prop.

11. Witch Cauldron Bucket

Paint a round container black, add a handle, and decorate with green slime drips made of felt or paper.

12. Frankenstein Tote

Green tote bag + black felt hair + bolts glued to the sides. A walking monster candy bag.

13. Glow Stick Carrier

Tape glow sticks around a bucket for safety and spooky glow. Bonus: no one loses their bag in the dark.

14. Skeleton Hand Bag

Attach glow-in-the-dark skeleton hands to the sides of a plain tote, so it looks like bones are carrying the candy.

15. Jack Skellington Face

Paint a white tote with Jack’s famous grin from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

16. Pumpkin Bucket Upgrade

Take a standard orange pumpkin bucket and wrap with black tulle, ribbon, or even lace for a fancier twist.

17. Haunted House Tote

Draw a haunted house silhouette on fabric and use yellow paint for glowing windows.

18. Vampire Cape Bag

Attach a small black cape to a tote — instant Dracula vibes while collecting sweets.

19. Ghostly Glow Bag

Use a white fabric bag and insert a small LED light inside to make it glow as kids walk. Safe and eye-catching.

20. Personalized Trick-or-Treat Tote

Use iron-on letters or fabric markers to add your child’s name. Not only fun, but no mix-ups with siblings or friends.

Final Thoughts

Making your own trick-or-treat bags adds a personal, festive touch to Halloween — and kids love carrying something unique. Whether you go simple with paper bags or creative with glowing totes, these homemade ideas make the candy haul even more magical.

(Want ready-made reusable trick-or-treat bags that last year after year? Check out our collection at easyholidaygifts.com.)