What $25, $75, and $300 Actually Buys You in Halloween Skeletons

Skeletons are the one Halloween decoration that works at any price. A $4 one on a mantel looks good. A big animated one stirring a cauldron stops the whole neighborhood. We went through the shelf and built three setups, one per budget, so you don't have to.

The $25 setup: small and sneaky

Total: $24.40

The Multi Pose 'N Stay Skeleton is $15.43 and holds whatever pose you give it. Sit him on a bookshelf with a coffee cup. Park him at your desk. Hang him half out of a cabinet.

Then scatter the Skeleton Mice (3 ct), $8.97, across the kitchen counter. Someone will scream. It's the cheapest laugh on this list, and setup takes about five minutes.

The $42 setup: the guy by the front door

Total: $42.47

The Realistic Poseable Skeleton at 60" is $29.97. That's a full-size skeleton for less than a takeout dinner. Sit him in a chair by the front door or lean him against the wall, and he'll get the delivery driver every time.

Add the Bag of Skulls (16 ct) for $7.23 and line them along a walkway or fill a bowl by the door. Then hang the 56" Banner Ghosts ($5.27) somewhere people will walk under them.

Heads up: the 60" skeleton is in-store only, so stop by a Zurchers to grab him.

The $300 setup: the one everyone talks about

Total: $293.13

The 6 Ft. 7" Animated Light-Up Skeleton Stirring Cauldron is $280.63. He's over six feet tall, his eyes light up, and he stirs a cauldron all by himself. That's the whole pitch. It's built for indoor use, so give him the entryway, the garage, or the corner of the party where everyone will walk past. Everything else you own becomes the supporting cast.

Round it out with the same Bag of Skulls ($7.23) and Banner Ghosts ($5.27). If you'd rather have the 4 Ft. 10" Animated Light-Up Corroded Skeleton Reaper, it's $341.83, so you'll be a little over the line. Nobody's checking.

Heads up: the Stirring Cauldron is in-store only because of its size. Shipping isn't available.

Small stuff worth grabbing while you're there

• Skeleton Groundbreaker Tabletop (8"), $10.57, for the snack table
• 16" Pumpkin Skeleton with Loose Joints, $4.23, our favorite cheap one
• Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington Light Up Pumpkin (10"), $18.23, for the fans
• Skeleton Spiders (3 ct), $5.93, because a skeleton spider is a spider that's already lost

Building out the rest of the scene

A skeleton needs somewhere to haunt. Pair yours with a graveyard or a pile of pumpkins and the whole display finally makes sense.

Graveyards & Tombstones

Halloween Pumpkins

Still need costumes, balloons, and party tableware? Those are in our Ultimate Halloween Guide.