Jack-o'-Lantern treat bags for Halloween

These Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern treat bags are perfect for class gifts, to hand out to trick or treaters, for a Halloween lunch box or a Halloween party!

I know it's American but I've always loved Halloween, even before it was really a thing here in Australia. I really just love any reason to get together with friends and have fun. Every year we have all the kids over for a Halloween party and go trick or treating around our local area. Our whole area is very into it so it's a great atmosphere, with kids everywhere, having so much fun!

Contents

How to make Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern treat bags

You will need:

Orange tissue paper

A Sharpie (permanent marker)

Scissors

A pencil

The base of a springform pan or large bowl

Green electrical or Washi tape

Lollies/candy to fill it with

What does the Jack-o'-Lantern symbolise?

The tradition of the jack-o'-lantern dates back centuries, with its origins rooted in Irish folklore. It is said to have originated from the legend of "Stingy Jack," a cunning man who tricked the Devil and was doomed to wander the earth with only a burning coal inside a carved turnip to light his way. In Ireland and Scotland, people carved faces into turnips or potatoes to ward off evil spirits. When Irish immigrants arrived in America, they found pumpkins—native to the region—ideal for carving. The jack-o'-lantern became a central symbol of Halloween, evolving into the creative and festive activity we know today, where carving intricate designs into pumpkins is a beloved tradition for families and communities.

How to assemble your Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern treat bags

These are so easy to make and only take a few minutes!

Step 1

Lay your tissue paper out flat, leaving it in all its layers (mine had 5 layers/sheets in the pack. place your springform tin base (or large bowl) over the tissue paper (I make sure it's close to the edge so I can maximise the number of circles I cut).

Step 2

Trace the circle with the pencil and then cut it using your scissors. You should have a stack of circles. (as I mentioned, I had five.)

Step 4

Take two layers of paper and place a handful of treats in the middle (top tip: don't use anything with sharp corners on the packaging as it rips the paper. I didn't think about this so had to trim the corners off the packets). Pile them up to give your Jack-o'-Lantern height but don't put too many or you wont have enough paper to make the stalk.

Step 5

Gather the paper up into a point at the top and use your washi or electrical tape to create the stem at the top. Then use your Sharpie pen to draw the triangles for the eyes and nose.