Halloween mugs are the decoration you actually use. A ghost mug on the kitchen shelf looks the part all month, then does the hot chocolate on the night itself, which is more than a paper bat can say.
We make two ghost mugs, one in stoneware and one in frosted glass, and a range of pumpkin mugs that cross over from autumn into Halloween without a costume change. his guide covers which to choose, what to drink from them, how to style them on a shelf when they are empty, and how to give them as a gift.
The two ghost mugs
Ghost Mug (stoneware)
The Ghost Mug is sculpted to look like a twisted ghost, with carved eyes and a matte stoneware finish. It holds 400ml, stands 10cm tall and costs £8.95. It is the one for hot chocolate on the sofa: heavy enough to feel like a proper mug, and the matte finish means it photographs well next to pumpkins and candles.
Because the shape is the decoration, it works on its own. One on a shelf with a tea light holder beside it is a finished Halloween corner.
Frosted Glass Ghost Mug
The Frosted Glass Ghost Mug is the lighter, cuter option at £7.99. It is frosted glass with a ghost design, 400ml again, 13cm tall and 15cm with its lid on, and it comes with the lid. That makes it the one for a desk, a child's hot chocolate or a drink that needs to survive a trick-or-treat walk to the door and back. Hand wash it, and take the lid off before it goes in the microwave.
Which ghost mug should you buy?
Stoneware for the adults and the evenings in. Glass for children, desks and anyone who likes to see the drink. If you are buying for a household, one of each covers everyone, and the pair still comes in under £17.
Pumpkin mugs that double as Halloween mugs
A pumpkin mug is a Halloween mug from the moment you put a ghost next to it. The difference is that it keeps working until the end of November.
The Large Pumpkin Mug – Purple is the obvious Halloween colour, and the Large Pumpkin Mug – Matt White and Large Pumpkin Mug – Grey are the ones to pick if your Halloween is more cute than spooky. All three are stoneware, 650ml and 9.5cm tall, which makes them a large mug by any standard and the right size for a hot chocolate with marshmallows on top. The Mini Pumpkin Mug – Autumnal Orange is the smaller 350ml one for children.
What to drink from a Halloween mug
A Halloween mug is a hot chocolate mug first. Beyond that:
- Pumpkin spice latte. Our pumpkin mug recipes post has a version you can make without a coffee machine.
- Warm apple juice with a cinnamon stick. The children's option for Halloween night. It smells like the season and nobody is awake until midnight.
- Chai or a strong builder's tea. The stoneware ghost holds heat well, so it suits a drink you sip slowly.
- Mulled anything. Mulled cider or mulled apple in the glass ghost looks right because you can see the colour through the frosting.
The 400ml ghost mugs take a standard sachet of hot chocolate with room for cream. The 650ml pumpkin mugs take two.
A drinks tray by the door on trick-or-treat night
Whoever does the rounds with the children comes back cold. Set a tray on the hall table with the pumpkin tea pot full of warm apple juice, three or four Halloween mugs and the LED cauldron, and nobody has to go through to the kitchen in a costume. Use the stoneware ghost and the pumpkin mugs here rather than the glass one, because a hall tray gets knocked. The Set of 3 Ceramic Pumpkin Tea Light Holders – White give the hall some light without a flame near the coats. For the rest of the hallway, see our hallway decor ideas.
Styling Halloween mugs when they are empty
For most of October a Halloween mug is on a shelf, not in a hand, so give it a job there.
- On open shelving: stand the stoneware Ghost Mug next to the Set of 3 Terracotta LED Ghosts, which run from 6.5cm to 12cm tall, so the mug reads as the biggest ghost in the family.
- On a tray: the frosted glass ghost with the Ceramic Witches – Set of 3 and one Black Stone Resin Pumpkin – Large. Keep it to three or four pieces so the tray still looks like a tray.
- By the kettle: two pumpkin mugs and the Set of 3 Mini Jack O Lanterns – Black, which are LED, so they can glow at breakfast without a flame near the toaster.
Our lighted ghost decorations guide has the rest of the ghost and witch styling, and Indoor Halloween Decorations: Cute & Cosy Ideas for Every Room covers the rooms beyond the kitchen.
Halloween mugs as gifts
A ghost mug is the Halloween gift for the people who are too old for sweets. Fill it with a sachet of hot chocolate and a handful of marshmallows, wrap the whole thing in one of the Set 2 Autumn Tea Towels – Embossed Acorn/Leaf and tie it with string. It works for a teacher before half term, a neighbour who does the big display every year, or a Halloween party favour that gets used again.
For a bigger present, put both ghost mugs, a pumpkin mug and the Scented Candle – Cosy, which smells of pumpkin, vanilla and nutmeg, in the Luxury Large Gift Box. That is a mug gift set for around £60 that covers October and November. More ideas in our autumn gifts for her guide.
Caring for Halloween mugs
The frosted glass ghost is hand wash only, and the lid comes off before it goes in the microwave. For the stoneware ghost and the pumpkin mugs, hand washing keeps the matte finishes at their best, and it is better to heat the drink first and pour it in than to microwave the mug. Our pumpkin mug care guide covers stains and storage.
After Halloween
Ghost mugs go to the back of the cupboard on 1 November, or stay out if you like them, as the stoneware one is plain enough not to shout. The pumpkin mugs carry on to the end of November, and the matt white and grey ones work all year. If you want the cute Halloween look without the ghosts, keep the pumpkins and swap the LED ghosts for the witches.
Final thoughts
Two ghost mugs and a purple pumpkin mug is a Halloween kitchen. Buy the stoneware ghost for yourself, the glass one for the children, use them on the night, and give them a shelf for the rest of the month. That is more Halloween homeware mileage than anything else at under £10.
Show us your Halloween mugs on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or TikTok. We share our favourites.
FAQs
What are Halloween mugs?
Halloween mugs are mugs shaped or printed for the season, such as ghost mugs, pumpkin mugs and black or purple designs. They are used for hot chocolate and warm drinks on Halloween night and styled on shelves and trays through October.
Is the ghost mug stoneware or glass?
We make both. The Ghost Mug is matte stoneware, sculpted as a twisted ghost with carved eyes, 400ml and 10cm tall. The Frosted Glass Ghost Mug is frosted glass with a ghost design, 400ml, 13cm tall and comes with a lid.
Can you put hot drinks in a frosted glass ghost mug?
Yes. It is made for cosy drinks and is microwave safe once the lid is removed. Hand wash it rather than putting it in the dishwasher.
How big is a Halloween mug?
Our ghost mugs hold 400ml, which is a standard large mug. Our pumpkin mugs hold 650ml, which is enough for a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows on top.
Are pumpkin mugs Halloween mugs?
Yes, if you style them that way. A purple or black pumpkin mug next to a ghost or a jack o lantern reads as Halloween, and the same mug carries on as an autumn mug until the end of November.
What do you drink from a Halloween mug?
Hot chocolate first, then pumpkin spice latte, warm apple juice with cinnamon for children, chai or mulled cider. Anything hot and seasonal suits a ghost or pumpkin mug.
Do Halloween mugs make good gifts?
Yes. A ghost mug filled with hot chocolate sachets and marshmallows, wrapped in a tea towel, is a Halloween gift for teachers, neighbours and party guests who are past the sweets stage.
How do I clean a ghost mug?
Hand wash the frosted glass ghost mug and remove the lid before microwaving. Hand wash the stoneware ghost mug too, to keep the matte finish looking new, and pour hot drinks in rather than heating them in the mug.
When should Halloween mugs come out?
From 1 October, when the pumpkins and autumn decorations are already out. Use them through Halloween night and put the ghosts away on 1 November, keeping the pumpkin mugs out for the rest of autumn.
