Digging and Decorating the Graves

You can set up your scene weeks before Halloween, but I'd recommend waiting until a few days before for the big night for the gel crystals:

1. Pick a spot in your front yard that will not be in the footpath of trick-or-treaters. Most tombstone decorations come with yard stakes, that you insert into the ground to keep them upright.
2. Shovel a mound of dirt in front of the tombstone, giving it that freshly dug look.
3. Add your body parts and assorted gore sticking out of the mound, as if the dead are trying to escape.
4. Create a hole, about 5 inches deep, in the mound of dirt for the gel crystals.
5. Place a container down into the hole (again, plastic milk container, cut to about 4 inches high will work). This container will act as a barrier, keeping the dirt from absorbing the crystals.
6. The top rim of the container should be at least an inch below the surface of the dirt, so it is hidden.
7. When it's time for the gel crystals, pour them into the container, filling the hole to the top.
8. Put each small battery-operated light in a sealable plastic sandwich bag, and immerse them in the gel crystals.
9. Use a skewer or stick to adjust the lights in the crystals, bringing them closer to the surface for a brighter effect.
10. Place the battery-operated black light at the foot of the tombstone, shining up at the face. Because the lights are battery-operated, you may want to turn them on only at night.
11. Also, it's a good idea to have some large trash bags on hand, to cover your scene if it rains.