Goblin Lights, as we call them, produce a very eerie effect that we first used in the late eighties for one of our outdoor Halloween parties. Looking up, your visitors see strange glowing lights bobbing gently in the night sky with no apparent means of support. This effect is simple and really gets attention! We usually put up six or eight Goblin Lights at slightly different heights over our yard and house. All you need are some Light Sticks, 16" black balloons, helium and light weight fishing line.

Light Sticks are usually considered to be light-weight, but compared to the weak lifting power of helium every gram of weight makes a difference. Generally, one 16" balloon filled with helium will lift one of the small Light Sticks, but to lift one of the larger ones you'll either need a balloon with a capacity twice that of a 16" balloon or two 16" balloons tethered together.

Compare the two Light Sticks on the right. The small one is found just about everywhere during the Halloween season and weighs only 9.4 grams. The larger one on the right is a more powerful, 30 minute Light Stick that produces a very bright orange light. It weighs 21.2 grams, more than twice as much. This means you need more than twice as much helium to lift it.

Helium for your balloons can be bought in disposable tanks or you can have the balloons filled at a local party shop. First fill a black 16" balloon with helium and tie it off. Securely tie one end of some light-weight fishing line to the balloon. Let out about twelve feet of line from the balloon and tie a Light Stick to the fishing line. The distance from between them helps to keep the illumination from the Light Stick from reflecting off of the surface of the balloon and giving away the secret.

Just before you're ready to launch the balloon, snap the Light Stick and give it a good shake to activate it. Now let out the line allowing the balloon, with it's cargo to raise into the sky. When it's at the desired height, we like between fifty and a hundred feet, cut the line and tie it off the something stronger than the pull of the balloon.

Obviously this effect will only work at night, preferable with little or no moonlight showing. Wind is a real problem, even a light breeze will push the balloon away and down towards the ground, preventing the balloon from raising straight up. Since Cyalume sticks come in different colors and intensities you can mix-and-match to create a great Halloween effect.