# Halloween in your area



## halloweenscreamqueen (Jul 23, 2007)

Yeah, this is our second High Unholy Holiday in our new neighborhood. I think the area is pretty quiet. Last year a neighbor from around the corner stopped to chat as I was putting up some lights and said her daughter wanted to know if we were "just weird" or "really liked Halloween!" I told her to tell her daughter we were both!

We did have about 300+ TOTers, so it can't be all bad!


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

A couple of near neighbors put out a few lame inflatables and toss up some webbing (that looks like a cotton candy machine exploded - darn it, there's an ART to stringing up webbing people!) but otherwise, we're one of maybe 10 houses in a HUGE subdivision that goes all out. 

The majority of our street don't even turn on their porch lights or hand out candy for the ToTs.

We don't socialize with the neighbors so I have no idea what they think of our display.


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## WickedBB70 (Aug 23, 2007)

Frankie's Girl said:


> ...
> We don't socialize with the neighbors so I have no idea what they think of our display.


We don't socialize either, but I heard a few folks' comments last year (OMG! What were they thinking? They're scaring the children! 

- DUH! it's Halloween!!!)


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

We are definitely the talk of the town. There are a few other houses that do a few inflatables or maybe a scarecrow and a bale of hay but nothing like what we do! I love the attention and its very flattering to have kids lined up to take their picture in your yard but, honestly I'd love to see others put out a good display too. I want something to look at beside my own stuff!


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## Lady of Chamberwell Manor (Oct 16, 2006)

We've moved to a new neighborhood (and state) since last Halloween. but last year we were the only ones in our whole neighborhood who did anything. After 4 years of doing it everyone began to anticipate it and ask when we were going to start setting up which was nice. In our new neighborhood we've already made LOTS of friends and they tell us that 2 other houses went all out last year, so hopefully that will bring even more TOTers our way! I can't wait to find out!


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## theboogeymengraveyard (Aug 21, 2005)

I just move out and finally got my own place so I don't know what people do in my area for Halloween but come set up time i'm sure the neighbors are gonna be watching and shocked if they have never seen my set up at my parents house. Also if 2000 people show up again like last year for my free haunt i'm sure someone gonna be pissed.


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## IshWitch (May 19, 2006)

We are the only house that has a haunted walkthrough in our neighborhood. Many put out something, several do lights and some bit of decoration. What was really funny last year was the house at the opposite end of our street had a church carnival for Halloween night!


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## Huffman Haunts (Jul 31, 2007)

I'd say there are about 2-3 other houses in my neighborhood that put up some pretty good stuff in their yard. [graveyards, witches, pumpkin inflatables, etc.] The rest of the folks just put up haybales, craft scarecrows, mums, and other decorative things for the fall season.

I remember TOTing in this same neighborhood when I was a kid. There used to be 3 actress witches in a yard stirring a cauldron and chanting. It really creeped out the kids. Also, there was a guy who ran around the neighborhood in a mask and trenchcoat scaring kids!
But the best of all was a guy who actually brought a black horse into our subdivision. He was riding this horse around the streets dressed as the Headless Horseman! It was so awesome!


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## jdubbya (Oct 4, 2003)

I guess our house has become a "must see" for a lot of folks. We're the only house for a few blocks that does any kind of display. It's fun to see the crowds and have people comment on the effort. I guess I appreciate any effort people put into the holiday, whether it be inflatables, a newspaper stuffed dummy, or even a simple jack o lantern. Not everyone takes it to an extreme like a lot of us, but kudos to anyone who takes time to at least put something out there.
When we were kids, there were no real elaborate displays of any kind. Most houses put out a basic JOL and some paper cut outs on the door.


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## childofthenight (Aug 24, 2007)

My wife and I are the only ones for a couple blocks who go all out.we have a few neighbors who put up a strand of lights and one across the street who is deco cutesi . my next door neighbor moved in a couple of years ago said"halloween is my holiday" I thought alright!compitition! then he put out tombstones painted on cookie sheets. then I decorated.now he says christmas is his holiday. ereet... wrong too! I could help him, but he is a butt muncher. but about a block and a half away, one guy does well! we live in the country, about 3 miles from town and i'ts cool to hear"oh your that house that has all the spooky stuff" when I'm talkin to someone downtown.I'm really gonna give it all I got this year. My wife just bought me a muli- channel lightning machine today! this is gonna be soo cool! God I love halloween!!!!


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Hard to say, the neighborhood is 3x as large this year as last year. I doubt it will be that great, since most of the people here are retired or getting near retirement age. That means no young kids. Every time a house sells, we hope for some 30-somethings, but it never happens.


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

I don't think I'm at the status where people anticipate my yard haunt... yet! This will be my 3rd year in this house. A few of you already mentioned that you don't know your neighbors that well and that's something my wife and I have said, too.

It's kinda crumby to think how anit-social some of us have become. I wish it were like when I was a kid and everyone knew everyone and always helped out.

ANyway, several houses on my street decorate in some way or another, but my house is by far the most in depth. Hopefully, having a haunted walkthrough next year and the year after attract more tots - we only get about 50 or less.


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## Death Wraith (Aug 31, 2005)

As far as I know we have the biggest display in our town of 12,000. Everybody else who puts out anything uses store-bought tombstones, maybe a fog machine or strobe light. Our first year decorating (three years ago) we made the front page of the paper.

Our display is only out for the one night. I spend the entire week before setting-up and helping to run our local haunt the city puts on. Then it's RUSH RUSH RUSH to tear down and haul everything over to our house.

We get maybe 200 Tot and I don't feel we are a 'must-see' for people YET! But we're really just getting started!

DW


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## TheGothicPrincess (Sep 7, 2007)

I live in the country 20 minutes from town, so the only traffic we have are the church go'ers twice a week. I know they are sitting at church praying for us. Seriously though we have to ask people to come out to see what we have done.


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## TommyHawk (Feb 14, 2005)

My neighborhood's still pretty new, but there are lots of kids. Seattle is, usually and of course, pretty rainy on Hallowen which cuts down on lots of the ToTers. There are quite a few houses in my area that decorate at least somewhat, and I always mention to them that their stuff looks great.

But I should say this: SHAME ON YOU posted blighters pissing on anyone else's Halloween decorations. Putting out anything in celebration of our favorite holiday is certainly worthy of your attention and best regard. It's "something" or "nothing" - and "nothing" won't add to anyone's enjoyment of Halloween. Check your Halloween spirit - you're losin' it.


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## gennifyr (Aug 22, 2006)

We started decorating 2 years ago but it's been slow going because we don't really have the cash to throw into it. We are the only house in our neighbourhood that really decorates but there a lots of houses that decorate in my city (pop 100,000). 

We only get about 20 or so kids though, I have never seen many trick or treaters in the city though.

There is one house that goes all out for Halloween and claims to get several thousand kids stopping by. In my opinion only, it's nice to see once but it is really overkill. Their yard is jam packed with inflatables, dozens of dummies in several different unrelated scenes, a hearse, massive cemetary fence set up which is too big for their tiny yard. It's entertaining for what it is, but I think it's tacky because of the extreme amount of stuff they have. 

I think Halloween might be bigger here if we had better weather. If it's not freezing and raining on October 31st than it's snowing.


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## childofthenight (Aug 24, 2007)

I didn't mean what I said that way. I love anyone who decorates. except the guy next door he decorates then dodges the toters (on purpos) jjust so he doesnt have to buy candy. People like that, I would rather have them not decorate at all. sorry if I offended anyone.


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## Hellspawn (Jul 2, 2007)

We only have a few houses in our area that "decorate" for halloween, thats about the same amount who encourage trick or treating, its pretty discouraging when 3/4 of the neighborhood turn off thier lights on halloween, its pushing the kids out to other neighborhoods.

Im slowly getting the reputation for my display, last year I had a lot of drive up trick or treaters which was encouraging, but in all, still only had mabey 60 ToT's alltogether.

in the end, it wouldent matter how many ToTs I got, ill still decorate and enjoy the season, if I dont have any traffic, its everyone elses loss.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

I've always thought it would really really suck to be in a snowy climate for Halloween. What's the point of having a costume if you have to wear a heavy coat, mittens, cap, scarf and galoshes?


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## WickedBB70 (Aug 23, 2007)

wilbret said:


> I've always thought it would really really suck to be in a snowy climate for Halloween. What's the point of having a costume if you have to wear a heavy coat, mittens, cap, scarf and galoshes?



That's why we buy our costumes a size (or two) bigger.... to put our coats, mittens, scarfs, etc, under it  Seriously, we have to think about this, it's our reality at the end of October... Maybe one day, I'll go down to Florida or some place warm on halloween just to see what the costumes really look like without the coats underneath them 


PS: BTW, I too didn't mean to offend anyone who "just put out a JOL" on their porch on Halloween night.... Something is better than nothing, I totally agree... And yes, as long as it brings ToTers to the area, I'm all for it


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Our town is pretty good. Most houses have JOL's and a few do decor, ranging from lights and scarecrows to costumed guys sitting on the porch waiting to pounce! We live in an apt building but our window boasts lights, lit plastic JOLs, and whatever I think can be seen from the street 3 floors down! So we are the haunters to be


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## MorticiaAndGomez (May 7, 2007)

We live about 10 miles out of town and also seem to be the only Halloween freaks in our area. We have a few neighbors that will put up a couple of inflatables and others lights, but that's about it. We do have 1 house in the next town that has a graveyard that takes up the ENTIRE yard so they are who we ave set our sites on. A little competition maybe? I have heard through the grapvine that they have seen our set-up last year,so I am putting extra effort into this year. Let he games begin ! MUAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!


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## halloweenking (Aug 6, 2007)

It's weird where I live. There's two major develpoment sections. Both are gated. Anyways one side does a contest and then our side doesnt. It's funny because our develpoments are the same. Theres about 30 houses in each one. One side has a contest every year and the other side (my side doesnt). They go extreame and have people decorate there house for Halloween and Christmas. It just really sucks because that's the cool side of the develpoment and mines not. But it's even greater because the people hire other peole to do it for them. It's like they don't like Halloweenn and there missing all the fun. Man I don't like those kinds of people.


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## ironmaiden (Aug 5, 2003)

Since we started to really decorate the yard about 4 years ago alot of folks here in the neighborhood also joined in. We have more stuff out including a cemetery etc but others now have tombstones, lights and sketetons. I like it.

Our neighbors are terrific, they never complain about our decorations. The family directly next-door are particularly nice. I give them what I can no longer use and they put it out in their own yard. 

I think folks in the northeast celebrate Halloween more than in some other areas of the country.


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## Deadna (Oct 19, 2002)

Some years neighbors might decorate but then it seems they ALL stop all of a sudden for some reason. Our town is decorating all over the place with cornstalks/scarecrows on all the light posts and even have little twinkle lights tucked inside the stalks....love fall decorating of any kind!
They even added HUGE groups of flower pots overflowing with plants that are gorgeous. Our fall festival is next week and it will be the start of getting people in the mood to do their houses!


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## strange1 (Oct 23, 2005)

I live in a small town that has a lot of small towns around the area with an average of 2000 people each.
With fall coming the cooler temps and wonderful fall colors and halloween around the corner I start to see people putting bales of hay, jols, corn stalks and an occasional scarecrow up for the season.
All of this helps puts me more into the haunting mood.

I love Halloween (Or the spirit of it ) I love making props to entertain the little folks as well as the older ones.
I want to give them something to remember for the rest of their lives.

I don't put up decorations at my home because there are some people who just love to destroy things others have taken the time to build.
Or the props grow legs and walk off.
Yes, I could put up cameras and such, but that takes money away from my decorations.

I have settled for setting up my props in a near by town with some other people.
They aren't into Halloween as much as I am, but they do it for the kids, and you gotta give them credit for that.

It is set up for just 2 days and it is all free to anyone who wants to go through it and the little ones receive candy.

I would just love to have my own haunted place so I can work on it through out the whole year to get it just right.
But with some people's mentality, I would hate to do all the work and see it destroyed or stolen in just a few hours.

So with all of this I can understand why people don't decorate more than what they do.


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## darkness (Sep 1, 2005)

I don't really live in a neighborhood, but there are a few people in the area that decorate pretty good. I don't get many TOTs though.


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## harrison36 (Sep 4, 2007)

me and my friends are the only crazies that go all out, but my house is also the most popular place to go on that wonderful night. my "lab" scene last year with the open heart surgery prop really gave em the creeps


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## Ween12amEternal (Apr 15, 2006)

We're the biggest decorators on our street; luckily we've got a few in neighborhoods nearby that do it up big, so it keeps the TOT traffic up. I'm always just glad to see folks celebrate the season, whether it's with just a JOL, bale of hay & scarecrow, or all out graveyard/themed scene & walkthrough. You gotta love everyone getting into the spirit!!


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## Mrs Leatherface (Nov 26, 2006)

We live in a big subdivision with lots of neighboring houses so we get plenty of TOT’ers. Nearly every house gives out candy. Within the last three years since we started our garage haunt we’ve seen more outside Halloween decorations go up, mostly the inflatables. Last year one house had the big inflatable haunted house. Kids commented that his haunted house was good but ours was so much better! I think the neighborhood has seen how we go all out and has made an effort to get more in the spirit and that’s what it’s all about! I’m looking forward to see what the neighborhood will do this year!


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## njwilk (Oct 18, 2005)

My house is the best in my neighborhood (hey, not my opinion - scientific survey of all the kids and grownups who stopped by last year). Things are picking up on my street though - once my stuff starts going up, a few others put out JOLs, lights, webs, ghosties in trees. More every year. Last year I took some photos early in October of some of the decorations I spotted around town. 
Pictures here


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## HauntedHorror (Aug 8, 2006)

There are some people who do small decorations and a few people do spiderwebs or those inflatables, but me and one other person on my block are the only ones who really do a lot of decorating. The neighborhood I live in is primarily Jewish so many of the people around here don't celebrate Halloween at all. Some of them still do give out candy however. The funny thing is, I usually have a Halloween party and at least 90% of the people who come to my Halloween party are orthodox Jewish  (which makes sense because probably about 90% of my friends are orthodox.)


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## wickeddiana (Sep 10, 2007)

If I had a house, I would decorate the hell out of it. But since I live in a condo its more dificult.


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## rodneypig (Aug 13, 2006)

I am the only one in our area that "goes all out" for Halloween, a couple of my neighbours try but there is no real competition!! Only joking, I would love other people on my estate to join in but at the same time I enjoy being different. I heard last week that news of my display has spread atleast 10 miles away so I had better buy extra sweets this year.
It is interesting to see that some of you guys are considered weird as well, being in the uk, Halloween is thought of as a time for young kids to make trouble and scare old people. I have been trying to change this image over the last 7 years and I hope that I am getting somewhere, we have never had any trouble.
Hey, I like being weird!


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## MrsMyers666 (Oct 19, 2004)

There are only a few houses (including mine) that so a display. There are no haunts. The kids love it though they have something to look forward to when there are only a few reall all out houses.

I always get from the nieghbors as I start setting up, "Oh, she's at it again." I've heard lots of comments about kids saw the house on the bus home and made their parents walk by later, also people going out of their way to walk their dog to see it. Makes me feel good.


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## littlespook (Aug 11, 2003)

We decorate the most in our neighborhood, the creepier the better. Some of the neighbors buy those inflatable items, but I don't like those. There are other homes in our town that go all out, but I think mine is the best. Our house looks haunted 365 days a year anyway!


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## BigGeek (Nov 3, 2006)

*When does everyone put out their displays?*

Hey, just wondering when everyone actually begins to put their displays out? I'm really itching to get started and thinking about doing so this coming weekend. So far, I've just been getting my things down in preparation.

Made a few updates to some of my props, began working on a few new ones. Can't wait to start setting up. The worst part is that it's really difficult to mow once the display is out. We've had lots of rain this year, so the yard is still nice and green.


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## JDJD (Sep 27, 2005)

We live in a suburb of Montreal, so the neighbourhood doesn't really end. Although I find it hard to believe, we're pretty much the only over-the-top display around. In fact, I've only come across one other big display, a few miles away. It's a bit corny, but at least the guy is doing something special.

It's a pretty upbeat area and everybody has positive comments. There are six houses on our crescent and the neighbours really love the display. Then again, they're all kinda scared of me so they don't dare say otherwise. Heh.

It's mayhem every Halloween, in particular now that we've been doing it for several years and word has spread. Moreover, a lot of folks drive their kids over to our neighbourhood because the handouts are generally of good quality; not the low-end crap I collected as a kid.

Somebody's gotta do it. Just glad it somehow became us.

JD


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## bozz (Sep 22, 2006)

I've already put out 2 scarecrows and more to come, and later on I will put mask's over their happy faces. its cool to see the neighbors take notice as the faces change over night, heck I'm glad when I see an inflatable out, so few people do much around here other than a JOL or 2.Thats what I like about scarecrows you can put them out now as fall decor and then creep them up later on.


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## MrsMyers666 (Oct 19, 2004)

BigGeek said:


> Hey, just wondering when everyone actually begins to put their displays out? I'm really itching to get started and thinking about doing so this coming weekend. So far, I've just been getting my things down in preparation.
> 
> Made a few updates to some of my props, began working on a few new ones. Can't wait to start setting up. The worst part is that it's really difficult to mow once the display is out. We've had lots of rain this year, so the yard is still nice and green.


I'll probably put my fence out Oct. 1 and gradually add to the lawn. Most things aren't out till 2 weeks before for me and the best stuff only the day of, mainly because of weather.

We lost some kids in the neighborhood this year (families moved) so not really sure what the turnout will be this year. Also debating whether or not to do goodie bags or just big candy bars.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Our town(Excelsior) is pretty cool. Every year they haunt out the trolley car and little museum and call it the Ghost Trolley and Boo-seum. We also have a little garden center that has a free 'haunted maze' and weekend hayrides. Sounds cute right? I checked it out today and IT ROCKED. My 2 year old was totally scared of the dozens upon dozens of monster dummies in various scenes, including one that looked like a bro rape, while a recorded telling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is playing over a speaker. I will go back with my camera!


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## hurricanegame (Oct 13, 2006)

To the person who started this post or whomever:

Our area is "ok" when it comes to people participating and putting up decorations/props. I live in CANADA as well and it seems after about 1997 ish Halloween took a turn for the worse.....and became outdated and or boring to some, I kind of found myself in teh category of finding it some what boring I don't know why because ever since I was a kid this was almost better then getting gifts on Xmas.

I would have to say within the last couple of years Halloween has found new life particularly in Canada..there are more party stores (I just got back from one) with props...the old moms and pops custome stores seem to be coming back...people are dressing up LIKE CRAZY and in MASS AMOUNTS each year at the office where I work...more kids are allowed to trick or treat etc..

In my "hood" I have some people that have already put out the spider webs, scar crows, different hanging decorations so I would have to say I hope things will pick up this year.

I will be going CRAZY with my display this year AND my pictures will be posted once I get started.


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## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

We pretty much are the house around here and we don't even do half of what some of the folks do here on the forum!

Last year the lady at the bread store recognized me & said>>>"Aren't you the Halloween Lady from Swicegood?". I was thrilled! Not to many do very much around me but I had 176 TOT's last year. 250 if ya count the parents that came in my house for a TREAT too!

This year I'm going riding around early to look for houses that go all out! Maybe I can get enough people rounded up that love Halloween like I do and we can start a group. We could get together to do the building projects & also to have a Halloween party made up of people that really enjoy the spirit of Halloween.

Picking that guy up in the PVC section at Lowe's was the 1st person on my list of Halloween buddies. I'll do it anyway I have too! Lol!

Mistress Muffy


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## Morbius J Kromwell (Aug 18, 2007)

We should all just move into the same neighborhood and start our own real life Halloween town. Can you imagine...


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## flash (Sep 28, 2006)

well i can say im it . its just not big downunder. but im trying to change it. oh n how do i get the cobwebs to look good?


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## CraigInPA (Sep 11, 2007)

I live in a 20,000 person town, which is a suburb of a city (200,000 people), which is a suburb of a metropolis (3 million people), on a main street that has literally thousands of cars that pass it every day. From down town to my house is 2.5 miles, passing probably 100 grand old houses. If you keep going on the street, you'll pass another 40-50 houses before you hit the next "town".

Except for a guy with some inflatables, my house is the ONLY one on the street that's decorated for Halloween. 

Turning down the nearby side streets, you'll find another vast wasteland of Halloween spirit.

Whenever I'm outside, I get car horn honks and "thumbs up" from people driving by, joggers and walkers on the sidewalk stopping to chat, and very positive comments from all of the neighbors. 

At night, the graveyard is lit with blue lights, boris skulls sing along to the music, and 48 channels of lighting dance to the music. The other day I was standing out there around 7pm, the start of the first musical number, watching the bori singing "Graveyard Rock", and a guy I don't know walked up, stood there and watched it for a while, said "This is really cool. Do you see the skulls are singing the song?" I replied "Yes, kind of neat, isn't it?" and he said "I need to bring the kids to see it. It's like Disneyland." and walked away. I'm sure he didn't know it was my display.

I hope he comes around with his kids on Halloween night, and they tell their friends to come, too. Last year I had 0 (yes, ZERO) TOT's. The previous year I had 5. I have to chalk it up to very few children of the appropriate age in the town, and parent's paranoia about accepting candy from strangers.

The irony is that our town runs a contest for "best Holiday display" around Christmas, and virtually EVERYONE is over-the-top in decorating.


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Our neighborhood was pretty bland when we moved in 4 years ago. Just 1 house doing a spook alley 2 blocks away. Part of the problem being that if you leave my front door and turn right, it's all newer houses in a home owners association. And I understand only certain things are allowed decorating wise. (my cousin lives in one of those houses) Pumpkins, bales of hay, cornstalks, and other generic 'fall' decorating, nothing real halloween specific. Even Christmas is bland to the right there, same wreaths and garlands on every house...

Last year though, after 2 years of my decorating, nearly every house had SOMETHING out to the left. And a couple of folks off to the right broke their rules and put up inflatables, and one sat out pretending to be a dummy, scaring kids as they approached. 

This year, so far, there's 2 graveyard scenes within a block of the house, couple houses with inflatables, one with some retro stuff, bunch more with ghosts in the trees...off to the left, anyway. No one to the right has decorated as of yet...do not know if they got fined for violating the rules last year. 

But, the most telling thing of all, to me. Neighbors across the street. Older couple. They dislike Halloween. They have gone out of their way to let me know, politely, that they really prefer my Christmas stuff to "that stuff you do on halloween". And, we're pretty sure they're the ones that called the cops 2 years ago. 

I can't really blame them, I'm sure they got a little spillover from the 360 ToT last year. And noticed their porch light go off early in the evening last year. Previous years had number down below 200ish, so I'm sure it was a bit of a shock to them. 

However, they have NEVER decorated in ANY way before. There is a single, solitary, LIT pumpkin in their window. ALREADY.


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## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

I do what I consider a simple yard display (in comparison to some of the excellent stuff I see here) and then there's one other guy about 3 blocks away. That's it 

I put most of my energy into our halloween party.


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## skullboy (Sep 5, 2006)

Most folks here put up the happy scarecrow thingys and pumkins with big happy faces.There Is one other house in our hood that goes all out,they buy all of thier stuff but at least they make an effort.


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

Well, three weeks till the big day and STILL almost no halloween decor anywhere other than my own. Unusual even for this town. Not that there is ever anything big to speak of but usually there are the houses with the scarecrows and pumpkins and the houses with the inflatables (I've seen one so far) and a couple that do small graveyards. I keep thinking there's been a ban on Halloween and I didn't get the memo!


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

Living near Orlando, lot of people like to go to Universal Horror Night....I went a few years back, but the chain saw guys scared me to death!! Next weekend, we have a table at the Horror Convention here in Orlando, lots of famous people coming to it. Should be fun!!


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## hurricanegame (Oct 13, 2006)

beautycastvixen said:


> Living near Orlando, lot of people like to go to Universal Horror Night....I went a few years back, but the chain saw guys scared me to death!! Next weekend, we have a table at the Horror Convention here in Orlando, lots of famous people coming to it. Should be fun!!


Since I was a kid this was why I was always fascinated with the US...I loved video games (still do some what), loved the different attractions the US has to offer such as what you mentioned above!

It must be cool going there around this time of year WOW I can only imagine for NOW.


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I guess I take living here for granted. Especially so close to Orlando and Mickey Mouse!! Honestly, I miss my home though, which is Scotland.


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## Phantom of the Opera (Oct 1, 2006)

i've seen a few houses in the neighborhood putting up pumpkins and maybe a scarecrow or skeleton, but nothing elaborate. i indefinitely have the best in setup the neighborhood, but i rarely get TOT's. last year i got 14! only 14!!!!! this year, i'm doing an even BIGGER setup, and i'm gonna go around the neighborhood handing out fliers to houses(not putting them in the mailbox) and advertising it. this will be the first year i stay home from Trick-or-Treating, so i want it to be good. me and some of my friends will be in costume running the haunt.

hopefully this year will have a good turnout. I've had people asking when i would set up, my next door neighbors specifically.


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## halloweenking (Aug 6, 2007)

wilbret said:


> I've always thought it would really really suck to be in a snowy climate for Halloween. What's the point of having a costume if you have to wear a heavy coat, mittens, cap, scarf and galoshes?


In Colorado your snow coat and gloves become your costume. It's like traddition to go as a skier or snowboarder for back up. Oh I hope it's nice this Halloween. It was perfect last year) (first time in 4 years it diden't snow) and I missed it due to work.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Madame Leota said:


> Well, three weeks till the big day and STILL almost no halloween decor anywhere other than my own. Unusual even for this town. Not that there is ever anything big to speak of but usually there are the houses with the scarecrows and pumpkins and the houses with the inflatables (I've seen one so far) and a couple that do small graveyards. I keep thinking there's been a ban on Halloween and I didn't get the memo!


I think some years people do more earlier and some years later. It could be the weather, or just hectic daily living. I am seeing a bit less so far as well, but I'm feeling even more into it myself this year than last. Then I look for stuff and I find it, like a house that didn't decorate last year has gone full on this year! The less your neighbors do, the more likely your house will be the center of the fun!


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

We do not too bad in our area, we have about 3 other houses that make a serious effort (tombstones, that kind of thing) and a few more decorated by and for the little ones(kleenex ghosts and pumpkin leafbags mostly). I'd say about 40% of the houses at least put out a pumpkin).

When I was a kid in the 70s if you didn't have at LEAST a pumpkin - you were trouble. 

By the late 80's my folks were one of two houses on the block that decorated. Most shut off their lights. But now things seem to be making a comeback...no where near the "good ol' days" but better.

I think the urban legends and the cold weather are still driving a lot of ToTers to the malls around here.  We average only about 40 kids a year.


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## jonny g (Jul 28, 2007)

I am lucky to have another Halloween fanatic in my neighborhood. I would say I have the #2 house in our neighborhood, as most everybody else puts up little if anything at all. The other guy in my neighborhood has a really great setup and gets probably over 2,000 TOT's. People always ask "Are you trying to compete with that other guy?". I say "No, we are both just big fans of Halloween". Luckily for me, the other guy in my neighborhood has helped me out a lot. I am a lot further along now than I would have been without his help. And yes, I think people think we are both crazy for doing all this work for Halloween. My biggest motivation is the kids, because I will always remember the houses that went all out for Halloween when I was a kid, now I'm returning the favor! Check out my myspace link for some pictures, you can watch the slideshow, they are toward the end. If you slide the bar up on the side you can skip all that other crazy stuff.


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## halloween house (Sep 4, 2006)

I live in a sub-division of 254 homes and I am the only one that goes all out. People in the division may not know me but they know my house as the "Halloween House"


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

halloweenking said:


> In Colorado your snow coat and gloves become your costume. It's like traddition to go as a skier or snowboarder for back up. Oh I hope it's nice this Halloween. It was perfect last year) (first time in 4 years it diden't snow) and I missed it due to work.


Yeah, here in Utah, you see a fair amount of coats instead of costumes as well. Usually not snowing, but COLD. Nothing like a spiderman mask peaking out from under that huge puffy coat and mittens. 

Hence why my own costume incorporates a hair-on deer hide (essentially a fur coat).


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## wandererrob (Aug 21, 2007)

This is my first Halloween in our new neighborhood so I have no idea what to expect. We still don't even know if they do trick or treats on Halloween night of do it on a nearby saturday, which area towns have been known to do from time to time. *shrug*

That being said, ours (my parent's that is) was that house on Halloween though only to a limited extent and mostly by my doing. Nonetheless it was always well received and people would come back each year and I'd overhere them comparing to last year. I hope to duplicate that now.

I've only just begun decorating, with the bulk of the haunt being set up Halloween day. We have very little road frontage so a drive by display is limited at best. I've only got 4 gravestones and my cewmetery sign out right now. And since we have a dog, the bulk of my haunt has to wait so as not to tie up the back yard until the big night. We only have one other neighbor I've seen with ANY decor at all so far so who knows what will come. 

Between Halloween and Christmas I'll likely be "that neighbor". 



As and added aside, I'm really looking forward to Halloween from a social perspective too. There appears to be a decent number of kids of varied ages in our nieghborhood so hopefully this means a decent TOT turnout. We've been in our house 6 months and have met only a few of our neighbors. We're hardly home during the summer and when we are we've been working around the house getting things settled. Our neighbors... I'm not sure they ever go outside. So hopefully this will bring about a little chatter and some long overdue intros. We're social people by nature, it'd be nice to know our neighbors better.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

Wandererrob-hope your new place turns out to get at least a few TOT's!

We're all familier with the "keeping up with the Jones' theory", right? I really think that if a few houses decorate, the neighbors will feel compelled to do the same. Like if they see others do it every year, then it's OK for them do do it too! That's my hope anyway!


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## wandererrob (Aug 21, 2007)

Morbius J Kromwell said:


> We should all just move into the same neighborhood and start our own real life Halloween town. Can you imagine...




ooh... that's a good idea! }


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I am so excited we are going to the Horror Convention next weekend!!! Although we are on the glamorous side as vendors, someone accurately said that even the Haunted Houses have a hot babe on the outside!!


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## Phantom of the Opera (Oct 1, 2006)

theworstwitch said:


> Wandererrob-hope your new place turns out to get at least a few TOT's!
> 
> We're all familier with the "keeping up with the Jones' theory", right? I really think that if a few houses decorate, the neighbors will feel compelled to do the same. Like if they see others do it every year, then it's OK for them do do it too! That's my hope anyway!


it's definitely true. ever since i started decorating for halloween, it seems my neighbors now put out more decorations too.


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I haven't even thought about decorating yet!! Seems Halloween is coming so fast this year!


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## nyhaunter (Apr 15, 2004)

Wow, it seems this thread is really getting lots of traffic! I love reading about how it is in other parts of the country (and world). I live in one of the northern suburbs of NYC, lots of commuters, a "bedroom community" I think they call it. You can certainly tell which homes have put the effort into the holidays here. I live on one of the more rural roads outside of town and I can say our house is the one who goes a little overboard. I think I may have encouraged a few neighbors in recent years though, there are two houses who have really put out some majorly cool stuff this season. Other than that, most houses do the bale of hay, pumpkins and scarecrow type country look. More quaint than scary...but I can appreciate that too.


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I would choose the quaint over the scary any day!!


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## Hideous Creature (Sep 28, 2004)

I have lived in two places that got no Halloween traffic before I moved in...once I started to decorate the first year, some neighbors got into the spirit by the second year. 

One place was on a major street in Pasadena Ca and one day some Japaneese tourists who spoke no English got out and took photos with my monsters! They shook my hand and bowed afterward as a way of saying thank you..and by the next year more people had started to decorate (luckily we were not over run with tourists!)


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## Mistress of the Abyss (Sep 21, 2007)

What a great thead!! I live in ONtario Canada in a small town of 3600 people. We're pretty much the only ones that decorate to the extreme in our area.

On out street we have older people residing but almost no one has a a closed door on Halloween. Since we live near a street corner we can see peolpe coming fro further away. I've had TOT pointing to our house and saying "we need to go THERE next!" .

The one strange thing that bugs me though is I've actually had parents stop by the van fulls to go tot'ing at our neighbours (they are super religious and have a church choir with some kids). They get their treats from them, hop into their cars and leave! HELLO??? Very obvious decorated Halloween house right next door!!!

The one sad thing is that this will be our last Halloween at this house. We just purchased a bigger house just this week! Now were we are moving to is out of town of an even samller town (try about 500!!). I think we'll just be decorating for ouselves. But hey....you never know!!!


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## TxRat (Oct 11, 2007)

We bought our second home this past January and have decided to give it a go one more time on decorating. We started putting up a few things and the Neighbors told us that they dont get too many ToT's. We hope to change that. Theres a couple of houses that have followed suit and have decorated.


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I love the tamer side with decorating...not so much into too many ghoulish things. One year I was in NY at Halloween time, and a guy had a whole set up of car wreck in his yard with fake blood and body parts all over. I just don't get that at all......just sick.


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## BigGeek (Nov 3, 2006)

Yeah, I think different preferences for different people. We do a lot of scary stuff, not necessarily *gory* (although we do have our share of severed heads in the yard). But, more focus on the eeriness of the holiday.

I just appreciate anyone who takes the time to decorate for the holidays...all holidays. And it's great no matter what the context. I just like all the spirit that holiday decorating brings about.

Decorate and have fun!


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## ElGuapoGuano (Oct 5, 2006)

There are at least 3 houses in my neighborhood that go "All Out" including my house. Just met another fellow haunter as I was setting up my giant spiderweb. He invited me over to take a look at his display. And I was very impressed. He has a huge maze built in his yard that flows into his garage, which he has built a quite impressive cave maze. The twenty foot tall monster he is currently working on is quite cool too. Sure wish I knew how to work with foam like this guy. 

I put out a pretty impressive display, but I'm gonna have to step up my game next year...


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## BigGeek (Nov 3, 2006)

The fellow haunter you met should join up here and post some pics. His display sounds pretty cool.

I've directed several people here after they saw my yard and wanted to get involved and do their own haunts each year. I haven't seen many registered yet, but I'm sure their lurking around.


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## beautycastvixen (Sep 27, 2007)

I don't think anyone goes all out in my neighborhood. I have been here just a little over a year, and last year nothing special. Sadly, I don't think I will have time to decorate this year...


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## hurricanegame (Oct 13, 2006)

I have been really busy but I intend on driving through the city (going to buy MORE props LOL after) and seeing how many people have decorated their houses/or how many haven't. My area is some what "dry" but i don't care I have already heard people tell me at work that they are going to come by and check out my display, so with a little word of mouth and notority maybe I can inspire others here in Canada to STEP it up.

The person above me who mentioned he/she is from Canada as well...where abouts? It's a shame you don't see many people getting into the spirit either, but in due time...for some reason I see Halloween picking up a bit - the stores are decked out with props, PROPS ARE GOING FAST!, malls are getting into the spirit and hopefully I can say the same about other houses come next week at the latest.


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## GatorBlood (Jun 16, 2007)

We are pretty much "THE" house in the neighborhood. A few years ago there was a house down the street but I believe they've moved. There is a guy around the corner that runs around with a chainsaw (chain removed) on Halloween night.
2 years ago I scared a few of the younger kids, I try not to scare the younger ones, but it happened. Anyhow, Last year they came back. The one told me that I scared her the year before and I wasn't going to this year.  
We've had parents take pictures with there kids all dressed up in front of our decorations. Some may think we are crazy or whatever but I really don't care. Have kids tell me I'm not going to scare them and all makes it worth while.


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## DeadEnd (Nov 10, 2006)

In our neighborhood our house it the one that stands out the most...and no, I'm not being biased here...LOL  Everyone does a little something. Our next door neighbors do tombstones an flying ghosts, the folks next to them have skull yard lights and a huge skeleton hanging from their front porch, the next folks down have a huge inflatable pumpkin. We tend to do more decorating than everyone else for Halloween...but they all blow us away at Christmas...LOL 

As far as ToT's go, our neighborhood is a strange animal, some years we are packed to the gills with 'em, other years, we only get a handful. We are hoping to have a good amount this year since we stocked up on candy. Either that or the last few kids of the night are getting a ton of goodies...


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## wandererrob (Aug 21, 2007)

wandererrob said:


> Between Halloween and Christmas I'll likely be "that neighbor".



I was talking to my neighbor across the street for the first time in weeks it seems. Their kids love my decorations and are excited. Seems my predecessor didn't even give out candy!  What a crime!

I assured them, "Oh yes, there WILL be candy at my house! ".

I'm home tomorrow so I'm hoping to put out a few new additions. I'm trying to add a few things every few days or so to build up to the big night.


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