# Why do we decorate ........ everyone, please help



## Toepincher (Jan 23, 2004)

I have been picked to be part of a article on why do people go all out to decorate for Halloween and to tell you the truth the question stumped me for a understandable answer.

I just cannot just tell them "it's fun" (we all know it is) I would love to give them a positive answer to why we all do this year after year. Do we do it to be different from everyone else ? To push buttons ? To perhaps take it to the next level in an opportunity to maybe become a product of profit ? To help others out? 

Please give me your imput on this so I can explain from everyone as to why. My mind is buzzing for the right words but I'm having trouble picking them. 

Why do you decorate ?

Also, I would love to bring this forum into the article as well so it is understood that there are many of us around the world who feel the same for all that is Halloween. ( if this is ok by Larry first )


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## RainyDayGhoul (Aug 30, 2006)

I decorate so that I can completely immerse myself in my favorite time of year! Having decorations in and outside my home serve as constant little reminders that it's the season! Since it only comes around once a year, I like to make it last!


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## Maze of Mayhem (Oct 12, 2006)

We do the Maze of Mayhem, approx size last year was 300 sq ft, this year hehehehhe will definately be bigger  We also put up the first week of October our cemetery, which is approx 200 sq ft. Every year people are always asking me why we do this, we being my self, my husband and brother in-law, and to tell you the truth it basically came down to one halloween we looked around our neighborhood and saw how many people had turned their porch lights off and weren't even handing out candy anymore. We remembered our halloweens being filled with lots of candy & even a couple of scarey monsters running around in the streets. Halloween isn't what it used to be anymore. We wanted to do something that was safe, fun and just for the kids. After all it is the one day of the year that we ALL get to be whatever we want, it should be fun and memorible.

By the way we are completely non-profit. All we ask for is a donation, and if a donation can't be given it's ok, we refuse to put a price on a childs fun.


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## a witch from canada (Jul 13, 2005)

for me halloween is where my imagination can go wild (as wild as my wallet can take me anyway lol) , it is the one time of the year to be someone else with a disguise and have fun with it , all my halloween childhood memories are fun ones with friends dressing up or of my mom and i doing all the candy bags together and the pumkpins and decorations , it is one way as well to express some talent i might have in decorating my house and doing props , a way of being original and apart from others , a fun way to share a passion with others that share the same and understand yours , share your ideas .....i enjoy seing the kids faces and reactions to something we did and be happy and pround and laugh about that.....


as a mom of a 3 year old little girl , it is now as fun for my daugther as well to see all these decors and to get a little scared sometimes in a good way , to do the candy bags with mom and the decorations with her mom and dad , to tell her daycare friends about her house with many pumpkins and she loves to give out the candy , she loves having all the people come over and show them everything , i think it gives her good sharing values .....

i could go on but this is mainly why i love and enjoy halloween , and liking nature as much as i do i love all the fall colors that adds to the show ....


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## babygirl_kmp (Sep 27, 2005)

I totally agree with everyone so far... I just want to add my 2 cents.
I decorate for halloween because it was me and my dad's favorite holiday. Every year we would go all out for our front yard and when I first met my fiance almost 7 years ago I sucked him in. hehe. He's the one who built our first real prop. A life size toe-pincher. Ever since we have tried to build one new prop every year. My dad got to see only a few before he passed away. 
Last year was the first year without my dad so I wanted to go all. We went from a small decorated front yard to a haunted house. I know my dad's up there hootin and hollarin at us on halloween.
So in other words, I decorate in honor of my dad. It's just my way of saying I miss him and I will never let the halloween in me leave.


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

The question I'd pose to them would be... "Why DON'T *you* decorate?"

We keep a tradition alive... or undead... or something like that.


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## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

I'm not rich. But Halloween makes me FEEL rich. It's as if I were a zillionaire and were handing out pieces of gold...only instead of gold it's memories. I so want to be the house that someday parents will tell THEIR children about years and years from now. DAMMIT...I guess I do it because I want to become a local Halloween LEGEND!


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## Guest (Oct 13, 2006)

Memories, exactly!
There was a thread some time ago asking everyone about the best compliment they'd received regarding their haunt.
My answer was basically this (and it relates to your question, swear to God!)
A father had brought his kids and a few of his kids' friends ToT'ing, and at my house they stayed a long while (there's lots to see!)... and he asked me why I did this kind of thing.
I told him that when I was a child, my family did it for the neighborhood, for us to show off a bit of our creative skills, yes, but mostly because Halloween is a truly special day for us. And we had so many wonderful, thrilling memories of Halloweens past, and I want to tribute and celebrate all that Halloween is and implies. The memories are so treasured.
And this father shook my hand, pointed to his kids who were off giggling and shrieking, and said "And now my kids have their own. Thank you."
That's why *I* do it. To observe my own special memories, and help create memories for children, and maybe even for a lot of grown-ups who've forgotten what it's like to just be free and enjoy the fantasy and the darkness for once.
My Irish ancestors, my German ancestors, and I even have some Mexican ancestry, all of those cultures celebrated passing over, the light and the dark, and I can't help but pay my own tribute to my heritage. 
Decorating, to any degree, is a way of preserving and celebrating, and remembering.

Mike C.


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## theworstwitch (Aug 14, 2006)

I am with everyone on this. I may add that some people decorate because it is a holiday! And don't we tend to celebrate holidays by decorateing our homes for halloween, christmas or whatever we celebrate? Kinda relates to Greencapt, 'Why DON'T you decorate?'


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

*Easy*

First of all, I thoroughly enjoy it. My wife has become just as bad...err...good about it, too. My birthday is 10/25, so I have always had Halloween-y birthday parties. 

There was a lady in our town growing up that went all out before people could even buy halloween stuff. I have no clue where she got it. She dressed like a witch every year, and made kids go up the steps thru the haunt to get her homemade treats.

I want kids to have memories like that. I would like to be the 'house' that has a good setup that parents make a point to take their kids to, now that kids aren't allowed to just wander about like I was.

Plus, I get a kick out of making stuff and I just love Halloween. Fate would have it that our street address is 1031 and there is an old cemetery in the woods across the street.


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## Dusza Beben (Sep 27, 2006)

Halloween is a time to remember those that came before us. How can we expect our young ones to remember us if we don't give them anything to remember?
To this day I remember the ONE house in my neighborhood that did a very simple haunt when I was a wee tot. I want to give other generations memories like that. Not only do I get to play "dress up" and become someone else for an evening, but as an artist i get to create a microcosm where the normal rules and disbeliefs that are thrust on us on a daily basis can be suspended for a brief moment and adults and children alike can remember how to play. We all want to leave our mark somehow, and if my mark is that some kid down the street gives directions to his house by saying "I live three doors past the pirate house" that works for me.


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## Hazbabu (Sep 1, 2006)

*multiple reasons*

I grew up in the county and there was no one around to even trick or treat at our house. Living in the city, there are tons of people around to enjoy it. I'm determined to be the cool house on the street, the one kids remember and look forward to trick or treating at with anticipation and fear. (Full size candy bars also help make us the coolest house on the street!)

We used to go all out for Christmas but ran into the problem of what to do next. Besides just adding more and more lights, how could we make our house stand out? With Halloween, it's easy to be the coolest house on the street. It's also great to decorate in shorts and shirt sleeves instead of winter clothes.

It's also a great family activity...and makes my kids feel pretty special. Even my 3 year old helps stick spiders to webbing and carries leaves around. It's one of the few activities my husband and I can both get into and we balance each other... he's into the blood and gore and I like subtle scariness and eeriness. 

As cars slow down outside to take a long look and young boys squeal their bike tires and skid to a stop...my husband and I look at each other and say, "That makes it all worth it."


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## Wolfman (Apr 15, 2004)

Nothing is more lasting than a Happy Memory. Hallowe'en gives us one shot a year at passing them out. I like to think that what we do for the kids will stay with them for all their lives. I can't say that about many other times of year.


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## babygirl_kmp (Sep 27, 2005)

I guess I might add that I just flat out love scaring the crap outta kids... HE/HE  At my dad's there were kids that couldn't wait to go to our house but yet would never come near it. They would always walk across the street and look from a distance on halloween nite. Their mom/dad would come get their candy and tell me he/she couldn't wait to get here but won't come near it lol. 
I think memories is one good topic for your article toepincher. We all have memories of halloween whether its our favorite, scariest, funniest, (you get the point).


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## Otaku (Sep 10, 2004)

I just love having the house and yard look really eerie for a night or two. The creative outlet is very much a part of it too, but the looks on the kids faces as they dare each other to come to the door are priceless. If my wife would put up with it I'd have the inside of the house decorated every day of the year. I just like a good, creepy atmosphere. All the time. I can't help it.


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## Guest (Oct 13, 2006)

I enjoy making props, and I admit I love getting compliments on them.
I love when the kids see my yard and break into a run or when the parents notice that I have new stuff. They appreciate the effort. I loved TOT as a kid and now I can treat others with some fun and really good candy. I give out the good stuff.



Why go all-out? 
1. Nostalgia: There is something that brings back happy halloween memories.
2. Creative outlet: You can be weird, traditional, gory, or old-fashioned.
3. You love being the "halloween house". O.K. We'll call it what it is...pride!
4. Escape: It is nothing but fantasy for an entire month. You can be whatever you want no matter how dark or you can be Raggedy Ann.

Chances are if you go all-out then you love the creativity as much as anything else but also I feel like you want people to enjoy halloween as much as you do.


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## stowasser (Aug 28, 2006)

I think I decorate because I can, it feels good to be creative and have people come by and go wow....but its really something that I want to give to my children, its a event that we can do together, enjoy and remember down the line. I know that my children will grow up and know that they were thought of as special, that we wanted them to enjoy themselves and enjoy life. I put together something for all the holidays and birthdays, its what I do to make others feel special and that makes me feel really good. Most of the time, I am boring old mom to my kids but they know that I make things special for them, whether its their grades, a holiday, a birthday or whatever, I really think it will stick and make them better little beings and they in turn will have and make better little beings. I have always thought that we don't laugh enough, whether its at ourselves or at situations, sometimes it can take the sting out of something if we find the humor in it, of course not everything we can do that with but its those happy memories that help up through the difficult time because we know there is light on the other side. My mother decorated moderately and of course I feel I turned out fine but I look at my parents now and they don't really celebrate those special little times and thats what I think each little holiday (of course a few major ones) is, its a time to stop, look around and have alittle fun. I think I will be doing this till I can't anymore and that makes me happy to know my great grandchildren are going to stop by and say trick or treat and hopefully I don't look like some of the objects in my graveyard scenes! LOL


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## Toepincher (Jan 23, 2004)

Please keep it going. I want this article to stand out and give all of us the true recognition for what we enjoy to do. 

Toepincherr x x


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## maureenpr (Sep 28, 2006)

My Mom keeps wondering where I came up with my Halloween itch, because where I grew up, we didn't celebrate Halloween, at least only a couple of us would get together and go up and down the streets, and only a couple of people where giving out candy. Later on, when I was a teenager, I thought I had outgrown that, and it's now, when I'm in my 40's that I'm really into it. So for me it wouldn't be memories, but more making up for lost time!!


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## saiynprincess (Aug 24, 2003)

I agree with all the sentiments expressed previously and would just like to add one more.

Most people look at autumn as the end...the end of summer and closing in on the end of the year. And they associate Halloween with death and darkness. Unfortunately, that all has a negative connotation in our society. 

Society today has no sense of balance - there is no light & dark. We're just expected to be "light" all the time, and forget the true meaning of this time of year - a time for reflection on our past, a time of rest & repose, and time to rejuvenate for the upcoming year. 

I suppose that by celebrating Halloween so openly and joyfully, I am trying to remind people to embrace ALL aspects of life, even those that are not "politically or socially correct".


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

I decorate to give the kids a bigger thrill. 

To understand that, imagine Halloween _without_ all the trappings. You walk up and down your street, knock on doors, and get candy. That's kind of blah. Other than that it's free, you might as well walk to the store. Okay, so let's up the ante, by getting the kids into costumes before they walk up and down the street. So they have a fun activity, if you like dress-up, but the adult response to it is still basically unenthusiastic, "breaking character", if you will. So, then, let's get the adults more involved, by having everyone put out a pumpkin or two and maybe a paper skeleton on the door. So now everyone is clearly into the spirit, but it's still a bunch of people conspicuously playing pretend. 

But when the door is answered not by a neighborhood mom, or even a mom in a costume, but by a skeleton ... when that certain house is surrounded by ghosts that glow and graves that gape and scary sounds from all the bushes ... when you actually are scared to approach the yard and have to dare each othe to go up and ring the doorbell, but you gather your courage and do it anyway ... now THAT's what I call an EVENT.

For the adults (myself included), there's always the eye candy. A really good display is a pleasure to behold for its own sake, as well as enjoying the kids' reaction to it. I put up my new cheesecloth-and-blacklight ghost last night in the bay window, got it moving by blowing a fan on it, and let me tell you, it is mesmerizing. When someone says, "Whoa, that's cool!" or "look, look, in the car!" you know you have given them an experience to enjoy and remember.


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## Charmed28 (Oct 7, 2006)

To me it feels like Halloween is a "party" that you can be free. You can be whoever you want. People become sexy, wild creatures! There is mistery.... I think we can explore the unknown without fear of being "weird". But just dressing up is not enough. Having a house decorated, that feeling in the air, gets people even more into it. Why do we watch terror movies or ride roller coasters? Why do we watch "fear factor" or "survivor"? It's the thrill. Something you are scared of, do not know if you can do, but now you are on a "safe zone". Yeah, you can eat someone's brain... Because it looks disgusting but it tastes like really yummy (usually a nice dip or a jello dessert!!). But you still have to look at the brain.. or heart... That is why I decorate, that is why I love hosting the party. I love when someone says, "ehhuuhhh" that looks awful, wow that is nasty!! And in the end they make faces but still eat it! and like it! My friends are different people on Halloween, I will tell you. Those costumes really change their personalities  even if just for one night!


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## MELevolent (Oct 10, 2005)

I've always loved decorating to make memories for my kids and the tots, but I started really going off the deepend a few years ago as a way to bring back the holiday magic for my older neices and nephews who were getting too old to TorT, so I put them to work scaring in our walk-through and I think it has become the holiday highlight of their year. I think it's sad when we treat adolescents like children all year long and then come halloween and anyone over 12 is suddenly an adult undeserving of candy!


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## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

I grew up with a Grandmother that always decorated and baked and so she rubbed off on all of us. She always had block parties with wonderful neighbors that created wonderful memories. Every holiday was celebrated to the max.

Over the years I have just done more and more and the first reason is "Myself".
I look forward to this even with all its work and such, only problem is as we get older it is hard, but I still am banging away!!lol I love it and every year all the new stuff that comes out...how can you even say you have enough stuff with all this new stuff they throw at us. Needless to say I do it for Christmas too!! Delirious decorating habits...that describes me quite well!

Secondly, its for the kids and I should mention that even tho I write in this forum how we need to do this for our kids, I sincerely mean that, but I have no kids and I still do it. Those faces when they come to the door and these small little kids saying "You have the best house in the neighborhood!". Well to me that is quite the compliment from a small child. I keep putting things up all month and by Halloween they can't wait to come to the door!

SO its for me and its for them. This one neighbor on one side said," Why do you do it?"...and I replied ...for the kids......he's just putting up his decorations and guess what......he has some new things and his wife is a school teacher, they are in their late 40's and they also have no kids, yet he is putting up more too now. (BIG SMILE) Think I'm rubbing off on them??hehe

Mistress Muffy


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## Spooky_BC (Sep 21, 2006)

Halloween is fun because unlike other holidays, i.e. Christmas, Easter, etc., there isn't a firm anchor based in religous tradition or history that limits, directly or indirectly what folks think is expected of them. Therefore people are more free to express their creative energies in any format they enjoy. Everyone loves to be free, creative, and unfettered by limitations.


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## Dark Gardener (Mar 10, 2005)

Hmmm....well, long story short- I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness- no halloween, no christmas, birthdays, easter, etc. I am, and have always have been, praise the godesses, a witch- through and through. Yet now I have the luxury of living the way I was meant to live. Halloween is a huge part of that. And of course, I think there's a part of me that is trying to make up for all those halloween's lost over the years!


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## great_ghoul (Aug 14, 2004)

My Dad once asked me the same question - he is very anti-halloween, but he seemed to respect my response....however, not enough to come to one of my parties.

Halloween is the one time of year, that is without real pressure...we do this because we WANT to, not because we HAVE to. The neighbours will come over, and you get to meet them maybe for the first time....you walk down the street in your costume, and perfect strangers will talk to you and ask questions about your costume, and is that YOUR house down the road with the setup??? It's a wonderful ice-breaker, and even people who aren't into halloween are interested because it's there, and it's different. The effort is never wasted. I have met many a new neighbour or friend setting up a yard haunt or throwing a halloween party. This is by far - my favourite time of year!


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## Hockey Mask & Gleave (Oct 15, 2006)

Well.....This question has stumped me aswell man. If I were you I'd put. "Its no good having a plain house if you celebrate Halloween A.Because its not fun
and B. you might not get as much Trick or Treaters. But I dunno....Seriously they've given you a hard question.


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## Shadojack (Sep 7, 2003)

I think we decorate not just because it's fun to be someone else for a night and get free candy. But deep down I think we all wish that vampires, werewolve, zombies, wicthes all existed as they did in legend. And for one night we get to experience their precense in a controled safe enviroment.

We all want to believe that goblins are prowling the night and witches can fly on brooms. We want to believe that zombies prowel the darkness and trolls jump out from under the beds of bad children and eat them. We want the thrill of knowing that we could be snatched away by the fay folk and never seen again, and it gives us a feeling of perverted thrills.

Come on, what red blooded American boy doesn't want to be seduced by a sexy vampire just for one night? We like being a little macarbe every so often and for one night a year we are allowed to do so and not be thought strange. Well maybe a little.


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## jbrimaco (Oct 6, 2003)

I like what everyone is saying.

We decorate for the kids. The memories. One year we moved in October. I thought my display would be a goner that year. But rather than unload boxes our kids said "Let's put up the Halloween haunt." How great is that!!!

I was interviewed by a TV station one year and I told them we decorate for the kids and the memories. We always hope that when the kids who attend our haunt will, some time in the future, start there own haunt and carry on the tradition of the Halloween haunt.

With all the bad news and bad people out there we feel it is the one night where a lot of the kids know and want to be scared. So we are more than happy to oblige there wishes and scare them.


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

After a particularly outstanding Halloween night this year, I just realized the real reason why I do this: because it feels so incredibly good to make a bunch of people happy. After tonight, watching so many people come through my yard screaming and laughing, and leaving a couple of candy bars richer and a couple of minutes happier ... well, pardon the Christmas references, but I feel like Fezziwig. Heck, I feel like Santa Claus. Spreading a little cheer is good for the soul. And if it's cheer of the spooky sort, well, that's good for the soul too.


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## Muffy (Sep 25, 2006)

I agree Long Tom....feel the same way! I was so busy tonight with people..... its like being at your wedding and not realizing how wonderful it was till you see the video cause you were just so caught up in everything. That was me tonight ...busy, busy, busy. 

When I loaded the pictures of my TOT's tonight ...I stopped and really looked at who came thru here tonight. It was hard earlier cause I had folks waiting in line to get their photo shot. I was sitting here working on these photos and looking at the smiles on all their faces and knowing I played a roll in that....well buddy......it warms the heart.

Really hit home for me cause I ain't seen smiles like this since we sold the diner in Nebraska where I had all those commumity parties!! I get great gratification out of seeing people enjoy themselves!

Here Here To Good Times & Trying to Keep Our Head Up When They Ain't So Good!
Mistress Muffy


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## Sir Mij (Oct 23, 2006)

I have this question asked of me a lot, sometimes even from myself! Waking up this morning I'm so sore I can hardly move and my hands are chapped and cutup. This has been a great thread to wake up to and has allowed me some nice reflection time this morning. I sat here nodding my head to all the good replies to this thread as to why I also go all out.

For me I guess it's the whole turning people onto the spirit of Halloween.
I love building props, I love the reaction of the guests, and I love being the scariest house in all the land. I guess I just like being able to be young at heart and creating a safe place to entertain the TOT's and their parents. When I see the kids and adults run from the exit and back to do it again, I know it's all worth it and it warms my heart to no end that I had a part in making someones Halloween. Why do we do it? Because we were born to be haunters and the reasons are uncountable!
Cya
Mij


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## cncmomma (Oct 23, 2006)

I was one of six impoverished kids raised by a single mom, but Halloween was the one time of year that didn't matter. Christmas was always depressing for us even though we tried very hard to keep in mind what it was supposed to be about. It's hard to be a poor kid at Christmas.

BUt Halloween-My costume was anything I could imagine and I didn't need money for it. I would go do to door with a pillowcase and no one mocked me or looked down on my costume ever. Always being told to never talk to strangers...it was the one time of year I didn't fear them either-they were nice and gave out free candy and treats!

I decorate out of respect for them, those that gave me that memory. Now, I try to pass some of that off to other children-the fun and joy of Halloween. The freedom of imagination. For kids without a lot of money, Halloween is still THE holiday you are considered equal to all others and I love that concept. I have the money now to decorate and spread some cheer, so I am.


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## jbrimaco (Oct 6, 2003)

We decorate for the kids and the memories. There is so much pressure on other holidays and this is truely a kids holiday. Fright in your life is a good thing. And I think the kids expect it or even ask for it. I hear them talking with my wife saying "I know he is out there someplace. He always scares me and I love it." What a great complement.

All of our kids are grown up and have left our house. But I still decorate for the kids. I hope that just one more person sees our haunt and does one in the future. What about you?!?


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## scarymother (Aug 10, 2006)

Yes, definatly for the kids, the new memories for them, out of respect for those haunters who came before me, my memories, the creativity, the scare, the FUN OF IT! Does everything have to have a reason? We do it cuz.....

And yes, I hooked another TOT. He said, "I can't wait till I have my own house. I want to do stuff like this for Halloween!"


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## Hallow33n (Oct 18, 2006)

"_We decorate for the kids. The memories. ....

There is so much pressure on other holidays and this is truely a kids holiday....

...it is the one night where a lot of the kids know and want to be scared. So we are more than happy to oblige there wishes and scare them._"

This sums it up pretty well for the way I feel.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2006)

I decorate for lots of reasons. 

Halloween was always something I loved as a kid. It evokes a lot of emotion and memories: the spookiness mixed with fun and treats, the pride of making a costume, the trick or treating, the smell and feel of the crisp autumn air and the comfort food this time of year.

I really love making things so working on projects like the props and costumes gives me a sense of pride. I can also get my kids involved in the projects and cooking...

It makes me feel like a big kid again. Dressing up to go along with the witch theme, timing my fog as tot'ers passed the house or came up to the door, was a blast. I loved hearing the kids and parents get enjoyment and that sense of spookiness and fun, too.

Most of all, I love the sense of community in my neighborhood. To see families out together and groups of older kids out with friends having fun, made me feel great about being of my community. There was a real banter between the kids, parents and neighbors.


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## Ween12amEternal (Apr 15, 2006)

Everyone's has been so articulate and thoughtful, these post are pretty inspirational. Maybe we could petition Laryy to sticky this thread and that way anyone who's not feeling 'in the mood' can read through it and feel better.

I celebrate for myself, because it gives me a thrill, for the kids, to see their excitement and joy, and for the neighbors, so we can feel like a community. That may be oversimplifiying, but it's the truth!


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## frizzen (Sep 9, 2004)

That's such a hard question. 

My grandpa's birthday was on halloween, so my mom's family always celebrated. Pumpkin Pie instead of birthday cake, homemade carmel Popcorn Balls instead of store-bought candy, couple JOL's on the porch... As far back as I can remember my grandma always made a big thing of Chilli for dinner so we wouldn't have to leave while they were out TOT-ing.

My mom and dad ended up kicking it up to Haunt level. Couple store manaquins, an axeworthy before anybody knew it as an Axeworthy, huge amounts of masks and costumes... Then due to work schedules, they let it flounder back to just JOL level for something like 7 years. On year my sister and I decided that we really wanted to do it up like we remembered... We were happy with how it turned out, and wanted to go a little more the next year, my parents saw how well we did and gave a little more help and funding for the next year. We might be making a stone henge, or burning someone at the stake, flying an FCG, going way out with pumpkins, or spiders, or skeletons... But I can guarantee you that we are having MUCH more fun than the people who just sit inside with a porch light on and watch old horror movies all night.

Halloween is a great holliday, and it hasn't been commercialized like EVERY SINGLE OTHER MAJOR HOLLIDAY. 

I guess for the memories, the community involvement, getting to make people happy, trying to make the holliday better for the kids, props are FUN to make, seeing all the costumes, letting people immerse themselves in the Halloween spirit... Because if we don't, who will?

Why we decorate for Halloween? 
Why you decorate for Christmas? 
If you have to ask either, you won't understand. 

My house looked pretty with a christmas tree in the window, and lights up on the roof. 

Yet my house looks even more wicked with halloween decorations. Atleast with Halloween you get to see how people like them, talk to them, get feedback; instead of just watching a car slowly drive past or maybe stop, then wondering to yourself if they're lost, almost got stuck in the snow, or if they were checking out your place. See and talk to people who wouldn't have come up to your house for any other reason. For that one night, it's good to be the "scariest house on the block". It tears down barriers, when someone is scared or amazed, we're all equal again. 

If you still don't understand, in 2007 go find a home haunt in your area and ask if the owner will let you hang out there on Halloween night. It'll make sence then.


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## Stench (Aug 30, 2005)

To be able to take the mundane...styrofoam, tape, wire, spray paint, and turn reality into something supernatural and fantastic is reason enough for me! I have more fun in the process of creating the props and the scenes than I ever do over the end result. Don't get me wrong, I'm appreciative of any compliments and really enjoy seeing everyone's haunts, but the whole time I'm admiring your haunt, I'm thinking...now how did they do that!?

I think many of us are just frustrated F/X artists that never made it!


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## TuzlaRuja (Oct 9, 2006)

I think we haunt based on a sense of community, that I posted earlier.


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