# Are your neighbors stepping up?



## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

Went driving around my neighborhood to check out if my neighborhood is stepping up to the plate, counted 9 houses with decorations albeit some were minimal but at least they had something. 

How's it coming along in your area?


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## drevilstein (Mar 25, 2014)

My neighbors across the street made a giant sign that says boo and blinks on and off. They said we inspired them to put something up. Yay! Spreading the Halloween gospel!


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## Skeletoncrew (Oct 10, 2013)

No, people in my neighborhood decorate for fall, but not Halloween.


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## Penumbra (Jul 28, 2011)

Several people around my neighborhood have been putting more stuff out ever since my display got big and popular. I've managed to stay the biggest and best because I've just been doing it for so long, but a neighbor down the street from me swears he's going to "beat me out" one year. Good luck pal.


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

My neighborhood is usually pretty dark on Halloween, sadly, but I have a few of them that have started doing a little bit of decorating now. Nothing major, but I'm happy they are doing something, at least!


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## spike55 (Jan 19, 2014)

A few pumpkins;etc but I'm the only one that goes.All Out!, so with the weather being lousy I have to get things ready the week of. There are lot of young families in the neighborhood, who have explained to me that their kids will not come to my front door for fear of the display. Wait until this year with the new Wall Climbing Possessed Girl prop and the other new goodies, at the base of our attached garage! I will post photos of the new goods, once completed! Good luck in your neck of the woods.


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## huchon (Oct 15, 2010)

We'll there are 5 houses about a block away that put on good haunts each Halloween. However the neighbors on each side of me no longer put a lot up, on the plus side one has given me permission to expand into her yard. Overall the entire neighborhood has really gotten into Halloween compared to when I moved in a few years ago.


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## DarkhavenManor (Sep 27, 2014)

Ever since we moved to our neighborhood I've noticed a lot of the kids in my neighborhood wanting to decorate their yards after seeing mine! Every year I see some new things in their yards, but this year I haven't noticed one house decorated yet! Getting a little nervous now!


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## GodOfThunder (Aug 26, 2011)

We have some folks that get into it in our immediate subdivision, but nothing on a major scale. I do have to admit, however humbly, that my being the "Halloween guy" has inspired a few others to get more into the season though.


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

No one else on my street but a little bit going up a couple of streets over. Quite a few pumpkins on doorsteps and a hanging ghost here and there. Nothing even close to what I do (I hate saying that because it sounds so cocky and I don't mean it that way) but anything is better than nothing. Oh - there is this one house with some thanksgiving stuff out! Not sure if it's some kind of protest or what as they are new in the neighborhood. I just hope they won't add to the numerous dark houses we already have on Halloween night.


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## Tyrant (Aug 19, 2013)

I've only counted two houses besides mine with any significant Halloween decorations. A few have put out Fall themed flags and wreaths and such. I really wish our area would get into the spirit. Everyone lets loose for Christmas but not Halloween. Very sad.


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## ThePirateHouse (Aug 9, 2009)

Not too many on my street. But a few over one does a really nice display. Her neighbors across the street did something and then down the street. I made a comment on facebook about how nice their street was and sure enough several more did it. Perhaps people just need a little positive encouragement.


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## StanFam3 (Oct 5, 2009)

No. I only know of one other local yard haunter, who I met as a member here.


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## kloey74 (Sep 7, 2008)

It's always been just us for years. Last year some new people did a few things to their house. This year, the newest people are going full out which encouraged the other people to add so there will be 3 of us. Right now our grave yard is up with some things hanging in the trees that can get wet. I'm not putting up any more spider webs until right before because we are supposed to,get a lot of rain in the next week.


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## weeping angel (Oct 27, 2012)

I was so excited to see the new neighbors across the street put out blow mold jack-o-lanterns! For 5 years we've been the only house to decorate for like a 2 block radius. Consequently we don't get very many ToTers. 

Then our next door neighbors put up one string of changing lights (purple/orange) and really small hanging skeletons above their doorway. YAY!!!


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## booswife02 (Apr 2, 2013)

Terrible, this is my first year not living on a military base and only four other people in my neighborhood have out minimal stuff. A wreath or string lights. On base everyone decorates :/


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## bayoubrigh (Jan 12, 2007)

Next door neighbors have a lot and probably about 8 other houses on the street, which is good but not as much as last year. I think I'll see more the next few weeks. I'm lucky to have a large TOT neighborhood.


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## SaltwaterServr (Jul 28, 2014)

Neighbor two houses down has a great display. Graveyard and multiple skeletons hanging about plus a spider hanging off the peak of their garage. 

Sadly, mine looks tame by comparison. For now.


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## psox16 (Jun 6, 2009)

Nobody has done anything big, but mostly everyone does something. This will be our 3rd Halloween in the neighborhood. I haven't had any complaints, only encouragement from our neighbors. I love where I live so much!


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

Only a handful of houses in my neighborhood have minimal decorations out.

My landlord (who lives next door) is doing a walk-through haunted maze in his backyard, 
so that will bring in quite a few people and TOTs on Halloween night. Of course I decorated the
front of the house I live now in but it's rather tame in comparison to how I decorated last year.

At least a few people get into the Halloween spirit. Some might decorate closer
to the actual day of though, like they did last year and the year previous. (same neighborhood)


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## Bruzilla (Jun 3, 2011)

Last year we were the only ones. This year there are four of us. Next year... the world.


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## BarryJ (Oct 17, 2009)

booswife02 said:


> Terrible, this is my first year not living on a military base and only four other people in my neighborhood have out minimal stuff. A wreath or string lights. On base everyone decorates :/


I grew up on air bases. Nothing beats trick or treating in military housing. It's probably because every family has kids.


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## MT_Grave (May 23, 2014)

Actually my neighbor who moved in last year is doing much more this year. We are joining forces and creating a path between our two yards, and he's expanded his garage haunt. We've also got about 3 other neighbors who are putting up lights and some basic props.


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

When we moved in we didn't have many folks in the area who decorated. I think there was one who did something substantial. The last few years we've had probably about 8-10 that have started putting out something significant. I think a bit of that is our influence and a lot of it is just new neighbours. There's a couple houses where it's obviously little ones driving the Halloween bus, so it's pretty...free-form.  But every year they have more and more in the yard. I think some are getting to the age where they may start planning things a little more - so that could get really interesting.

We did have one older woman from up the street last year, and she said "So how many monsters do you have now? In your front yard?" I told her and she said "Well my son's not going to be happy. He doesn't live in the area but he drives by your house every year hoping he's caught up to you, but you're still a couple ahead". So apparently there's a bit of an arms race going on that I'm not really aware of.


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## MC HauntDreams (Jun 6, 2013)

Only a few houses a few streets over have some decorations - you have to really look close to see them. One down the street has 2 big inflatables. 
And then there's us. Haha. Over the summer someone at the end of the street says to us, "you are the Halloween house, right?" Yep!!!
Our only full time right-next-door neighbor is Jehovah's Witness though. They and their many visitors spend the whole month trying NOT to see anything we do. It's really interesting to have a whole conversation on say sprinklers when they are working so hard to ignore the skeletons you are arranging or whatever.  M and I often laugh after they walk away and say how uncomfortable we must make them, but they never complain.


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## tomanderson (Dec 6, 2007)

Now that you mention it, it does seem like a bunch more houses in the area have spooky decorations out. A lot of people seem to have discovered spiderwebs this year--I see a lot of spiderwebs on shrubberies. Down the street, there is a house with three fake jack o lanterns on their porch with orange flicker lights inside.


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## zombieprincess (Nov 1, 2013)

I've noticed a few in the neighborhood starting some decorating. No one normally does as much as us although there was a new couple last year that went all out in the inflatable department. I expect they'll up their game this year as well. The weather has been really crappy over the last week so I don't think I'll actually get a great idea of who is "stepping up" until closer to Halloween. I take my youngest around TOTing earlier in the evening so I will get a first hand view of who does what.


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## NotTheBatesMotel (Sep 28, 2013)

A neighbor diagonal from our house put up pathway lights. Nothing else that I've found in the neighborhood! Last year someone a few streets away put up a big display of pumpkins and that was pretty neat.


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## Lil Spook (Oct 25, 2010)

neighbors put out the annual "3 fake pumpkins on the porch"

but at least they do something!

we are the wackos in the neighborhood and I am okay with that


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Really minimal here so far. We've had really hot weather in the high 80s and 90s for a few weeks now and I think people haven't been in the mood to sweat in the heat setting up. Usually by mid-October there's more decorated by now. 

Here's what I've noticed. One house who always decorates with lights, airblown, some props and those spider window panels has had their stuff up for about a week. First lights to be seen in my neighborhood. Apart from them, one house I drive past has had two reapers hanging from their porch for the past two weeks maybe. And a neighbor around the corner from them has two reapers up as well. Hanging reapers seem popular. I guess people don't care if they get ruined by the weather and just replace them. They are pretty inexpensive for the most part. 

Only other house I've seen decorated so far is one on a corner street I drive by all the time. Hanging reaper, hanging spider victim, giant spider in the tree and webbing on the shrubs. No lights I've noticed yet though.

The weather pattern has changed and right now its windy, overcast with the possibility of rain tonight and tomorrow. We sure can use it so hope so. The temps are only in the 70s and I'm thinking there will be a decorating push this weekend. I love driving the neighborhoods at night after dinner to see what everyone puts out. Same goes for xmas time too. With days getting shorter the evening lights give some sparkle to the fall/winter time.


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## Skeptic (Aug 29, 2013)

Just one neighbour a few doors down, a couple of tombstones and a pair of hands groundbreaker. I'm happy not to be the only one getting into the spirit of things, and they notably didn't decorate last year. I'm hoping the nine foot gallows and gibbet containing our corpse Boris (named for Karloff by my 12 yr. old...somebody get me a tissue) will cast a little Halloween magic over the neighbourhood and inspire a few to get involved.


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## jdubbya (Oct 4, 2003)

On our street, there are 5 or 6 houses with some kind of Halloween decor. On the next block over there are a few more, one with a large inflatable cat who's head turns back and forth. Some college kids next to them have green/purple lights and spider webs out on their porch. A quick drive around the neighborhood shows several houses with some stuff out. I know many of the homes who don't decorate will put out jack o'lanterns on Halloween night and pass out treats so thats encouraging. Overall, I'd say we're on par with the past couple years in terms of decorated houses. We'll also do a drive around some evening to see what other areas have.


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## vwgirl (Jul 16, 2012)

I am pleasantly surprised that our new neighbors are decorating also. They moved in from a sketchy part of town and never got to decorate. They are making up for all the lost time now, and I love it!!!


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## Boone6666 (Aug 22, 2014)

yea and legs and heads and sew on and so on


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## Pumpkin215 (Jul 31, 2013)

I’ve moved out of my apartment into my fiancé’s house so there is a lot more up this year!! However, I would like to note that I had my Fire and Ice light up weeks before a neighbor purchased one. (They just put it out yesterday) Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but is it wrong I’m a little irked that now I’m not the only one?


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## Pbeck (Sep 26, 2014)

I house up the street decorated, but much less than they normally do. No one else in our area is doing anything. I asked a few people that normally decorate and they with the heat and recent storms that it hadn't felt like Halloween and they just were not getting into it this year. 

Kinda sad


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

No. I think my neighbors are doing whatever the polar opposite of "stepping up" is.


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## HalloScream (Jul 31, 2011)

Their's about 5 other houses in my neighbor that has either Halloween or Fall decor out. I have seen a few houses in other neighbors in my community that are decorated pretty well. I've seen giant spider webs, string lights, inflatables including a giant haunted house and a big black cat with animated eyes, ghosts and pumpkins. One house has this ring of ghosts around a tree that lights up. It's pretty neat.


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## lisa48317 (Jul 23, 2010)

There's one couple across the street and down a bit that are putting up more this year - in the past it was more or less just some tall wooden witches with blinky eyes and now they have orange lights across the front of their house and some other things out. No one else has gotten on the wagon yet.


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## DarkhavenManor (Sep 27, 2014)

Trick or Treat is only eight days away, my town does it early. Driving home from work tonight I noticed a few houses with some decorations in the lawn. Nothing major, but enough to matter!


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## GobbyGruesome (Sep 14, 2005)

DaveintheGrave said:


> No. I think my neighbors are doing whatever the polar opposite of "stepping up" is.


Don't know what kinda of bizarro neighbourhood you live in Dave - your stuff is crazy inspiring! I don't understand how someone can look at your props without wanting to run out and buy motors! 

We've got a few more houses with stuff up right now. Just a couple that are really going all out and they're a couple blocks away. It's looking promising.

I haven't seen any with lighting yet - that'd be a good sign that individual houses are levelling up.


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## Abunai (Jan 28, 2008)

I think my neighbors are intimidated. 
No, some of my neighbors do Christmas, but only one guy, around the block, does anything for Halloween.


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## 1983ss454 (Sep 18, 2014)

Ummmmmm, I'd say not as I haven't seen a single other halloween decoration up on the street and my display has been going for a week and having decent traffic already lol


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## Oak Lane Cemetery (Sep 5, 2011)

My neighbors on my street don't step up and probably never will. There is an older man who recently moved in two doors down who has some small decorations up, but for the most part my street seems to have a stick wedged firmly in their collective butts when it comes to Halloween. They don't even turn on their porch lights and give out candy! Around the corner there are a few folks making the effort though and I'll be visiting them with my youngest son after he gets home from trick or treating a few blocks over where they know how Halloween is supposed to be. Can't complain too much though. With no competition I'm the undisputed king of Halloween for many blocks around!


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## Erich (Oct 10, 2014)

Sadly we are the only ones in the whole neighborhood. Each year it gets less and less and sadly this year we are the only house that does it. We go all out and have people from not just our city but others and have what we call a minivan caravans of trick or treaters from other area's


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## Danny-Girl (Aug 29, 2012)

Wow! yes my neighbors have cute decorations this in year they are having a block party,which brings a lot of kids to our street


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## Skeletoncrew (Oct 10, 2013)

Ummmm .. Two of my neighbors have up some of their white Christmas light balls! Does that count?


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## dbruner (Aug 23, 2012)

There used to be a lot more in my neighborhood, about a third of the houses decorated. This year there are about half a dozen of us so far, and I was very happy to see my one neighbor who does the best display in the neighborhood setting up yesterday! I always put mine up at the beginning of the month so I can enjoy them longer, but maybe others are waiting until right before Halloween???


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## LadyGoats (Oct 3, 2012)

We live on a kind of loop. There's a block with a road around it, and then we're the houses on the opposite side of the street. It's a half-mile loop with two "exits" to the main neighborhood road on the north side (so it's not a huge road, but it's where the traffic from the neighborhood reaches the major roads. 

I say this to mention that we typically only get local traffic, there aren't many people that just pass through without having a reason to be here. 

When we first moved to the neighborhood, there was "THE" house - they decorated for everything, and we just loved their enthusiasm. I still can't get past the use of snowflakes for christmas in the desert, but that's my own issue.. ANYHOW. The year before last, someone stole a witch decoration that they had made from their yard. They immediately tore the rest of their setup down and haven't *really* decorated since (other than scant Christmas lights). We also had a house on a corner near me that had a decent setup, and they haven't done anything yet this year. In fact, I think there are only 3-4 houses (mine, included) that have _anything_ out.

I'm happy to see that some people have inspired neighbors, but mine probably think I'm the devil, or something, based on what they do for Halloween decor.


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## Windborn (Oct 10, 2011)

We have noticed a few more decorating since our yard became so popular. This year was the first time that other folks had stuff out before we did!


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## Download (Jul 29, 2014)

I can 100% say that I will be absolutely shocked if anyone sets up Halloween decorations in my street, but then I'm in Australia *chuckle*.

We HAVE had our Costco skelly moving from window to window for the last couple of weeks (neighbour across the way said she gets a fright every time he moves because she's never expecting it haha) and we keep changing the hats that he's wearing for a giggle. So I'm hoping a few people that live nearby have gotten the hint and are considering doing something. I won't be suprised if they don't though.

We did have an American ex-pat and his wife move in next door not long ago though so there's a chance he might get in on the action . I've got a few decorations that I'm planning on putting up to make it a bit more obvious in the next few days so we'll have to see what happens.


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## Lokie (Oct 2, 2011)

We have new people who moved in down the street who are doing a haunted carnival that is looking great. My next door neighbor walks by every night to see what new has been put up in our cemetery. A couple of days ago when i was talking to her she said the kids run right past her house to ours even with her standing out with a giant bowl of candy. Then she said .....then again she comes over also to ours for the music and dancing in the cemetery.


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## drunkenmonkeyrage (Jul 31, 2012)

This is one thing that drives me nuts. My neighbours have absolutely no spirit whatsoever. I go all out and they shut their blinds and turn off the lights.
We only get about 20 kids each halloween but I'm determined to make it a memorable one for those kids......


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

drunkenmonkeyrage said:


> This is one thing that drives me nuts. My neighbours have absolutely no spirit whatsoever. I go all out and they shut their blinds and turn off the lights.
> We only get about 20 kids each halloween but I'm determined to make it a memorable one for those kids......


I like your attitude DMR


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## Huntress (Nov 1, 2012)

A few years ago we did inspire some of the neighbors to put a few things out. But this year it seems like it's dwindling. The neighbor at the end of the cul-de-sac usually put out an inflatable but this year they haven't. Very sad.


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## SpookyBlackKat (Sep 19, 2011)

My next door neighbor has a new live-in girlfriend and she seems to be very festive. They beat me with putting up decor this year! It's not much but it's lights and ghosts. They seem to have a table with skulls on it and I'm curious to see if it develops further before the big night. 

It's mostly scarecrows other than this one neighbor. I think the street usually feeds off my juju and I've only put the minimal stuff out yet. My sons birthday is today so now that toddler party planning is out of the way, I really hope to crank some things out over the next couple days!


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

Not my neighborhood but saw this today in a neighborhood about a mile from mine, something different


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## Rural Scarecrow (Oct 22, 2014)

Yes, I have several neighbors that have actually stepped it up this year. The town we live in is crazy about Halloween as the kids trick-or-treat on the 30th due to the annual town parade which is much like mardi gras. All the businesses build a float (to advertise), school bands perform, and individuals can walk in the parade if in costume or build a float too. It's really a huge event, which also inspires a lot of us to let loose and show our artistic side!


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## Boone6666 (Aug 22, 2014)

yea by stealing my new blue led light that was lighting up my horse guess I asked for it being wright next to the street, on my hearse 
athough it is below a street light


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

We have a decoration contest. My HOA covers a 3 mile long road full of houses over 20 a year enter the contest. In my little part of the neighborhood we went from 3 to 4 people with some decorations to an explosion of people stepping up the game this year, many go all out for Xmas also. Here is a link with some pics in the neighborhood. http://www.broadlandshoa.org/


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

James B. said:


> We have a decoration contest. My HOA covers a 3 mile long road full of houses over 20 a year enter the contest. In my little part of the neighborhood we went from 3 to 4 people with some decorations to an explosion of people stepping up the game this year, many go all out for Xmas also. Here is a link with some pics in the neighborhood. http://www.broadlandshoa.org/


How many times have you won James?


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## IowaGuy (Jul 30, 2012)

Nope, not much competition in my neck of the neighborhood. My north neighbor actually replied "again? but I did it (handed out candy) last year" to which my reply was "you Do know Halloween is a holiday and comes the same time Every year??"


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

xxScorpion64xx said:


> How many times have you won James?


I won the big prize both years (2013 and 2014) but there are 5 prizes in total. 

Even this morning I saw one of the neighbors put more things up yesterday.


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## sublimewinter (Sep 29, 2014)

Never mind stepping it up on the decorations, I'd be happy if some neighbors just gave out candy! Only one person on my street participates besides us, so it's a challenge getting the kids down to our haunt.


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## Countess No (Sep 20, 2014)

My neighbors do not have large displays with animatronics and actors, but we have a good amount of decorations going on this year.

We live in a very busy area! So busy, the local police have announced they will be setting up a traffic control point. We get thousands of cars and ToTs and it is insane! Just insane!


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

James B. said:


> I won the big prize both years (2013 and 2014) but there are 5 prizes in total.
> 
> Even this morning I saw one of the neighbors put more things up yesterday.


Wow, nice, back to back champ, you had some stiff competition judging by the pics, sounds like fun but HOA dues are probably scary, lol


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

I took some photos and made a public directory on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.d.ba...0204056352143396.1073741866.1062051273&type=3


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

I drove down the street that runs directly behind ours at lunch today and was pleased to see several people hard at work decorating their yards! Now if the folks on this street would just get the message!


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## Terror Tom (Nov 3, 2008)

No! See my signature....


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## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

My next door neighbor put out a pumpkin flag, a window pumpkin light, and a big spider on the wooden electric pole near her mailbox. Sadly, that's the next-most-decorated house after mine.


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## Spooky_Girl1980 (Jul 12, 2010)

I'm the only one around here who decorates for halloween. Everyone loved our dispay and was telling us we were the best decorated house in town. My neighbors just decorate for fall. Had a lot of questions this year about how much time it takes to set up and how we have the time to set it all up. Trick or Treaters kept telling us how much they liked it. We had some come from out of town to tot! We had a couple parents tell us their kids just had to come to our place to tot, it really made our night. We had a totel of 279 tot's this year, hopefully our numbers keep going up every year.


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## GiggleingGhost (Aug 10, 2014)

Well I'm glad that two other houses have decorations in their yard but most of the houses are dark. My neighbors are good people but they don't do much for ANY holidays . . . ANY holiday. I just don't get it . . . talk about bah hum bug attitude. I started the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt, Block Party and Halloween parade when we moved to this neighborhood 22 years ago . . . as soon as I stopped doing all the work and all the ah expense . . . it all fell by the wayside. What a bunch of weenies. So now me and our next door neighbors along with the two new families decorate out of a full city block. But we have fun and I my life is a lot happier not trying to drag all that dead weight around. Ohhhhh and did I mention that our house is still the 'go to house' for our area??? Lol. That's right! We'll ALW/AYS be the house to go see and we wouldn't have it any other way. 

GiggleingGhost


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## sookie (Sep 19, 2010)

Barely anyone decorated, had maybe 8 houses. I got all the comments this year love your house! You win! You have the best decorations! So glad you did all this!

So that makes it worth it. My neighbors were mostly dark. Lady across the street did hand out candy but she had no decorations out. The people who went all out like I do either didn't decorate this year or aren't there because their house was dark


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## Huntress (Nov 1, 2012)

Ok I have to take back what I said on this thread previously that I was disappointed in my neighbors. Apparently they all waited until this week to decorate. I saw about 5 houses put out stuff along our street this week and some added to what they had last year.


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