Thread: Is too much, too much?

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Alright, I have been doing a lot of research on creating my first Halloween decoration scare! These forums give some amazing ideas and suggestions that I would really like to do with my own twist. But some of the stuff I see (although amazing) is a little over the top for
"families". As much as I would like to toss a Linda Blair doll or a baby eating its own flesh in my yard, I just don't want to offend anyone.

Another big reason is I have only lived in this neighborhood for 8 months and the last thing I want to do is give the neighbors I have yet to meet a horrible impression of me/us. I know from reading these forums some of the people out here can either care less, or are in the position not to have to worry about it. But for you other guys, what do you do? Do you draw the line somewhere? Have you ever had any repercussions from going a little too far? I think I am skating on thin ice with some of the projects I want to create, but I hate to "cut corners" and create something not as "awesome" with the fear of offending people. We do not have children, so it's even more difficult to figure out where the "line" is.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Don't go hanging gutted animals around an altar decorated with inverted pentagrams and you should be fine... Really, just do what you normally would; if people don't like it or feel that it is too scary, they can always walk on by.

I deal with that sometimes to.
Year before last I did a peppers ghost of a little girl.
We have friends who lost their 8 year old 7 years ago but still struggle with it daily.
When I looked at it I thought of them and their fellings so I took it down.Even tho I loved it their feelings were more important.
They never seen it.
You have to be the gauge for your haunt.Some get offended over everything some anything goes.

A little common sense and trying not to purposefully offend anyone should tell you where the line is.

I try not to bury any real corpses in my graveyard or put the names of neighbors on the tombstones. Seriously, do what you like and don't worry about it. No matter what you do, someone will take offense anyway.

I have a neighbor who has lived across the street from me for as long as I can remember and she lost her husband last year 2 months before Halloween. I decided it would not put out my coffin out in clear view of her house.

ive been doing my home haunt since 2004 and every year its grown both in size and the amount of people it draws in.. one thing ive done from the start is every year when i first start putting things up i go around to the neighbors and let them know what im doing and make sure the majority are ok with it,, theres always a few crack pots in any neighborhood that the rest of the neighbors usually ignore -) then after halloween i usually touch base with them again just to make sure theere was no problems, and if there where i try to address those the following season... so far other than a new resteraunt that moved in directly across the street from me the whole neighborhood suports my haunted tents. lol along with city hall and the police department....lol

I don't think I'll put an inverted Christ on the Cross but I have thought about it! LOL! I also feel having a lynching scene would be quite inappropriate, I know call me old fashion. Other then those twisted idea's I think about anything goes as long as it's not extremely bad taste. If your worried about a neighbor or neighbors might say about a major paying Halloween Haunt? If they think its a thing of the Devil or worse then I say you don't need them as friends and or your living in the wrong neighborhood. I'd say blow it out and have fun! Just my two cents I found in my grave.

Sometimes the things that get people's attention are the slightly over-the-top scenes! I don't have much gore or religious-themed areas in my haunt. I just like to go with pure uneasy feelings, loud noises, and creepy sights.

I'm sure whatever you want to do will be fine. But if you think it might be offensive to some people or kids, then it probably is!

Several years ago when I first met my then to be hubby, we decorated our yard with gravestones, graves, inflatables and lights for the first time. We also put this big Happy Halloween banner on the house that had skeletons on it. Well, the super religious next door neighbor's 12-year old son was afraid of the banner and would cross the street rather than walk by it. We've put up the same banner for over 5 years now and no problems (I think he's over his fear--he's 17 now). His Mom (our neighbor) always asks to come in our house and see our decorations, but I know that she's thinking we're going straight to the underworld.............. We only do spooky--not a lot of gore, but we do have a pretty nice graveyard, some skeletons and big ugly spiders and lots of lights.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should do what you want to do. Invite the neighbors over for a look and encourage some feedback and even assistance. If you're not wearing a bloody lab coat and wielding a cleaver, they'll probably be fine with whatever you do. Lots of folks decorate for Christmas and their Jewish neighbors might not like it, but they're not going to run you out of town (at least I hope not).