Thread: Quit Halloween?

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I just read a post about a member here losing their enthusiasm for Halloween.
And I thought I was the only one.

I told my wife a couple of weeks ago that I have been thinking about getting rid of my props and stuff.
She said I'll change my mind and get back into it, and she is probably right.

But, I was wondering if anyone else here has ever had that idea, and if so why.

i think it happens to everyone at some point and time
i think its just burnout
i know after halloween i didnt think about halloween for 2 months at least
then i started slowy gathering ideas buying things here and there and now
im going full bore again
maybe you just need to take a break
i think if you sell your props you might regret it
but good luck whatever decide

I did Halloween as a bi annual event for several years. I would get burnt out because I wasn't happy with a turn out or something and give up the next year. I think I'm on 3 in a row so far counting this year. It's not bad to take a break but keep all your props, you'll want them soon enough.

I have felt burned out lots of times. Year before last, my husband who helps me out alot was traveling almost all of Sept. and Oct. I told him I just wasn't up to doing it, but then two weeks before Halloween I couldn't stand it anymore and worked night and day to get it all out.

I do get very physically tired running a haunted house that has been open for business almost every night of the entire year during these last 20 years...I might get really burnt out IF I wasn't getting so much pure fun and deep satisfaction from all these things I do here.
I know I am held proud by my own self because so many of the things people are in awe over and compliment me lavishly on are the things that I have thought up and built myself. This provides a reall deep, genuine positive feeling that does sustain one when things get tiresome of exceedingly stupid for too long.
Just tonight I received an e-mail from a haunted house fanatic who has been here several times.
I had asked him to explain to me if he could what makes some professional haunters feel real fear and forboding from my house tour? (As I have been told and have overheard quite a few times)
He said much of it has to do with the unpredictability of the tour and the house. It doesnot provide much of a comfort zone of familiar items (like everybody seems to own)
Maybe I'm just too simple-minded to get bored?
For some reason I never get bored watching their extremely fearful reactions inspired here, followed immeadiately by their laughter, I always hope.

Originally Posted by strange1

I just read a post about a member here losing their enthusiasm for Halloween.

I read it too. I'm sure it's burnout. I think taking a break is a good idea. For me, I enjoy the atmosphere too much, but I suppose in time I might feel burnout as well.

I took a break from this forum for a good 3 months after last Halloween. There was too much going on, but I returned when things settled. Now I have too many friends here to want to take a break from the forum.

for me i started out just doing a showplace. no haunt. i enjoyed that. but everyone kept bugging me to do a haunt so after 3 years i did. it was mostly my family that helped so that was fun. i did have one kid who was supposed to help who didn't show. each year family members dropped out with good reasons-so i would have to ask around 200 people just to get 25 that would. then they would not show up. three halloweens ago i had 25 lined up and only 13 showed up. i had to not use two rooms. just not enough haunters. then we moved to a different town in aug. but still in our school district. in sept. we put my mom in a rest home. i was going through my change in life. i was tired of asking people and the end results. not settled in so wanted to pass. i was pretty burnt out. my 10 year old grandson was so disapointed he cried. i told him there was just not enough time to find people to help. he said his friends would. i said you find 10 kids that will help and we'll do it. so the next day he came home with a list of 10 friends who would. only one friend didn't show up. the haunt went pretty well. the next year other than 2, the same kids came back and we added 4 new kids. the kids love it and have been very dependable. this has made it once again very enjoyable. maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to take a break, but i agree with the above people, don't sell your props right away. i would give it some time first.

We go through this - just about every year the day after Halloween when we are looking at the massive job to put everything back in storage. At that point I'm a little sick of seeing everything.
But we always come back around - and as long as we live in this house I'm not sure we can get by with just skipping one year. I feel sorry for whoever buys our house after us that first Halloween they are in it.....
So we'll keep at it. I think sometimes it's the pressure of everyone asking what we will do this year - will it be bigger - etc. Everyone loves it, would never want to miss it, but has no clue as to the work that goes into it.

Halloween's so much a part of me, I don't think I could ever quit it. But I don't live and breathe it all the time either (just around mid-August through October )....even though I don't stay submersed in it year 'round, there are things I do here and there to get my fix, and I still enjoy coming here, hanging out with y'all. We don't even have to be talking about Halloween, I just enjoy the company.

I too will go along with the burnout theory. You do anything enough, you'll reach a limit and need to step away for a while.

You could always try just taking the year off. Don't get rid of everything just yet. Take this year off, maybe even next year, then see how you feel about it. If you're really done, than so be it. But if not, you still have your stuff if you find the mood again.