Thread: Borrowing someone elses yard

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This year we took our daughter TOT'ing in town. Since we live way out in the country and do not get and TOT'rs there is no since turning my stuff on the night of Halloween. I have 2-3 parties for friends each year, before Halloween.

So Saturday night we are in town and this one main road is where all the TOT's are. I am sure there was way over 3000 kids going up and down the street. We have been toting in this spot for 6 years now, and I have to say there are 6 - 7 houses that do an outstanding job of decorating, and then you have the other 50 houses that try to do some type of porch display. Ok then there is another 10 houses that have nothing.

So my thought is I have EVERYTHING for a yard haunt. I would love to be the one to give out candy. What are your thoughts on contacting one of the houses to see if I could display my stuff in their yard, and we both have a win win situation.

How would I approach these people, go door to door and say, um excuse me, can I borrow your yard for 2010 halloween.

Oh one other problem this is in a historic district and the haunt can only be set up the day of halloween. My set up takes 1 full month, more if I add anything knew.

Ok I know I am rambling, just thinking and typing outloud.

I would say tread lightly if you decide to ask. The people who don't decorate at all may be of the mindset that Halloween is evil.

If you knew the people, it might be different. Even loving Halloween the way I do, if someone came over and proposed the idea, which includes them being in my yard for a significant amount of time...I would think they were crazy and chase them off.

I have a neighbor that has a huge back yard and I asked to borrow part of her yard for Halloween, she said no, she didn't want the liability. I totally understood, no hard feelings.

I asked my neighbor if I could borrow her hedge to hide a devil behind it. She had no problem with it since she wasnt going to be home that evening

How far out of town do you live?

You might consider going another route. Take it up a notch and do a haunted house / trail. The key for you would be advertising. Work with a charity and you will get in the newspaper. This also opens doors to locals stores, since its for a charity its justified to put your ad at the front door.

Just a thought anyways! We did our first official trail this year and it was a hit. We are in town so the only advertising I did was a couple signs within a block or two from our house. But I want to take it up a notch next year and work with some charity or group. Being an Eagle Scout, something very fullfilling for me would be to work with a boy scout group to fund raise a trip for them.

I would only do it if the people are friends or family. I could not risk a stranger taking proper care of the Halloween props I have spent time to make. They will not show the care or apreciation of the props not knowing the care and time you put into making them. Stuff could go missing and the host yard would not even know or care. And stuff will probably end up broken or damaged.

I had to expand to my left neighbor's frontyard too... I think next year, I will have to expand to both my neighbours front yards..