Thread: A Reminder that the Spirit is Alive and Well

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Okay so...the other day my mother was renewing registration on her car at the DMV. I was given permission to not accompany her so instead I wandered across the street to the Spirit store conveniently located there. I am not a fan of Spirit but hey, whatevs.
This particular store was much more nicely put together than the one in my own town 20 mins away. The displays had thought and creativity and they had quite a lot of stuff out, and not such an emphasis on costumes.

Well I wandered around for a few minutes, pressed some "try me!" buttons, poked some fog bubbles. It was quiet in there but here's the thing...there were quite a few older granny types buying stuff which really made me happy for some reason.

Even across the street I could watch the entrance and MOST of the people who went in were seniors...completely did not look the type. Neatly primed white hair, uni-colour outfits, the works. I saw one sweet-looking older lady shuffle in there and then return some minutes later with a huge bag of stuff.

I don't know why but this just made me smile. Sometimes I get discouraged about people's enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for Hallowe'en and then I see stuff like this which completely takes me by surprise. This town is super rural, right in the middle of ranching country...and the citizens tend to be on the conservative side...
and YET, it is known for some of the most elaborate home haunt displays in the state/an overall zest for the holiday which routinely makes the local papers. Some of the home haunts are quite beloved and their names are well-known throughout the public.

It's enough to make ya cry tears of unabashed joy.

A sample of some of the displays one can see around there (not my photos -- http://aroundcarson.com/2009/10/29/c...ty_halloween/:

Wow! Those pics are really nice! The lighting is superb!
Thanks for sharing.

Warms the heart

I want to live there!!! Those are some nice displays.

That awesome white house looks like the holy grail of all Haunted houses! Love that house!

Your lighting is amazing!

Thanks for the post! Sometimes it feels like we're the only ones that "get" Halloween.....then you find out there's others right in your town - and it makes a huge difference. Thanks again!

No probs. It lifted my spirit so I thought it would be nice to share. Plus, I like showing photos of home haunters in this area. The city I'm living in now is quite city-ish and there is a DISTINCT lack of Hallowe'en decorating here, but once you're in the country...things improve.

Wolfman -- haha, I wish! No, that isn't my display, but those folks are masters at cool lighting. I've driven past their haunt a few times and I can not remember a year in which the lighting was not gorgeous.

ter ran -- yep, that is the Governor's Mansion. A distinct Martha Stewart vibe touches a lot of what they do (in terms of picture perfect placement of props). That one photo is of a pretty tame set up however, normally they more of an outdoor walkthrough type deal.
It's super family/kid friendly but is always nice to see.

Here are some more photos I thought were lovely. NOT MINE.








"school for ghouls"
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/...630efff7_o.jpg

Aww, thank you so very much for sharing those pictures. You just put me in a better mood I just love this board so much lol

And, I do know what you mean. It's nice to have little things "revive" you.
I was shopping with my mom for a few Halloween items at our local Flower Factory, which has a pretty decent display. I had to take a step back and smile to myself when I saw all sorts of people FINALLY gawking at everything, and excitedly checking out all of the goodies. Just made me giggle a bit

Sometimes I do feel like I'm the only one who feels so strongly about the holiday. So I really appreciate the small stuff

Wow those are amazing!