[ruggerz]

Hello,

Basically I made this thread after overhearing a conversation the other day that described a house that was completly decorated up....And it was mine!

This makes me think that home haunting here will be memorable for others....


So post if you have heard anyone talk about your haunt....Especially if you dont know them...


Ruggerz

 

[Johan]

My wife and I are fairly sociable folk. Between friends and helping out at our daughters school, we do not have time to associate much with those in the neighborhood.

We moved To California about 4 years ago from Wisconsin and were enamored with the ability to be out side past September without freezing off body parts. Decorating for Halloween back in Cheese Land was never really considered and we often spent the time at parties or at our favorite corner tavern in our costumes. We started taking advantage of the warmth and built our decor each year out here to the point my 56 Packard hot rod is stuck in the driveway year round now due to the garage being over taken with mannequins, skulls, pirates and other Halloween paraphenalia.

While our first goal was just to ave a good theme party excuse, our first year we were surprised by the lack of trick or treaters. We wondered if we were wasting our time. The next year our display grew and our daughter started kindegarten.

My wife became a full time volunteer at the school. Through random conversations about where everyone lived in proximity to the school, we found out that we were making our mark. "Oh you live in the crazy halloween house!" was a typical response when we stated the corner for which we reside.

Each year word has spread and now we have families that bring their kids to our block to get their goodie bags filled and a pic with one of the skeletons haunting the front yard. Neighbors have started catching the fever and joined in the fun. Three haunted garages and counting.

While we have yet to reach the amazing level of talent of many of you, we have families that make us their last stop and thank us for still providing cheer and fear late into the night. Several have stated their kids would never forgive them if they didn't make it to our street.

"...the crazy Halloween house" will continue.

 

[Baron Samedi]

no conversations about the haunt as such, although whilst waiting in the queue at the post office one day, we did hear one elderly lady pointing out to her husband:

"'Ere Bert...Thats him..you know..Him wot has them fings...'Ee ain't right in the 'ead.."

Wasn't sure whether to be flattered or outraged...

 

[Johan]

That's funny and I felt the same way when I heard how we were described. I have come to embrace the terms.

 

[Curlgoddess]

Well, this wasn't a very happy exchange, but it surely shows how my husband and I are recognized in the neighborhood....

New Years Eve this past year, we, along with 3 of our neighboring houses had a sort of block party. Well, one guy's party extended well into the next day, as well as their shooting fireworks. Things got a tad out of hand, and one of my neighbor's guest blew up a metal garbage can. It was LOUD and the lid of the can went soaring into the sky.

Later that evening, two police officers showed up at my house, blaming us for the explosion. They were told by "many people" that the guy with the "really nice Halloween display" was the one that caused the explosion....

Needless to say, it was quite an annoyance being blamed for something that we didn't do but also, it seemed that who ever called the police pointed us out, just because they knew we went all out for Halloween.

 

[Conman]

I have had this conversation many times-
So where do you live on that street with the haunted house?
Oh, thats my house.
Wow, really! Where do you store all that stuff?
Just up in our attic.
How long does it take you to set it up?
Pretty much all of October.
Question
Answer
Question
Answer
Question
Answer
Question
Answer
And on and on and on

Its nice to talk to people about Halloween but seriously, theres always too many questions!

 

[Deadna]

Recently I had a plumber here doing work when he began explaining the tools and PVC to me. I told him I know all about that stuff because I make halloween props out of it, thinking he was going to assume I was nuts he got all excited and said "Oh yeah...this IS the halloween house, I bring my boys every year"
Considering I'm the only one who does anything it doesn't take much to be "the halloween house" but it's nice when someone notices!

 

[CraigInPA]

I was in Wal-Mart before Halloween and wandered by their seasonal aisle. Two 10 or 12 year boys were there looking at some kind of fencing with their parents, who stood nearby with about 10 tombstones in their cart. The younger boy says to the other, "We need a fence around our graveyard" as he holds up the fence section. The other boy says "Definitely". The mother says "That fence is kind of short, you won't see it." The father says "We need to get a fence like that guy on Main Street has, with the pickets and gargoyles on the columns." I stopped walking, came over, and introduced myself. It's nice to have fans!

After Christmas, I picked up two shopping carts of lights at 50% off. Two college age girls in line behind me asked if I was "that guy on Main Street with the over-the-top Christmas and Halloween displays?". When I admitted I was, they told me how cool they thought the Halloween display was. More fans!

I got some new neighbors one Spring, who had grade school children. One day there was a bad accident on the street and everyone came out to gawk. The new neighbor came over, introduced himself, and asked if I really gave out full sized candy bars for Halloween? When I admitted I did, he said his daughter came home from school one day and told him that one of her classmates told her that she had "the coolest ever Halloween house" near her, and the owner gives out full sized bars of candy. He said he was sure it was an exaggeration, but I confirmed the fact that I was an "extreme Halloween decorator" and did, in fact, give out full sized bars. I also told him we only get 30 or so TOTers, so it's not a huge expense to do it.

Craig

 

[litemareb4xmas]

I hear comments about my yard frequently, and my daughter used to get teased a lot about it on the bus, my son takes it better, he's younger and still has a little willingness to help.
JohnnyAppleseed's daughter and mine both talk about how crazy we are...

 

[yardhauntjunkie]

I was bummed because I have not ever really heard anyone say something about our yard haunt other then around Halloween time. I have been following this thread and enjoying the good stories and laughing at the not so good ones. Well today I was picking up a hot water tank at someones house and when I was leaving she said that she loved my Halloween stuff. I thought it was a pretty funny coincidence. I told her this year there was going to be a little more of a cohesive theme because last year I put it together kind of last minute. She said she loved last year the way it was. So that was really nice to hear.

We get most of our comments during the time around Halloween. We live on a pretty well traveled corner so people start poking their heads in to see whats going on. This was our first year back doing it after having taken 5 years off and most people told us that it meant a lot that we had revived our tradition. One of the better comments I got around Halloween was when I was building Wolf/Dog. I had to take him out into the yard to trim his hair. A woman stopped and asked if I was training to be a pet groomer. When I told her that it was for Halloween, I noticed her walking by a few extra times a day to see what was new.

 

[RRguy]

"Oh yeah...this IS the halloween house, I bring my boys every year"
Considering I'm the only one who does anything it doesn't take much to be "the halloween house" but it's nice when someone notices!

That is so cool. I would love for my house to be known as "The Halloween House." I don't decorate nearly as extensively as many members here, but last year, one of the older kids said that I had the best display he had seen in town. Maybe someday I can have The Halloween House.

 

[Deadna]

I don't decorate extensively either mostly because I have so much stuff that I can't get to it or get overwhelmed by going thru all the boxes and give up. I think being consistant in decorating every year is really the key to being the halloween house anyway

 

[Frankie's Girl]

I've had people stop their cars in the street during the month of October and tell me how much they love my display. One lady told me that her kids just about couldn't wait for Halloween to see what the yard looked like. Totally made my day.

Other than the few times that has happened, I've just had the nice comments from the TOTs and their parents the big night, but I'm sure most of the neighborhood knows about our Halloween House.

 

[Pumpkin Torture Guy]

After 14 years in the same neiborhood, everyone has pretty much gotten use to us. We get a lot of comments from the TOT's and their parents and there seems to be more cars driving by than there is TOT's. As long as the kids are happy or scared, I'm good with that.

 

[Mr_Chicken]

Unfortunately I was in school when this happened two years ago, but I'm told that my father returned home to find a firetruck parked outside and two firemen nosing around behind the pirate ship that we mounted on the front of the house, overhanging the garage. Of course his first reaction was that they must be concerned about it being up to code, but when he walked over there, they said they just thought it looked cool and were trying to figure out how we made it.
.....I hope they weren't on their way to a fire

 

[Deadna]

Unfortunately I was in school when this happened two years ago, but I'm told that my father returned home to find a firetruck parked outside and two firemen nosing around behind the pirate ship that we mounted on the front of the house, overhanging the garage. Of course his first reaction was that they must be concerned about it being up to code, but when he walked over there, they said they just thought it looked cool and were trying to figure out how we made it.
.....I hope they weren't on their way to a fire

This brings up something I've been wondering about...do you guys mind pulling into your driveway and finding people in your yard nosing around like that on days leading up to halloween? I think it is rude and get paranoid that things might start disappearing. I've even had kids walk right up to my porch all thru the year to look at my water faucet or fountain. Don't parents teach them about private property these days????

 

[partsman]

In my town, when I tell people where I live they say,"Oh, you live in the scary house, my son/daughter goes to school with your kids, they can't wait until your next display."

I love being the scary house. During season, we have 3 different buses go off thier route each morning just to turn around in front of our house so the kids can see what I have out!!

 

[alucard]

I am somewhat new to decorating the yard. I have only been putting stuff out for 2 years. Already, I have people from the dentist office, resturants, and various local shops all begin their coversations with, "What are you going to be doing next year for Halloween?" The talk gets around quick and hopefully my house will become the Halloween House of the neighbor hood. Last year, a neighbor from another street walked some of his visitors through a service alley to my front yard and was explaining everything I had put out. It was like having a tour guide at an atttraction. He knew all about the different things, when I put them out and what they all did. It was crazy! I had not seen this guy in years, and he was bringing others over to my house during the day while I was at work! He stopped by with his father-in-law Halloween night to say hi again and show off the yard. I think I might be able to recruit some help from him next year! That's crazy, right???

 

[Warrant2000]

I use the bait and scare method. I usually start the conversation about something generic, then eventually it winds it's way into something Halloween. I ask if they get around the neighborhood, looking to find if they mention anything about that cool house on my street (my house).

Some people have mentioned "that cool house", most don't know anything about it. If they ask if I go all out, I respond, "It's on like Donkey Kong!" and encourage them to come by on Halloween.

 

[stick]

It is a great feeling when you hear someone say something great about your display and hard work. I have had many people tell me that they look forward to my Halloween display every year. One family stop and told me that there children told them they have to drive by "the Spooky house" (my place) every time that they go someplace. The all time best was a two years ago I was put up my display later in the month and there is a car come down the road and I could hear the kids in the car screaming with happiness because they saw me putting the stuff out and the driver stop and told me they have been coming by every day looking to see if I had done it yet.