Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

Yeah, it's weird...in a way, the pesky neighborhood brats are part and parcel of the fun...I've had a few decorations disappear on me too...I suppose that might be why I tend to decorate indoors. I used to run around all kooky on Halloween night so I know the sort of folk that are out there. I haven't done much yard haunting...and once I saw the Hallowed Haunting Grounds display in Los Angeles (it had its last run this last Halloween) I sort of threw my hands up...they had done it all so perfectly. Here's their website, where you can see images, read descriptions, and even hear the sounds...certainly it was one of the most sumptuous yard haunts I ever laid eyeballs on......

http://www.hauntinggrounds.org/

I've decided to start haunting the inside of my house rather than the outside. I decided its better to enjoy all of my hard work myself and for my guests at parties rather than the few people that pass by our street. Plus, I don't have to worry about decorations being stolen or destroyed.

i'm so gonna throw another halloween party this yr and do it all scary
last year i was very reserved coz i had my daughter's halloween party the same day. she had daytime i had night. i think maybe i'll be able to time the parties better so i have time to redecorate for the adult party

Two of my favorite decorations: several years ago I put a hay bale with cornshocks and pumpkins out, you know, standard fall stuff. Then about a week before Halloween I added a home-made scarecrow...stuffed plaid shirt, blue jeans, boots, mask, hat. The neighborhood kids got used to seeing it there. Then on Halloween night my husband PUT ON the scarecrow costume and sat down on the hay bale and as the TOT's came up to the door, he either stood up or spoke or grabbed them (depending on the ages and how much he wanted to scare them). It was AWESOME, you could hear the screaming all down the block. Last year, I did the thing with the black drape in front of an upstairs window, and I put up a mannequin dressed like Norman Bates (in drag with grey wig) with a big old knife in his hand, and my neon sign that says "Bates Motel: vacancy". It looked very cool. I'll do that again this year. You could do the "live" scarecrow bit with any yard decoration, like the grim reaper, a witch, etc.

MHooche, that little trick with the Scarecrow costume.........that's just BRILLIANT. What a great idea that was. That would have scared me righteously when I was a tyke!

Thank you, tomanderson, it was fun!

Another idea: don't forget to add a little something extra to your car parked outside. I usually put a skeleton in the driver's seat, wearing a hat and covered with cobwebs from the steering wheel. It would be extra cool to find a way to have the inside of the car light up as a TOT'r approaches... Maybe just a couple of glow sticks around the dash? Hmmm... I've also read where someone takes black balloons filled with helium and floats glow sticks around the outside. I haven't done that one yet, but it's on my list.

Yombe has great idea about decorating the haunted car on the driveway!! Thanks for the info, Yombe!! I do appreciate that info! One problem is we only have a brand new car and less few years old van, we always put them in the backyard while we haunt on Halloween in the front porch.


Anyways, I'm thinking about buying old, no-good running used car that means it doesn't work at all, you know? Maybe for sale at least $100! I will buy it and have it decorated this old junk car for next Halloween in 2007 or so. :wink:

This pic was taken in October 2004!

I leave a manican, that I took from one of my previous jobs out on the porch in the chair with my Michael Myers get up for the week leading up to it, and I change it on Halloween night, so the neighborhood kids never know if it's me or the dummy sitting in that chair. I have made even the most trash talking teenager run from the porch.

I always wanted a porch to decorate but I dont have one. You see in all the magazines the neat ideas that are all on a porch and I can never use them because our "porch" is like 4ft by 3ft and you cant put anything on it because it would get in the way of the door. Plus it isnt covered so I cant even hang anything

Mandy,

FYI: If you don't have porch, simply put some decors and props on the trees, on the driveway if you have, and also, you can always put everything on the windows.

I decorate everything. I string up orange lights on the trees and spiderweb and ghosts.

Sweet lil vamp,

You have created good idea! I like orange lights around the tree! Is there any more you can do for this year?

I was looking through my Halloween stuff when I was getting out the fall things and I do believe I have more Halloween decorations than Christmas and since I decorate every room and outside that's alot!! So, you guys are right you just collect more and more every year. But, it's so much fun finding the off the wall decorations that noone else around you has.