# All out yard haunt, but not a wearing costume



## spinachetr (Nov 9, 2009)

I'm sure I will get some flak for this from some diehard members on here. I am going all out doing a yard haunt this year, but I have absolutely no ambition to dress up in a costume....so no costume for me. The only thing I would consider wearing would be an oversized stalkaround (that I would build, the current skull from Costco would be awesome) Anyone else do major decorating/haunt, but doesn't wear a costume?


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

I've never worn a costume either. I'm usually so busy with setting things up and monitoring the tots and props, that a costume always seems to be an afterthought. I would consider wearing one if I could find or make one that I liked. Ultimately I'd like to have some help with my haunt so I can be more free to dress the part.


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## Scottzilla (Jun 13, 2007)

I have the same problem. I plan all this great haunt stuff, then about a week out someone asks me "so what are you going to be for Halloween?"

Um... I haven't even thought about it.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

I haven't worn a costume in years. Not for lack of interest, as such, but the display work takes precedence and never quite seems finished. If I did put a costume together, it would have to be comfy and practical enough to accomodate the day's hard work.


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## trentsketch (Jul 27, 2009)

I have a basic costume ready to go in case I need to sneak out for any major repairs during the big night. Otherwise, no. I dress as normal as possible so the ToTs aren't too freaked out to collect their candy and the parents don't just assume I'm some insane person torturing children. It works nicely.

I've had family and friends volunteer to go all out with costumes and interact with the ToTs, but not me. If anything, I'm more likely explaining to parents how a certain prop was built. I basically become the house haunt Martha Stewart: authoritative, a little bitchy, but overall enjoyable to interact with in small doses.


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

I've been wearing a costume and scarring tot's for many years, until last year when I decided to not be an actor. I was able to provide security, check on my other actors, check on props and construction, and finally be able to take pictures and video of my haunt.

I had a crappy realization not too long ago, that I've been haunting for many years, but have very few, if any, pictures of my old haunts. I don't even have any videos of them except for 2 years ago.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Spooky1 and I wear costumes, but my role is always that of hostess and keeper of the candy bowl, and his is to sit or stand quietly somewhere in the yard pretending to be a static prop that sometimes moves just enough to make the ToTs wonder if they really saw something We don't do the scare thing actively.


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## Night Watchman (Aug 15, 2009)

I always want to but I am not at home. I am usually taking my kids through the neighbourhood and they ToT. It was cold last year and my son Reese said out for 2 1/2 hours. He is a trooper. By the time we get home most of the ToTs are done. I would like to hang around in the cemetery as a gravedigger or grim reaper and put a little scare into the ToTs. That idea will have to wait for a few more years.


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## eco-mod (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm always too busy with our haunt to really dress up at all. This year my wife is pushing me hard to go out with our friends the night before since it's been like 3 years since I left the house/haunt at Halloween time. I'm always checking on everything, making small tweaks as I see them, talking to people that drop by, and running the remote to activate our operator controlled animatronic props.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

My daughter likes to dress up, so she has talked me into it for the last couple years. I make sure it is comfortable since I'll be standing all night. And I try not to make it too scarey, since I'm the one who takes candy to the tots who are too afraid to come up. But both the tots and their parents seem to like it better when we dress up.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I rotate costumes with static props so the ToTs don't know if which one of the props is me.


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

I wear my sheriff costume to hand out candy to the TOTers.
Its comfortable and theme appropriate.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I'll normally wear a mask of some type. Last year I actually purchased a long black cape, top hat, medallion and a silver tipped cane for my role as the "gate keeper" for Eerie Manor. It was a lot of fun and I was able to give the back story to people before leading them down the dark path carrying an old lantern. Like a lot of the others, sometimes it's easier just to wear some black jeans, comfortable sneakers and a sweatshirt. I normally spend more time going back and forth to various areas of the haunt, making sure everything is running smooth, so it's not always practical to be costumed and have an actual role. Last year we had ample help so it worked out well.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

I will have a costume on, if the big night falls on a day that is conducive to my party (assuming I am having one that year). Otherwise, no. As others have said, I prefer to spend the time making and setting up props. Costumes are not part of my display.


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

Hubby and I always come up with these grand costume ideas, gather materials, then run out of time and end up putting together some half-way version of what we meant them to be... I always make sure that at least the kids have the costumes they invisioned. I love costumes, I just wish I had more time for them.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

I think you have to do what you can. If you need to just focus on your haunt then do it. I don't condone anyone - as long as we all celebrate Halloween the best we can.

I on the other hand do dress up for Halloween. When we moved in our house 13 years ago, I just wore a Hallween shirt and hat. About 7 years ago, I came up with a costume and usually embellish it with something different every year. Spiderella - Queen of the Arachnids - makes her debut on Oct. 31st. It's comfortable enough to give out candy, receive family and guest for my open house, and fix/repair props. By the time I'm putting the finishing touches on my yardhaunt and setting up food/drink in the kitchen, I get dressed before 2 p.m. on Halloween. This gives me time to watch my props because a lot of kids pass my house when going home to get ready for TOTing. Plus the parents and TOTs like it too.

When Halloween is over, I'll bring in what I can that night and then take a tubbie and get into my Halloween pjs and chill out for the evening.


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

I love costumes, but I am WAY too busy to come up with one most of the time. Every year, I just throw some torn clothes and zombie make-up on. Boring, I know, but I have other stuff to worry about in my yard.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

its understandable if you really are too busy. i myself wear a costume, though its just a basic blue/torquoise corset, black skirt and maybe a sash for the sake of embellishment. other then some light make up, that's it.

i plan to have my costume on all day and then i'm going to wait till around 4 to put any make up on.


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## Just Whisper (Jan 19, 2009)

Like most of you, I rarely have time to put my costume on. When I do, it is a basic Pirate zombie type outfit. Easy to wear and work in. One year I was making some adjustments to one of my pirate props and really freaked out a girl when I turned out to be real, and dressed as a pirate. I think costumes are great, but mine has to be simple as I like my neighbors to be able to recognize me. They all love talking to me about my haunt, as I am sure yours do.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I'm with you Spinachetr! 

I used to wear a costume and certainly will consider it in the future but to be honest I haven't for the last couple years. I kill myself setting up my haunt for Halloween and I usually just finish setting up when the TOT's come prowling. The last thing I want to do is dress up. At that point it's cocktail hour!

I know...I know, it's kind of wrong to us Halloween freaks not to dress up but I put all of my thought into decorating. That's what I love the most. Don't feel bad about not dressing up if you don't want to as long as you're having fun!


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## RandalB (Jun 8, 2009)

I don't wear a costume either, never have enough time to put one together. Also, I have in the neighborhood of 50-60 outright refusals (refused to come up to the door) so I like to walk down to the little ones and give them candy. 

My kids when they are done with TOT, change costumes and man the graveyard. My son (8 Years old) loves to control the trashcan trauma and scare the girls. 

RandalB


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

I've done both. One year my costume was a set of coveralls and a shovel. "groundskeeper" it allowed me to be mobile and tend to the haunt and not be in "street clothes" Last year I spent more time on my jack skellington costume than I did on new props for the haunt - it was a huge hit, but was sometimes cumbersome when I needed to top up fog fluid, etc... the only reason I'm considering wearing it again this year is how popular it was last year (posed for many photos, which was a first for me)


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## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

JOL orange shirt from Walmart and JOL lounge pants works for hubby. 
I try to dress up in something, but it is usually more Halloween related than a costume.


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

I never wore costumes until I had a yard haunt but I don't think it is a requirement to wear one.
Most people are lucky to get their haunts finished before the first ToT anyway.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

I'm always an actor nowadays at my friends' haunt, but if I ever get one of my own my plan was always what NickG said -- cemetery groundskeeper. It would be simple, comfy, and would look appropriate when I go out to tend to the foggers or repair something.


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

I've only worn a costume once, bout 3 years ago. Our current thought was to create T-shirts that say STAFF (infection) with a Bio-hazard symbol for laughs


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