# Halloween culture



## Draik41895 (Oct 25, 2008)

Im writing an essay about halloween culture,like haunters and stuff, and any help would be much appreciated. You guys are like my family, and i think this would be very helpful, and may even help unify the members of the forum even more(yeah, Im cool like that) So thanks for whatever comes from this.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Do you have a specific point of view or thesis (I hated writing those when I was in high school) you're trying to present in the essay? That would help focus the comments you might get from your fellow haunters.


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## Draik41895 (Oct 25, 2008)

nothing really, just basic stuff, not very helpful...


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

I'd like to help out, but I'm thinking if you gave some specific topics you'd like input on it would be significantly easier for us.
ex: reasons for haunting, selection of props...
I don't know what you're looking for, so those are just ideas.

Also, if you could define "Halloween culture" as you use it in the context of our essay, I think we'll have a better idea of where to go with this.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

You could discuss the types of haunts and the types of haunters. How we all seem the same to the outside world, yet completely different within our own.

Haunt types - Pro haunts, yard haunt, garage haunts, tents, inside decorators, etc.

Haunters - those that dress up, those that try for scares, those that go for humor, techies/electrical, pneumatics, artists, partiers, sculptors, etc. Folks who like huge props, those who like table top decorations.

The obvious theme differences. Maybe themes and how they evolve or historically how they originated. For example Frankenstein and laboratory themes from classic movies. Zombie themes from more modern zombie films. 

There are those that create themselves, and those that prefer store bought items.

(Gosh...now I'm not even sure I fit in.)


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Wow, DL, those are all good topics. The only time we see the full spectrum of our obsession is in the post-Halloween pictures, when the myriad themes are presented for all to see.
Draik, there's plenty of fertile ground in DL's post, particularly in his first comment. I think you'll have fun with this essay.


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

I think that Draik will ACE this assignment with no problem...


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## Draik41895 (Oct 25, 2008)

i wish i could be more help, but the assignment is bring something and tell how it relates to your culture in this case meaning the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group.i am a haunter, this is my culture. but yeah, i got a lot now.


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## Jack Reaper (May 27, 2006)

You could talk about what motivates a certain Haunter....
....why certain Haunters go for cute and others for gore.
I know some Pro-Haunts that are nothing but gore and some that are anti-gore.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

DarkLore said:


> You could discuss the types of haunts and the types of haunters. How we all seem the same to the outside world, yet completely different within our own.
> 
> (Gosh...now I'm not even sure I fit in.)


You fit - don't worry

This first comment caught my eye, because I think it's the opposite - we are more alike as haunters than we are as "everyday" people. In that respect, haunters are like theater people. Actors come from all walks of life, but they share the same passions: love of creativity, the challenge of adopting a persona not their own, the thrill of being in the limelight, the satisfaction of becoming a believable part of what is essentially an artificial world on a stage. If you think about it, that is basically what haunters do with Halloween. They use different approaches as noted above, but the ultimate goal is to create something that will successfully draw in and enthrall the viewer. And that's where the fun is for all good haunters Putting it in a nutshell, I would say "creativity" is the base upon which the haunter's culture is built.

Do I get an A+ now?


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

RoxyBlue said:


> You fit - don't worry
> 
> This first comment caught my eye, because I think it's the opposite - we are more alike as haunters than we are as "everyday" people. In that respect, haunters are like theater people. Actors come from all walks of life, but they share the same passions: love of creativity, the challenge of adopting a persona not their own, the thrill of being in the limelight, the satisfaction of becoming a believable part of what is essentially an artificial world on a stage. If you think about it, that is basically what haunters do with Halloween. They use different approaches as noted above, but the ultimate goal is to create something that will successfully draw in and enthrall the viewer. And that's where the fun is for all good haunters Putting it in a nutshell, I would say "creativity" is the base upon which the haunter's culture is built.
> 
> Do I get an A+ now?


I like how Roxy put it. You can explain how we all have a passion for Halloween, but we are all different in certain ways. Some might be religious, but have to deal with the people that reject our believes from the church. Some haunters might be police officers, judges or work in jobs that you might not think that they would be building a half rotten corpse at home. Good Luck with your report and please show us what you wrote when your done.


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

Amen Roxy!!

Also, some of us have haunting in our blood. My children are third generation haunters. My dad raised me up to be the Halloween fanatic that I am, we created a display together every Halloween when I was growing up. I live four houses down the street from my folks now, and every year my dad, my hubby, my three kids, and I all work together on both haunts. Our Halloween traditions run as deep as many others' Christmas traditions! Halloween is a lifestyle in our house, even our kids live and breathe it. The decorations, costumes, music, etc...the mysterious magic of it all just captivates us!


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## The Archivist (May 31, 2009)

Nixie, its too bad that your family doesn't own the entire row of houses from your parents' place to yours. Can you imagine what kind of haunt you'd have then?


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

The Archivist said:


> Nixie, its too bad that your family doesn't own the entire row of houses from your parents' place to yours. Can you imagine what kind of haunt you'd have then?


Oh, that would be so fun!!!!!! Maybe I can convince the neighbors between us to let us invade their yards. The two houses on the other side of the street between us already decorate, so that would be beyond amazing! We could run axworthys across the street!!


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## Bethene (Jan 19, 2008)

Roxy, couldn't of said it better myself- I agree, we are all linked by the love we have for halloween, and I also agree - creativity is the base stone of all we do!


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

I think first you are going to have to convince the probably closed-minded teacher that Halloween enthusiasts are a "culture".
You have to define what makes a culture and that there are subcultures within any community.
Next comes the internet and message boards. You have to define and explain how a message board is a community and the common threads that tie the group together. Within that community there are subcultures. 

I think a good way to approach this would be to explain how internet technology is now a huge part of how we communicate today and how it is changing how groups gather and find common interest. 

How do you fit in here? You are in the younger group. Are you a novice who is learning or do you consider yourself experienced? Where do you hang out the most here? Technology? Halloween? Atmosphere? In other words where in the neighborhood to you prefer to be? 

We have elders in the community that we look up to. People we aspire to be like.
People we just think are really cool.

Hope this helps you out.


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