# then they said... "I decorate for Halloween too!"



## SkullAndBone (Sep 21, 2005)

I have a cute story. 

We are wayyy behind, so none of our haunt is up yet.

This year we have new neighbors across the street. They seem like a cool couple, actually they seem pretty similar to me and the lil'lady. We went over and introduced ourselves as good neighbors should. We got into a conversation and they mentioned they go 'All Out!' for Halloween. I've learned over the years that 'All Out!' from a civilian has a different meaning than 'all out' from a grizzled ol' haunter. As a result, I don't go into too much of a description of our own haunt. I don't want to be taken as a halloween fancypants or showoff. They then spent the day haning cobwebs, cutouts, lights and even a pretty cool newspaper stuffed dummy hanging from a noose.

I said it is very cool to have another Halloween fan on the street. We told them to make sure they get candy for about 300 people. They met me with a shocked look and asked why are there so many trick or treaters in this area?!?  

I smiled and I said we decorate too!! 

I think it is easy to get caught in the details and forget about the big picture. When I saw our neighbors realize that 'for some reason' hundreds of people will fill our street during the night, I was reminded how far we have come from our first year with 6 ToT's.

:jol:


----------



## gypsichic (Jun 6, 2006)

lol..............a little shocked at 300 tot's were they???


----------



## krough (Oct 7, 2004)

That is a great Story SkullAndBone. LOL


----------



## JohnnyL (Aug 17, 2006)

hahaha!


----------



## incubus0 (Oct 13, 2006)

300, nice!

We only had about 30 last year, hoping that will increase this year, but not that much. I only bought candy for 100.


----------



## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

They will watch in awe as you put your display up, and next year may well get into it a lot more. Be sure to turn them on to the forum.
I wish other people on our street would decorate even a little. A couple others do some colored lights and window cut outs but that's about it.


----------



## shaunathan (Sep 18, 2005)

Ditto what Jdubbya said


----------



## SkullAndBone (Sep 21, 2005)

incubus0 said:


> 300, nice!
> 
> We only had about 30 last year, hoping that will increase this year, but not that much. I only bought candy for 100.


We steadily grew over the last 5 years, especially when a little birdy *wink* tips off the local paper every year  .


----------



## SkullAndBone (Sep 21, 2005)

jdubbya said:


> They will watch in awe as you put your display up, and next year may well get into it a lot more. Be sure to turn them on to the forum.
> I wish other people on our street would decorate even a little. A couple others do some colored lights and window cut outs but that's about it.


Exactly! I really hope I can influence them to get into haunting. They seem like very cool people. If I have not scared them off with my crazyness by the end of the season I'll give them a couple of our retired props.

:jol:


----------



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

Great story SkullAndBone. It's nice to have neighbors that share in the celebration of Halloween and I hope they get caught up in the day too and realize that having a lot of TOTs is great like we all do.


----------



## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

Great story - thanks for sharing it.

The haunted garage down the street is beginning to take shape... and the kids have a half day off school - so the 10 year old told his friends he can't play because he's painting tombstones!


----------



## Hellrazor (Jun 18, 2006)

That story rocks


----------



## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Shame on you for lying to them S&B. That was 300 LAST year, it's bound to be more this year, lol.


----------



## slimy (Jul 12, 2006)

Great story Skull. My neighbors get more and more in to it as the years go by. One of my nieghbors started decorating Sept 1. She told me, " mine may not be as big as yours, but my stuff was out first." Great to get the community involved.


----------



## SkullAndBone (Sep 21, 2005)

Vlad said:


> Shame on you for lying to them S&B. That was 300 LAST year, it's bound to be more this year, lol.


Ack, you just got me thinking Vlad.
When I went to lunch, I saw a flyer for a "1st Annual Downtown Halloween Carnival" for the kids on Halloween night. The thing is, the Carnival is only 4 blocks away. If word gets out it could be a _very_ big night...


----------



## shaunathan (Sep 18, 2005)

SkullAndBone said:


> Ack, you just got me thinking Vlad.
> When I went to lunch, I saw a flyer for a "1st Annual Downtown Halloween Carnival" for the kids on Halloween night. The thing is, the Carnival is only 4 blocks away. If word gets out it could be a _very_ big night...


is it just me or is halloween bigger this year in genneral?


----------



## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

Nice! My wife and I have noticed that in the three years we've lived here, more and more people are decorating. We like to pat ourselves on the back.


----------



## HibLaGrande (Sep 25, 2005)

man, your neighbors are gonna freak when you set up! 

BTW Nice Site and Pics, just thought I would tell you again in case you forgot.


----------



## darryl (Mar 23, 2006)

SkullAndBone said:


> We steadily grew over the last 5 years, especially when a little birdy *wink* tips off the local paper every year  .


My little birdie did the same this year and the local paper came out and took pics yesterday and did an interview. Of course I mention Haunt forum as an inspiration. Hope it brings the TOT's out.
By the way, great story. Maybe next year it could be a group thing ?
Wish I had some neighbors like that.


----------



## ScareFX (Aug 18, 2004)

Very cool story SkullAndBone!. You'll have them really hooked by the 31st!


----------



## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

It all just proves..... if you build "IT", they will come.


----------



## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

great story hope some day im up to that many kids it be like watching ET with all the kids and parent all over the place trick or treating ,on an average i get about 20 kids-- i've had that many just come by and watch me put my props up-they are all say "im coming to this house-lol,plus my daughter has been telling her friends that im handing out toys (she's in Kindergarden) so all the mommy's ask my wife if its true---yep so im hoping for alot more than 20, o yea,the bigger kids are getting the candy all regular size. hope it dont rain


----------



## Hella (Feb 6, 2006)

Love the story Skull, can't wait to hear how it turns out after you are done decorating your yard and they see how "all out" really looks..lol 

Pyro, that's cute about your dd telling her friends about the "toys"..lol I hope you get a great turn out this year.


----------



## wormyt (Aug 29, 2005)

Skull and Bone, you are right. You build it they will come and its so easy to get caught up into the whole neighborhood Halloween house of being the best. I have another house down the street who does a little, but its like they get the cars flowing up our street and Im the cherry on top of it all. They come up our street which here at my end branches off to two dead ends so they have to drive back by my house to get back out. So once here they park and stay a while. When I first moved in back in June of 99 I made my first coffin....http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v237/Wormyt/?action=view&current=Trishsandingcoffin.jpg&refPage=32&imgAnch=imgAnch50 and http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v237/Wormyt/?action=view&current=Trishsandingcoffin2.jpg it was in the summer and I was new to this neighborhood. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v237/Wormyt/?action=view&current=Trishdrillingbrackets2.jpg&refPage=32&imgAnch=imgAnch49 and http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v237/Wormyt/?action=view&current=Trishdrillingonbrackets.jpg well that first Halloween in this neighborhood showed the folks who I was and what I did. So now I have neighbors laughing at all the candy they have to buy now. Then some laugh at how the kids skip there houses and come straight to mine. LOL So yeah once your name is out there and they know who you are and what you do .......they will come...and come....and come .... LOL


----------



## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

Rock on Wormy... were in the throngs of year one now. Have neighbors knee deep in their haunted garage construction and were busy on our yard props.

Most neighbors are doing more this year at my behest - but I think still will be surprised by what we do.


----------



## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

that's great S&B. Last year during our haunt I was walking up and down the street during a lull and checked out someone's setup a couple houses down, we had never met and introduced ourselves and they said they loved what we were doing, they had a walk-through that was just across the front of their garage but it was fun, also had a hanging man and a couple other yard items they made up. Its always nice to have some others in the area who enjoy it as much as we do.


----------



## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

That story could be similar to like if a new basketball star from LA moved into your Neighborhood and he told you that he is into basketball. And you told him that you were into basketball too. So he asks your name, and you say "Michael Jordon."

But anyway, I love the story. That was cool.


----------



## SkullAndBone (Sep 21, 2005)

wormyt said:


> . So now I have neighbors laughing at all the candy they have to buy now. Then some laugh at how the kids skip there houses and come straight to mine. LOL So yeah once your name is out there and they know who you are and what you do .......they will come...and come....and come .... LOL


Haha! It cracks me up they run past the houses!

The folks on my street are great, but they are still learning about how much candy to get. I can tell when they tap out as their porch lights blink off about 30 minutes into the rush.

Yesterday we finally got some of our stuff out. The new neighbors (who I referred to in the first post) drove by and yelled out the car window "Wooo hoooo!".. Next thing I know they are crossing the street and bringing me and the lil'lady a couple of beers!! Talk about the best neighbors ever, I think I won the neighbor lottery.


----------

