For the last 19 years, I have done a miniature haunted house in front of Casa Clothahump. Nothing elegant, just some blinky lights, a “boiling” dry ice cauldron, giant spiders hanging from the trees, and me in my Incarnation of Death costume. I sit on a stool, very quietly, and the kids think I’m a stuffed figure. When they head to the door, boogiewah! Screams and hilarity ensue.
I had three families stop last night and tell me how much they appreciate my doing this. Their kids always say “Let’s go get scared by the dead guy!” and they make it a point to come by the house. But the third family really got to me.
Older man and woman, in their 50s or so. Younger man, in his mid-20s, and his wife. And a little bitty baby. The older man told me how their son, the younger man, always wanted to come get scared at the haunted house. And now he’s married…and they are bringing their grandchild!!
Looks like Death isn’t gonna retire any time soon. I’ve got a whole new generation of potential future axe murderers to traumatize. :D:D
Man, that’s cool. Keep up the good work! I’m happy that people appreciate it and say so.
I always thank people for putting in a Halloween effort when I’m walking my kid around. Soon he’ll be old enough not to need parental escort - sigh.
Sadly, Halloween was very rainy in my city this year. My kid still had a blast though. I got soaked taking him around the houses. Less kids than usual because of the weather.
I set up a haunted house in my garage one year when I was a kid. It was pretty lame, but fun. Brains in a cup, eyeballs in a cup, my brother hanging out in the rafters and screaming like a girl.
My father hid in a dark corner with a hidden lit cigarette. He’d take a puff just before people passed by, then light up his face with a flashlight, looking like a corpse with smoke rising out of his face. That was the best part of the haunted house!
“Boogiewah!!” I love it I, too, hope you continue it. My dad always sat in a chair, with a serape and a big mexican hat covering his face, so he could scare them as they were leaving.
And I’ve always loved houses that did something like that.
Halloween is pitiful around here. Only like every 3rd or 4th house participates, and even then they just answer the door and wordlessly plunk candy into the bags. It was people like you that inspired my deep and abiding love for Halloween and it is people like you that I hope for when I take my son out. I am glad to hear this still happens somewhere. Please keep it up, and we’re coming to your neighborhood next year!
Actually, I have missed a couple of years. I live right across the streets from the tennis courts in my subdivision and there have been the occasional twits who just had to play tennis that night. When they turn on the court lights, it ruins the entire effect.
Those years, I went reverse trick-or-treating. I’d get out the sickle, spray glow-in-the-dark stuff on it and stalk the neighborhood. Almost as effective as the haunted house; the kids don’t really expect to see Death coming toward them. With a glowing sickle.
Keep up the good work! 
I’m happy that people appreciate it and say so.