Finding the Time
October 18, 2021
Thanksgiving: That Holiday Between Halloween and Christmas
November 7, 2021
Halloween is this weekend! I have not really decorated, and I rushed around to find candy at the last minute. But up until around three years ago when we moved, my family and I made a big deal of this time of year. A lot of thought, prepping and finally reveling in the time of year. My brother and I really didn’t trick or treat, we lived in the middle of nowhere, so it was hard. My son has only been out once, but he had a blast scaring people and handing out candy. So, this list is an ode to some great scares that we managed over the years.
1. The Chop Shop
Not sure what year it was but we had recently cleaned out our two-car garage. With the extra space my mind started to churn with ways to use it for Halloween. I proceeded to get two sets of white shoer curtains. I put one up in the front opening and the other on the side to divide the garage in half. I set up a table behind the curtains, put a back light on and filled up a spray bottle with fake blood. We had an entrance on the other side of the garage that we set up a table like a butcher shop. My mom made a bloody chop shop sign. On the table was plastic wrapped body parts to purchase like in a butcher shop. Every time someone came up for candy, my brother would be behind the curtain so you could see his silhouette. He would chop at the table then spray the curtain with the spray bottle at the same time. Like blood was spurting all over the place from the dead bodies. All the while sound effects played of screaming people and creepy music. We also threw in a strobe light and fog for added creepy effects.
2. The Bone Yard
We set up a cemetery on the front lawn. Which was big. Besides the zombies coming up from the ground, we also had flying ghosts. We added strobe lights and fog to make it creepy. The cooler it was outside the better the fog would stick to the ground. I set up a fake cauldron by a tree and got flickering orange lights to portray the fire underneath. My brother, dressed up as a werewolf, would sit over the cauldron and gnaw on a fake bone. Creepy music and chanting could be heard in the distance.
3. "Something is watching us..."
We had trees that lined the one side of our rather long driveway. We also had large bushes near our front door and near the walkway to it. So, to utilize these we put speaker in the bushes and the trees. We bought decorations that were made to jump out and activate as people walked by. Such as a moaning woman (which freaked my son out). We also had lights we made to look like eyes. Meanwhile we played music of wind blowing and branches cracking. My brother and a few of his friends would run between trees as kids walked down the long dark driveway and they would shake the branches to add to the effect.
4. Jump Scare Alley
This was much less prop work and more use of lights, fog, and music. Also, with the help of people. Out house was on a street with very little light. The only light that came from our house was usually from our windows. During Halloween we would be sure to put the lamp post and the light by the door on. So, the walk from the street, down the long driveway and walkway was dark. Utilizing that we used fog and strobe lights with my brother and his friends dressed up as either a clown, zombie, etc. They would jump out into the strobe light and then disappear. This paired with scary sound effects made for a spooky night.
5. The Haunted House
It might seem basic, but it turned out rather well. We placed silhouettes in the windows and a strobe light behind them. Some speakers at the different windows. While the light show was going the rest of the house was completely dark. We would slam doors, drag chains and scream. We added some music in there, but we were the sound effects mostly. Creeped the kids out, that was for sure.
I miss those days; we had a lot of fun. We had a lot more space and a lot more we could do with it. Since moving we lost some of our decorations and the ability to do whatever we wanted. Since we have been where we are now for longer and intend to stay for a while, I think next year I am going to plan something completely awesome. This next year will be my planning phase. Get ready for another great scare to add to this list. I hope this might have inspired you to possibly do something awesome next year. Either way this time of year is awesome!
