This file is one of the Wolfstone archives of the Halloween mailing lists. You can find out more, and reach the entire collection here: http://www.pobox.com/~wolfstone/_r/HalloweenArchive.html This particular archive deals with "psychology of haunters" topics. This includes: o the eternal question "Why do we haunt?" o how did you get into haunting? o women haunters o young haunters o "my family thinks I'm nuts" o "my family/spouse is really into this" It does NOT include related topics: o psychology of them (haunt victims/patrons) - - - - - Subject: Re: Howl - The "death" of ToTing in Seattle? From: "Effie's Place" Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 22:11:03 -0700 I live in a tiny town across the water from Seattle. Our population is around 700. Last year I got about 120 TOTers. Why? Because I do it every year, rain or moon-shine. I put it all up at noon on Halloween and take it all down by midnight that night. Then I deny I ever do anything.Ê The kids and parents know I'm going to be there and they know I make an extra effort for their kids. They know I'm coming to the door in costume and they know that I'm going talk with them. Tell them what a great costume they've got. Force them to take candy when they only wanted to come in to see the props. They know that when they have a swivel necked kid I'm going to walk him/her to the end of the porch so they don't take a header off the end. They know that if it's a bit too scary for their little onesÊ I'll kneel down and comfort their kid. There are a few that know that the first costume on the porch that knocks me over is getting a big toy prize. They know that the costumed kids/adults that took some thought and effort on their get-up gets the big candy bars. Off the rack costumes gets the little candy bars and no costumes get bubble gum.Ê They all know that everyone gets something. I've now got second generation TOTers. They want their kids to know the fun that they had at our house. Once a year I make hearts light. Once a year I make memories. And once a year I bring memories back. They know. Spirit of Effie - - - - - Subject: Re: Howl - The "death" of ToTing in Seattle From: "Effie's Place" Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 10:01:19 -0700 > What happens nowadays is, parents take their kids to community sponsored >ToT events. My own sister-in-law takes her kids to these Halloween night events I can't decide if this is a safety factor or if it's parents just not wanting to take the time with their kids. It's easier to dump them off at a mall or community center than to go door to door with them. > > When we were kids, ToT-ing was a safe, (fairly) quiet, good time that was > spread out over the entire town. Of course, we knew our neighbors... and > they knew us. Us too. We knew the whole neighborhood. All the kids grew up together and the parents worked on school carnivals together. I've lived in my neighborhood for nearly 18 years and, although I know my neighbors by name, I don't know them personally. Most of my neighbors come and go. In a two block radius only two of us own our own homes. The rest is rentals. > > Back in those halcyon days, we used to have what we called (Halloween) > "Carnivals" at nearby gradeschools. I don't think the schools can do that anymore. They are afraid they'll offend some section of people. Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.... we came to school in costumes, had Halloween parties and carved pumpkins. Now it's not politically correct to do that. > As an anecdote, at our (now ancient) carnival, you'd find bake sale items or > you'd go to a cake walk (remember those?)... That's a warm fuzzy for me. I actually won a cake and took our own back home. My mother was fit to be tied. She wanted someone else's cake and I wanted hers! >But I STILL think, Halloween is about something other than just > candy. I think so too.Ê I think it's permission to be silly once a year. It's okay to let the macabre out. It's okay to have a hand full of mini candy bars for dinner. It's the last party we can have before the holiday rush hits. It's one last time to wear the Billy-Bob teeth because heaven knows they frown on that at the formal events. > > AND they give away BIG candy bars...". I think that's a huge part of it.Ê I've always said that kids want and need the bar set higher. They'll achieve what ever we ask of them.Ê The big bars go to the best costumes. It gives them a goal and a thrill to see what they'll get.Ê This year, by the way, the great costumes get Star Trek action figures..... I'll get rid of those damn things one way or another! > > The upshot is... we hope anyway... that we're doing our bit to tug that > pendulum back this-a-way. I'm making my world a better place one person at a time. I don't think I = can ask for more. It's sappy, but if just one kid who comes to my door remembers his trick or treating days at my house fondly and carves just one more pumpkin or takes his kid to houses or maybe throws a dead body on the roof, well, my job is done. > juggernaut Spirit of Effie...who's jugs are in a knot too! - - - - - Subject: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Sue McDonald" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 07:18:30 -0700 Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween with a haunt? How did they find the Halloween list? I have been reading off this list for two or three years, I think. I think I happened across it when I was looking for Halloween ideas and 'stuff'. I start getting the excitement right after the first of the year thinking about all the props I want to make. Then I start getting anxiety attacks as the first of October because I did not get them all done. And of course, on the first of November, I am in a deep depression because I did not make the goals I set for myself. This year, it shall be different (I believe we tell ourselves this every year). One, I have notified my husband (who sets more expectations on me than I do for myself) that whatever I get finished by the middle of September will be all that I worry about. Any extra things that get made between then and Halloween will be a pleasant surprise. I am going to enjoy myself for once on just doing the Halloween thing. I have set aside an area just for the graveyard, measured out for the fence needed and made a drawing of the tombstone and prop placement. I know that in the area of the hot tub deck that there will be a party with two skeletons in the tub with champagne glasses (am trying to figure out a way to rig up some smokes for them). The Monster Mash band will be playing on the deck in the back for the party goers. Frankenstein and his monster chair will be on the front porch inside the cage (that I made this year - cut to fit). Hopefully, we will be animating him to flop around a little as he receives his electrical charge to the electrodes especially made for his neck. The garage will be converted to a torture chamber with all my new devices. I may just put the fan monster set up next to the guillotine with a head being held up and the fan portion moving the arm so that it is showing it to the people. Still have the old standbys like the coffin leaper, the tombstone jumper, etc that needs a place. I think the hardest part for me is I put way too many expectations on the haunt and do not enjoy the whole experience. Last year sucked the big one but the year before was actually an enjoyable one. If I can just learn the electronical B.S. to master these props and the animation, I could do better. I see on the list that everyone this weekend was making props and drinking. When you imbibe and create, does it work better? - - - - - Subject: Re: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Rick R Mortiz" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 23:00:24 -0700 I got my first exposure to a haunt at age 5. The Jaycees up in Kent, WA = were holding one in an old house. Ahh the good old days: Crawl through tunnels with matress floors, hands reaching out and grabbing my moms ankle (I = still feel sorry for the actor I bit), helping the wolfman pick up his jail cell bars he dropped, and the large spiral slide from the second story side window.. From then on i was hooked. I used to set up haunts in my bedroom to show = the folks. Then as I got older I used to go to 1 or two a year. I'n Highschool our Key Club volunteered to run 2 rooms at the local March of dimes haunt. = I designed my first set ( a chapel with funeral scene) and played a lunatic = in a cage with a couple of bars missing on one side. Then I really got hooked, and started doing yard displays every year when = i had a yard. The best of which was about 5 years ago. Graveyard with white foam tombstones, dim lighting, blacklights, white polyester curtains being blown by a fan underlit with a blacklight. Two static monsters peering out of the dark apt. Sound effects.. and me dressed up as leather face running down the sidewalk with a sledge hammer after the older TOTs. Had a group of 6 teens try to walk in when i opened the front door.. they thought I was running the local fire depts haunt.. nice praise.. Been a haunt actor the last 3 years as well, and propmaster, room designer for MOD haunt in its final years. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Hollyberry : )" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 12:02:02 -0400 Sue, I found the list through a friend of mine, who by the way is the only = other person in the whole town that is as crazy abou the holidays as I am.. especially Halloween. I have been Haunting my home up from the very beginning.. every year for the past 8 years I have had a rather large = party. I am the type of haunter that finds pleasure in building props and /or = just decorating with the simple things.. For instance - One year we took toilet = paper and hung it from the ceiling just so that it would hang rigt about o = your chest or bottom of your throat... we filled the ceiling up with it .. = the effectwas great because you could not see in front of you .. you kinda = had to dodge through the rom.. not knowing what was coming up before you left you with a feeling of suspence! That was really my favorite effect, because it was so simple and cheap but went a realy long way. Add lighting = and fog and man it was great!...... This is my first year on this list and = I have learned soooo much! I can't wait til October 1! This will o doubt = be an extraordinary Halloween! Hollyberry Do the Haunt or be Haunted! >From: Sue McDonald >Reply-To: "Halloween List" >To: Halloween List >Subject: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past >Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 07:18:30 -0700 > >Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How >long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween >with a haunt? How did they find the Halloween list? - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "james maguire" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 13:57:03 -0400 Sue, I starting doing a home haunt in 1986. It all started with me wearing a = mask answering the doorbell, trying to give the TOTers a startle. I first found the list in 1997. I don't recall what I was searching for on the web, but somehow I got to Allen's Halloween page. There I learned of the Don Bertino's list, and I've been an e-mail addict ever since. - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 14:47:30 EDT Hi Sue: > Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people > need to know. How long have each of the members of > this list been celebrating Halloween with a haunt? How > did they find the Halloween list? Great questions, Sue! I hope that every member of this list submits = an answer to them. For me, I've been celebrating Hallowe'en for years and years and = years, but never more so than when I was in college. My freshman year, I = worked on the campus Haunted House, and then I designed it the next three = years. The year after I graduated, a friend who was in his senior year = invited me back to work on the Haunted House one last time. After that, though, I didn't do much in the way of preparing for = Hallowe'en. I'd work on a costume (special makeup effects are one of my = hobbies), but not actually decorate for the season. When I got married, my wife and I began to host a party on or near = Hallowe'en. But, even then, we didn't do much in the way of outdoor = decorating. We painted a couple of cardboard boxes to look like = tombstones, and we also would strategically place the few props I'd kept = from my college days (including three disembodied heads that I'd sculpted = for a production of "The Three Penny Opera," plus a skeleton hand from a = production of "Sherlock Holmes") around the yard, but only during the = party. Then, about two years ago, I discovered "Haunted Attraction" magazine = at our local Barnes and Noble. It was an amazing revelation to me. But, = I lost the magazine during a move that occurred just shortly thereafter. = A year later, when I stumbled across the "Haunted Attraction" website, I = decided that I wasn't going to make the same mistake again, so I ordered = all the back issues I could and subscribed for a year. When the large = envelope arrived a few days later, I was in Haunter Heaven! As I poured = over the issues, I found a reference to Don Bertino's Halloween-L list and = checked it out. Once there, I discovered that the list had been taken = over by Chuck Rice, but that it was still going on. I immediately = subscribed to it. That was eleven months ago. I don't think I could begin to detail, or even summarize, the = incredible things I've learned. But, I must say that the thing I value = much more than the knowledge I've gained through the list is the = friendships I've made through the list. I consider myself both lucky and = blessed to have found the Halloween-L list. We're hoping to have an "official" yard haunt this year, and we're = considering it to be our first true yard haunt. Unfortunately, we've got = some other things going on in our lives right now that have been taking up = most of our free time, so we're not going to have all of the items in our = yard that I had envisioned. Still, we wouldn't have had any plans for = doing a yard haunt at all were it not for this list and the fantastic = people on it who share of themselves so freely. Sorry that this is so long -- you know what happens when you give an = English major a chance to write! - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: Date: 30 Jul 2001 12:29:25 -0700 Sue, This is my first year on the list also. I have learned so much in just a = short time it's GREAT! I've always been into Halloween ever since I was a = kid and my parents did a house haunt for all the kids on Halloween and had = a party for the parents in the kitchen. Well, since I've moved to Cape = Cod, I've had the scariest house on the block. We have bodies run over by = lawnmowers, severed heads hanging from the trees, and bodies poping up = from the ground. This year I'm going all out and adding a wall to enclose = the yard, I've got teenagers who have volunteered to jump out at the = little ones (as well as the adults - they appreciate the scare more ;-) ) My family thinks I'm nuts but they are helping me build the wall and crypt = for this year. Now I"ll just need to build a storage shed for all my = stuff. - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Maggie Bell" Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1904 20:34:40 -0800 > Okay Sue . . . > > Since you had to ask. I started seventeen years ago when I took my = first > born trick or treating. It seemed the neighborhood wasn=92t into the = spirit of > things, so we decided the following year to stay home and scare the crap = out > of the little ones. That was our first yard and garage haunt. As of = three > years ago we turned it into a walk through haunted house. Last year the = press > caught wind, and it made front page of the paper (with directions how to = get > there, tourists even showed up), radio and television coverage. We had = close > to 2000 people walk through. Since then our neighbors on both sides have = sold > their homes. (didn=92t like them any ways) > > Last year I went through major post pardom depression. The day after > Halloween, I had some volunteers, (actually left over drunks) that = decided to > help me break it down. While I was cleaning one area, they had broken = apart > all my PVC people, major props, mannequins, broke lighting, reusable = back > drops and stage equipment and just trashed stuff throwing it in boxes = and the > trash with no organization. (I=92m anal, I file limbs in alphabetical = order and > electrical cords by length). It looked like a bomb went off, I wasn=92t = sure if > I could ever put it all back together. I just cried, it was a disaster = and > swore off Halloween forever. > > About three months ago, I was contacted by the TV station wanting to = know if > I was going to do it again . . . ahh a challenge I love a challenge! = "You > think last year was good, just wait till you see what I have in store = this > year". I got on the internet getting new ideas and ran into the = Halloween > List. I was soooooooooo happy to find all you wonderful funny people = with > such awesome idea=92s and talent! I came in when "Rick=92s Video" was = going > around . . . I was so fascinated and in awe that I have since sucked up = six > Dougies! > > The neighbors have politely asked me to hire security and get mini = shuttle > busses as we live in a cultesac, which is in the works now . . .Okay . . = .. > sorry to be so long winded . . . oh and next year when I clean up, "NO > VOLUNTEERS"! > Maggie : ) - - - - - Subject: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Andrew & Rose-Ellen Eastman" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 16:41:07 -0400 Well, I've been celebrating Halloween for as long as I can remember. My parents would let us throw Halloween parties in our unfinished basement = and I think being scared in my own basement really got me hooked on Halloween. = Ever since then I've done some sort of spooky thing to the front yard for when the TOTs came to visit. This year, I've decided that a Haunt could be = a good fundraiser for my fire department, so I'm gonna give it a shot. = Last year I went to a few of the Haunts in my area and asked the landlords a = few questions. To my total surprise, I found that people were totally open about how they ran their haunts. I heard about the Virginia Gathering from = a friend so I went. Just around that time, I heard about the list, so I joined. everyone seems so nice and helpful. I'm really learning a lot and having a blast. The Halloween Queen >From: Sue McDonald >Subject: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past > >Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How >long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween >with a haunt? How did they find the Halloween list? - - - - - Subject: Re: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Kathy Slicker" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 18:09:39 -0500 i have always decorated for Halloween, my son was born on this day, 28 = years ago. i have been on this list for 2 years. to be honest, i do not remember how i found it, but i am so grateful that i have. i cannot believe how gracious and giving everyone is, it truly astounds me. i became "serious" last year. serious meaning: more props and ideas from this list. this year (thanks for a little extra cash) i have purchased some lovely accruements for my haunt: first and foremost: Jim kadel, those LED's r just the best little investment i could make. they really add a lot to a haunt. i also = was fortunate enough to purchase Jim's thunder and lightning machine. i do not have it yet, but i am sure it will be fantastic. also kudos to boneyard bargains for my glow in the dark brain, bag of bones and some very cool skulls. i also have purchased a fog head and blower from terror by design. = i am looking forward to that. i know it will be excellent. i also made my = own tombstones, took me six weekends and they still do not look anywhere as = good as keebas, but for my first time, i can live with it. i made my own pvc sitting teacher witch, for my haunted classroom, thanks to someone's directions from this list. my imagination has been heightened and i am already thinking of ideas for next year (aliens, mark butler). thanks to all. k Sanity is the playground for the unimaginative. -- Unknown - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "E Ratliff" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 18:19:20 -0400 Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween with a haunt? How did they find the Halloween list? I've been celebrating Halloween as long as I can remember (I'm 33) My = family has an annual Halloween party ( www.barnparty.ratliff.com ) that is the = talk of our small town (about 500 people). My brother found the list about 4 years ago as we were looking for new prop ideas and I finally got a server that can handle the load. Now here's where I need help, each year our party has a theme it revolves around I wanted to do a 2001 space/alien theme however last year's theme = was a hillbilly Halloween and was very popular so now they want me to combine the two, so the question is how does one combine Halloween, SciFi, and Hillbillies?? My brother (our web designer) is billing it as what would it be like if rednecks wrote SciFi. The only prop idea I've had so far is putting my UFO up on blocks. I'm begging to you all, the Gods of Halloween, can anyone help me? Edd the VampireBear - - - - - Subject: re: Questions about the Ghost of Halloweens Past From: "Fixit" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 19:23:17 -0500 -----Original Message----- From: Halloween-L at WildRice.com [mailto:Halloween-L at WildRice.com]On Behalf Of ChilliTNG at aol.com Subject: Hall: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past Since you asked how long folks have been doing this, here's is my answer. I have been doing Haunts for about 3 years now. I Started scaring the neighborhood kids when I lived in an apartment. I noticed nobody else was doing this, so I figured I would. I remember when I was younger about this "cool" house that had everything decked out. I hope someday when I move into a house that I will be that "cool" house in the neighborhood. Hey! Is anyone else Hauting in WI??????? -- ____________________ Fran=E7ois Blawat Fixit mailto:cunablawat@mailbag.com - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "dawn rice" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 19:37:27 -0500 I'm not really sure when my love of the season first really started. But = my first love of haunted houses was when my Dad took me to a haunted house in = a church basement. I was invited to sit on dracula's bed (OK, as a kid you don't know that dracula does sleep on a regular bed) and then when I sat down he came rushing out at me. The trill began and I've loved that rush since.....I also enjoy giving that feeling to others also. Especially = tough acting teenage boys! I began haunting with the Sioux Falls Jaycees in 1994. I have ran the project in 1995, 1996 and now again this year. My accomplishments have = been creating better shows/customer satisfaction. The house has been loosing it's appeal to our customers the last couple of years so I'm back at it = and hope to resurrect it. And with all the new ideas I've obtained from this list, and most importantly how to make my ideas, this year will rock the house! I found this list as I was under The Edge of Hell's Haunted House web site as I am planning on road tripping with my fellow Jaycees to give them = insite on what can be done -- I and saw the web ring, which led me to Allen's = Page, which led me to here. (Something like that.....) That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Dawn Rice - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Damien Stafford" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 17:57:36 -0700 (PDT) I have been Haunting since i was about 12 years old. I started with my grandmothers porch. She hated halloween at the time and was so mad at me the first year she came home form work and found dummies sitting in the porch swing and cobwebs all over the place. Since moving out of my Grandmas house she says she really misses the way her house was always in the "spirit". I think that is the nicest compliment I have ever recieved about my haunt work. Since moving out on my own i have always haunted my poorch or my garage. All the kiddies in the neighborhood love it and now with my new house and the great set up it has I will be doing my very first more than one room walk through, this year. I just hope the bible beaters next door don't give me a bunch of cra[p about it. My wife is worried that they will so I told her that I would keep all the gorey stuff inside the haunt. Bummer! But I dont want to cause waves the first year I live here. I'll wait til next year for that!*wicked laugh* Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories and memories with all of us! =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Image by FlamingText.com"Always a pallbearer, never a corpse!"Check out my = halloween site(under = construction)athttp://sites.netscape.net/nightstalkerhome/staffordmanor - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Eric Ness" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 20:20:58 -0600 Hey Sue, This year we will be doing our 10th annual haunted dungeon. I first found the list last year (I think through Allen's Halloween Page) and have primarily been in lurk mode. Ours is very much a family affair. We have members of my wife's family who come from over an hour away, just to spend a couple of hours playing (as well as coming down for several weekends before to help setup). This year, we're even working on getting my brother and his family to fly out from California (we're in Colorado) for our 10th Anniversary (since he helped = us get started the first year) Eric Our Haunted Dungeon http://www.bucketfoot.com/halloween/index.htm - - - - - Subject: Re: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Kathleen A. Klatte" Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 23:52:14 -0400 Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween with a haunt? Well, I've always had stuff for every holiday, but I really started going nuts with Halloween 8 years ago...as a form of therapy. :-) See, what happened is that in the space of 4 weeks we had a death in the family, a = car accident, and a household accident that left me the only functioning = person in the house...also the only driver of the only car. And did I mention = that I was working full time and going to school 3 nights a week? Can we say **STRESS**? I really needed something frivolous and fun to focus on. I guess it = started out when I'd go to Walgreen's to pick up prescriptions...I saw some cool Halloween stuff and figured that would be a fun thing to do. Then my = folks' doctor's office was in a shopping center with a big Toys'R'Us and they had even more cool stuff. And an obesession was born. :-) Since then, that 'couple of boxes of Halloween stuff' has grown into about 10-12 cartons in the attic, skellys in the garage coat closet, tombstones and a few large lawn bags of stuff that live in the garage, and two rubbermaid tubs and Mr. Grim living on the porch! I have to start the = last weekend in September to get everything set up in time and people in the neighborhood start asking if we're going to decorate shortly after Labor Day. Some people drive here every year to bring their kids ToTing. How did they find the Halloween list? Hmm...I'm on other Halloween lists and I also belong to a couple of Yahoo Halloween clubs...I'd heard quite a few people mention this list and eventually someone posted a link and I joined...1 year ago, August 2nd. - - - - - Subject: Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Barb" Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 00:25:45 -0400 Hey Ed.... Visited your Halloween Barn and the Hillbilly pics are GREAT! I don't really have a suggestion for ya yet on the Hillbilly/Alien theme = but I did wanna say that the first thing that came to mind was that scene in "Men In = Black" where the rube'ish guy sees an alien craft crash land on his front lawn. = That lady who plays his wife is hillarious! Have fun with the Alien = theme...you can get those little plastic blowup aliens real cheap at dollar stores, second = hand shops and joke shops. Do some work with your jack O's too carving alien = heads, and use christmas lights inside one to light the interior of the Jack as = well as add blinking lights to a carved out flying saucer. While it's still = summer you can find...what's it called...I forget the correct name of the material = but you find it in the camping gear section and you use it for emergency blankets = if you get caught outdoors in very cold temperatures. It works great for giving = things a shiny spacecraft look. You can also get that stuff that looks like drier = hose but instead of white it's shiny silver and more flexible. Dollar stores also = have lots of alien themed novelty items and if you live in the US, Oriental = Trading Company http://www.oriental.com/home.html As for your other question. I'm 35 y/o and have been haunting on a larger = scale for 8 years. As a kid my mom always did cool stuff with us for Halloween. = We always decorated, made real scary scarecrows, did crafts and baking for = Halloween and she always sewed our costumes from scratch. Now I have kids of my own = and we do Halloween up BIGTIME. My twins are 6 y/o and last year they had their = first party and it was a smashing success. I always sew costumes from scratch = like my mom, we do lots of decorating indoors and out. Have a haunt on Halloween = day and night (but it comes indoors before we head to bed) and I supply my kids' = classroom with lots of crafts and treats throughout the month of October. In my = whole life I have only missed dressing up for Halloween once. That was 2 years ago = when I was sick as a dog with a fever of 104. I layed on the kitchen floor and = all the strength I could muster was to draw a half ass face on my pumpkin. Larry = had to cut it out for me cuz I was so sick. We each do our own pumpkins and have = let the kids do their own since they were 3 years old. The twins, Nick and = Hailey, share my passion for Halloween. Their father however, is never impressed ;o) = He's not a weener at all. But he does humor me and is in charge of carrying = pumpkins from the field, finding bunches of cornstalks for us, hammering stakes in the = ground for the tombstones and making trips to the lumber store for my various and = sundry Halloween Construction needs. He also puts up with me bringing all kinds = of crazy aquisitions in the house that I've been out yard sale'n for, or have = dumpster dived for or have lifted from someone's trash can. God Love'im ;o) - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: re: Questions about the Ghost of Halloweens Past From: "soulseeker" Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 06:48:20 -0600 Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays as I was growing up. However it really wasn't until I had children of my own that I started decorating. The decorations began getting more detailed until about 7 years ago when = we had our first walk through haunt. Since that time we have had a walk = through haunt each year, for the week prior to Halloween with donations accepted = for the local food bank. I discovered the list a little over a year ago and now my interest has become my obsession. October 31 has become our family's biggest holiday - everyone now gets into the act. The two older kids (who I finally got rid of) are coming home to help make this year the best one ever. Thanks to the members on this list for sharing their imagination, passion and humor. - - - - - Subject: Re: Howl - Uncooperative neighbors? From: Date: Wed, 01 Aug 2001 09:20:22 EDT Here's a tip....when you get a skeleton, corpse or box of body parts = delivered to your house...make sure you open it on the front lawn when the = neighbors are around. Then look around furtively, say "oh &%#(@"!, and rush them into the house! Then there are the whole range of weird noises and CDs I p[lay when ever I = have a cookout! He he he... Keep them guessing! My neighbors don't seem to bother me a = bit! Guess I'm kinda lucky. Beast Wishes~ Damian Tophet - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "WebMistress" Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 07:17:05 -0700 (PDT) Hmmm.. I've have a haunt since I was a child, my parents taught me well :) = I've had my own haunt since 1992. I found the list 4 years ago while = looking up theater lighting on the list. I haven=92t been as active on = the list the past 2 years =85 I=92ve been building props and fighting = illness instead And yes =85 I go through the whole thing also =85 plan TONS of things. = Maybe get 3 or 4 done J Planning starts October and I start building = little things in January. The big stuff starts in July, or when it is = warm enough for me to be outside. - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past From: "Nez" Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 11:43:49 -0400 Okay...here goes!! I've been doing my own home haunt for about 10 years now, but nothing quite so spectacular as the past 4 years have been, = thanks to the list. My mother was a Halloween nut and I've followed in her footsteps, having a knack for the pageantry and stagecraft that goes along with. Now if I could just get over the electric side of things I'd be great...I'm losing brain cells at an exponential rate due to shocking the crap out of myself about twice a year. That's why I'm going pneumatic!!! *yay!!* I don't do it on purpose...it just happens. I've a love/hate relationship with electricity...but the utmost respect as well!! = Ummm...the only other thing I can say is that at the very least I've been an amateur ghost hunter as well...which kind of leads over to my Halloween addiction. Nuff said...back to haunting!! ~Morganna~ - - - - - Subject: RE: Hall: Questions about the Ghosts of Halloweens Past - long From: "Rowan" Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2001 20:37:24 -0400 ---- Original Message ---- Just because I am nosy and because inquiring people need to know. How long have each of the members of this list been celebrating Halloween with a haunt? How did they find the Halloween list? I see on the list that everyone this weekend was making props and drinking. When you imbibe and create, does it work better? Sue Well . . . Between my family having all-out Halloween gatherings and being born on Halloween, I've been doing this my whole life. That's more years than I'm ready to admit to yet. Growing up, there were at least three = parties from the weekend before Halloween ending with the November 7th solemn feast/gathering of only the family (35 people for a sit-down dinner). = There has always been lots decorating and "haunting the house" Halloween night with the ToTs, with full costumes and lots of laughter. Of my mother and her sisters, one aunt loved the cooking, the other aunt loved the decorating, another aunt loved the costuming and Mama loved the mechanical/crafty things. I had a huge birth family, once upon a time, so anytime we got together was a party. When I was about 14 (about 30 years ago or so), I quit ToTing myself. I = was too well developed and adult-looking to be going out ToTing with my = friends. (I fit that Morticia outfit just a *little* too well - got myself perched = on the bar at a friend's parents' Halloween party while ToTing and couldn't escape from the males at their party!) But quitting was okay since I had access to all the family haunting "stuff" and decided to haunt the front room. My first "walk-through." I had an old stereo that played = the haunted sound effects records over and over; I had collected dead autumn leaves and attached them to dark yarn stringing them as a curtain across = the room in front of the air vent(which kept coming on since I had the front door open)which rustled the leaves beautifully; I had an old hot plate = and my mom's second best cauldron full of hot water into which I dropped dry = ice all night. And I had my Morticia outfit . . . with a few vampire modifications. And lots of candles in lots of old, old brass lanterns everywhere and in a couple of carved pumpkins. I strung a rubber bat on dark wire curving down from the ceiling at the back of the room and when a kid would come in, I'd let the bat loose to come swooping down the wire. = Or I'd drop the big hairy rubber tarantula down the back of their head from = the black carpet thread that I had strung all along the wall and over the = front door opening. It was the greatest fun! And the best part was hearing the kids walking away saying things like = "WOW! That was the best house I've ever been through! I almost wet myself!" I was the only house in the little town I grew up in that was haunting when = I started. Kids came back year after year. I came home from school to continue doing the haunt every year, always adding something new every = year. When I got married and moved, Mama told me the kids were so disappointed - "Where's the Haunted House??" I found the list about four or five years ago, doing a search on = something, I don't remember what. I stayed with the list for a while until my = computer said "AARRGH!!NO MORE!" and died a short but very painful death. Unfortunately, our son was going off to college and needed a new computer more than I did. So that was it for me and the list until recently when = he got finished with school and Mama got a brand new computer capable of handling the volume of mail the list puts out. YAY! I miss a number of = my old list friends, but I'm learning to like all the new ones now. I'm learning some new tricks this time though and will end up trying most of them . . . except electronics and power tools . . . that's what sons are for! Istvaan (the 21 year old son with a JOB!!! YAY!!) is theatre-tech = with emphasis on sound and lighting and computers. I do the costuming and creative design. The daughter is just getting into the idea of haunting = as she is getting to that end of ToTing age. The husband? Well, lol, he pays for it mostly and walks around shaking = his head saying "where did all that money go?" But I'm winning him over. = Once you can get a man into "funny clothes" for SCA, you can slowly infect him with the joys of Halloween haunting. Just look at his idea with the exploding pumpkins and haunted pumpkin patch! And just as long as I get my birthday presents, he lives. < evil grin> As for the drinking, well, my son inherited my drinking ability when he = was born so now I can't hold two ounces of anything alcoholic without falling asleep, so, no, it doesn't enhance my ability to create anything, = Halloween or otherwise. ::shrug:: - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Excited! From: "patty a nuth" Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 20:54:15 -0400 Oh No! You sound like me I have BOXES of stuff from last year that I stuck in the kids playhouse including my mud monster- he's huge!The kids won't go in there anymore! LOL. The ups guy totally thinks I'm nuts after the umteenth box from the anatomical chart company was delivered- love those bucky bones.What put it over the top was the pvc fence I made. It's hard to find anyplace for that!! And of course, this year I NEED MORE STUFF! [AND MORE HIDING PLACES!] On 7 Aug 2001 16:39:07 -0700 whitefang@telocity.com writes: > I'm so excited! Yesterday I got my Prop Builder's Handbook from > Terror Syndicate and it's AWESOME!! and to top it off I got my Bucky > Bones and skulls today! My family thinks I'm crazy and my husband > wants to know where I'm going to store everything after the BIG > event but who cares? It'll all get taken care of and I'm having a > great time!! ;-) - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Re: Excited! From: "Ann Gratis" Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 22:21:04 -0400 I got the first one. I might as well start with the basics. So, for the = past couple of days, I've been watching TV at night just cutting up coat = hangers and making hands. Then my daughter and husband think I went a bit over the = top when I was putting chicken wire around a large planter for the base of = the Grim Reaper. I cant' remember what web site I saw it on but what a = great idea! I'm going to have a teenage volunteer dress up as the grim reaper = and pop out from behind the static one. There will be fog and strobe lights around him. My kids told me they would buy me Prop Building 2 and 3 for Christmas. I couldnt' ask for anything more. ;-) By the way, does anyone live in Easter MA? I'd love to hook up with fellow = haunters in my area to exchange ideas and maybe help out on projects. Whitefang On Tuesday 07 August 2001 7:04 pm, you wrote: > Good for you, Whitefang. Which issue of TS book did you get? I'm = debating > on whether or not to get them. > > Spookdawg > > "You can suck 'em and suck 'em and suck 'em and they never get any > smaller" - Willy Wonka > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: > Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 5:39 PM > Subject: Hall: Excited! > > > I'm so excited! Yesterday I got my Prop Builder's Handbook from Terror > > Syndicate and it's AWESOME!! - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Success! From: "Sue McDonald" Date: Thu, 09 Aug 2001 18:19:06 -0700 Pardon me but I think we need to correct a misconception. NO ONE on this list is a sick individual, we are just overly creative and have become imaginatively expanded exponentially. Sue Bradley wrote: > > You know you're done well on a prop when your children can't stand to be = in > the same room as it and your husband just shakes his head and calls you = a > 'sick individual'. hehe I am so happy. > > Psychotic Fairy - - - - - Subject: Re: Success! From: "Bob Andrews" Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2001 20:18:30 -0500 I've had that happen with less, uh creative endeavors. Bob Andrews the_boss@restin-petes.com http://www.restin-petes.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bradley" To: "Halloween List" Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2001 8:00 PM Subject: Hall: Success! > You know you're done well on a prop when your children can't stand to be in > the same room as it and your husband just shakes his head and calls you = a > 'sick individual'. hehe I am so happy. - - - - - Subject: Re: Howl - Adams Family Barbies From: "Dusti Lewars" Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 05:19:21 -0700 (PDT) Oooo...the mark of a truly good hubby. :) - Minion --- Midnyte > wrote: >Minion, >Thanks so much for the heads up! I ran out and got them...and the best >part was my husband bought them for me! > >-Midnyte - - - - - Subject: Attention ladies! From: "Kathleen McCarthy" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 23:20:49 -0400 Sorry to double post in advance!! :( Hey ghoul-friends!!, I've been rolling this around in my head lately about doing an article for HA magazine regarding "Women In Haunting." I've noticed a lot of our = female frightners have accomplished a lot of personal goals lately regarding = tools, electronics, and such. I know that for me, before I was REALLY interested in haunting, I never even knew how to operate a dremel, and now even I get excited when the Craftsman tools are on sale at Sears!!! :) I also = believe that for me, having such a strong desire to build some of my props has opened many levels of confidence and creativity that I never knew I had before. I would like to ask a favor from some of our ghoul-friends on the list(s) and send me a short biography about your haunting experiences as a woman = and how it has effected/changed you. Here are some examples: 1. How did you become interested in Halloween? 2. What has haunting done for you as a woman to overcome challenges (personal/physical)? Would you say that you are a different person than before? 3. How has/does your family or friends react to your "hobby?" ....do they accept it? Feel threatened? 4. What advice would you give other women haunters? 5. How do the benefits of being a haunter exceed the holiday itself for = you? Please **Send me your replies offlist*** Thanks in advance.... - - - - - Subject: Sue - I'd make You Proud From: "Spookdawg" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 17:31:57 -0600 Hey Sue - since my husband does make me props but grumbles while making = them I decided to pick up the drill and do it myself. I used the power miter = saw and a drill. I also learned how to solder wires together to make LED eyes. The only hazard so far was when I was soldering I smelt burning hair. Yep = - it was mine. I know it's not a lot of power tools I learned to use but = it's a start. Plus I like knowing that *I* made the cemetery fence and the = eyes. A Furless Spookdawg - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Sue - I made You Proud From: "Sue McDonald" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 18:27:35 -0700 Sniff...don't be making me blubber now...it gives me a headache. Consider yourself one up on me because I have not gotten the...er...nerve to light up the soldering iron. Burning hair? I want to know what part of you is now furless... I try to make sure that my hair is tightly secured before I fire up anything. I have been stupid enough in the past to sew my hair into stuff and it was bad enough that I had to take it apart to get the hair out. PRIDE..what an ego booster. Congratulations on a job well done. Sue Spookdawg wrote: > > Hey Sue - since my husband does make me props but grumbles while making = them > I decided to pick up the drill and do it myself. I used the power miter = saw > and a drill. I also learned how to solder wires together to make LED = eyes. > The only hazard so far was when I was soldering I smelt burning hair. = Yep - > it was mine. I know it's not a lot of power tools I learned to use but = it's > a start. Plus I like knowing that *I* made the cemetery fence and the = eyes. - - - - - Subject: Re: Halloween status...was: Finished Projects From: "Nez" Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 23:24:03 -0400 Myself...I'm on my 7th faux pumpkin in 2 days...building a FCV (flying = crank vampyre!!) which is turning out waayyy more gorgeous then I ever intended...and the old man has immersed himself completely into the monsterlist...so unbeknownst to him a huge battle has just been won by = yours truely. He's HOOKED... Hauntingly yours, ~Morganna~ http://zombie.horrorseek.com/home/halloween/morgannaland/ - - - - - Subject: Webmistress's Ego From: "Sue McDonald" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 07:26:55 -0700 So when are we all going to stop expecting to make Disney quality props when we are not employed full time as electricians, animation geniuses, air bursh artists, costume designers, etc. We are normal (for us anyway) people who make normal people prop. And there are those times that we outdo ourselves and make ourselves proud. I, personally, love the Alice prop since the first day that Webmistress gave me the url for the picture. We all have talent, it is just sometimes we need a steam shovel to get it to the surface. Sue ScaryGerri wrote: > > Now, Webby....don't belittle yourself! Alice was beautiful! > ScaryGerri > > --- WebMistress wrote: > > Oh I can see it now ... funeral pics mixed up with prop pics ... good > > thing you don't have to have them developed!! > > > > On props not turning out the way you expected. That happens to me > > all the time. I'm not sure why ... I guess I think I have the talent > > of Steve from TSP, but really I have the talent of the cookie monster > > :) And everything turns out funny looking with cookie crumbs all > > over them! - - - - - Subject: Re: Howl - Attention ladies! From: "Kathy Marcrum" Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 03:45:56 -0700 (PDT) What a great idea Cat! There are several ladies, one is the predident of = IAHA, that would be great since they started from the bottom and worked = their way up. Good luck with your project! Happy Haunted Lady Dragon --- "Kathleen McCarthy" > wrote: >Sorry to double post in advance!! :( > >Hey ghoul-friends!!, > >I've been rolling this around in my head lately about doing an article = for >HA magazine regarding "Women In Haunting." - - - - - Subject: Re: Hall: Survey at Halloween-Online From: "Barb" Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 14:43:34 -0400 --- Thee ScareCrow wrote: > I just got through taking the Halloween-Online.com > survey and found the results interesting. > > Looks like all the real home haunters are in CA - > http://www.halloween-online.com/survey/index.html HEY! Watch it Bub! ;o) <-----winking We're all "real" home haunters = even if there is only one in the whole state or country. I was really surprised = to see that there are more female haunters b/c I'm only guessing but it seems the = list (at least) has more guys than girls. 'course maybe the women are just = more 'apt' to fill out a survey...who knows. I was also surprised to see that the = second runner up the the Californians, is "other countries". That's nice to see....wonder where they are from though... - - - - - Subject: Re: Survey at Halloween-Online From: "Thee ScareCrow" Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 11:50:35 -0700 (PDT) Yup - I found it interesting that the survey comprised mostly of women and a handful of sensitive sharing men. http://www.halloween-online.com/survey/index.html --- Barb wrote: > --- Thee ScareCrow wrote: > > I just got through taking the Halloween-Online.com > > survey and found the results interesting. > > > > Looks like all the real home haunters are in CA - > > http://www.halloween-online.com/survey/index.html > > HEY! Watch it Bub! ;o) <-----winking We're > all "real" home haunters even if > there is only one in the whole state or country. I > was really surprised to see > that there are more female haunters b/c I'm only > guessing but it seems the list > (at least) has more guys than girls. 'course maybe > the women are just more 'apt' > to fill out a survey...who knows. I was also > surprised to see that the second > runner up the the Californians, is "other > countries". That's nice to > see....wonder where they are from though... - - - - -