Category: Trick or Treat

Announcing the 5th annual Harvest Party.

It’s on, once again!

I’m very pleased to announce the 5th annual Harvest Party!

October 30th, 5:30 PM.

Come help put your own stamp on our festivities by helping to carve the 100+ pumpkins that have become our signature over the last few years will be cleaned and ready for your to carve.

Or, leave the mess at our house and bring your own pumpkins to carve and take back home. We have child safe pumpkin carving knives perfect for little hands.

Dinner and carving will start at 5:30, lighting preview will continue at dusk with hot chocolate and doughnuts.

Tapping the Uncanny Valley.

Man I love Netflix.

They recently made it available to our PS3 without mailing away for a special disk, and I’ve been in love with it ever since.

Most recently becoming re-acquainted with that hidden gem from my childhood: The Dark Crystal.

I was never a huge fan of it…for a rather odd reason. It just tasted wrong. Yes. Tasted. It’s one of those few films that has the unusual effect of leaving me with a taste. I know it sounds odd…and I can’t explain it.

I don’t know, maybe I was unconsciously tasting podling essence.

But, watching it again after many years of it being forgotten made me appreciate it on a whole different level, but it’s still rather disturbing. Trying to pin down WHY, I’m left to consider the Uncanny Valley…

What’s that, you ask?

The ‘Gelfings’ in Dark Crystal can definitely fall into that ‘valley’.

And, that got me thinking…how do we tap this?

First thought came to costumes.

Think of virtually ANY Halloween icon. They are more or less human, yet have some characteristic that makes them just that much ‘off’. I’ve always told people that to make a good, original, scary costume, you’re best bet is pick a feature and enlarge it, while minimizing others.

Larger eyes, mouth, teeth, etc.

But, really, “the valley” can apply to most things. We create certain expectations for any number of situations, and when something is ‘off’, we begin to get uneasy.

One thing I’ve noticed in my 6 years doing this yard haunt, the first thing I did remains one of those things that tends to make the trick or treaters uneasy. There is no one at the door. No candy, no reward for ringing that bell. Groups will go to the door, and then stand wondering what to do as they see other kids heading out into the yard. Is it right? Is it safe?

What other things can we take just left of center? What other things can we take into the valley?

This is going to take some thought…

Random acts.

You may have guessed at how busy October was for me, with The Harvest and all. But, An Unorthodox Halloween has been spreading Halloween spirit and cheer out in a wider footprint this year as well.

First, a Rory, a coworker friend of mine, purchased this really LAME Hellboy costume.

From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup

Pissed off, and about to bag Halloween all together as a result, I couldn’t allow THAT to happen. So, I worked a little magic, and sculpted him a better set of horns…

From 2010 Buildup

A little molding, and a little slip latex later, he had a decent set of prosthetics.

From 2010 Buildup

For the hand of doom, we brainstomed using a hockey glove. I offered to alter it further, but he was happy with it just painted.

From 2010 Buildup

Complete with the Samaritan he was already making for the original costume…

From 2010 Buildup

We once again proved home-made costumes totally kill store bought crap.

From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup

But, work was not done providing me with opportunities to spread the Halloween spirit. Ashley, another friend from work, was wanting to throw a Halloween party in her new house, with nary a decoration or budget to do so.

Rummaging through the leftovers I was not utilizing for The Harvest, I was able to hook her up with a number of those blacklight skulls I had been working on earlier in the year for the Spider Woman theme that wasn’t panning out for 2010, and the tank assembly from our Laboratory, as well as a number of black lights and a strobe.

From 2010 Buildup

It even was able to serve as a greeting ‘laboratory’ area for trick or treaters later.

From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup

The fun, however, was just beginning.

Our awesome neighbor was having a little crisis, and afraid her cemetery would not make it up this year, needing to go ‘shopping’ for parts, and unable to do so.

But, that shopping list of stakes, black paint, and some screws is something us Halloween wierdos have in spades, so I dropped off a number of them. A few nights later when I saw the tombstones up, but not quite secured to the ground, Kyle and I headed over and drove the stakes in.

I even lent the green and blue LED spotlights I wasn’t planning to use. Unfortunately, I wasn’t over in time to get a pic while they were still at their brightest. My wife informs me it looked especially nice for Trick or Treat.

From 2010 Buildup

Finally, I was most excited to hear there was a member of Halloween forum right around the corner from me. She was feeling a bit down with some negative comments from her neighbors, and I just happened to have ole jack sitting around. So, we drove it over and dropped it off on their lawn on one of my corn and/or reed runs.

A barren lawn at the time.

A few weeks later, it had transformed into one pretty impressive display.

From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup
From 2010 Buildup

Yeah, I think Jack is perfectly happy with his new digs.

From 2010 Buildup

2010 has been a remarkable year for trick or treat.

"Booing"

October is finally here. Yay!

And, you’ll soon start seeing everyone setting up their houses. Yet, in some neighborhoods, you’ll start to see “booing” as well.

I first encountered “booing” as a Christmas thing. Doorbell rings, no one there, a little plate of treats and a poem that amounts to a chain letter attached, telling you YOU now need to go treat someone else and hang a picture on your door so you don’t get it a second time.

Eventually, it translated to Halloween as well.

If there is one thing I loath about the season, it is this practice.

Don’t get me wrong, I PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND there’s a good intention behind the thing. And, I even can understand some people who lack the time, the ability, or the desire to build their own decorations may want a little something to help them feel the ‘spirit’ of the holiday.

However, here we are. My wife works. I work. We work opposing shifts so the kids are at daycare a minimized amount of time. If you are here, you can see I am putting a tremendous amount of effort into the holiday as it is. WE ARE BUSY.

We don’t really have the time to make a treat to go “booing” people. It’s just another little chore in an already crowded schedule.

So, for those wanting something to get them in the spirit of Halloween, why don’t you try Trick or Treating?

I’m sure you’ve heard the “evil” origins of the Halloween holiday. “Wicked” Druids building bonfires in the dark on Samhain and dressing in animal furs and skulls. You might even be able to gather how close that description can describe my yard…

However, did you know about where trick or treating comes from?

In the weeks leading up to Samhain, the children in the town would go to each house, and ask for wood for these bonfires. Now, some houses had wood to give. Some did not have enough wood for the coming winter, and could not. In these cases, those children would help chop the wood of those in need, and ensure they were set for the winter.

You want to help feel in the spirit? Don’t go “Booing” me. Instead, go out into the world Trick or Treating. Go out and find someone to help. Treat them to a meal, clean their yard, or whatever help they’re in need of.

My boys and I have gone Trick or Treating each year, collecting wood for the scarecrows. Neighbors and strangers who had felled trees that needed clearing from their yard have become our Scarecrows each year. Join with us in a much more rewarding tradition than ‘booing’ people, and help spread the real spirit and tradition of Halloween.