THE 2008 HAUNT

The Halloween Haunt was in full bloom in 2008.  We had twice as many visitors as last year and many of our guests returned saying that they remembered the 2007 haunt.  I was even asked for "my card" by one passerby who wished to hire me to decorate her yard next year.  I politely turned her down explaining that I really don't have the time.  Then I realized what an idiotic move that was... I mean, really... she was going to pay me for something I enjoy doing in the first place?  I'm an idiot.

Idiot or not, The Boneyard got something of a late start this year partially due to a complete lack of time on my part and partially due to a particularly nasty bout of depression I've been suffering from the last couple of months.  I soldiered on and got my act together and brought the old graveyard out of mothballs.

This is a look at the haunt a couple of days before Halloween.  It's nice, but woefully unremarkable.  Many props didn't return this year due to damage or decomposition and the entire thing just felt... empty!

A few hours before go time.  I had just gotten off work and was rushing to get everything in place.  With the ghouls in the tree and a decorated front porch, things were finally starting to fall together.

I have to say that the haunt wouldn't have been half of what it was without the jackolanterns that were donated to it by a high school art class.  The kids who donated them did a heck of a job and saved me a heck of a lot of money that went to buying candy for the neighborhood kids.

I have been staunchly against the use of Christmas-like lights on Halloween in the past, but I found myself eating my words this year.  I had some in a box of Halloween goodies I had donated to me, I strung them up, and I loved them.   With the fogger, they created a nice eerie effect.  See those weird lights in the second story window?  That's a couple of extra fire cauldrons I set up behind the blinds that gave off a nice otherworldly glow.

A nice happy accident is that there is a gigantic street light across the street from my home that casts a green glow on everything.  As a theater major, I learned that a green light is often the symbol of something unnatural and paranormal so it all works out just fine.

I threw a little political statement into the haunt this year with a Barack-o-Lantern.

Over the last year I have gotten dozens of e-mails from excited visitors claiming to have picked out a real-life honest to goodness ghost in one of the pictures last year.  Sorry, folks, that was no ghost... just me getting caught in a time-lapse picture.  Before you write me more e-mails claiming to see spooks, the figures in this picture are just visitors who wandered into frame while I was taking a picture.

My lovely assistant was on hand this year as a helper.  After this picture was taken, he put on a mask.

The new Grim Reaper was a hit.  Many kids were afraid to approach him and there were even some adults who were wary.  In case you missed it, I built it for less than 20 dollars and the tutorial is here.

And that's it for this year!  Next year is going to be awesome.  If you want to help out, please donate by using the button below.  All of the proceeds gained from this site are used strictly on The Boneyard which is dedicated to the proper education of young people about the true meaning of Halloween (none of that "it's the devil's birthday" nonsense), to giving children a safe place to trick-or-treat, and the preservation of Halloween traditions.

Remember, kids, keep Halloween forever in your heart!