- Messages
- 787
- Location
- Central North Carolina
When I lived in NY State, we had an average of 80-100 come to the house every year. Since moving to this place in NC, if we have 2 or 3 it's a big year and all from other homes on this street. We've had zero in the past 5 years. All of the ones from the street are full grown and gone now. My driveway is about 600' long and the house faces the lake and not the street, so even if I turn the lights on nobody on the street can see them.
One year, back in NY, my kids used some of my old clothes to make a scarecrow to put on the front lawn. Halloween night just as it was getting dark, I took the scarecrow into the garage and put the clothes on, with an old undershirt over my face with a face painted on it that had been on the scarecrow, but I cut eye holes in it before putting it on. I used some of the straw from the scarecrow to stuff in the ends of my coat sleeves to make me look more like him and wore the same gloves. The scarecrow had a straw hat on, so I put that on too and went out and sat down on the lawn next to the sidewalk where the scarecrow had been. Then I waited for the fun to start.
One group came up the street and somebody said "that sure is a real looking scarecrow", but another said I wasn't, so they went on up to the door. I got up and followed them. When they got their candy from my wife, a little guy turned around first and saw me. He started yelling and jumping up and down. Then the others saw me and they all started flying off the porch in every direction possible.
I went back to sitting on the lawn. Others came by and were treated to the same surprise. Then my neighbor's wife came with her two kids, and all three had seen the scarecrow sitting there every day for about 2 weeks, but when they started past me I stood up. They all yelled and headed for home, so I chased them. She let go of the kids and it was everyone for themselves from that point on. I chased them to their front door, and then laughed all the way back to my lawn position.
It was a fun night, and I heard about it through my kids who's friends I had scared, but also from my neighbor and his wife several times when we got together after that. I nearly froze, sitting on the wet ground for 4 hours, but had a lot of fun doing it.
Another Halloween night, my oldest son of about 15, rigged a photocell on one side of the porch with a light beam from the other side. Whenever someone stepped through the light it set off a
Klaxon horn (think buzzer used for basketball games) in the side of the porch trellis at ear level.
It scared everyone that came to the door. Later, about 9:30 PM, when there were less coming to the house, my wife took our kids across town to visit friends, so I was left alone to hand out candy to any late arrivals. I was watching TV when the buzzer went off. I got up and picked up the bowl of candy, then opened the door, and the poor young woman with little girl in hand was still coming down, she had jumped so high. The little girl was noticeably scared too, but I guess too afraid to run. I gave them both extra candy. Then I turned the lights off after they had reached the street.
Charley
One year, back in NY, my kids used some of my old clothes to make a scarecrow to put on the front lawn. Halloween night just as it was getting dark, I took the scarecrow into the garage and put the clothes on, with an old undershirt over my face with a face painted on it that had been on the scarecrow, but I cut eye holes in it before putting it on. I used some of the straw from the scarecrow to stuff in the ends of my coat sleeves to make me look more like him and wore the same gloves. The scarecrow had a straw hat on, so I put that on too and went out and sat down on the lawn next to the sidewalk where the scarecrow had been. Then I waited for the fun to start.
One group came up the street and somebody said "that sure is a real looking scarecrow", but another said I wasn't, so they went on up to the door. I got up and followed them. When they got their candy from my wife, a little guy turned around first and saw me. He started yelling and jumping up and down. Then the others saw me and they all started flying off the porch in every direction possible.
I went back to sitting on the lawn. Others came by and were treated to the same surprise. Then my neighbor's wife came with her two kids, and all three had seen the scarecrow sitting there every day for about 2 weeks, but when they started past me I stood up. They all yelled and headed for home, so I chased them. She let go of the kids and it was everyone for themselves from that point on. I chased them to their front door, and then laughed all the way back to my lawn position.
It was a fun night, and I heard about it through my kids who's friends I had scared, but also from my neighbor and his wife several times when we got together after that. I nearly froze, sitting on the wet ground for 4 hours, but had a lot of fun doing it.
Another Halloween night, my oldest son of about 15, rigged a photocell on one side of the porch with a light beam from the other side. Whenever someone stepped through the light it set off a
Klaxon horn (think buzzer used for basketball games) in the side of the porch trellis at ear level.
It scared everyone that came to the door. Later, about 9:30 PM, when there were less coming to the house, my wife took our kids across town to visit friends, so I was left alone to hand out candy to any late arrivals. I was watching TV when the buzzer went off. I got up and picked up the bowl of candy, then opened the door, and the poor young woman with little girl in hand was still coming down, she had jumped so high. The little girl was noticeably scared too, but I guess too afraid to run. I gave them both extra candy. Then I turned the lights off after they had reached the street.
Charley