It’s no secret that grown-ups foster Halloween rituals as much as, or even more than, little people in pint-sized costumes. Consumer groups estimate that shoppers will invest an average of about $60 on Halloween costumes and decorations this year. But statistics don’t resonate as much as witnessing an adult with a full-on Halloween obsession.
Case in point: pumpkin-carving perfectionist Tom Nardone. This Michigan dad writes on his website, ExtremePumpkins : “At what point did the carving of pumpkins turn into a ‘cute’ event? When did boys stop carving pumpkins and moms start? Where did we lose touch with one of the year’s coolest events? Today we will seize back this ritual.”
In addition to concocting over-the-top jack-o-lanterns and penning books on the subject, Nardone provides fellow die-hard Halloweeners with pumpkin-carving contests, pumpkin preservation tips and even ideas for “pumpkin pyrotechnics.” Yes, this man will set a squash on fire for the right spooky effect.
The following ideas for giving your house a haunted feel were gleaned from Nardone’s latest book, “Extreme Halloween: The Ultimate Guide to Making Halloween Scary Again” ($14.95, Perigee Books). Motion-activated porch light. Instead of investing in multiple decorations, see what you can do with just one: a motion-activated porch light. Nardone suggests picking up an adaptor at the hardware store that allows you to screw an electric outlet into a light-bulb socket. Use this to create a motion-sensor trigger. Then, try one of these effects…
Create a motion-activated strobe light or a motion- activated black light.
Attach your motion sensor to a power tool. “Even minus the blade,” Nardone writes, “circular saws make a scary noise.” Jigsaws, Shop-Vacs and grinders can be used in a similar manner.
Hide a masked and camouflaged dummy in a tree or in your shrubs that lights up when people approach the house.
Set up a CD player with scary sounds that come on when visitors approach the front door.
