We just moved into the hood in '04. Due to some bad advice and misinformation, along with my own sordid past, I had misgivings about Halloween in years prior. But I'd heard about people doing something rather basic on Halloween, and that was sharing the Gospel along with their treats. A novel idea, I once thought, but a way to redeem the night anyway.
> 2004
Our first year there I simply did the standard issue "light on, answer the door" thing, handing out candy with my own writings which would be better developed over time, and vastly improved as my understanding and love of the Gospel increased.
I had a statue of Jack Skellington (from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas") just inside the door and in view of my visitors, and a few teens who stopped by raved about him and some of my other Nightmare paraphernalia. Simple as that seems, I worked as a youth sponsor at my church and was happy to have a connection with some teens in the neighborhood.
> 2005
It was warm enough this year that we opened up the garage and placed alongside us a box with sleight of hand magic tricks. As visitors stopped in, they got a trick and a treat. This was so simple yet well received, and we grew better acquainted with some neighbors that night. One boy came back a second time and ran back to his family yelling, "I love those people!"
We were struck. What else could we do with this?
And thus, the Hallows Garage was born.
> Days of Future Passed
For all you Halloween enthusiasts... As you might imagine, we've enjoyed our share of Halloween antics in the past. Influenced by b-horror, sci-fi and a love of vamps from The Lost Boys to Dark Shadows (orig. & '92 resurrected) to Dracula hisself, we never grew out of tricking-or-treating. Who knew all that would lead to all this? Here are some shots we dug up from days gone by.
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Already hamming it up at this old school spooooky party, Halloween '76.
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Anybody recognize that vampire in the top middle?
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Bed sheet and Polaroid simplicity, circa sometime in the early '80s.
(And would ya check out those living room curtains.)
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Young Stormy the Sheltie with our jack-o-lanterns.
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Borrowed a classic coffin from my drum teacher during high school for one of my first displays. We set up in the living room and had fun scaring the neighbor kids with this.
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Older Stormy poses again.
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The original hippie vampire with stylish fangs.
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One of my many cats. Making good use of those fangs again.
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Music-O-Lantern
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Aw, just dating then. Enjoyed designing The Crow make up and style.
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