As Halloween creeps closer, Highlanders are getting into the spooky spirit by decorating their homes in creative ways. From pumpkins to porch displays, both students and teachers are finding unique ways to celebrate the season.
“I think it’s joyful to decorate,” English teacher Anna Caponetti said. “It’s something that can mark the seasonal shift.”
Caponetti displays her spirit with a town-toppling skeleton and a frightening pumpkin ghoul animatronic. The decorations cover her yard with welcoming terror, giving kids a giggle as well as a slight spook.
“In terms of our decorations, some are very large,” Caponetti said. “I prefer cute [ones]. I’m not really trying to scare anyone.”
Her family plays an instrumental part in the decorating, with each contributing to make the display feel personal. Her husband purchased the giant skeleton, and he assembles it each year. Her children picked out the pumpkin ghoul animatronic, which makes jokes and brings some joyful spirit to a spooky yard.
Overall, Caponetti is able to share her joy of Halloween with everyone in her neighborhood through her attention-grabbing decorations that occupy nearly her entire front yard.
Even though huge animatronics get all of the attention on Halloween night, a spooky interior serves just as much of a purpose for getting into holiday spirit. Junior Andrea Arrasco shows her appreciation for Halloween within a smaller environment, decorating her living room with cozy yet chilling vibe.
“I like decorating for Halloween because it makes my house feel so unique,” Arrasco said.
While it can be difficult to create a haunted atmosphere while still keeping the space liveable and pleasant, Arrasco executes the feat well by ensuring that the decorations don’t take on too frightening or too simplistic of an appearance.
“I like living in my house while it’s decorated,” Arrasco said. “It’s a nice change every year.”
While Caponetti and Arrasco celebrate Halloween differently, they both contribute spirit to the yearly festivities—there truly many ways to participate in the Halloween mood.
“That’s what I like about Halloween,” Caponetti said. “The season is turning, and everything is starting to get darker, just everything about it.”
