Humans are hardwired to connect, and it seems dancing skeletons, scary ghosts and spooky houses are a common choice based on the $11.6 Billion in Halloween spending this season.
In Hoboken, it’s more than trick or treaters and candy; it’s become a community event that unofficially kicks off the first weekend in October. After 21 years here—five of those in the ♥️ of Hoboken’s Halloween epicenter—I’ve come to look forward to this time of year as a time to connect with neighbors, visitors and goblins as our neighborhood brings the spirits of Halloween to life.
The still warm weather gets people going early, but it’s the conversations that happen with each new decoration that sparks creativity as well as some friendly competition about how to make it the best year, or block ever. It begins with spiderwebs stretched across brownstones, soon joined by skeletons dangling from ledges and ghostly figures peering from windows. Projectors cast eerie scenes across facades, while spooky soundtracks echo down the streets. Each new addition layers on the suspense and excitement, creating a communal thrill that builds and builds as we inch closer to All Hallows’ Eve.
As the decorations grow more elaborate, so does the foot traffic, with locals and visitors alike strolling through the haunted, tree-lined streets day and night. We see many familiar faces and even a few repeat customers—like the determined dog who dragged his owner daily to his favorite “haunted” tree so he could bark up at a hanging skeleton. It’s the conversations that make it the most special, so many “thank yous”, little kids schooling littler kids on what is “not real”, all of it leaving everyone feeling part of something bigger…community.
Community is a core pillar of human fulfillment, and when it brings a sense of belonging and shared purpose—even if it’s seasonal—the effect is nothing short of magical.
My house was the most fun if course and we layered onto our dancing skeleton theme with a new (old) chandelier I found over the year.
Here is a step by step video created by my husband on installing a window like this.
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