October 31, 2022 by Ciara Meyer ’23
This Halloween, Saratogians’ curb appeal skyrocketed with festive fall decor. For many Saratoga Springs High School (SSHS) students and Saratoga residents, Halloween is the perfect excuse to turn homes into haunted houses and front lawns into make-shift graveyards.
“I decorate for every holiday,” said SSHS teacher Nicholas Deady, “My mom decorated when I was a kid. I go outside with a ladder and decorate my entire house with blow molds and lights because I just love it.”It seems like moms are the inspiration behind a lot of Halloween festivities, with students Brie Barzee and Sydney Ciota saying their moms drive their decorating.
“My mom feels like the lights make our house so much more decorative and festive,” says Barzee. The decor also makes for a great photoshoot location, with Ciota saying, “I have dogs and my mom likes to take pictures of my dogs in front of the decorations.”
Making the house more fun for trick-or-treaters and little kids is also a primary motive. Saratogian Micheal Napoli said his inspiration for decorating is “the culture of our neighborhood and my babies, I have three little kids.” Saratogian Amy Pinckney said she decorates because of “the joy that it brings to the kids in the neighborhood—having little kids I know that they want to be in the spirit.”
As for what decor is the best decor, the data is inconclusive. SSHS student Britt Daley loves her ghosts and pumpkins, Abby Bundy covers her porch in mums, and Jade Helal’s family is partial to inflatables. Interactive pieces can be fun too, Elena Schineder said, “my favorite is a plastic skull that spins around and makes music come out.” For many, it’s a simple “bigger is better” with Saratogian Maggie Spurgon noting “the 12-foot skeleton is of course a favorite.”
Decorating is a community effort, for many Saratogians there’s nothing like walking up a street of perfectly lit up and pumpkin-covered houses. Residents like Deady are happy just “seeing other people decorate because it looks awesome.”
