Archive for the ‘The Haunt’ Category

I was interviewed by Global TV about my last year of haunting.  It’s about 5 minutes in.

This is a bittersweet moment for the Haunt.  It has been a wonderful 13 years of fear.  The looks on the children’s faces.  Random neighbours coming up to me in July and saying, “Hello Halloween girl!”  The mailman who clips my newspaper articles.  These are all treasured memories that I shall keep for a lifetime, but alas, after many years of being the scariest house in Forest Hill, I am retiring.

I am retiring from haunting the Hills.  Down the line I may pop up again at a new house, with children of my own running around with buckets of fake blood, but until that proud day when I’ll know I did my job as a parent, you will have to remember the Haunt for what it was. 

I have so many profound memories, but many are in my head and won’t make it to this screen.  Most importantly I would like to thank those who have helped Haunt on the Hill become what it is:

To my immediate neighbours who put up with my hobby and lent me extension cords, I thank you.  To my neighbours extended, you have brought me years of happiness.  I love seeing familiar faces, even when I don’t know your name.

I must thank my parents for putting up with the insanity year after year after year.  You have always supported me, even when it came to odd hobbies.  I could never have done this without you guys!  Mom, you sewed my spider MANY times!  You purchased candy!  You stretched spider webbing!  What didn’t you do?  Pops,  you climbed ladders like a pro.  You helped with measurements and math.  You drove mom’s car with the top down while I sat in the backseat holding down sheets of insulation foam.  You helped clean the garage both before and after the big night!  All is greatly appreciated.

I must thank my brother for lending me his projector the past coupe of years and my sister for helping with the business side of things (postcards and the like).

My fiance, Mike, for setting up speakers and driving me around town to Halloween store after Halloween store and general putting up with me.

My niece and my two nephews for being a constant source of inspiration.  Sammy you named all my skeletons!  Rosie you are “afraid of that sound” whenever I play The Haunted Mansion organ music on the piano!  Izzy, you’re too young to know anything, but I’m sure you helped in some way.

A thanks to the rest of my family for being supportive.  Debby, my professional photographer aunt, you are amazing.

My sponsors over the last couple of years!  Neal Brothers, Second Cup, Bunch. 

The countless haunter friends who have helped me along the way.  You know who you are! (Brad from GD, Patrick, Mike Allen, and the rest of you!)

Lastly, every child that has come to my house on Halloween night!  I would not have done this if it weren’t for you guys! 

And now I leave you with some words by some anonymous guy that I found on Google:

“Every goodbye makes the next hello closer.”  

Yes, this is not the end, it is just a chapter finished.  I will one day have a house of my own and will possibly step back into the haunt world. 

In the meantime, if you need to contact me: rachel@hauntonthehill.com still remains!

Goodbye,

Rachel “Wednesday Addams” Brown

To you and yours I say, may you get many a treat on this special day.  May your bag fill to the point of break.  May you walk so far, your feet will ache.  May you scare the rest on this special fest.  Trick or treat my fellow friends, come to the haunt before it ends!

And as is my tradition, a few words from the wisest skeleton I know, Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King:

Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn’t you like to see something strange?

Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night

This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright
It’s our town, everybody scream
In this town of Halloween!

Have a spooktacular night!

Your’s truly,

Rachel “Wednesday Friday Addams” Brown

I was interviewed by Justin Skinner at Inside Toronto.  Here is a link to the article, incase you don’t get the paper in your neighbourhood.