Bay Area Residents Resume Halloween Celebrations After COVID Pause

Some are calling it the resurrection of Halloween.

After the pandemic put a damper on celebrations these past two years, some are making up for it by going big this year.

When you visit the Albertson family’s San Jose home, it feels like you are stepping into several Pixar films at once. 

The Albertson family has a passion for creating movie magic at their home on north 16th Street and they’ve been doing this for more than two decades.

“This is going to be our 21st year that we are doing this,” said San Jose resident Eric Albertson. “We started it when we moved in. We started with a very small castle in front of our house and it has grown quite a bit.”

Albertson said it’s not just a way to connect with visitors, his elaborate display also unites neighbors.

“But we also have a connection with our community when we build it. We have neighbors and coworkers come on paintings days to build the house and paint the house. So, it’s really a community effort,” he said.

Meanwhile, San Jose resident Rich Santoro is taking his Halloween display on the road this year in what we calls “the bulb mobile.”

His vehicle is complete with a skeleton on the hood and passengers ready to scare people.

“It turns out to be quite an attraction on 680. I go to work and you literally start making friends by only going five miles an hour with a car like this,” he said.

Santoro added in the last few years, he’s only had about seven trick or treaters at his San Jose home, so he is hoping his spooky car will encourage more kids to enjoy Halloween.

“We gotta get the kids back out. That’s what Halloween is all about,” he said.

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