All October long, Serenbe might as well be known as Halloweentown. As you walk through the neighborhood, you’ll see homes decorated with gravestones, inflatable pumpkins and monsters, zombies, and more than a few ghosts. On Halloween itself, there are costume contests, kids and parents alike bobbing for apples, and one of our favorite shops, Hamlin, is especially famous for creating immersive Halloween experiences year after year. In the latest Serenbe Kids podcast, Reese chats with her buddy Lily about all of the traditions that make this such a noteworthy Serenbe holiday, the trick-or-treating route of champions, and the hallmarks of a successful, spooky costume.
All October long, Serenbe might as well be known as Halloweentown. As you walk through the neighborhood, you’ll see homes decorated with gravestones, inflatable pumpkins and monsters, zombies, and more than a few ghosts. On Halloween itself, there are costume contests, kids and parents alike bobbing for apples, and one of our favorite shops, Hamlin, is especially famous for creating immersive Halloween experiences year after year. In the latest Serenbe Kids podcast, Reese chats with her buddy Lily about all of the traditions that make this such a noteworthy Serenbe holiday, the trick-or-treating route of champions, and the hallmarks of a successful, spooky costume.
1 (13s):
If you spent time in ceremony during the fall, you'll know that Halloween is something that we take very seriously around here, all October long, zombies, gravestones and inflatable pumpkins sit in front of homes in every Hamlet. And if you visited this year, you'll know that a band of skeletons have taken over the hill. Huge spiders are covering the one motto building and the bridge from gran to Swan Ridge is lined with witches hats. Every year we have costume contests and residents handout both adult and kid friendly ciders, and the courtyard of Hamlin turns into an immersive Halloween experience. Of course, Halloween is really all about the kids. So we're delighted to bring back Reese's Seren B Kids series for special Halloween, Minnesota with special guest Lilly.
1 (54s):
In this episode, Reese and Lilly chat about what makes Halloween and Seren B so special and share some tips for making the most of the Spookiest holiday. So let's get to our Seren B Kids episode.
2 (1m 6s):
There's so many decorations and lights and everyone's just like partying and doing what they want over there. And then motto definitely has the best chandy.
3 (1m 18s):
Hi everyone, my name is Reese Stiff. I'm your host of the Seren B Kids podcast and today I have my friend Lily ars, who I've known for a couple of years. And we're just gonna chat about all things Halloween and Sara V because I personally think that that is one of the best holidays to experience here. So thank you Lily for coming on.
2 (1m 36s):
Yeah, thank you for having me.
3 (1m 38s):
So you said that you moved here seven years ago. How old were you when that was?
2 (1m 41s):
I was seven years old when we moved.
3 (1m 45s):
And what are like some of your first memories of Sandby itself?
2 (1m 49s):
Well, my first memories, we've been visiting my entire life. My family originally came here because my mom was pregnant with me and we needed an escape from the like city of Atlanta and we found this little place called Cy and we drove down and we drove down every year until I was seven and me and my brother said, Hey, we wanna move here. And our family just made the decision after a couple months or maybe a year just to say, Okay, we'll move.
3 (2m 22s):
That's awesome. What were like the first things you noticed about Sammy?
2 (2m 28s):
I first noticed that it was very quiet and that there were a lot of places to walk and like be at peace. There used to be a lot of walking trails and some of those have disappeared, but there was always this feeling of peace.
3 (2m 46s):
Yeah. Is there anything like specifically that brought you peace? Like was it a part of the nature or was it maybe just like the community itself and if so, like what part of the community?
2 (2m 56s):
I really liked being in nature and being around animals. We owned horses at the barn and I would go up there every day and just be with the horses and take care of them and I could just walk up there by myself because there wasn't really a danger.
3 (3m 14s):
That was like actually one of my favorite parts about living here is cuz it is such a safe place for any child of age, well primarily maybe our age. There wasn't really any boundaries, it was just go have fun. And that was something that really like I loved because I'm a very independent person and when someone tells me that I can't do this, can't do that, I kind of start to like think about where I am right now and how I could become more independent. And I feel like CME is just the perfect option for that because there's kind of no limit to what you can do. There are so many people here that can help you and that can make sure that you're okay to the point where you kind of forget that you are still a child and that there are rules that you need to follow.
2 (3m 55s):
Yeah, the community is so supportive and everyone is friends here. It's just a great place to live.
3 (4m 3s):
So one of the first things I wanted to talk about was what is your first memory that you can experience of having Halloween zaby?
2 (4m 11s):
I moved here about seven years ago and we started celebrating Halloween I think a few years before and since it was so long ago. I don't have many memories from then, but I just remember having a lot of fun and being around my friends and family and everything was very lively.
3 (4m 30s):
Yeah, totally. Do you remember what your first costume was in Jeremy?
2 (4m 35s):
I think I was a unicorn. My dad made me this chicken wire back and legs, so I had four legs and it, I actually won the contest.
3 (4m 46s):
Oh wow. What is some of the favorite costumes that you've seen in Seren b?
2 (4m 52s):
Last year there was a Miss Frizzle, she had a like box bus around her and that was really cool. She had a very cool costume.
3 (5m 1s):
Do you know what you're going as this year?
2 (5m 3s):
Yeah, I'm gonna be a vampire this year.
3 (5m 6s):
Great. Can you tell me which Hamlet in Sandby has the best Halloween candy and which Hamlet has the most spirit?
2 (5m 15s):
I would say Sailor has the most spirit. There's so many decorations and lights and everyone's just like partying and doing what they want over there. And then Motto definitely has the best candy. They have the full size candy bars.
3 (5m 30s):
What are your plans for Halloween this year? Like what is a staple thing you do each year? I know for me it's typically doing the costume contest that I really, really hope I win this year. And for other people it's like staying back and watching movies. Like what do you typically do?
2 (5m 44s):
I'm probably just gonna go out and have fun. I'm gonna go to the costume contest trick or treat with my friends and then maybe go back and watch a movie.
3 (5m 53s):
That's great. This holiday, if someone were to just move here, like how would you describe it to them?
2 (5m 60s):
I would describe it a way to meet new people, get to know your neighbors around you and have fun basically
3 (6m 9s):
Whenever you go trick or treating, like what is your course of action like which s do you hit first? Which ones do you go last and like what paths do you take?
2 (6m 16s):
I usually start at the side of Grange, which is closer to motto and then go down that way and then come down the other. And then I either ride over to Hamlin on a golf cart or bike or ride over to Suborn.
3 (6m 33s):
Yeah, I do about the same thing. I typically like to go into Mo cuz I agree with you on the part where you said they have the most candy because I've experienced that there. The houses that are specifically like in the back row, they always have the most. So I typically like to go there first, but I'll like go down Grange sort of by where you're using saying the side of Grange, that's more towards motto. I'll head into motto, go to sell Warren and then finish off.
2 (6m 57s):
Yeah.
3 (6m 59s):
If you had to describe this holiday in three words, what would you use?
2 (7m 4s):
Exciting, creative, and colorful.
3 (7m 8s):
That's amazing. What is the craziest story that you will always remember from this holiday? Or do you have any?
2 (7m 15s):
I do. One time my family went to this Halloween party. Our neighbors were having a Halloween party and there was cotton candy with a glue stick in it and I accidentally bit right through the glue stick. Oh. And yeah, glue sticks are quite toxic so that wasn't a good night.
3 (7m 34s):
Were you okay?
2 (7m 35s):
Yeah, I was fine. I just had to go home.
3 (7m 39s):
Oh no. Okay. And do you guys like to throw big Halloween parties? Like what does your family do?
2 (7m 45s):
We don't throw parties, we just put a bowl of candy out after decorating the house and we decorate a few months early.
3 (7m 53s):
Yeah, I saw you guys have some pretty cool decorations out. Can you describe it for everyone? Yeah, we,
2 (7m 58s):
We put a line of ghosts across the street. We took fishing line and made our own ghosts out of mannequin heads and cheese cloth and we strung them across the street to our house.
3 (8m 9s):
That was very elaborate. I think I was on my golf cart passing by when I just saw your dad up there hanging goes and I was so confused. But it looks great.
2 (8m 18s):
Yeah. Thank you.
3 (8m 20s):
Do you like to do stuff with pumpkins or do you like cook the seeds? Do you carve them? Like what do you do with them?
2 (8m 26s):
I carved a pumpkin like a couple weeks ago. It's surprisingly it's still good. But yeah, I cook the seeds and I always feed the insides to our dogs, so nothing's going to waste.
3 (8m 40s):
Do you like to carve your pumpkins or paint them?
2 (8m 43s):
Oh, carve them.
3 (8m 44s):
Okay. And do you like do a design? Do you have any out right now? Like what does yours look like?
2 (8m 49s):
I have one with triangle eyes, a straight mouth and then it has a wig on it.
3 (8m 54s):
Oh, that's probably gorgeous. Is it like, I'm just trying to imagine this. I think I've seen it, but like how would a wig sit on a pumpkin? Like would it sit on the stem?
2 (9m 4s):
Yeah, it sits on the stem so it kind of has a cone head.
3 (9m 8s):
That is hilarious. How do you think most people get around? Would they like take golf carts? Do people walk and like what do you do for Halloween?
2 (9m 16s):
Most people walk, but when you switch from each hamlet you kind of need to use a vehicle, whether that's a bike or a golf cart. Some people do walk, but I personally like to take a bike or a golf cart.
3 (9m 30s):
Is there anything that you wanna mention about Halloween? Is there anything that like really whenever you think of this holiday you really wanna talk about?
2 (9m 38s):
Yeah, a couple years ago it was really only just like the kids who lived in the neighborhood that were trick or treating and it was kind of just the neighborhood thing and now there's like hundreds of kids coming from all outside from all of Noonan just to trick or treat in our neighborhood. And I think it's a great experience for people outside to visit our little neighborhood here.
3 (10m 0s):
So I know you started visiting here 13 years ago, but if like one of your best friends was to come here tomorrow, what was the first thing that you tell them to look at? Tell 'em to eat, tell 'em to see et cetera.
2 (10m 13s):
Well there is beautiful architecture here. There's so many houses that are just amazing and then the woods and the trails are beautiful as well. And then the food at the Daisy is also very good.
3 (10m 29s):
Is there anything like specifically that you'd recommend to them or just generally like go find,
2 (10m 32s):
Just generally?
3 (10m 34s):
Well, thank you so much for coming on today. I really appreciate it and I hope you have a great Halloween.
2 (10m 39s):
Yeah, I hope you do too. Thank you Reese.