At our Vermont Bed and Breakfast, we just barely finished wrapping up Halloween decorations (just in time to start wrapping those holiday presents, I suppose!). Halloween is always a big to-do at the Inn – this year we had over 90 trick-or-treaters stop by! And for any of you from the big cities who may not be impressed, that’s quite a claim for lil’ ol’ Cavendish, VT.
The tradition of transforming the Inn into a haunted house was passed on from the previous innkeepers, Sandy and Peter. With the help of generous donations of Halloween costumes and decor and energetic volunteers, we successfully continue to spook and startle trick-or-treaters of all ages. Sadly, however, the century-old ghosts that are rumored to wander in and out of the building have yet to make their presence known on October 31st. We’re still working with them on that…they are a bit harder to train than the ever-loyal inn dog, Nelly.
This year the humble Inn practically put on a disguise of its own, masking the front door with a fog tunnel and admitting guests into a terror-filled madhouse. Once you crossed the threshold, you were no longer in a quaint New England home…you had dared to enter The Cavendish Insane Asylum! We spook-ers dressed as crazy patients, gorillas, torture victims, and doctors gone off their rockers. The first floor overflowed with high-pitched laughter, animal roars, odd thumps and screams, and one of the doctors yelling “I hate his guts!” as she pulled her patient’s entrails from his stomach. I especially enjoyed popping out from behind doors in my blood-stained night gown, or sneaking up behind parents who thought their kids would be the only ones to jump!
Don’t worry, we toned it down for the little ones…
We’re looking ahead to next year’s haunted house – perhaps a carnival gone wrong or a witch’s cult headquarters? Let us know if you have any great ideas for themes, costumes, or spook-tacular tricks and treats! Until then, we’ll stay in the present and enjoy the jam-packed holiday festivities steadily approaching on our calendars.
Sophi Veltrop, Marketing Assistant for the Golden Stage Inn