A great part of Halloween is just how creative you can get. From cozy, fall vibes, to terrifying ghouls and skeletons, decorations and costumes, there is a little bit of something for everyone. But one father and architect goes above and beyond every year when he makes massive and creative Halloween Sculptures.
This year, he is constructing a truly massive Norwegian-inspired troll to terrorize any who dare step foot in his neighborhood. People from all over the internet shared their thoughts and admiration for this deeply impressive work.
More info: TikTok
More info: TikTok
A dad put his architectural skills to good use every year by building imposing Halloween installations
Image credits: parkersaltsman
Image credits: parkersaltsman
Image credits: parkersaltsman
If the size of the troll wasn't enough, it's mouth has a special feature
Image credits: parkersaltsman
Image credits: parkersaltsman
Image credits: parkersaltsman
Image credits: parkersaltsman
You can view the full video here
These days, Halloween is an excuse for creative people to make something interesting
One of the great strengths of Halloween is that it has options for nearly everyone. If you love costumes, it’s the perfect time to be creative. If you enjoy seeing costumes, fantastic, spread joy by handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. If you enjoy a relaxed, fall atmosphere, bake something nice and decorate.
No matter your hobby or interest, there is some way to tie Halloween into it, and an architect making very impressive yard decorations is a perfect example. While these are certainly impressive, they mix awe with a general spooky atmosphere. However, real Halloween-junkies often want even more.
The result has been the haunted house, a commonplace attraction across places where Halloween is regularly celebrated. Given that folks in the past often thought ghosts were quite real, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that enterprising people started to charge money for entrance into haunted houses.
Image credits: Clint Patterson (not the actual photo)
Haunted houses are a relatively recent invention
The Orton and Spooner Ghost House opened in 1915, in Liphook, England, a wonderfully Halloween-sounding town. Despite its thoroughly non-spooky name, this haunted house utilized steam power to spook its visitors, which must have been a particularly impressive bit of engineering just to fake some ghosts. By modern standards, it just resembles a carnival, but for the time it was quite decent. It still exists to this day.
While Halloween has its origins in Gaelic and English traditions, recently it has been slowly and steadily spreading across the globe. American mass media is the number one inspiration, as Halloween is a common setting in countless movies, shows, and books. A significant part of the horror genre takes place over Halloween, so it’s no surprise that at least the aesthetic has become more common.
On top of that, why wouldn’t people around the world enjoy costumes and candy? These days, American-style trick-or-treating can be found in many nations, from Europe to Latin America. The commercial elements, such as decorations and other items are now sold worldwide. In the US alone, people spend nearly $10 billion a year on decorations, with roughly a third of that being spent on costumes.
Image credits: Daniil Ustinov (not the actual photo)
A giant troll installation is a great way to spook up a neighborhood
While traditional Halloween fare involves skulls, pumpkins, and other vaguely spooky figures, Parker Saltsman gets creative by blinding in motifs from archeology, mythology, and just general horror media. This way, his neighborhood has a unique look to it for casual viewers and trick-or-treaters.
His creation this year, a troll straight out of Scandinavian folklore, is particularly impressive. In mythology, trolls both live in remote, mountainous areas, but also near burial mounds, a very Halloween sort of accommodation. But if you can't make it to Norway this year, at least try to visit Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Below is a collection of his previous pieces
Egyptian Cobra Goddess
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
A Walking Man: Tribute to the Spirits Among Us
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
A dragon installation that “landed” on Saltsman’s roof
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
“Oceanna” Ghost Ship display
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
Gorilla installation
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
A spaceship installation
Image credits: saltsmanbrenzel
Viewers were thoroughly impressed with the constructions
