A Homemade Halloween: North Utica home gets into the spooky spirit
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: October 26, 2012
Halloween season is in full force and to get into the spirit, Eyewitness News set out to find the spookiest house on the block.
And a house that might cause quite a scare, is Travis Rippo's North Utica home on Van Rensselaer Rd.
During any other time of the year, the house looks like any other, but come October, you'll see a complete transformation.
"It started out with some scrap wood, some yarn, and a couple hundred dollars, and it just kept rolling from there," he said.
Travis and his wife started the decorating tradition back in 2004.
And with a love for the holiday, it was a habit that stuck.
"It's fun, I'm enjoying it," said Travis. "I like coming home every night pulling up to this."
Except it wasn't always fun.
Two years ago after the decorations were put up, Travis' home was vandalized.
"We came up and there were pumpkins all over the road, spiders were ripped and shredded and ripped off the fence, debris everywhere," he said.
After being vandalized, Travis decided to take a break that next year.
But, it was his family and friends that encouraged him to give it another shot this Halloween season.
And to keep all the props going, Travis says he's had the support from local businesses in the area.
"We were trick or treating, walking around the neighborhood and people said hey aren't you that guy, what happened and my daughter just really missed doing it," he said.
And while Halloween is still a few days away, Travis says anyone is welcome to stop by and check out his home.
And a house that might cause quite a scare, is Travis Rippo's North Utica home on Van Rensselaer Rd.
During any other time of the year, the house looks like any other, but come October, you'll see a complete transformation.
"It started out with some scrap wood, some yarn, and a couple hundred dollars, and it just kept rolling from there," he said.
Travis and his wife started the decorating tradition back in 2004.
And with a love for the holiday, it was a habit that stuck.
"It's fun, I'm enjoying it," said Travis. "I like coming home every night pulling up to this."
Except it wasn't always fun.
Two years ago after the decorations were put up, Travis' home was vandalized.
"We came up and there were pumpkins all over the road, spiders were ripped and shredded and ripped off the fence, debris everywhere," he said.
After being vandalized, Travis decided to take a break that next year.
But, it was his family and friends that encouraged him to give it another shot this Halloween season.
And to keep all the props going, Travis says he's had the support from local businesses in the area.
"We were trick or treating, walking around the neighborhood and people said hey aren't you that guy, what happened and my daughter just really missed doing it," he said.
And while Halloween is still a few days away, Travis says anyone is welcome to stop by and check out his home.
