Communities

Getting into the Halloween spirit

Willow Road and other streets go all out with Halloween décor

NEW ULM -- Skeletons scaling homes and creatures creeping across lawns are a few frightful sights that come alive around Halloween time in New Ulm neighborhoods.

For Kaitlin Houlihan and her scaling skeletons, the tradition started in 2024, a year after she moved to town.

"Halloween is the only holiday we go all out for," Houlihan said.

Inspiration for the skeletons came from her time living in Saint Paul.

"We used to live near Summit Avenue and there was an old Victorian house that had skeletons climbing up it like this, so when we moved to this house I copied the inspiration," she said.

Houlihan's favorite part of Halloween is helping her two boys pick out costumes, and seeing all the kids dressed up.

"We always have one parent stay here to hand out candy," Houlihan said.

Trick-or-treaters that stop are usually headed to State Street after.

Over on State Street, Kristina Fisher and her husband Jeric Fisher decked out their lawn with cobwebs, pumpkins, and a giant skeleton emerging from the ground. New to the area, the two said they should contribute to the street that "goes above and beyond."

"It's fun for the kids," Kristina Fisher said. "Everyone gets to be something different and gets to have fun, collect candy, and keep the tradition alive."

Her favorite halloween memory was bundling up and running around the neighborhood to collect candy.

In the tucked away neighborhood of Willow Road, something far more wicked than a witch's cauldron is brewing. Halloween and horror fanatic Kim Ranweiler continues to welcome all sorts of creatures to her lawn for the Halloween season.

"I'm still waiting for a few things to come yet, some creepy dolls whose arms move and stuff," Ranweiler said.

When the dolls do arrive, they will be greeted by their animatronic siblings riding their merry-go-round that has long resided at the Ranweiler residence.

The merry-go-round dolls, however, were not the first to join Ranweiler's collection which began many years ago.

When looking at animatronics online, Ranweiler discovered a wolfman.

"I just liked him," Rainweiler said.

Following Wolfman was the electric chair man, and the rest is history. Rainweiler's yard now contains ghosts, clowns, skeletons, dolls, pumpkin creatures, terror dogs, Slimer, and much more that have become a staple to the community.

"Through the years I've gotten more and more children coming," Ranweiler said. "When I first moved up here there were hardly any children."

Tricker-treaters that come across Ranweiler's spooky setup often become recurring visitors.

Ranweiler's favorite visitor is a little boy who is blind.

"He's been coming since he was two and he stops and feels my [decorations.] I always look for him," she said.

For Ranweiler, much of the Halloween fun comes from scaring people.

"I've gone to haunted houses and the kids always put me in the front because they know I'm not scared," Ranweiler said. "I love to hear them scream and stuff."

Horror movies play a major role in Ranweiler's love for Halloween.

"The movie that scared me the first time was Jason (Friday the 13th)" she said. "Now they're just movies."

Ranweiler's favorite costume came from the movie "The Nun."

"I always dress up when I give out my candy," she said.

Ranweiler's festive antics rubbed off on her son Nick Brown, whose yard was featured in the Oct. 25, 2024 and Oct. 15, 2025 issues of the New Ulm Journal.

"I started it and when he bought his house he started it," Ranweiler said.

Whether it's State Street or elsewhere, there is no shortage of neighbors getting into the Halloween spirit.