Alnwick's spooky Halloween house is set to return this October, promising to be more terrifying than ever with giant spiders, skeletons, and pumpkins. Charlotte Watson and her husband Leo are preparing to decorate their family home in Northumberland for 2026.
Last year, the family took a break from running the display as Charlotte climbed Kilimanjaro. "It was an insane experience. Once in a lifetime. It was difficult but equal measure amazing," she told ChronicleLive.
Giant Decorations and New Surprises
On what's in store, Charlotte said: "We have a couple new little things. We're just starting to set up now. There's giant 12 foot skeletons, eight foot spiders...everything's big! A lot of prep goes into it."
Charlotte says the family have had a busy September, celebrating her mum's 60th birthday and brother visiting from Argentina. She continues: "Usually we would be starting to put stuff out mid September when it's nicer weather but we haven't had a chance." But this week she has began pulling bits out of the loft and the garage. "It's all ready to go."
A Family Tradition Bigger Than Christmas
The mum-of-two jokes Halloween is "definitely" bigger than Christmas in her house. "The kid's don't appreciate that but for me and my husband, we feel that everybody does Christmas. I don't like the commercialisation of Christmas. Whereas Halloween is a busier time for us."
She has even bumped into people across the North East who have recognised her. "We've had people who travel big distances who have told their family. The years we don't have it on and people aren't on social media or haven't realised will drive up past the house expecting to see it when it's not on. Once word starts spreading it always gets pretty busy."
Display Dates and Community Support
This year the display at NE66 2NJ, which attracts hundreds of people, will run for eight nights from October 24th to 31st from 6-8pm. The Alnwick mayor will be joining opening night. "He's always a massive advocate for celebrating our town and people. It's just a really nice community thing."
Charlotte adds: "I always loved the Hocus Pocus film growing up and Halloween. As a kid of the 90's where we just had black bin liners and those stick on fingers, I used to wish we could have Halloween like the film. So when I got a bit older and had my own kids I thought, well actually we can do Halloween like I always wanted."
For the first time, money donated will be split between four local charities: Boost, Community@NE66, and Alnwick District Foodbank, and the main recipient, Chameleon Buddies, which Charlotte is a Trustee of.
"They do amazing work here in the UK and in Kenya. I've self-funded my trips out there to help and seen exactly where the money is going and the lives changed. It helps women with childbirth traumas and stoma," Charlotte explained. "A doctor would perform lifesaving surgeries but the women there didn't have any aftercare. The charity will provide a supply of stoma bags so women are not ostracised from villages. Seeing the community that the women have together now... is really amazing."
