Families celebrate Halloween with impressive displays in Kristrup, Denmark

On this Halloween, neighborhoods are filled with children and youthful spirits dressed in various costumes. While many homes are adorned with a few spooky pumpkins, Lasse Laursen has gone to great lengths to create an impressive display in his garden in Kristrup, just south of Randers.

“I’ve probably spent about 45 hours decorating this year,” he shares. His yard is a cacophony of monsters, skeletons, and spiders, featuring a butcher’s house and a clown tent that evoke a sense of terror. The effort extends to crafting talking twin dolls, which his family dedicated their summer to building.

“We do this because we enjoy it, and it brings joy to others. Many families and children stop by to spend time here,” Laursen stated.

However, while adults might easily see through the plastic skeletons and latex zombie masks, the frightful scenes can be overwhelming for younger children. A child psychologist from Aarhus, Heidi Kempel Hansen, warns that the intense visuals can be too chilling for toddlers.

“The trend of excessive gore is overwhelming for small children. There’s a reason many horror films have age ratings—it can be too much,” she explained.

Halloween traces its origins to ancient Celtic traditions, where people honored the dead and celebrated the harvest by dressing up, believing the barrier between the living and the dead was thin.

Kempel Hansen emphasizes the need for sensitivity in public displays of horror, advising parents to gauge their children’s readiness for such experiences.

Laursen acknowledges that his display is indeed intense but believes that parents should assess whether it suits their kids. Despite this year’s ambitious decorations, he is already planning for an even grander show next Halloween.