Suburban Chicago residents go all out on frightening Halloween decorations
This year, CBS News Chicago went on a witch hunt to find the best haunted houses in the Chicagoland area.
Reporter Darius Johnson landed his broomstick in the western suburbs.
"I saw another home haunt like this and I was in awe," said Ginger Giralmo.
For the last 15 years, the Haunted Graveyard of 218 in Addison has come to life during the Halloween season. Giralmo said it's her hobby.
She started with the witches.
"I got one witch, then I got another witch, then the next thing you know, I had a bunch of witches," she said.
Since then, the haunt has expanded to telling a true Halloween story, from the pumpkin patch featuring many Jack-O-Lanterns and a family of scarecrows to a funeral home featuring the dead, and it doesn't stop there.
Giralmo showed off the "Krampus" area with the theme of "creepy Christmas."
"And the legend says if you're not a good boy and a good girl, the Krampus will come instead of Santa Claus," Giralmo said.
She then showed off the graveyard where CBS News Cameras were not allowed to enter.
"Because if you do, you might not come back out," she said.
The graveyard is filled with dead creatures who prey on the living to survive another day after Halloween.
The labor of love almost didn't happen this year after Giralmo had a stroke over the summer.
"This is her passion," said Matt Giralmo. "This is the holiday that she loves. To see when she kept saying she didn't want to go through with it, she was going to cancel it and couldn't quite do it. I gathered up the troops and got it done."
Even though Giralmo has to walk with a cane now, she's still smiling like a Jack-O-Lantern.
"It brings so much joy and happiness to so many people, and that makes me feel good," Giralmo said.
That's especially when her neighbors start to make their way to her home.
"It's the most fun I've had in my life," said one visitor.
Before it's over, Giralmo transforms to hand out the real prize to the kiddos.
Elsewhere, there's a shivering masterpiece called Live Undead by the Konieczka family , who dubbed themselves The Addams Family of unincorporated Elmhurst.
"We welcome the creepiness like the Addams Family," said Mike Konieczka.
The family has been bringing the display to their front yard for the last 15 years.
"We started this when our son was little," said his wife Felecia Konieczka. "He loved Halloween, dressing up as usual. So we just kind of grew and grew and added more and more."
What's unique for them is that most of the family's items are created or distressed by the Konieczkas.
"The majority of them are made from scratch," said Mike Konieczka. "Probably our favorite is the mausoleum behind us. It's almost entirely 100% from scratch. Even the pneumatics in there, all the lifters, everything are all made by me and painted by my wife."
The flowers wilting on the graves are meant to be symbolic.
"Our anniversary was just a few days ago, and they died," Felecia said. "So we wanted to bring them into the graveyard."
They call the display their labor of love, and it's a piece they can share with those who are still alive on Lexington. Mike said they enjoy showing off their creativity.
The Haunted Graveyard of 218 thanked the mayor of Bellwood and Ferrara Candy for the candy they provided. For those who want to visit the Haunted Graveyard, it will be open until Saturday at 10:30 p.m.
The last day to see Live Undead on Livingston is on Halloween.
