Bay Area family transforms yard into Halloween movie display called 'The Albertson Halloween House'

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Eric and Michelle Albertson moved into their Downtown San Jose home in 2002.

Little did they know they would create a Halloween tradition that thousands of people visit each year.

"The Albertson Halloween House is a family-friendly Halloween experience," Creator Eric Albertson said. "We know there's a lot of people that do the graveyard thing, but we usually do some sort of movie that just came out or is a classic."

The beginning of the tradition actually happened by mistake.

19 years ago, Eric found a bunch of junk that the previous owner had left over after he and Michelle moved into their home.

Instead of throwing it away, they created their first Halloween display with a small castle.

It has now grown to so much more and now, when you Google their address, it shows up as "The Albertson Halloween House".

The more than a year's worth of planning for each theme starts with a sketch and turns into a different movie theme or set from classics such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Wizard of Oz or Ghost Busters.

The display is almost entirely made up of found objects or free things such as grocery store cardboard boxes and other miscellaneous items.

While Eric does most of the work, he has grown the project thanks to his family and the help of his community.

"The first few years, I just tried to make everything myself," Eric said. "But we soon realized, if we wanted to more we needed to involve other people. My wife suggested that we call our friends and have 'painting parties' because little kids can paint, adults can paint, creative people can paint and non-creative people can paint. Then when they come on Halloween, they can say, 'I made that' or 'I painted that' and that makes it more fun for everyone."

In 2020, things may look different for Halloween, but the Albertson Halloween House continues.

Their theme is Disney's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with the famous swirl mountains, Oogie Boogie, Jack Skellington and more.

No detail is lost in the display, a favorite of those who take it in.

"Everyone is just always surprised with how over-the-top we go," Eric's daughter Grace Albertson said. "They love how much we do and how we keep thinking of creative themes."

The house is as much of a tradition for the Albertson family as it is for the guests who view it, many come back every year.

It was a goal of the family to make sure that they did something to bring their neighborhood together when they moved into their home in 2002.

19 years later, they continue to give back with smiles and a scary good display.

"You hear a lot about gentrification and people not being involved in their neighborhoods and I didn't want to be apart of it," Eric's wife Michelle Albertson said. "I'm just really glad that we get to be a part of the memories of the kids of our neighborhood."

"I love immersive experiences," Eric said. "So for me, it's a way to walk into imaginary worlds and lands. I love that personally, so I want to create a space for others to do that too."

To learn more information or visit the Albertson Halloween House, visit their website here.