Emma Warshauer has always loved Halloween. A Scooby Doo fanatic, the Central Connecticut sophomore grew up watching silly children’s cartoons and horror films, with her Halloween adoration most likely being something she inherited from her father, Professor Matt Warshauer.

Emma and Warshauer both play active roles in the Central community. She’s involved in the Central Activities Network (C.A.N.) and the Student Union Board of Government, while Warshauer has worked in the History Department for several years and has done landscaping for the university, including its golf course near James Hall.

Both have become well-known around the Central campus, but their family home outshines them. During any time of the year, it looks like any other home, but in the month of October, it turns into the infamous West Hartford Halloween House.

Emma and her siblings assist their father in creating extravagant Halloween decorations. Over the past recent years, their work has become known by millions, peaking the interest of news stations and reporters across the world.

“It’s so hectic,” she said. “We start building mid-summer and we begin setting up the weekend right before October. It takes the whole weekend.”

She explained how it starts with the structural pieces and then continues into the next day with final decorations.

“I have a love-hate relationship with it. It’s hard work, but they feed me, so I can’t complain,” Emma said.

Previous decorations have included a 50-foot-long sinking pirate ship named the United States Constitution, an eight-foot-high wall modeled after the U.S.-Mexican border and a Huey helicopter modeled after those used in the Vietnam War.

It has become their family tradition creating the over-the-top decorations with blood, sweat and always tears, but Emma appreciates what it means to them and others.

“It’s important it’s done, not only for my family, but for others, too. It’s gone beyond the typical Halloween decorations and now is used as a platform to send messages. Every year has gotten more political than the last,” she stated.

This year’s theme was the “Death of Democracy,” with a wall that included quotes from former U.S. presidents, a miniature President Donald Trump with tiny hands and interactive panels for visitors to share their hopes and fears of the future.

Sarah Thaxton, long-time friend of the Warshauer family, was recruited into the process at an early age. Since then, she has enjoyed what the project has turned into and what it stands for.

“To be a part of something like that is amazing because we leave such a big impact on people. I’ve witnessed some people breakdown in tears cause they’re so moved by everything,” Thaxton said.

Emma looks forward to what’s to come for next year’s theme, believing that it will be bigger and better than the last.

“My father likes to connect with the community so we might take some suggestions [on the theme] from people in the community,” Emma said. “There are never any definites on what’ll be so we just have to wait and see what pops up on the news. But looking at how things are going, it’s likely going to be something with Trump again.”