The Halloween spirit that never sleeps

HALLOWEEN GUIDE
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DENVER - Some might call it an obsession, others might call it a hobby, but one thing is clear: Stephanie Franszczak loves Halloween.

This is abundantly clear when you enter her office at National Jewish Health Medical Center. Or when you see her orange finger nails. Or her shirt with a moon, stars and a spider web on it.

"I believe that your office should reflect your personality," she said. "Clearly Halloween is my holiday."

There is a mug with the image of the Count from Sesame Street. There are tiny wooden cut outs of trick-or-treaters, a ghost with a top hat and a rubber duck popping out of a jack-o-lantern.

And that's just on her desk.

"Most of the things in my office stay up all year long," she said.

There is a wooden carved jack-o-lantern and a gravestone with "Happy Haunts" on it. A Dracula plush doll that dances to "Monster Mash" causes visiting coworkers to break into giggles.

"I do something at my home too," Franszczak said.

It's more than something. There is a room in her house specifically dedicated for Halloween.

Beyond the Halloween themed clock and small figurines, the book shelves are lined with the tales of Stephen King and other spooky stories.

She calls it her office.

"It's the one room in the house that's all mine and it contains all of my little collectibles," she said. "This whole office is decorated all year long, so nothing changes. It just gets added to."

There is a black and twisted Christmas tree with ornaments like spiders made of yarn, skulls, and a plush vampire bat.

There are toys. One is a coffin where a skeleton hand snakes out when you wind it up.

"All day I am surrounded by Halloween, absolutely, day and night," Franszczak said. "In my living room, every year on October 1st, it's like a little ritual. I actually have a Halloween town."

Like the so many Christmas towns many people have, it's comprised of miniature buildings and figures. But here there are no signs of Christmas cheer.

"Everything from a tattoo parlor to a blood bank to a mausoleum and a cemetery and a pumpkin patch. And I set that up every year," she said. "I do it because I love Halloween and it's something fun for me. It's a way for me to do something a little bit different."

And yes, Franszczak also has a black cat.

"I figure why just enjoy it once a year when you can enjoy it all year long?" she said.