Since 2000
Our Story
Holiday Habits all started when Joe was a young kid decorating his mom's house for the holidays. Each year we would add more and more decorations, always trying to outdo the previous year.
Joe started decorating his own house and his sister's house in Streamwood in 2000 and did so until 2005. The family moved to Huntley in 2005, and it became a much bigger production with several family members, friends and neighbors helping out. Today the decorating and entertaining has two main focuses: Halloween and Christmas.
"I love the process of setting up for Halloween as much as the day itself. Ok, maybe not quite as much, but very close." It gives a sense of pride and excitement to hear people walk or drive past and ask: are you the Halloween Guy? What's new this year?
A lady drives down from Wisconsin every year to photograph her kids in front of the house. "It's like our family photo spot."
Props are built year-round with a group of friends in Chicago Haunt Builders. Setup starts midsummer, and the yard begins to transform in late August or early September — the cemetery fence goes up mid-September, after a memorable run-in with the village over a 3-foot steel fence someone assumed was permanent.
Timeline
Twenty-five years, in order
Scroll the line — each chapter lights up with a photograph from that era.
Childhood
The habit starts
Holiday Habits all started with a kid decorating his mom's house for the holidays. Each year we would add more and more decorations, always trying to outdo the previous year.
2000
First houses in Streamwood
Joe started decorating his own house and his sister's house in Streamwood and kept it going through 2005.
2005
Huntley, and a much bigger production
The move to Huntley turned a family habit into a neighborhood event, with family members, friends and neighbors all helping out.
2012
15,000+ visitors in a season
Over 15,000 visitors came through in 2012, with more than 1,200 on Halloween night alone — plus a run of local press.
Year-round
Chicago Haunt Builders
Props are designed and built all year with a group of friends in Chicago Haunt Builders. Setup starts midsummer; the yard begins to transform in early September.
The Cemetery
Fog, DMX and a steel fence
A full cemetery of static, animatronic and pneumatic props. The yard fills with fog from the witch kettle while an animated DMX lighting and sound system plays music that can be heard several houses away.
12+ years
Georgian Place parkway trees
Red on top, white on the trunks. The neighborhood parkway tree tradition grew into a consistent, block-wide Christmas look.
2024
Permanent outdoor lighting
Holiday Habits began doing seasonal and permanent outdoor lighting installations on homes — the same obsession with detail, year-round.
2025
25 years, and the final haunt
After 25 amazing years, the public Holiday Habits yard haunt concluded following the 2025 season. Thank you for 25 amazing years.
The Crew
Who makes it happen
Joe Buedel
Founder — the one with the habit
Joe is obviously the one with the habit, but he's getting others hooked too. He builds props year-round, runs the DMX show and has been decorating since he was a kid.
Mike Buedel
Build crew & setup
Joe's son Mike has been part of the crew for years — the decorating and preparation would not be possible without him.
Beyond Joe and Mike, the display has been built by nephew Max, niece Hailey, brother-in-law Jeremy, and a long list of friends, neighbors and volunteer scare actors.