HOUSTON — Halloween is still a few weeks away, but one family in west Houston is already catching the eye of neighbors with their life-size decorations.
It’s a tradition they said the whole neighborhood is getting behind.
If you head over to the west Houston neighborhood of Memorial Thicket, you’ll see exactly what we mean.
"I remember when I was a kid there was that one house, right, and it really left an impression on you and we’re hoping to be that one house," Jake Massel said.
On Massel and Braxton Kirwan’s street, you’ll see standard and unique decorations.
You’ll also see something a little unlike anything you likely have seen in your lifetime.
"Here we’ve got a 40-foot pirate ship," Kirwan said.
Massel and Kirwan have been planning the design since June while traveling to their wedding.
"We were waiting for our next flight and we started looking at ideas for Halloween and I said what if we did pirates," Kirwan said.
The idea quickly turned into an authentic, life-sized pirate ship complete with a captain, cannons, a treasure chest and a few surprises.
"They have the sights, the sounds even the smells from the wood and it really gives an authentic experience," Massel said.
Their family even flew in to help as everyone put in eight-hour days over the past week to make it all happen.
"This has just been a fantastic experience. Who doesn’t want to build a pirate ship once in their life?" Massel said.
The couple has done themed decorations for the past few years. It’s a tradition they felt is important to continue after moving to Houston in 2021.
"This particular neighborhood was hit really hard by Harvey," Kirwan said.
The couple’s neighborhood sits right next to Buffalo Bayou and multiple homes flooded during the 2017 hurricane.
"When you’re having to decide between putting a new kitchen in your house from flooding or decorate for Halloween, well, the kitchen is going to win," Kirwan said.
It’s why when you roll up to the couple’s home, they hope everyone gets some joy out of what they’ve created.
"We have lots of people swinging by to check it out and they’re really excited about it," Kirwan said.
If you want to come check out the decorations for yourself you can come to the west Houston Memorial Thicket neighborhood. Massel and Kirwan said to look for their street, Last Arrow Drive.