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There isn’t a haunted house worth its salt that doesn’t have at least one creepy mirror hanging over the mantel, on the parlor wall or over the sink in the bathroom. At Thrillvania Haunted House Park we know it’s all about the lighting, but still, there’s always that creeping little niggle down your spine that tells you something’s just not right…

Mirrors have a strange effect on people. Some can stand and gaze at their own reflection for hours and never bat an eye while others, well… let’s just say they’d rather not. Some people won’t even look in a mirror unless all the lights are on, and even then they’ll lift their eyes slowly, sneaking a peek, just in case the face looking back isn’t their own.

If you’ve ever attended a slumber party or camping trip then you’ve probably heard of Mary Worth, a witch who can be summoned by reciting her name 13 times while gazing into a mirror in a dark room. But watch out! When she appears she’ll jump from the mirror and scratch your eyes out.

And then there’s The Candyman. A crazy psychopath, The Candyman can also be summoned through a mirror but you need only recite his name three times. When The Candyman emerges from the mirror he kills his victims with his hook. Let’s try it, shall we? Candyman, Candyman, Candym… Well, maybe we shouldn’t press our luck.

The Wicked Witch had a magical mirror inhabited by a spirit. Dorothy stepped through the looking glass into a world filled with flying monkeys and Munchkins. “There are more worlds than these,” said Stephen King, and many are on the other side of the mirror, inhabited by who knows what kind of creatures.

The next time you have to make that trek to the bathroom in the middle of the night, remember this: In most cases it’s simply a trick of the light like we use here at Thrillvania Haunted House Park that makes it seem as if the Boogieman himself is gazing back at you from that silvery, slithery surface. But sometimes it’s not.

Footsteps on the stairs at night, cupboard doors that seem to open and close on their own, a tap on the shoulder, a cool poof of air. These things happen all the time here at Thrillvania. On their own, they seem like normal events. In fact, we’ve all had one or two occasions to laugh off similar happenings.

It’s the wind. It’s air in the pipes. It’s the neighbors fighting again. So how do you know if you’re living in a real haunted house?

13 Signs you live in a haunted house:

Unexplained noises – Do you hear footsteps, knocking, rapping, banging, or scratching? Does it sound like something is being dropped but you don’t see anything fall? It could be air in the pipes, uneven floors, or a bat in the attic. But it could also be a ghost.

Objects disappear and reappear – Are you absolutely sure you left your keys on the hall table? And now they’re nowhere to be found? And then they turn up in exactly the same spot you left them in in the morning?

Lights turning on and off – You’ll rarely see the lights turning on and off but you’re sure you turned the lights off when you left the room… and now they’re on again… and nobody’s been in there since you left.

Doors, cupboards and cabinets open and close – Again, you’ll rarely witness this event because it happens while your back’s turned or you’re out of the room. Just like the lights. You know you closed that cupboard, but there it is open again.

Odd shadows – Do you frequently see shadows out of the corner of your eye? If so, your house may be haunted.

Strange animal behavior – Animals are particularly sensitive to unseen visitors. If your pets are acting strangely, perhaps more aggressive than usual or cowering in the corner when they’ve never done that before, you may be living in a haunted house.

Cold spots – Drafts are one thing, but walking through a cold spot in a toasty, warm room – repeatedly – is quite another.

Feeling you’re being watched – Do you frequently feel like somebody’s watching you? Maybe they are.

Feeling you’re being touched – Some people feel just a passing breeze. Others feel a gentle tap or touch. Still others feel a sharp poke or jab. Cobwebs? Maybe. But not if it’s happening all the time.

Cries, whispers, talking – It’s not easy for spirits to communicate from beyond so you’ll rarely hear a distinct conversation. But listen for whispers, a muffled word or two, or you may hear someone saying your name.

Strange smells – Some people report smelling sulfur, but most recognize a perfume or cologne that they don’t have in their house. Some also report the smell of roses.

Moving or levitating objects – Lamps crashing to the floor, candlesticks or dinner plates rising above the table. Objects moving without anyone around is a clear indication you’re living in a haunted house.

Other unexplained evidence – Strange writing on the wall, handprints on mirrors, footprints in the
freshly vacuumed carpet – these are all evidence that you’re sharing your house with a ghost.

And then, of course, there’s the most obvious of way of all to tell you’re living in a haunted house…

Apparitions – It’s very rare to see an actual apparition. Ghosts generally make their presence known using some of the above tricks. Watch for human-shaped mists or mist that’s forming into some definite but indistinguishable shape. You may also see human forms that look real enough but disappear quickly into a wall or fade into the carpet. When you see apparitions it’s a sure sign you’re living in a haunted house.

We all have a certain image in our mind when someone mentions haunted houses. We picture large, dilapidated homes with paint peeling and porches rotting away. We imagine there must be footsteps on the stairway and rapping from inside the walls, screeching up in the attic, and all of this takes place in the middle of the night. But the simple truth is this: Any house can be haunted, any hour of the day or night. Maybe even yours.

Hauntings In Old Homes vs. New Homes

While it’s true that hauntings seem to occur most often in older homes, it’s only because those homes have been around long enough for some type of tragedy to have occurred. And if not the house itself, then the property upon which it stands. Perhaps, long ago, the land the house now sits on was the site of a major battle. Perhaps, long ago, someone inside the home passed quietly away and left some unfinished business.

Conversely, many people just assume every old home is haunted because, if the home is 100 years old, there’s a good chance someone has died in it at some point during its existence. And if someone dies in a home, surely their spirit sticks around to haunt the place. If that were the case, given the number of old houses scattered throughout the world, the netherworld must be very crowded, indeed.

It’s quite possible for a new house to be haunted. It may have been built on the site of a tragedy. Someone who worked on constructing the house may have died from a tragic accident. Or maybe the ghost moved in, right along with the new owners, following them from their previous abode.

So never assume that only old, run-down houses are haunted and never assume you’re safe from hauntings simply because you’ve moved into a new house.

Ghosts Only Come Out At Night

It’s always nighttime when the ghosts come out to play in the horror movies, and when you watch those paranormal investigators on TV they always wait until midnight to set up their equipment. But ghosts “live” on a different plane of existence. To them, Time has no meaning and they certainly don’t punch a time clock.

If there’s a ghost in your house at midnight you can rest assured – or maybe you can’t – that he’ll be there in the morning and in the afternoon, too. During the daylight hours, though, you’re busy. You’re at work, you’re running errands, you’re cooking or cleaning or watching TV. There’s activity and noise in the house that covers up those ghostly creeks and groans so you don’t notice. You’re bustling around and you don’t notice those cold spots when you pass through them on your way to the den.

But then the lights go out and everyone settles down for the evening. That’s when you notice the chill. That’s when you hear the creak on the step. And that’s why you think you’re safe in your house during the day. Because the ghosts only come out at night, right?

Haunted Houses Can Be “Cleared”

Remember the scene in “Poltergeist” where Tangina said, “This house is cleeeeeaaan.” Well, it wasn’t, was it? The poltergeist was still there. In fact, it followed the family to their new home in the sequal.

It’s true that some ghosts just need someone to help them find their way to the next world, and if this is the type of ghost who’s haunting your home you’re lucky. Help him find his way and you’ll be rid of him forever.

However, not all ghosts want to be “sent on.” Some want to stay here forever – or at least until they’ve exacted their revenge. There is no magical formula that forces a ghost to move on, no incantation or spell, and a ghost certainly isn’t afraid of the smell of burning sage.

If you have a stubborn ghost in your house then maybe it’s time to change your address. After all, he was there first. And, like you, he’ll leave when he’s darn good and ready.