Trick-or-Treaters Descend Upon Steve Jobs' House

Outside Steve Jobs' house on Waverly Place in Palo Alto

A thin gray mist of dry ice fog enveloped large, squat jack-o'-lanterns at one particular Waverley Street home in Palo Alto on Halloween night.

The sound of thunder rumbled from hidden speakers, eliciting a few gasps and eeps from children waiting in line to get candy at the home of Steve Jobs, where trick-or-treaters have been a welcome sight for years.

"It's too scary!" one child squealed at his mother.

About 50 children and their parents stood on the sidewalk in front of the home of the co-founder and former CEO of Apple, who died Oct. 5. They waited for the gate to open at 6:30 p.m. to the front yard of the Jobs' family home. Many parents snapped photos of their children and the home.

Children and teenagers were dressed as Vikings, Spiderman, priestesses and video game characters; a pair of boys were dressed as an iPad and as an iPod.

At the entrance to the front yard, three women at a table handed out fist-sized cellophane bags filled with orange candy slices, Toblerones and sour drops. Behind them were large Halloween dummies wearing ghoulish masks.

Hayward residents Maria and Sal brought their 7-year-old son Raymond, who was dressed as a U.S. Marine. The family had gone trick-or-treating in Palo Alto before, Sal said, but it was their first time visiting Jobs' home. They noticed the long line, but didn't realize whose home it was until they got in line, he said.

Palo Alto resident Bob Kocher brought his two daughters, ages 5 and 3, dressed as princesses. Kocher and his family, who just moved to the city in August, heard from neighbors about Jobs' tradition of opening up their home on Halloween.

"It's a wonderful testament to Steve Jobs and his family. My daughters will be talking about this for the rest of the year," Kocher said.

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