BILLINGS — While the average household spends around $115 on Halloween decorations and candy, some Billings families are taking their spooky celebrations to the next level with elaborate displays that cost thousands of dollars and countless hours to create.
If you’re driving up Zimmerman Trail, you’ll find a house on a corner of Aljema Avenue that stands out from the rest.
Watch these two families talk about their Halloween extravaganzas:
For the last decade, Nicole Anthony and her dad, Joe, have spent hours each year creating an intricate graveyard display that draws visitors from across the community.
“My dad and I worked for like the past two weeks,” Anthony said Wednesday.
The display features animatronics, tombstones, handmade decorations, and multiple themed areas to accommodate different levels for trick-or-treaters.
“So, we have tons of animatronics going on. We have each little paths for things. And then we would have some inflatables down on the lower level if you're a little too spooked out for the graveyard,” Anthony said.
What started small has grown significantly over the years through careful planning and creativity.
“Just slowly building every year. So, we started like, started with just like a couple tombstones,” Anthony said.
That number has turned into more than 100 decorations in the yard.
The father-daughter duo works well together on their annual project, with Anthony taking pride in the handmade elements.
“It's so great. We work pretty well together. We're not bickering all the time, which is really nice,” Anthony said. “My favorite part is that I made the teeth and the mouth. I think they are awesome. But like they're the things that are like completely handmade by me.”
Anthony’s attention to detail drives her to continuously improve each element of the display.
“We put hours into just all of that, like individual things and make like I can never keep something as is. I always have to add something to it to make it a little bit more special,” Anthony said. “I don't know if it's an obsession, but it's very fun.”
Another Halloween enthusiast, Shawna Morales, has spent the last six years creating her own extravaganza that has grown significantly.
The decorated home is in the Heights off Camel Place.
“It started out really small,” Morales said. “My husband doesn't do anything small, so it turned into this. Every year, we have something new delivered.”
While it's not cheap, Morales says the real cost comes in time and effort.
“It's probably like time more than anything,” Morales said. “It takes him about three to four full days to get everything set.”
For Morales, the reward comes from seeing the joy her display brings to families in the community.
“We have so many kids that come back every year and so many families that are like, ‘Thank you so much for doing it.’ It's fun seeing the kids,” Morales said.
