MONT ALTO – The Trammelle family’s yard has become a bone-chilling highlight of the Halloween season, with Joshua and Melinda Trammelle swapping out elaborate skeleton displays every day to delight their two young sons and the neighborhood.
The couple kicked off their decorations around the start of the school year in September. This year, they’re featuring about 50 skeletons through October, a step up from last year’s week-long October exhibit.
It all began three years ago when their older son, then 12, battled a serious heart condition that kept him from trick-or-treating. A Halloween enthusiast sidelined by illness, the boy inspired his parents to transform their yard into a festive haven just for him.
” He loves Halloween,” Melinda Trammelle said. That simple act of love has evolved into a daily ritual that draws smiles and stares from passersby.
Melinda Trammelle brainstorms each day’s theme, a process that takes about two hours to assemble on weekdays. Weekends allow for grander setups, giving the family more time to get creative.
Past displays have included a carnival midway, a football game, a baseball matchup billed as “Shirts vs. Bones,” the chaotic “Dead Man’s Dash Aftermath,” a backyard picnic, an obstacle course, yoga poses and a nail salon. They’ve even recreated ’90s TV sitcoms such as “Boy Meets World,” “Step by Step” and “Full House.” This weekend’s attraction: a miniature golf course lined with skeletal players.
At a dedicated table, a skeleton emcee delivers a joke of the day, a feature that has hooked at least one loyal fan. “There’s a man who comes by every day to see the joke,” Melinda Trammelle said.
Last year, the skeletons donned their own Halloween costumes, and the Trammelles handed out awards for the neighborhood’s best-dressed trick-or-treaters. They’re repeating the costume contest this year, complete with prizes.
The family’s bony brigade has gone viral online. Follow the fun on Facebook at Trammellesskellies, Instagram at @trammellesskellies or TikTok at @trammelles.skelli.
