Local woman goes all out for spooky holiday
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
Every Halloween growing up, Leeah Edwards’ family would travel out to Gamerco, N.M. to see one specific house.
Edwards remembers it as a sort of “haunted house,” one where the owner covered her entire house with spooky decor.
“I remember walking up that sidewalk and thinking ‘I want my house to look like this. I want all these trick-or-treaters around my house; I want this to be my house,’” Edwards said when looking back at her childhood.
Edwards’ father made his children’ s costumes each year. In first grade, Edwards dressed up as an angel, a clown in second grade, and a bunny in third grade. Each year her costume included all the bells and whistles: wings and a halo, shoes and a squirting flower.
At one point during her childhood the family moved to Canada. During October the region drops to -10 degrees Fahrenheit at night, so Halloween was a bit different there.
Donning ornate masks, and cozy winter coats, Edwards recalled her Canadian Trick or Treat bag growing heavy, filled to the brim with jumbo candy bars and two-liter sodas –– a memory that fueled her Halloween obsession.
Then years later, Edwards’ deep dive into all things Halloween started when her daughter Marlee, who is now 15, was born.
Marlee was born in August, so she was still pretty small her first Halloween. But when her second Halloween came around, her mom noticed a problem.
“For the second year we went to the store and I just saw mass production of the same thing, so I told my husband ‘I’m going to start making her costumes,’” Edwards said.
That first year she created a little Maleficent costume for her then one-year-old daughter. And she’s been doing it ever since.
Edwards and her family start planning for the holiday in July by discussing what theme they want to do. Over the years Edwards created many different costumes for Marlee. For example, she’s dressed up as a gumball machine and Navajo frybread.
Marlee’s older cousin Olivia Stranger tagged along for many of her cousins’ costumed adventures. When Marlee dressed up as Navajo frybread, Olivia was the Blue Bird flour bag. The girls have won multiple costume contests over the years thanks to Edwards’ creativity.
The girls wore coordinated costumes for seven years in a row. This is the first year they won’t be doing it because Olivia moved to Arizona earlier this year.
Costumes are a hot topic, but they’re also only one part of the holiday. The home itself is also a big sticking point, and Edwards goes all out with decorations.
Last year she recreated scenes from the popular Netflix show Stranger Things. Using plywood, she recreated the scene where Max is floating in the air, getting possessed by the show’s villain, and Eddie playing Metallica on his guitar.
The year before that, she crafted the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus in her front yard. Another year she built the sandworm from Beetlejuice and had it slithering through her yard.
“I get people knocking on my door, saying ‘Hey, can we take photos of your set up? And I say, ‘Have at it, that’s what it’s for,’” Edwards said.
This year, Edwards is designing the outside of her house with the theme of the Carnival Nun in mind.
The Carnival nun first appeared in a social media video in October 2023, according to the website horror-world.com. The terrifying sight was recorded at a carnival in Mexico.
Edwards said this is the first year she’s decorated with a scary theme in mind.
In the popular videos, the Carnival Nun is seen dancing on a spinning carnival ride.
Last year, Edwards’ father created a platform for his daughter’s design. Earlier this year he told her “We’ve got to make that thing spin.”
As for Marlee’s costume, she’s planning on being “Tenna,” a character from the video game “Deltarune.”
When asked why she put so much effort into the October holiday, Edwards said she does it for her daughter.
Recently, after they had finished putting up some Halloween decorations, the two of them stood back and admired their work.
As they were doing this, Edwards turned to Marlee and said, “You know, I do this for you. Every detail and every thought is because of you. This is how you’re going to have me forever and ever.”
Marlee hugged her mother and replied, “I know Mom, and I love you for all of this. I look forward to it every year and I will keep it alive when you’re old and gray and can’t do it anymore. I promise to carry on our family Halloween traditions.”
Edwards admitted she choked up a bit as she recalled this story.
The excitement for the Edwards’ holiday doesn’t end with extensive decorations and creative costumes though. It also includes food.
Every Sunday in October she gathers her daughter and husband for special brunches that include such delicacies as cinnamon roll zombie brains, pumpkin biscuits with eyeball gravy and plenty of French toast, pancakes, and bacon.
She also brings her love for Halloween to work with her. Edwards works at Hozho Academy as a paraprofessional who works with kids with special needs.
She often dresses up in Halloween-themed sweaters with earrings to match.
On a recent workday when she was wearing a Halloween-themed outfit a student approached Edwards and exclaimed, “Oh, here comes Mrs. Halloween!”
Edwards said that was the best thing she’d ever heard.
“I told him, ‘Come give me a hug. You just made my lifetime!’” she said.
