Madelynn Yates sets up the must-see attraction of Halloween

Over the course of one week, NHS [National Honor Society] helps set up Halloween decorations to deck out Madelynn Yates’s house. It is known throughout Buffalo and becomes a “must see” attraction every Halloween.

“My kids always beg me to take them,” said Art and Ceramics Teacher Jon Holtz. “Its definitely worth while to see.”
Every year the Yates add over 700 dollars worth of decorations to their house. They feel that they have to top the last year’s set up.

“It takes two storage sheds and our basement just to store all the decorations,” said Yates. “We weren’t going to do it this year, but everyone kept asking my dad if we could and eventually he was guilt-ed into doing it.”

Yates has been doing this for over 10 years, but she feels this could be the last. Many kids are disappointed by this.

“Yeah I’d be disappointed,” said Sophomore Ben Lepinski. “There’s always someone there that you know, and going every year has become a tradition.”
Halloween is the only holiday where the Yates really go all out, setting up decorations outside for everyone to see. But what many people don’t know is how much the Yates set up for Christmas on the inside of their home.

“We decorate the outside of our house for Halloween,” said Yates. “But on Christmas we have set up as many as 16 Christmas trees on the inside.”

Story written by: Reed Morehouse and Ryan Bunting

Photos taken by: Ben Lepinski