Christchurch woman goes all out to decorate house for Halloween

7:27 pm on 31 October 2023

Waiting to take front of stage at Halloween. Photo: Supplied by Sammy Dickinson

A Christchurch woman is going all out for Halloween this year, with spooky decorations and mechanical puppets to entertain trick or treaters tonight.

Sammy Dickinson said she loved the "spooky, scary fun" of Halloween and "looking at all the faces of the children when they get scared, and then realise it is actually not real".

Dickinson spent $1500 on house decorations and a smoke machine last year, but had taken it even further this year.

"We've added a few big animatronics... we've extended our spooky walk through in the back yard."

Sammy will be dressed as the voodoo queen and her partner, Jordan, as the ringmaster.

Sammy Dickinson's house is all decked out for Halloween. Photo: Supplied by Sammy Dickinson

Sammy Dickinson's house is all decked out for Halloween.

The Dickinson home also features a neon room, with lots of ghostly decorations that have moving parts, lights and sounds.

She was expecting a few hundred people would show up to see her decorated house, as they had last year.

Sammy Dickinson has spent hundreds of dollars decorating her home for Halloween. Photo: Supplied by Sammy Dickinson

They have an overflowing tub of treats, and several neighbours had donated candy to the cause.

"We've got lots of gummy body parts and skull lollipops and a right assortment of everything in between."

Dickinson said she was doing a last minute push to get all the decorations hung up and the lights turned on, before trick or treaters began arriving tonight.