photo by: Chansi Long

Kelly Scholz poses with her beloved skeletons at 4608 Hearthside Drive. Scholz arranges the two skeletons, Charles and Agatha, in different scenes throughout October.

It’s like Elf on the Shelf but with skeletons. Every day during October, Kelly Scholz comes up with a new scene for her beloved skeletons, Charles and Agatha, arranging them into silly and unexpected poses in her front yard for passersby to see.

“There are cars stopping in front of the house on a daily basis to take photos,” Scholz says. “There are a few families who take a daily walk to visit the skeletons and take photos with Charles and Agatha.”

Scholz purchased Charles and Agatha four years ago, but the daily poses were a product of the 2020 pandemic lockdown. Before that, Scholz would occasionally pose the skeletons for her family’s amusement, but appreciation for the skeletons grew beyond her social network during the lockdown.

photo by: Chansi Long

Halloween enthusiast Kelly Scholz arranges her beloved skeletons, Charles and Agatha, at 4608 Hearthside Drive. Throughout October, Scholz puts the couple in different scenarios for passersby to enjoy.

“My oldest daughter is a university student at Fayetteville, Arkansas, and she and her friends were like, ‘We need daily content; can you just do something every day for us?'” Scholz says. “So that’s how the everyday thing came about.”

Sometimes people send or lend Scholz props or suggestions for scenes.

“Some things I can’t do because it’s not age-appropriate,” says Scholz, who prides herself on making the scenes “tasteful.”

Charles and Agatha have been posed so many times, the structural integrity of their skeletons is weakening. A recent yoga scene was particularly challenging for Agatha.

“Agatha’s arm literally broke off. They’re due for stunt-doubles; their joints and bones are getting some wear and tear,” Scholz says. “The other thing that is a challenge is getting these guys to stand up and stay in position. I should be sponsored by zip-tie.”

Scholz uses zip ties and poles to prop and stabilize the skeletons. Working from a self-generated list, Scholz darts outside before work or in between meetings and repositions her skeletons for that day’s scene, knowing that people are looking forward to her display.

Scholz isn’t the only Lawrence resident who creates Halloween scenes for passersby to enjoy. Angelina Cruz, at 2600 Princeton Blvd., has crafted a scene of inflatable ghosts and pumpkins, plus a small patch with talking pumpkins for kids to enjoy.

photo by: Chansi Long

Angelina Cruz’s display at 2600 Princeton Blvd. includes inflatables plus a small patch with talking pumpkins.

“A lot of the kids in the neighborhood come over, and we light up the talking pumpkins and people take pictures,” Cruz says. “The kids like it so much. All the school kids come here, and they just love this scene.”

Cruz has been displaying large Halloween decorations for years. But decorating for Halloween has its risks. Last year, the night before Halloween, two men stole every decoration Cruz had on display. She captured footage of the crime on her doorbell camera, but the thieves were never identified.

“They took 21 of our characters; they took my little haunted house, and I had just bought some new ones, too,” Cruz says. “They yanked the figures off the pole, because I had them tied to the porch. I was so upset. I would go to Spirit every year and I would get at least two or three new ones, so my collection was getting bigger.”

The theft didn’t prevent Cruz from buying all new decorations for her display this year.

“We love decorating for everyone,” Cruz says. “When I was looking, I was like, what can I do? I could find a lot of pumpkins and a lot of ghosts, so I was like, we’re just going to do all pumpkins and ghosts. Then we added the little pumpkin patch so (the kids) could come into the yard and take pictures.”

photo by: Chansi Long

Dana Dyer’s Half Acre of Fear is on display at 1755 East 1310 Road.

A Lawrence Halloween staple is Dana Dyer’s Half Acre of Fear, at 1755 East 1310 Road, which has been active for more than 15 years. Dyer, 68, was recovering from COVID and a few other health problems right around the time he started setting up his haunted yard. Dyer is feeling better now, but he’s afraid this year won’t be as intricate as he’d like, because of the delay in setting up. Still, he will curate a spooky display for trick-or-treaters and hopes to have a small haunted section for thrill-seekers ready.

Dyer, Cruz and Scholz are all looking forward to seeing trick-or-treaters on Sunday. And in the meantime, people are welcome to take pictures in their yard.

“All visitors are very respectful of the scene, and all are welcome to come in the yard for a photo op,” Scholz says.

photo by: Chansi Long

Dana Dyer’s Half Acre of Fear is on display at 1755 East 1310 Road.

photo by: Chansi Long

A Halloween scene at 226 Michigan St. in Lawrence.

photo by: Chansi Long

A Halloween scene at 1846 Alabama St. in Lawrence.