An Aberdeen gran who has decorated her home during Halloween for two decades is cutting back this year due to the cost of living crisis.
While Michelle Porter doesn’t shy away from turning her house into a haunted attraction, she is having to scale down the spook factor this year to save herself a frightening energy bill.
Michelle has become a famous figure in the neighbourhood, as her house is always fang-tastically decorated for the season.
For 20 years she has transformed her front garden into “a scene from a horror movie” – including decorations like coffins, skeletons, and scarecrows.
Normally the space outside her home is illuminated for weeks.
But due to the cost of living crisis, Michelle is being forced to keep her house in darkness until Halloween night, when she will light it up, like usual, for just a few hours.
“This year, I’ve had to cut back a bit because of the cost of living, so all of my light-up decorations will only go up on Halloween night for a few hours”, she said.
Despite what’s yet to come, Michelle has still managed to showcase an epic display of Halloween props, which she describes as a “mixture of everything.”
‘I’ve had to cut back this year’
To many, Halloween is considered an occasion that should only be celebrated on October 31.
However, for this local gran, the month of October is a time to return to the light-heartedness of childhood memories and “raise spirits within the community”.
Michelle, who lives on Sandilands Drive, added that if she can put a smile on a child’s face, then her job is done.
Becoming a tradition in her household, she recalls all of the memories she has with her kids at this time of year.
“My children are all grown up now, but they loved it when they were little. And now my grandchildren love it”, she said.
It seems she is the ghostest with the mostest as every Halloween, close to 100 kids will go guising at her door.
She added: “Last year, I made around 80 bags of sweets for the children, and I ran out.
“So, this year, I’ve made 100 bags up. But, once they run out, that will be it. I just wouldn’t have enough for every child.”
In the lead-up to Halloween, Michelle also welcomes nurseries and a local community centre that loves seeing the decorations.
Last week, she even had a six-year-old girl ask her when her decorations would be up.
“She shouted over to ask me when my decorations were going up. It’s so cute, the children are delighted. I just like to see them smile”, she added.
A lot of the decorations are handmade, including a few statement props scattered around her garden this year.
Turning her garden into a graveyard, she has also thrown in some spooky ghouls, skeletons, and a pumpkin or two.
She added: “A few things are handmade from recycled materials. Whenever I notice something that could be of use, that people no longer want, I take it.
“A friend of mine made this year’s coffin from an old pallet. I was pleased with how it turned out.
“The dead-looking tree was also a scrap that someone threw out. I thought it would be perfect in my display.
“I’ve collected a ton of decorations over the years, it allows me to change my theme every year.”
She says although times are difficult, she wishes “more people in the community would get involved.”
Conversation