You might say it was love at first fright.
Since they were kids, Elise Scallan and Jimmy Lalonde have been enamored with Halloween. ย
So when Scallan, an ear, nose and throat specialist, and Lalonde, an orthopedic surgeon, met while in medical school in New Orleans, their love of costumes and Halloween parties provided an instant connection.
After marrying and moving to Baton Rouge in 2002, they started hosting elaborate Halloween gatherings.
"We became known as the Halloween people," says Scallan. "Then it became even more fun with the kids."
And the family โย which includes James Jr., 15; Isabella, 11; Sophia, 9, and Amelia, 8ย โ always costume as a unit.
"This year was a little more challenging with teens and preteens," says Scallan of getting everyone to agree on a theme for the whole family.
But dress up they did โ in an Egyptian theme โย for a party Lalonde, who is King Artemis XVI, hosted for the krewe.
The decorations, like the family, have grown over the years.
"First, it was a few outside pieces and some Department 56 (collectible figurines) stuff," says Scallan. "Then we started with the inflatables and light-up decorations."
They kicked things up a notch when they moved into their current home 10 years ago. A bigger house meant bigger parties and bigger and more decorations.
Guests, who of course, enter at their own peril, must pass the graveyard to get to the front door. Headstones warn how "Death Becomes You" or that you might "Rest in Pieces."
This year, "Bones" the skeleton and his two skeleton dogs โ what else would an orthopedic surgeon have?ย โ stand guard at the front door.
Inside, a monstrous black widow spider dangles from its web, a terrifying menace to anyone brave enough to try to tickle a tune out of the baby grand piano.
"Department 56 is my favorite of all the inside decorations. Jimmy usually gives me a new piece every year, but he recently pointed out that we're running out of room (on the buffet, where it's displayed)," says Scallan. "Sophia likes the witches."
And then there are the witches, witches and more witches, stirring up a caldron of who knows what, their warty noses no doubt sniffing out what might next go into the pot. They peek from every corner and play across the dining room table, along with skulls and vampires.
Putting up and taking down the decorations takes about a week, with everyone pitching in to help.
"We do it in stages. It makes it a little less crazy," Scallan says. "Jimmy does the outside, with help from James, and the girls and I do the inside."
The Lalondes' parties go beyond costumes and decorations.
Guests can paint and decorate baby pumpkins, bob for apples and play Halloween bingo.
But, as with the costume debate, the youngsters have different ideas about what's a party.
"We'd had a Halloween party every year since we moved here, but a couple years ago we decided it had kind of gotten out of hand, so we took a break," says Elise. "Now, I think we'll just do one party for the adults and secondary parties for the kids โฆ I'm very excited with how this one worked out."