CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — This year, Halloween fun isn't limited to Oct. 31.
If you've been in the area near Doddridge Road and Santa Fe Street, you've likely seen a yard overflowing with decorations.
Trick-or-treaters rarely visit homes on Doddridge, between Santa Fe and Alameda. So this year, one resident came up with an idea to bring the Halloween spirit to her block.
“We decided we were going to go all-out,” said Darla Manteufel.
Growing up in North Texas, Manteufel loved Halloween.
“I would put Barbie dolls' heads on sticks and paint them in blood,” said Manteufel. “We built caskets and had everyone dress up every year.”
Since moving into her Doddridge Street home, however, trick-or-treaters have been few and far between.
“I’ve turned the lights on and bought candy every year,” she said. “I’ve been left with a lot of candy at the end of the night.”
Her idea: use her driveway to host a drive-thru trick-or-treat Saturday evening.
But every good party needs a theme, so Manteufel invited ‘Beetlejuice’, the titular character of the 1988 comedy-horror film starring Michael Keaton, a Halloween favorite.
“We found a ‘Beetlejuice’ animatronic online and once we bought that, we kept buying things,” she said.
Her yard is now full of characters — many from the movie. There are others, mostly built by her husband Jesse. They, and other friends, will be in costume Saturday to hand out treats.
Manteufel has already made around 700 goodie bags, including chocolate-free and sugar-free options. She’s hopeful her idea is a hit, and if it is, she may do a larger display next Halloween.
The drive-thru runs Saturday evening from 6-10 p.m. Drivers are asked to approach Manteufel’s home by making a right turn on to Doddridge Street from Santa Fe. There are marked driveways for entry and exit.
