When I was in first grade, I was a slow learner. Watching the other kids in my class grasp concepts quickly while I struggled was painful. At our school, we read Sam and Ann books. I was stuck in book 2 while many of my classmates had advanced to book 10. The smartest kid in the class was already in book 13. I was amazed that anyone could be so far ahead of the rest of us.
Every time a child moved up to the next book level, they were rewarded with a piece of candy. The day finally came when I advanced to book 3. I was thrilled! My teacher was proud of me too. She reached into her desk to give me a piece of candy but found that she didn’t have any left. After searching, she found a stick of gum instead. She handed it to me and said, “Leonard, I’ll give you this gum if you promise not to chew it until you get home.” I eagerly agreed.
In the autumn of 1621, the small settlement at Plymouth Colony prepared to celebrate a successful harvest. Only a year earlier, the settlers had arrived weak and uncertain after a long journey across the Atlantic, unsure of what the future would hold for them.
The months leading to this moment had been filled with hardship and loss. The first winter brought freezing temperatures, widespread illness, and inadequate shelter. About half of the Mayflower passengers did not survive, and those who remained carried their grief forward while continuing the difficult work of building a settlement.
The other day, a good friend called me out of the blue. It was still September, and he said, “You won’t believe what I heard on the radio.” He knew I liked Christian music, so I asked, “Was it Christian music?” He thought I said Christmas music. “Yes! Christmas music!” he said. “I heard it and thought of you. I know how much you love Christmas music.” He was right.
I have been very blessed to have good friends in my life. I don’t need a lot of friends, but the friends I have are wonderful. One person in particular is Ernie. I have known him for most of my life.
Sitting on the side of the highway with his radar gun, waiting to catch speeding drivers, a Tennessee State Police Officer sees a car puttering along a 22 mph. He thinks to himself, “This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!”
He turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. Approaching the car, the officer observed that there were five old ladies- two in the front seat and three in the back———wide eyed and white as ghosts.
Some people put a pumpkin on their porch, hang a few decorations, and call it Halloween. My sister Ramona and her late husband, Allen, took a considerably different approach. More than 40 years ago, they began a Halloween tradition at their home in West Valley City that would become something much bigger than a bowl of candy by the front door.
Allen loved decorating for Halloween. He would spend the entire month of October transforming their yard, adding something new almost every night. As Halloween approached, the decorations became more elaborate, until the big night arrived and the yard was a grand and amazing sight. Allen would dress as the Grim Reaper and greet the Halloween visitors without saying a single word. Somehow, his silence made him even more frightening.
This was truly a family tradition. Ramona and Allen’s entire family took part in the Halloween celebrations over the years. Their children grew up helping with the decorations and enjoying the excitement that came with transforming their home each October. As the children married and moved away, their involvement naturally changed, but the memories and traditions remained.
Sadly, Allen passed away 13 years ago. But the tradition he and Ramona started didn’t end with his passing. My sister continued decorating the yard, keeping alive something they had enjoyed together for so many years. What began as a husband-and-wife tradition became a lasting part of our family’s Halloween celebrations.
Today, the Damewood Haunted Yard is filled with glowing jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, tombstones, ghosts, and enough spooky characters to make visitors wonder what might be waiting around the next corner. Add a live cast of costumed characters, and an ordinary front yard becomes quite the Halloween experience.
And then there are the treats. Ramona doesn’t settle for a handful of miniature candy bars. Her display includes bowls and cauldrons overflowing with candy, snacks, full-size treats, and even soda. It’s the kind of generosity that makes Halloween especially memorable for the children and families who visit.
I have been fortunate to live just two streets away from my sister for the past 25 years. During that time, my wife, our children, and I have enjoyed being part of this wonderful tradition. For the past 13 years, I’ve also helped Ramona put up and take down the decorations. I can tell you from personal experience that what visitors enjoy for one evening represents weeks of planning and an incredible amount of work.
But this year is different. After more than four decades, Ramona has decided that Halloween 2026 will be the final year of her elaborate Haunted Yard. The decorating has become almost a full-time job, and she would like to spend more of her Halloweens enjoying time with her grandchildren rather than preparing for the big night.
Naturally, she has mixed emotions. How do you bring something to a close that has been part of your life for more than 40 years? Especially something that holds so many memories of a husband you loved, children who grew up participating, and a tradition your family built together. But Ramona knows it’s time for a new chapter, one that will allow her to make different kinds of Halloween memories with her family.
I’m going to miss seeing the yard come alive each October. I’ll miss watching the decorations go up and seeing the excitement of the children who visit. But most of all, I’m grateful for the memories Allen, Ramona, and their family have given our family and so many others over the years.
The decorations may be coming down for the last time, but the memories they created will remain long after the Halloween lights have gone out.
Come Experience One Last Halloween!
Join us for the final year of the Damewood Haunted Yard. Enjoy the spooky decorations, meet the live cast of haunting characters, and don’t forget the great treats!
4173 South Burkman Way West Valley City, Utah 84120
I remember a kind older couple who loved my parents, John and Nome Mackaleash. They were probably in their 60s and often stopped by our home while traveling back from Canada, where they sold clothing.
My parents seemed to attract all kinds of interesting people who eventually found their way to our house. My mom would feed them, welcome them in, and make everyone feel loved. Looking back, that may have been one of the greatest gifts she gave us.
This student had more guts and determination than most. She was in her early twenties, but she had leukemia, which at the time was in remission. She always wore a scarf on her head because she had lost her hair during chemotherapy treatments.
Despite everything she was facing, she had a cheerful attitude. She was responsible, prepared, and determined to continue with her education. She missed only a couple of classes because of her illness and never expected special treatment. In fact, some of the other students were not even aware of her condition.
Most of us like to believe that good intentions lead to good results. We make a decision, solve a problem, or change a rule because we believe something better will follow. Sometimes it does. But life has a way of reminding us that actions can travel much farther than we expect.
That is the idea behind the law of unintended consequences. A decision meant to help can create a new problem somewhere else. A shortcut can save time today but create twice the work tomorrow. A rule designed to prevent one bad outcome can discourage something good. Even an act of kindness can occasionally have consequences we never imagined.
Unicycles have fascinated me since I was a child. I vividly remember an elementary school assembly featuring performers on unicycles—some with tiny wheels and others towering 8 feet tall. Their skill and balance amazed me, sparking a fascination that stayed with me throughout my life.
