No Bones About It, Tofels Love To Go Overboard on Halloween
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A pair of skeletons play a game of “Deadly Dominos” on the Tofels’ front porch. Photo by Andy Behlen -
Tom and Denise Tofel next to one of their miniature villages featuring a spooky train track. Photos by Andy Behlen -
The graveyard in front of the Tofels’ house. -
A skeleton riding a pink bicycle. -
This miniature village features a row of spooky taverns -
A fisherman with his bony catch.
Tom and Denise Tofel have been putting up some incredible Halloween decorations at their place in Ammannsville for the past 15 years. And this year is no different.
“Maybe its too much, Denise said.
On the front porch, a pair of bony fellows play a game of dominos. Another couple sit around a campfire with a bucket of iced-down beer.
“The cool thing about skeletons is you can dress them any way you want,” Denise said.
Farther down the porch, some cadaverous pirates imbibe on rum. There’s a witch and an undertaker, of course. At the gate, a ghostly dog chases a dead mailman. A phantom fisherman reels in a catch. A ghoulish golfer tees off in the field in front of the house.
“And then I got my skeleton crew,” Tom said, pointing to a skeleton wearing a hard hat, safety glasses and a reflective vest.
Inside their house, Denise has set up several miniature Halloween villages. Years ago she started collecting miniature Christmas village pieces from companies like Lemax and Department 56. Since then she has expanded the collection to other holidays – she even has some St. Patrick Day village pieces.
Today she has enough pieces just for Halloween to set up 12 unique displays. But this year she only set out five for Halloween with themes like Pumpkin Town, Witches Hallow, Harley Haven (featuring Harley-Davidson Motorcycles), Pick Your Poison (a street scene with spooky taverns), and a railroad town.
The Tofels say it takes them many hours over the course of several days to set up the display. But it’s worth it when friends, family and neighbors come by to enjoy it all.
On Page 1 of today’s newspaper we had a story about Tom and Denise Tofel’s extravagant Halloween displays in Ammannsville. Here are more photos of their place.