‘We have a Trumpkin!’: B.C. woman creates patriotic Halloween display with skeletons posed elbows-up

“We have a Trumpkin!”: Adam finds out the love story behind a Mill Bay woman’s patriotic Halloween display.

MILL BAY, B.C. — Stephanie Roy is preparing for her most wonderful time of the year.

“I could not have Christmas,” Stephanie says before adjusting the decorations in the custom Halloween display that fills her front yard. “I would actually put up a Christmas Halloween tree, if it was just me.”

But there’s David, whom Stephanie started dating despite their one major difference.

“I am the queen of Halloween,” Stephanie smiles. “And he is the king of Christmas.”

But that didn’t stop David from supporting her by setting up the lights to showcase Stephanie’s ever-changing Halloween displays — which range from skeletons cast as cowboys around the campfire, to Jimmy Buffett performing Morgue-aritaville.

“He just loves to see the weird things that come out of my head,” Stephanie says.

David loves her so much, he agreed to dress up as a zombie cowboy the year she decided to be a zombie bride.

“I said I’m never going to get married,” Stephanie recalls. “So, this will be my old wedding dress.”

So, you can image how surprised Stephanie was to find out that David had spent almost a year planning a perfect proposal for that night.

“I said yes,” Stephanie smiles. “All of our friends were like, ‘oooh!’”

Which was followed by celebrating the Halloween after their wedding ceremony with a display showing two skeletons saying “I do.”

“For presents, most girls get flowers and jewelry,” Stephanie smiles. “I get skeletons.”

And this Halloween, Stephanie is bending those skeletons’ elbows up.

“Everybody has been so patriotic this year,” Stephanie says of the inspiration behind her “True North Strong” display.

It features a pair of beavers trick-or-treating, a large skeletal moose, and a skeleton wearing a Mountie uniform.

“I’ve thought about all the things that make Canada, Canada,” Stephanie smiles before adjusting the giant Canadian flag being held by a trio of skeletons.

There’s also a team of skeletons holding hockey sticks while playing a game of shinny hockey.

“We have game on,” Stephanie says, pointing to signs attached to the goalie’s net. “We have car!”

And instead of playing with any old puck, the skeletons are shooting one particular pumpkin.

“We have a Trumpkin,” Stephanie laughs, before adjusting the orange comb-over hair attached to the jack o’lantern’s orange face.

While a president and prime minister are looking to score political points in a trade war, the queen of Halloween and the king of Christmas are proving we can respect our differences and find a creative common ground.

“David’s swayed to the dark side [by setting up my Halloween lights],” Stephanie laughs. “And I’ve swayed to Christmas; I like the Grinch!”