Updated: Scroll down to see this family’s amazing 2022 Halloween costume!
Halloween is a favorite holiday of many because it’s super exciting. During the celebration, everybody gets to wear costumes, snap fun photos, and enjoy sweet treats in the process.
The same is true for the Schmidt family. Their matriarch, Patti Schmidt, is a New Jersey-based photographer who loves dressing up her four children every year for Halloween.
She has three grown sons—Larry, 28, Patrick, 26, Gavin, 22, and a daughter, Avery, 5—a bundle of joy who came into their lives unexpectedly.
Patti, 50, found out she was pregnant again at the age of 44, and nine months later, she gave birth to her youngest child.
“Initially they were as surprised as we first were, and that quickly turned to excitement,” she told TODAY Parents of her sons’ reaction to her pregnancy. “By the time I turned 40 I had given up hope for another baby, but there were other plans in store for us.”
Larry, Patrick, and Gavin are close in age, so they share the same memories at Halloween. However, Avery is so young, and Patti knew she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the same experience, so she started a new tradition: taking photos that include all four of her children wearing costumes!
It began in 2017 when the foursome depicted characters in “The Wizard of Oz.” In that photo, then one-year-old Avery was mid-air because Patti had a little photo series called #averyintheair at the time.
They did “Star Wars” the following year and “Game of Thrones” the next.
“My husband and I we were binge-watching (Game of Thrones), and I thought the boys as dragons would be so funny,” Patti said.
Last year, the siblings recreated “The Princess Bride,” which Patti revealed was her favorite through an Instagram post.
Patti recently shared a video compilation of their costumes from the past four years on Instagram and TikTok, where it has garnered over 4.8 million likes combined.
Luckily, her sons don’t mind the yearly tradition. They are good sports, and they adore Avery. The photoshoots also serve as great bonding moments for the family.
“But there may or may not be a good-natured groan or two when I pull out the next theme,” Patti said. “They mostly laugh about it.”
While many have followed Patti on social media for her kids’ Halloween costumes, many end up staying because of their family’s beautiful relationship. They are very close with each other, and Avery clearly has a special bond with her three big brothers.
“What I enjoy the most is that they genuinely look content and happy doing this with her,” one user noted.
“The absolute love that emanates from this… She is definitely going to have high standards for any man wanting her in the future, and I LOVE that they are playing a part,” commented another follower.
“They are close despite not only age differences but physical distance,” the proud mom said. “Our two oldest sons live in different states, but they’re within driving distance, and I try to get everyone together as much as possible.”
While Patti and her husband didn’t plan such a big age gap for their children, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
In her videos, Patti is able to capture the special relationship that her three sons have with their little sister. Although they have a unique gap, it doesn’t prevent them from loving each other.
The family has asked TikTok for suggestions for this year’s costume, and some great recommendations have come rolling in: Scooby-Doo, The Powerpuff Girls and the Professor, Merida and her three bear brothers—the possibilities are endless!
Here is their 2022 Halloween costume, Patti captioned it with: “All you need is faith, trust and a little pixie dust.”
To see more of this beautiful family, you can follow Patti on Instagram and TikTok. You can also read her blog here.
Heartwarming about the loving bond and cool about the costumes. 🙂