LI Family Of 20 Dresses As Every Character From 'The Wizard of Oz'

WEST ISLIP, NY — Diana Sepe always loved Halloween.

Growing up, her parents would make her handmade — never store-bought — costumes.

"It's kind of the only thing I ever knew," she said.

So when she later married and had a family of her own, it was only fitting to continue her parents' tradition, and make costumes for her children.

They were among the first grandkids in the Sepe family.

"First it was my daughter. Then my son came along, and we added two costumes," she said.

As her sister-in-law, Leanne, had children and more Sepe cousins were born, the more her extended family wanted to dress up together.

"With older cousins, we did Vikings," Diana said. "One year we did 'Dumb and Dumber with the orange suit and the blue suit, and we made a doggie wagon, doggy truck and it was on a Jeep. So they were able to actually sit inside and drive."

As more babies came into the family, the larger the family's group costume expanded.

In 2020, the family had their first, large event, and dressed up as the Nativity Scene.

"My sister, she had a baby, and we're like, 'What do we do with a baby? Let's have the baby go as Jesus!'".

The sisters-in-law told Patch that creating the costumes is a true family affair. From ages 4 and up, everyone helps out. Leanne's mother is a seamstress, and Diana's mother sews.

"Even our 88 year-old uncle was making props for us," said Diana. "

Diana's father, Dennis, is a carpenter, and always builds something for the kids to sit on. For the Nativity scene, he built a manger for the children to sit on.

The family also borrowed a real goat and donkey,

"We go all in," said Diana.

In 2021, several family members contracted Covid, and their Halloween group dwindled.

"We did The First Thanksgiving. And the baby was the turkey on the table. And then one was the pilgrim and one was a Native American."

Diana's husband, Matt Sepe, made a table that was also a wagon. It had plates, napkins, and silverware.

This year, the large family costume group resurfaced.

The Sepe family — which consisted of 20 people — dressed up as almost every single character from The Wizard of Oz.

In addition to Dorothy, the scarecrow, the lion, the tin man, Glinda the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch of the West, a family member dressed up as the tornado, the yellow brick road, a soldier, the Lollipop Guild Munchkins a flying monkey, an angry apple tree, Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, Almira Gulch, and the Wizard.

Diana's daughter, who is 7 years old, came up with the theme.

"We keep thinking that every year is going to be the last year, because kids are gonna not want to be involved anymore," said Leanne. "But the opposite is happening. Like they actually are getting more and more excited about it."

On Halloween night, the family walks their neighborhood street together, and to go trick-or-treating.

Dennis also built a black wagon for the children.

"We just like to put smiles on people's faces and making it special," said Leanne. "We want to create good, healthy memories."

The family told Patch they look forward to building memories for years to come.

"I feel like we're just going to keep going until the kids tell us otherwise, basically," said Diana. "If they're willing to do it, then we'll keep going."