St Christopher's fun and positive community experience on All Hallows Eve.

We did a Trunk or Treat on All Hallows Eve.

The idea: A first contact with our wider community in a positive, warm and unthreatening experience.

The plan: Start to finish from 5.30pm-7pm. Cars decorated (search 'Trunk or Treat' online) with lots of other interactive activities: easy games with young adult and older teens who warmly engage kids and families. Nail painting, face painting, ring games, balloon animals, pick a book each kid, make necklaces/bracelets, hot drinks, sausage sizzle, more but you get the idea. As it is now post-Covid [lockdown], we had no idea if it would be a flop or a success. The bar was low: we thought maybe a total of 100 people, with 45-60 kids.

The crowd began to show up at 4.30pm and we ended after 8pm. Once Trunk or Treat was in full swing, we had over 500 kids and about 600-750 adults. They stayed and had long visits. The kids had a blast, and they were absolutely grateful. Parents initiated expressions of gratitude: safe, fun, not just lollies, holistically healthy and no dark stuff. The parents were talking to each other, and queues moved fast.

We were scrambling as we were not ready for the huge and positive response. We even sent two runs to get more sausages, etc, and bought out two supermarkets.

Trunk or Treat at St Christopher's Avonhead was such a huge success. They asked that night if we'll do it again. 

It was a great family-friendly event that was joyful, and fun for our community.