THIS year, Medowie resident Therese Mace spent two months preparing her yard for Halloween.
Seeing wide-eyed families come through the gate made the effort worthwhile.
Children explored the decorations, collected lollies and enjoyed the games, while adults stopped for a chat at the community display on 31 October.
What started during the first COVID period has become an annual event, with neighbours donating lollies and Medowie families returning year after year.
“It’s just something I like, but I do it for my grandchildren as well,” Mace said.
“It’s more about the family more than anything really.”
Her neighbours have come to expect their favourite decorations.
“They let me know when I’ve left something out.”
This year’s display included clowns, skeletons, a pumpkin patch, dinosaurs and an area inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The family’s cars were part of the decorations, while her grandson made a popcorn machine.
Eyeball and spider games kept children busy between collecting treats.
Mace finds many of her decorations second-hand through Facebook Marketplace, sometimes buying a trailer-load at a time.
Working out where everything will go takes about a couple of months. Packing it away will take another month.
Members of the Medowie community lend a hand. Many donate lollies, while a man who lives around the corner arrived that morning with sausages.
“It’s something that everyone looks forward to,” Mace said.
Among the visitors was Victoria Lane, a dentist working in Medowie, who joined in the dressing-up at her children’s insistence.
For her family, visiting the display has become a regular Halloween outing.
“We love it. It’s become a tradition,” Lane said.
Mace arranges smaller displays for Easter, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, giving neighbours something new to look at throughout the year.
Halloween is her biggest undertaking, and she plans to keep welcoming families to enjoy it.
“I love it,” she said. “And I like that the community loves it too.”
By Althea GUINSBERG
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