“Our daughters were shocked,” Richard said. “And I thought, what are we encouraging our children to celebrate? We began to pray for guidance about what to do in the future.”

A few months later, Richard happened upon an article in a magazine on the subject of “All Saints’ Parties.”

“When I read the article, I was excited by the thought of celebrating life and holiness through the saints,” she said.

Richard then showed the article to her friend Kelly Duplak who had one child and was expecting a second.

“We had not yet celebrated Halloween with our oldest,” said Duplak. “I wanted a safer, spiritual alternative to Halloween.”

The All Saints party was the answer, so Richard, Duplak and some parishioners set to planning it, and a tradition was born on Halloween 1993.

“At our first party we had about 100 kids and many families,” said Richard. “It stayed that size for the first while.”

Within a few years, a second All Saints party began in Lorette, a small town about 30 km southeast of Winnipeg, and a third party was initiated in one of Winnipeg’s Catholic schools. Then a Polish community church picked up on the idea and started one as well.

The evening includes draw prizes and food (the “Heavenly Banquet”), booth games like “Seven deadly sins, knock ’em down!” (Bowling), St. Don Bosco Basketball Throws, Pin the Halo on the Angel and the recently added “John Paul II’s Soccer Kick.” Kids collect candy at each booth and the evening is finished off by a saint movie in the “Celestial Cinema.”

“I remember the great build-up of excitement as the day drew nearer. There were many costumes and many saints,” said Richard. “I went to bed after the party, and all I saw when I closed my eyes were images of saints. I became more aware of the meaning of the mystical body of Christ.”

“I loved seeing all the effort put into the costumes,” said Duplak. “My kids learned more about different saints and had fellowship with Catholic kids their age.”

Hannah Ragetli is a Grade 10 student who grew up celebrating All Saints at home, rather than Halloween.

“Because we dressed up as saints, we learned more about them,” Ragetli said. “Now we know the lives of many saints.”

Marita Malo has been attending the party since she was an infant.

“It helped me to stay thinking holy, rather than of all evil that is pushed at you at that time of year,” Malo said.

Richard’s nine-year-old daughter Anna enjoys going to the All Saints parties.

“I like getting together with friends, playing the games, explaining my costume and playing All Saints Bingo,” she said. “I don’t think of it as celebrating something else on Halloween. I think of it as its own celebration.”

“It’s been a positive experience,” says her mother. “It’s brought joy, strengthened our family bonds and been a good opportunity to celebrate life together. Overall, it’s made us all more aware of the heritage of saints in our faith.”

(Richard, 15, is a Grade 11 home-schooled student in Winnipeg.)