The Creation of AVS-ville: Behind the Scenes Exclusive

By Suzan van Rooyen

Every year, as Christmas approaches, we ask ourselves the same question: How can we bring a little more joy, colour, and community spirit into our town?
This year, that question turned into AVS-ville Grinchmas — our very own Whoville-inspired Christmas parade float.

The inspiration started, as many good ideas do, with a bit of research, a lot of imagination, and a strong desire to create something that would make people smile. Whoville felt like the perfect fit — whimsical, recognisable, and full of heart. We wanted something that kids would instantly light up at, adults would feel nostalgic about, and the whole community could enjoy together.

For us, the float is never just about decorations — it’s about bringing the community into the idea itself. A village made sense. A place. Somewhere you could imagine belonging. Somewhere joyful. And thus, AVS-ville was born.

This is actually our third year of building our own Christmas parade float, and each year we get a little braver… and a little more ambitious.

The process usually begins with me having big ideas and producing some truly horrible sketches (think stick houses with enthusiasm but very little perspective). From there, my husband performs his annual Christmas miracle: translating those scribbles into something that can actually exist in the real world. Honestly, without him, AVS-ville would still be living in my notebook.

The kids jumped in with paintbrushes, proudly splashing colour everywhere (including occasionally where it wasn’t planned), and fully owning their roles as chief village painters. Their excitement was contagious and reminded us why we do this in the first place.

Our AVS team embraced the spirit completely, transforming into enthusiastic villagers — complete with personalities, costumes, and plenty of laughter. It’s always amazing to see colleagues step outside their usual roles and fully commit to the fun.

A special shout-out also goes to Sam, who helped enormously this year with painting and storing the village — a lifesaver when AVS-ville started taking over more space than initially intended!

Of course, no float build is complete without challenges. This year’s biggest one? Fitting an entire village onto a trailer that suddenly felt far smaller than we remembered. There were moments of head-scratching, rearranging, and the classic “if we just turn it slightly…” debate.

We also had to make one tough creative decision: letting go of the Grinch mountain. Yes — there was meant to be a dramatic Mt Crumpit overlooking AVS-ville. Sadly, gravity, space, and trailer limits had other plans. Sometimes creativity also means knowing when to let an idea go… even a really good one.

There were paint spills, a crooked houses that needed “character,” decorations that mysteriously disappeared only to reappear under someone’s arm, and plenty of laughter late into the evenings. At one point, AVS-ville looked more like it had survived a snowstorm than been freshly built — but that just added to the story.

At the end of the day, AVS-ville isn’t just a float. It’s the result of teamwork, family, creativity, and a shared love for our community. It’s about showing up, having fun, and doing something a little bit magical together.

Thank you to everyone who helped build, paint, carry, store, dress up, and cheer. AVS-ville truly belongs to all of you — and to the community that inspires us every year. A huge thank you must also go to Pete Kitchener from Agri Boss, who once again generously let us borrow his trailer. He has supported us every year, and without that trailer, AVS-ville would still be a very enthusiastic idea with nowhere to go.

Here’s to Christmas spirit, teamwork, and a village full of heart.