WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and his wife, Jillwho dressed up as a giant panda, held trick-or-treaters on the South Lawn of the White House for the final time Wednesday.

The first lady had attended the national zoo announcement Earlier this year, pandas would return to Washington. They arrived in the nation’s capital in mid-October and Jill Biden donned the panda costume Wednesday as a “welcome gesture,” the White House said.

Jill Biden added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to encourage reading. She was teacher for 40 years. Earlier Wednesday, she read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the lawn.

She and the president then ventured outside as the sun set and spent about an hour handing out treats. Biden, in a suit and tie, dropped boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses chocolates into children’s tote bags while the first lady handed out copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”

Up to 8,000 people, including military-connected students and children, are expected to pass through the gates of the White House during the day.

A large orange moon and a sign reading “Hallow-Read at the White House” decorated the south side of the executive mansion. Decorations also included cardboard representations of Willow, the family cat which is rarely seen in public, and piles of books. Giant pumpkin decorations flanked the door.

Biden abandoned his re-election bid in July. He leaves office in January.