Another Disappointing Halloween

The blog that follows was originally posted in 2015. After another disappointing Halloween this year it was worth repeating. I don't know what has become of us that we cannot even take our children out trick or treating; are we so afraid of our neighbors that we don't trust them enough to bring our children door to door to experience the joy of calling out "trick or treat" with the anticipation of the treat they are to receive? And what parent believes that trunk or treating is an acceptable alternative? I can't imagine driving my children to a parking lot to go from car to car collecting their treat from someone's trunk. Do they really believe that this is fun for their child? For the few children who came to my door, I thank their parents for trying valiantly to keep a tradition alive. Without further ado my original thoughts:

As far back as I can remember Halloween has been one of those holidays that was fun for children. How could they not enjoy dreaming up a costume and going out to Trick or Treat for candy.

Growing up there were six of us and we spent weeks deciding what we wanted to be and how to come up with the costume. Of course back then we used what was available in the house to create our vision, and maybe we could get a purchased plastic mask. Then on Halloween night our parents took us out to go from house to house. We would run up to the door, knock, and when it was opened we would all yell out, "Trick or treat!", then watch as the treat was deposited into our bag or bucket. After saying thank you we moved on to the next house and repeated the process until we felt that nothing had been missed. Once home we would dump our bounty on the table and our eyes would open wide with amazement at what we had collected.

I kept that tradition alive with my children, and they are doing so with their children. So much fun for them, and when they have fun so do we.

When we first were in our house 8 years ago we would get at least 50 children or more on Halloween night. It was so much fun to open the door, see their costumes and excitement, and give them the treat they were waiting for. We were lucky to have enough candy to last the evening. However, these last few years have seen a diminishing number of children, and this year we sadly had only 3 children come to our door.

I know the world has changed in many ways, and people don't take the time to know their neighbors - no community feeling as in years past. I also know that some children have allergies which makes parents worry about what their child may get. And the one thing I wonder - have parents become so afraid of the world around them that they deny their child the fun of Halloween? Or are they too busy to take the time to carry on this tradition with their children?

My parents checked our candy before we could eat it. I did the same with my children and they are doing so with theirs. If you are unsure of a house then don't take them there, but I do believe that the majority of people are good people. And one thing I can tell you - don't ever be too busy to do these things with your children - you will regret missing it in years to come.

So, make them a costume out of whatever you have at home and take them out to enjoy the fun of Trick or Treating on Halloween. They (and you) will have a great time, and those of us who are there to open the door will love seeing the costumes and the joy on their faces. I am disappointed that I did not get to see more children, and hope next year is better.