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Is was a chilly night for but our family was geared up to enjoy a bit of the Halloween festivities. Our plan was to go out a bit early and do some Trick or Treating then spend the rest of the evening handing out candy to the costumed children that came to the house. We did not create a dungeon or cave or dress up to hand out candy but we were out there and inviting.
Our new neighborhood is a bit different from our last in that there were lots of kids. We were forewarned by the other members of our community to be prepared. They told us cars came to the community to drop off kids, sometimes needed the police to keep things moving without blocking the roads. As a result we bought 10 lbs of candy. I tried to find a bowl for it but eventually decided on a box big enough for hanging file folders. It was almost 1/2 way full!
We began handing out candy just a little before dark and since our house is a few lots away from the rest it took some time until they started coming. We saw such a variety of costumes from cowboys, princesses, ghouls and ghosts to GhostBusters, street-walkers to an 80′s girl with the big hair, neon colors and the works. It was fun.
For our amusement, my wife and I talked about what we knew about the origin of Halloween. Celebrating the dead with its derivations from the Pagan religion. As we talked more children came to receive treats… some saying “Happy Halloween” and others “Trick or Treat.” For those who said the latter we would periodically say “trick”. The kids were dumbfounded. “What did they say… I just wanted candy” was written all over their decorated faces. It was interesting to see they had no idea what “Trick or Treat” really meant.
So a parting thought: How much do we know about the “holidays” we are celebrating? I would suggest some curious searching about their origins, customs, etc. and not to just celebrate them because a large retailer and advertising firm says its important. You might be surprised to learn there are different reasons for their celebration. Check out Veterans’ Day, Valentines Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Day and understand their significance. Not only will your children learn something but it might also make for great trivia during the celebration.
