In an era where safety and security have taken over a tradition, Halloween has now seen a shift from neighborhood streets to parking lots. Trunk-or-treats gained popularity in early 2020, and they are reshaping the holiday into something it’s not. Kids cannot get the same experience as they should, ruining what Halloween could actually be like for them. English teacher Jessica Maidman reflects on one of her favorite moments from Halloween growing up.
“My favorite part of Halloween was dressing up and ringing the doorbell and yelling trick-or-treat,” Maidman said.
Over the years, neighborhoods across the country have switched from traditional trick-or-treating to participating in trunk-or-treats. They were once a niche event hosted by schools and churches, and parents praise them for being safe and “convenient.” But it’s time to de-influence them,trunk-or-treats are slowly draining the magic of Halloween, town spirit and the childhood light of Halloween night.
Halloween has always been about exploring new neighborhoods, socializing with neighbors, family and friends and experiencing the spooky feeling through strange costumes and horrifying decorations. Running from house to house, with leaves crunching under your feet, screaming “trick-or-treat!” Kids don’t have the same experience as kids from other generations. Trunk-or-treats replace all of that with cars in a single file line, with candy as easy access for children to grab and cars decorating to appear aesthetic. This all defeats the point of Halloween. It is admittedly efficient, but that isn’t what Halloween is all about.
A parking lot full of cars doesn’t compare to the excitement that kids experience when walking from house to house, never knowing what they’ll see next. There is something so remarkable about walking around your neighborhood and seeing porches filled with jack-o’-lanterns and laughter. Trunk-or-treats take away that mysterious feeling and replace it with the sight of the same SUVs lined up.
What bothers me the most is that most trunk-or-treats happen before Halloween. Parents buy bulk amounts of candy to give out at the event, then many don’t bother going out on Halloween night anymore, making trick-or-treating the worst and least common option. Neighborhoods that once glowed with children smiling now feel gloomy and boring, and Halloween feels completely drained before the holiday even begins.
“I think we should get rid of trunk-or-treating because it’s taking away from the classic and magic part of Halloween,” Maddie Damer said. “Instead, I believe traditional trick-or-treating should become just as popular as it used to be.”
Admittedly, trunk-or-treats are safer and more easily accessible for many families. However, what was once a new alternative became the new normal. Through this, kids lose such an essential part of their childhoods that many generations before them have enjoyed.
If we keep choosing convenience over experience, Halloween is going to become just another boring, “hyped up” trend. And no matter how much fake cobwebs and lights you wrap around your minivan, it will never come close to the thrill that younger generations could be experiencing on Halloween night, filled with neon lights, costumes, and fun.
Photo Credit: “SHA Halloween ‘trick or treat’” by U.S. Army Garrison Japan is licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
