Halloween Ideas - Trick Or Treating Like Never Before!
Celebrating Halloween for some is much like Christmas, a family event to enjoy each other's company in the spirit of giving and receiving. It is a much anticipated day for teens and kids especially, where candies and chocolates are exchanged for beaming smiles. Days and even weeks before the actual day, adults and kids alike are out shopping for costumes of their favorite superhero characters or the classic spooky vampires. Unspoken friendly competition is always the motivator since everyone wants to have the most humorous, most life-like or most outrageous costume amongst the crowd.
Undoubtedly, we know it's now part of our custom to dress up and knock on our neighbors' doors to ask for treats on October 31st night, but, what is the actual meaning of trick or treating? Well, it originated from the medieval times when early Christians in each town go from door to door to ask for food, or 'Soul Cakes'. In return, prayers would be said for the dead relatives of those who donated on November 2nd, 'All Souls Day'. Over time, it has morphed into a custom festivity of trick or treating.
If the intent from before is to give something back to those who donate the 'Soul Cakes', trick or treating nowadays is missing an important aspect. Maybe this aspect should be added to our current practice, which could make Halloween all the more exciting and all the more meaningful! So, to put a little twist to this Halloween, why not try what I like to call "retro trick or treating" or "reverse trick or treating"?
Keeping it short and simple, "retro trick or treating" is when you bring goodies to give back to those who give treats to you. Just imagine for a second, you and your friends (or kids if you are a parent), knocking on a door to say "trick or treat". The homeowner happily opens the door and gives you bunch of candies and chocolate that you know you will enjoy for the rest of year. Now, what about them, don't you want to share this joy with them too? What if before they close that door, you can say, "Please wait, I have something for you too!" I guarantee they will be shocked initially but will accept your kindness in return with gratitude. So, bring some goodies (like cookies, muffins, candies or even thank you note) along this Halloween and put a smile on those generous homeowners!
The other twist is "reverse trick or treating". This is when you give goodies to people instead of receiving treats yourself. This idea I heard from a friend and I thought, "what a brilliant way to give to those less fortunate or to change the bad stigma around the idea of trick or treating for some folks." This can be done in a public area (i.e. shopping mall) or the good old fashion way of knocking on people's doors. Lights are intentionally turned off on Halloween night for some households to avoid giving away treats. I say, ring those doorbells and surprise them with kindness and a treat of your own! Doesn't that add so much more meaning to the trick or treating as we know it? Since trick or treating was intended to give something back to those who gives, taking it a little further is to give without receiving! Dress up, have fun and prepare some goodies that you can share with someone else!
Undoubtedly, we know it's now part of our custom to dress up and knock on our neighbors' doors to ask for treats on October 31st night, but, what is the actual meaning of trick or treating? Well, it originated from the medieval times when early Christians in each town go from door to door to ask for food, or 'Soul Cakes'. In return, prayers would be said for the dead relatives of those who donated on November 2nd, 'All Souls Day'. Over time, it has morphed into a custom festivity of trick or treating.
If the intent from before is to give something back to those who donate the 'Soul Cakes', trick or treating nowadays is missing an important aspect. Maybe this aspect should be added to our current practice, which could make Halloween all the more exciting and all the more meaningful! So, to put a little twist to this Halloween, why not try what I like to call "retro trick or treating" or "reverse trick or treating"?
Keeping it short and simple, "retro trick or treating" is when you bring goodies to give back to those who give treats to you. Just imagine for a second, you and your friends (or kids if you are a parent), knocking on a door to say "trick or treat". The homeowner happily opens the door and gives you bunch of candies and chocolate that you know you will enjoy for the rest of year. Now, what about them, don't you want to share this joy with them too? What if before they close that door, you can say, "Please wait, I have something for you too!" I guarantee they will be shocked initially but will accept your kindness in return with gratitude. So, bring some goodies (like cookies, muffins, candies or even thank you note) along this Halloween and put a smile on those generous homeowners!
The other twist is "reverse trick or treating". This is when you give goodies to people instead of receiving treats yourself. This idea I heard from a friend and I thought, "what a brilliant way to give to those less fortunate or to change the bad stigma around the idea of trick or treating for some folks." This can be done in a public area (i.e. shopping mall) or the good old fashion way of knocking on people's doors. Lights are intentionally turned off on Halloween night for some households to avoid giving away treats. I say, ring those doorbells and surprise them with kindness and a treat of your own! Doesn't that add so much more meaning to the trick or treating as we know it? Since trick or treating was intended to give something back to those who gives, taking it a little further is to give without receiving! Dress up, have fun and prepare some goodies that you can share with someone else!