Blog #479: Is Trunk or Treating Still a Popular Halloween Alternative?

…

We’re now at that time of year where families are gearing up to take part in a longstanding Halloween tradition of Trick-or-Treating. Going from house to house demanding candy or any other kind of goodies. However, in recent years, trick-or-treating has been somewhat replaced by a far more popular alternative that involves being in a set area and rather than houses, you actually seek candy from the trunk of a motor vehicle.

…

This is called trunk-or-treating, an alternative method that schools, churches and other community organizations are embracing to not only make Halloween safer for families, but also more inclusive. In my time as an autism/neurodiversity ambassador and public speaker, I have borne witness to plenty of families that while Halloween is a fun holiday for some, there is a level of anxiety around the holiday that causes a lot of neurodivergent and special needs families to balk at it.

What I mean by that is that safety is still a top priority for Halloween or any holiday for that matter.

For neurodivergent families, going out trick or treating can prove to be a challenge especially if the family member has a tendency to wander off because it’s part of who they are. There might be a situation where the loved one becomes overstimulated and ends up eloping and/or wandering off from the family because he or she can’t handle the traditional method of Halloween.

…

With the rise of trunk-or-treating, this gives the neurodivergent or special needs families a chance to partake in Halloween traditions without the fear of being in an environment that would otherwise be overstimulating. In a trunk-or-treating scenario, the individual or family can go from trunk to trunk without the anxiety of getting into a situation that would cause eloping or wandering off.

Of course, another advantage that befalls trunk-or-treating is that you don’t have to wait until nightfall to go obtain candy. Most trunk-or-treat events can happen at late afternoon or even at sunset. That way, families can be done at a decent hour and especially if Halloween falls on a school night (which is the case this year).

…

But what about those who prefer trick-or-treating over trunk-or-treating?

Well, yes I do sympathize with you all on maintaining traditional methods to anything as I am a bit of a nostalgic traditionalist. But it’s always a good idea to take a walk in someone else’s shoes for a minute. Not everyone will enjoy trick-or-treating, wearing costumes or Halloween as a whole. By trying the trunk-or-treating approach, you can gain an understanding why some families prefer it: it’s safe, it’s predictable and you don’t have to wait until nightfall. Who knows? You might even like it yourself.

…

Catch you all later!!