What is up with trunk or treats?!

[Anonymous]

I don't understand trunk or treats. We went to one over the weekend and it was just kids dressed up going from trunk to trunk in a parking lot getting candy. While this is somewhat fun, what's the purpose? Wouldn't it be more fun for kids to just have a little dance party, scavenger hunt or something like that? Why the need to have trunks (I think the cars are the weirdest part), and why the need for more candy? They're going to get SO MUCH on Halloween.

I don't remember anything like this when I was a kid. I remember malls having costume contests and games, but not a car candy thing.

[Anonymous]

Did your neighbors organize? I agree mine don't need more candy which is why i skip the stuff like this strip mall shops organize to help them advertise.

[Anonymous]

We normally don't go to Trunk or Treats because I don't think DS needs more candy. We did go to one this year because friends invited us and there were bouncy houses and DS cannot pass up a bouncy house, he is 7. There was some candy but not a ton. He had a blast but it was more of a social event then it was a candy based event.

I know that some Trunk or Treats were set up so that kids who live on streets with no trick or treating options, due to lack of houses and or perceived danger, would have a trick or treat option. The Y in our area has one and kids are bused in from different places to participate.

I also think that they are held so that parents feel more comfortable with the activity. Some are held by religious groups and are meant to take the place of Halloween which is seen as problematic because wizards and demons and ghosts and ghouls are problematic. Some provide families with a sense of security because the candy is provided by an organization so the parents are less worried about things in candy.

I think that there are a good number because kids like getting dressed up in their costumes and running around getting candy.

[Anonymous]

I only know a few people who do this and it's a church event for them. So families from the same church can do a Halloween event together because on the actual holiday, they generally stay in their own neighborhoods. I've never been invited to one.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure why people are saying it's a church thing. I've seen them with every single high school, malls and a coffee shop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We normally don't go to Trunk or Treats because I don't think DS needs more candy. We did go to one this year because friends invited us and there were bouncy houses and DS cannot pass up a bouncy house, he is 7. There was some candy but not a ton. He had a blast but it was more of a social event then it was a candy based event.

I know that some Trunk or Treats were set up so that kids who live on streets with no trick or treating options, due to lack of houses and or perceived danger, would have a trick or treat option. The Y in our area has one and kids are bused in from different places to participate.

I also think that they are held so that parents feel more comfortable with the activity. Some are held by religious groups and are meant to take the place of Halloween which is seen as problematic because wizards and demons and ghosts and ghouls are problematic. Some provide families with a sense of security because the candy is provided by an organization so the parents are less worried about things in candy.

I think that there are a good number because kids like getting dressed up in their costumes and running around getting candy.

So are kids not allowed to wear costumes, or just not scary costumes?

I've only recently heard of this, but more on Facebook etc. posted by relatives in suburban areas. I live in NW DC and have never heard of one here in DC.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm in Virginia in a nice, safe neighborhood where everyone goes trick or treating. I'm not opposed to Halloween events before Halloween, but why trunks of candy?! I saw at least 3 posted nearby on Sunday alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We normally don't go to Trunk or Treats because I don't think DS needs more candy. We did go to one this year because friends invited us and there were bouncy houses and DS cannot pass up a bouncy house, he is 7. There was some candy but not a ton. He had a blast but it was more of a social event then it was a candy based event.

I know that some Trunk or Treats were set up so that kids who live on streets with no trick or treating options, due to lack of houses and or perceived danger, would have a trick or treat option. The Y in our area has one and kids are bused in from different places to participate.

I also think that they are held so that parents feel more comfortable with the activity. Some are held by religious groups and are meant to take the place of Halloween which is seen as problematic because wizards and demons and ghosts and ghouls are problematic. Some provide families with a sense of security because the candy is provided by an organization so the parents are less worried about things in candy.

I think that there are a good number because kids like getting dressed up in their costumes and running around getting candy.

So are kids not allowed to wear costumes, or just not scary costumes?

I've only recently heard of this, but more on Facebook etc. posted by relatives in suburban areas. I live in NW DC and have never heard of one here in DC.

The religious based ones seem to have costume restrictions. But we have never attended one. We attended one at the Y and passed out candy, we made a mini van haunted house with some friends. The kids enjoyed it even though it was essentially crawling through two mini vans with black lights and some bones scattered in it. This year we attended one that had 4 cars and mainly focused on bouncy houses and silly games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm in Virginia in a nice, safe neighborhood where everyone goes trick or treating. I'm not opposed to Halloween events before Halloween, but why trunks of candy?! I saw at least 3 posted nearby on Sunday alone.

Haha. I just posted about this on Off-Topic. I haven't seen any around here though. Only on FB from my friends in PA/NJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We normally don't go to Trunk or Treats because I don't think DS needs more candy. We did go to one this year because friends invited us and there were bouncy houses and DS cannot pass up a bouncy house, he is 7. There was some candy but not a ton. He had a blast but it was more of a social event then it was a candy based event.

I know that some Trunk or Treats were set up so that kids who live on streets with no trick or treating options, due to lack of houses and or perceived danger, would have a trick or treat option. The Y in our area has one and kids are bused in from different places to participate.

I also think that they are held so that parents feel more comfortable with the activity. Some are held by religious groups and are meant to take the place of Halloween which is seen as problematic because wizards and demons and ghosts and ghouls are problematic. Some provide families with a sense of security because the candy is provided by an organization so the parents are less worried about things in candy.

I think that there are a good number because kids like getting dressed up in their costumes and running around getting candy.

So are kids not allowed to wear costumes, or just not scary costumes?

I've only recently heard of this, but more on Facebook etc. posted by relatives in suburban areas. I live in NW DC and have never heard of one here in DC.

My DS had psychological disturbances, and for awhile he was placed in a therapeutic foster home (battles with the school led to this, it was pretty awful). The family were evangelical Christians whose own kids were homeschooled. They were completely opposed to Halloween because the holiday lets the devil in. He got pulled out of there because of their relentless proselytizing.

[Anonymous]

They are the new trick or treat at the mall and strip malls that used to be popular.

[Anonymous]

They do them where I grew up because the area is rural. When I was a kid my parents drove us all over town to trick or treat, but I can’t imagine trying to do that with car seat rules the way they are now. So now they set up trunk or treats. People decorate their cars and get really into it, the kids have a great time and get their candy.

[Anonymous]

It makes sense about hosting them for kids whose neighborhoods might not have good trick or treating options.

For the rest though, trunk or treat seems to be one more part of holidays being overcelebrated. Not that people shouldn't have fun, but more in the sense that more and more options get added each year, and FOMO compels a lot of people to do it all whether they really feel like it or not because missing out or not Doing Something isn't an option.

[Anonymous]

People are afraid of their neighbors

[Anonymous]

It's tailgating is stupid. This is just another version.