Haunt My Town

Welcome Foolish Mortals!

Halloween (Hallowe’en, also known as All Hallows’ Eve) is a wonderfully fun, creative, exciting holiday for children and adults.

Growing up as children of the 70’s we were able to experience annually the excitement of door-to-door trick or treating.  We had school parties, home parties and handmade decorations and costumes. We were invited into homes where apples and homemade cookies and store bought candies were dropped into our crayon-decorated paper bags after adults admired our costumes and tried to guess who we were.

Inaccurate news reporting and false rumors fanned by misguided and misinformed religious groups dampened the Halloween spirit for many.  But fret not, this holiday is bigger and better than ever before.

Halloween Numbers!

• Halloween 2022 Halloween Retail Holiday & Seasonal Trends from the National Retail Federation: spending predicted to reach $10.6 billion with 69% celebrating.
• Halloween 2021 Trends & Data from the National Retail Federation.
• Halloween 2020 Trends & Data from the National Retail Federation.
• Halloween 2019 by the numbers. Halloween spending to reach $8.8 Billion according to the National Retail Federation.
• Halloween 2018 by the numbers. From CNN, “$9 billion: Total Halloween consumer spending expected for 2018, according to the National Retail Federation. Read more of the CNN article.
• 2017 Halloween Spending to Reach Record 9.1 Billion
  “Consumers are expected to spend an average $86.13, up from last year’s $82.93, with 179 million Americans planning to partake in Halloween festivities, up from 171 million in 2016.”

Children should trick or treat door-to-door, visiting neighbors and getting to know their communities. Young children guided by parents can learn this American holiday tradition. Even door-to-door Christmas caroling can be a bit nerve-racking and exciting.  But being nervous and scared is PART OF THE AMERICAN HALLOWEEN. Its the excitement of the unknown. Being able to face your fears. Provided that common sense prevails, a good old fashioned Halloween is something that can benefit children and adults, allowing both to expand their creative minds and enjoy being someone else for a night.  Role playing unleashed!

Is there nothing sadder than neighbors who pass a decorated neighborhood home on Halloween night for a “trunk or treat” or “church party”? Choosing pre-arranged gatherings based on “safety” and “security” is a sanitized, watered-down version of trick or treating (insert eye rolling). Even if you have a party to attend, visiting receptive neighbors should be part of your community plan, to support your neighbors and engage in a friendly exchange of spooky delight. After all, buckets of candy, apples, cookies, treats and toys often await on the other side of the door…waiting, waiting, waiting for the doorbell to ring and for children’s voices to ring out “TRICK OR TREAT!”

Some home haunters spend weeks if not months (occasionally year-round)  preparing for the delight to scare and amaze children on Halloween night. Oh, yes, and sometimes the parents too!  Frequently the excitement held by the homeowner is equal to that of children running from home to home or hopping out of a car and venturing up a driveway.  It helps adults to recapture that giddiness of their youth.

So with this website, we hope to inspire communities, parents, and homeowners to leave your porch light on, set out a lit jack-o-lantern, maybe throw around a few cobwebs or decorative cardboard cutouts and embrace Halloween door-to-door trick or treating.  Let your children trick or treat. Teach them responsibility, creativity, and community trust.

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All images and text copyright Haunt My Town, 2023