OPINION: Why Minnesotans Need to Skip Trunk or Treat Events

Put the pitchforks and torches down...even if they're part of your costume! Just hear me out on this: parents should either skip trunk-or-treat events; OR, make it only PART of the Halloween fun.

The reason for my blasphemy? The elderly.

Don't Make That Trunk-or-Treat Event Your Only Halloween Stop

Trunk-or-Treat events attract weary parents who don't have the energy to march their sugared-up kids through neighborhoods - often on a school night - and then try to get them settled down enough to get some sleep. I absolutely get it! It's safe, it's convenient, and it accomplishes the purpose of accumulating as much kid cocaine as possible, as quickly as possible.

Halloween is also a great opportunity to bring smiles to the faces of some of the loneliest people in our society.

The elderly. Remember them? Life in your golden years isn't like The Golden Girls...although it really should be. Elders often live solitary (read: lonely) lives, and events like Halloween can be downright therapeutic for them, because trick-or-treaters can be some of the only non-medical human contact they get.

So if you're planning on making as few treat stops as possible (again, I get it), pen in a few stops at your neighborhood elders (as long as the light is on). If you want to get some candy hoarding efficiency in your trip, stop by an old folks home or three. They often have residents lined up and ready to hand out treats to your kids, and all it costs is a moment of company.

It's really a win-win: our elders get some much-needed human interaction, and our kids get some much-wanted candy. I can't think of a better reason to do this.

Trunk-or-Treat events helped our kids (and us!) get through the pandemic. If you're stopping by a trunk-or-treat event, make sure to stop by a few elderly care homes, too. It's great for everyone!

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