Halloween 2022
As November rolls in, dozens of households nationwide are wondering…
What happened to the Trick or Treaters Halloween 2022?
A few theories are emerging on Tik Tok about what happened to Halloween this year:
- Halloween became private
- Social Anxiety is at an all time high
- Kids are over it
- Halloween became too demonic
- Trick or Treaters were gentrified out
I am an American mom of 3. Halloween fast became one of my favorite holidays of the year. I am into Cosplay so this was show time for me.
Once social media emerged and everyone was able to share their fabulous costumes all over the world it really added to the fun.
Myself and my children dressed up as we had done pretty much every year after returning to America from living in Japan.
Halloween became Private
The difference is that this year I decided to take the children to a private event where they could Trick or Treat in a controlled environment.
I joked with my family about now being a bougie Trick or Treater but I was shocked at how many other families were there at this private event specifically to “Trick or Treat” as well.
Halloween 2022 felt different to me and I cannot explain why. What I do know is that not one ounce of me felt good about going around knocking from door to door on October 31st.
Some parents opted to do trunk or treat. This is something that usually takes place in middle class neighborhoods where kids meet in a school or church parking lot.
All of the parents participate by decorating their car trunks. Kids trick or treat by going from car to car to pick up candy. It’s highly supervised and locally private.
The Atlantic reported on this in 2018, Trick-or-Treating Isn’t What It Used to Be
I took the children to the private event, they enjoyed a carnival-like atmosphere of other school aged children in costumes. Trick or Treating was actually asking for candy at stationed tables and that was it.
But I noticed another phenomenon that I had not considered…
Social Anxiety
At the private event I would say children ranged from infant to about 12 years old. There were no teenagers Trick or Treating that I was able to identify.
One by one the school aged children went up to the staged candy stations. A couple of some pretty harmless looking teens were stationed at tables. Most had costumes on and super friendly faces.
I watched my two children go up to the table(the 11 year old did not want to go out this year), stare into space while blindly holding out their bags for halloween candy. All under my encouragement to; “Say trick or treat”, “Say Thank You”.
I felt a bit sheepish. My kids are homeschooled and I work from home. Sometimes they are a little shy. We play homeschool games and are active but they are not interacting with children or other individuals regularly.
That did not seem to be the case though. I watched kid after kid go through the same ritual.
If I said that I heard one authentic audible Trick or Treat once that night I would be lying.
So there is that. Are the kids shy? Have the kids become more anxious? Kids today just not into Halloween anymore?
Kids are over it
Maybe Halloween 2022 was the end of it all. Maybe the kids are over it. Horror movies are nothing that would interest younger kids.
Nightmare on Elm Street came out in 1984. I was 7 and ended up watching it the next year. It was scary and slightly inappropriate for an 8 year old but it was a hit. Along with the Halloween franchise names like Michael Meyers and Freddy Krueger became household names.
Gen X kids followed Jamie Lee Curtis from movie to movie and in the United States the anticipation of the next movie in those franchises lived on for years.
October 31st was Halloween party time and Halloween movie night.
Now it’s all gone. I can’t even tell you what local news outlets cover because I have not watched the news in years.
Like younger people I get information from what I look for on Tik Tok, YouTube and word of mouth from people who do still watch the news.
My kids were also wondering and asking, “What happened to the Trick or Treaters”. We armed ourselves with rice krispy treats and starbursts in bulk. We like to be the non chocolate house for those who can’t have chocolate.
Not a knock, a ring, nor did we see little kids walking about in costumes. I remember a time when it could be raining and cold and people would still be walking down the street in search of a full sized candy bar house.
I am so happy that we have those fun memories of Trick or Treating when we did go out but I see that a lot of this is over and personally I am ending it for my kids for another reason all together.
Demonic Halloween Themes
I live in the south now(bible belt) and I am going to sound like a fool but Halloween used to be cute! I am reminded by many Christians in my area that it has always been a demonic holiday.
Clearly if you are Muslim or follow another religion that prohibits it then this whole blog post is irrelevant. Nobody is looking for Halal Halloween candy if they don’t celebrate Halloween. I get it but hear me out.
Have you seen the decor? We went from cute witches, ghosts and pumpkins to Quija boards, cauldrons and headstones. If you noticed the switch it was a presence of more and more conjuring props than ever before.
I certainly don’t tell people what to practice or believe. For years it seemed pretty harmless but the level of wicked witchcraft (not the herbs and tinctures kind of witchcraft) was too heavy for me.
A smiling ghost or pumpkin was fine to me as someone who was not raised in the church. Now I am over all of it and perhaps had enough of Halloween 2022 as well.
Gentrified out the Trick or Treaters
Some Tik Tokers threw their hats in the ring on this topic.
In San Diego, this Tik Toker theorized that, “Y”all gentrified yourselves out of trick or treaters”.
@CoachMimi12 was all ready with full sized snickers
Tik Tokers in California, Alaska, North Carolina and all over are shocked at the turn out or lack thereof.
Maybe it is one factor, maybe it is all factors but one thing is for sure. It’s the end of an era.
R.I.P. Halloween
Time of Death: October 31, 2022
#halloween #trickortreat #trickortreating #gentrification #affordablehousing #notrickortreat #riphalloween
Eighty Mph Mom says
You hit the nail on the head! NO TRICK OR TREATERS!? But many said their neighborhood was bustling..the important thing to remember here is the shock and bewilderment of the people that waited and waited and received no candy hunters for the first time ever…like me. We have to take notice of the changing times. Many are blaming Trunk or Treat events as ruining Halloween.