Trick-or-treating is a yearly tradition that takes place every October. Since late 2019, the usual practice of going door to door to ask for candy has largely been replaced by “trunk-or-treating,” an alternative method where participants go to a parking lot and collect candy from various vehicle trunks. This approach is intended to be a safer and more convenient version of traditional trick-or-treating.
As trunk-or-treating has become more popular, many people, especially millennials, have started to express their dissatisfaction with the decline of door-to-door trick-or-treating. Statements such as “trunk-or-treating is lazy” and “where’s the fun in going to a parking lot?” reflect their sentiments.
I interviewed a few individuals to gather their thoughts on the new tradition compared to their childhood experiences.
First, I spoke with my sister, who grew up with traditional trick-or-treating and has a daughter who prefers the trunk-or-treating option. When I asked her which method she enjoyed more and for her thoughts on trunk-or-treating, she said, “I like trunk-or-treating; it’s more convenient, but I also feel like it’s lazier and takes away from the essence of trick-or-treating as a whole.”
Next, I interviewed a close friend who shared her perspective. She remarked, “I find it interesting that people are willing to set up a whole display in their trunk instead of just giving out candy to trick-or-treaters at their door.”
Lastly, I asked my aunt, who has participated in trunk-or-treating, for her opinion. She noted, “I’ve noticed that kids nowadays aren’t going house to house like they used to. It’s pretty disappointing.”
Overall, trunk-or-treating has changed the way children collect candy during Halloween. Many people, including myself, do not favor it due to the low effort involved in simply going to a parking lot instead of visiting houses. Additionally, having scheduled trunk-or-treating events that last only a couple of hours can be frustrating compared to the all-night tradition of trick-or-treating.
