Trick or Treat! There’s candy to eat! Halloween offers local charm and global flair, as each community embraces traditions. Chances are, your weekend will include some orange and black, some candy and maybe a costume.
In Anoka, Minn., just a few miles from where I live, Halloween is woven into the town’s DNA as the Halloween Capital of the World, with an annual parade, costume contests, and neighborhood gatherings—a celebration dating back to 1920.
Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, Beggars’ Night meant kids trick-or-treating on Oct. 30 instead of the Oct. 31. In order to get their candy, Trick or Treaters must tell a joke at each housed (like my childhood classic from Dixie paper cups: How do you catch a squirrel? Climb a tree and act like a nut!). Knock-knock jokes were also quite popular.
Across the U.S., Halloween has grown to be one of the biggest holidays, with parties, haunted houses, and even charity initiatives like Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, which began in Philadelphia in 1950.
In some parts of the world, Halloween takes on unique flavors. In Ireland, Halloween’s ancestral home, people celebrate with bonfires, fireworks, and storytelling. In Japan, it’s a vibrant, costume-centric event marked by parades and gatherings but little trick-or-treating.
During my trip to Paris last October, I was delighted to see local school children dressed in costumes, enjoying Halloween fun at a park with their teachers—a reminder of Halloween’s evolving global charm.
With my grandson, Z, he’ll Trick or Treat with his parents on the 31st in one of their neighborhoods, but the past few years have included a Sunday-afternoon Trunk or Treat at a nearby church. This year, his two-year-old “grand cousin” will join us, making for a fun family gathering.
Today and tomorrow, we’rll also have fun raking leaves and jumping in piles—a seasonal favorite that captures the joy of fall as we transition from October to November.
From lighthearted traditions to spooky celebrations, share in the joy of gathering, laughter, and creating memories.
Links Du Jour:
Halloween Capital of the World, est. 1920 – Anoka, Minn.
Beggars’ Night in Des Moines – Des Moines Parent
American Halloween Traditions – How Stuff Works
How Halloween is Celebrated Around the World – NPR
Two Minutes Du Jour 
You must be logged in to post a comment.