This was the first official year that we allowed our three-year old daughter to trick or treat. I say ‘official’, for although last year she did dress up as a princess (using a dress out of her tickle trunk), we only took her to our two closest neighbours. I wouldn’t really classify visiting two neighbours a real trick or treat experience.
About two weeks ago I took her to Zellers to find a costume that she wanted to wear, and once again she decided that she wanted to dress up as a princess….this time Cinderella. Each day after that shopping experience she asked “Is it Halloween now?”. Even though she had the opportunity to wear her costume twice before the ‘big day’ arrived (once for a Halloween party at a friend’s house, and once for her Preschool party), the question still came up every day.
The ‘big day’ finally arrives. We had decided that since we live in a rural area with houses no less than an acre apart from each other (not the best for trick or treating), we would take her to the mall. Our thinking was that the mall would satisfy her trick or treating urge while keeping her warm and safe. Also, her best little buddy was going to meet us there. We were ALL excited to go. I even dressed up our 6 month old as a little bear, just to keep in the spirit!
Even though I was told that it can get pretty busy at the mall for the trick or treating hour….nothing prepared me for what I saw. It was absolute mayhem!!! A dressed up employee stood at the entrance of each store in the mall, and handed out candy to the kids. The words ‘trick or treat’ were scarcely heard, and in fact there were hardly any niceties at all. The majority of the kids just went up to the employee, held their bags open, and a treat was tossed in at high speed. Everyone was just trying to get through their task of getting and giving candy so that they could carry on with their evening (which probably consisted of more trick or treating!).
My poor three year old looked a little awe struck….or possibly scared out of her mind! She held on tight to my hand and nervously went to each store front. She tentively held out her bag and whispered “trick or treat”, all while trying to avoid being pushed aside by the hundreds of other children who were trying to do the same. This was definitley not the trick or treating experience that I had in mind for her first time.
After only about 15 - 20 minutes we decided as a group that we had had enough. We ended up taking the girls back out for some ‘real’ trick or treating around our friend’s neighbourhood. Although our daughter was still too nervous to knock on anybody’s door, she was smiling and giggling the whole way. That is what trick or treating is supposed to be like!
