Halloween Tradition: Neighborhood Trick or Treat Hayride

This Halloween, save yourself the hassle of loading the kids in and out of the car over and over again, driving from house to house for treats, and foster community relations with a new tradition: a neighborhood Trick or Treat.

We have done this on our street for the past seven years or more. There are no rules (save safety), you can do it your way. This is what we do.

Living in a moderately rural community, trick or treating can be quite a production. Either we end up spending the bulk of the kid's trick or treat time getting in and out of the car with bulky costumes and driving, or we relocate to a neighborhood not our own, impose on the locals and walk from strange house to strange house to maximize candy revenues. Mildly unfair and somewhat unsettling.

The solution to this problem came when a neighbor on our street invited us to a neighborhood trick or treat hayride. At the appointed time on the appointed day, we all descend upon this neighbor (usually the same one because they love doing it so much) and have a trick or treat hayride. It just so happens that this neighbor owns a small tractor and snowmobile trailer, so they load it with hay and off we go. No access to wagons? Not a problem, the concept works equally well on foot. There are usually more riders than trailer, so as many can fit on do, littlest get prime seating, and the older participants walk. Generally speaking, the older crew prefer to hoof it, anyway.

The evening starts with a nice gathering of the neighbors for cider and pizza. Our hosts choose to provide the fare, but you are welcome to make any arrangement that suits. Guests (that's us and the other neighbors) bring cookies, brownies and the like for quick and easy desserts.

After a friendly dinner, trick or treating begins, and no, (though it might be) this is not necessarily done on the Town's designated night. We choose the night that works best depending on school nights, schedules and other engagements. Flashlights in hand, the hayride goes from participating house to participating house, with a few extra stops at the home of neighbors who want to see us and might not have youngsters young enough to join in. We even have a retired couple who loves the tradition so much, they come even though they have no candy seeking children. For the sake of time and to control the length of the hayride, neighbors who live the farthest bring their candy to distribute at a darkened drive or lonely street corner.

Despite the fact that the original organizer's children are entering middle school, this tradition continues. This is the one time of year our neighborhood comes together, differences aside, for the sake of the children. Besides fostering community spirit, everyone benefits in many ways. Children that might otherwise be considered too old for begging door to door in town are welcome here. None of us need impose ourselves in the town "hot spot" neighborhoods to get the mother load (our street is very generous with our children!). Each and every one of us are acquaintances at the very least, and we all look out for each other. New neighborhood additions are welcomed and have a chance to get to know us. Pre-teens and teenagers are kids for one more day of the year. Families spend time together.

Our Halloween neighborhood hayride is such an anticipated event, our host neighbors refuse to give it up even though their kids are starting to outgrow Halloween. I encourage you to organize a community trick or treat of your own. The fun on our street will go on for years to come…even though someday it may just end up being a group of limping, salt and pepper haired stragglers dressing up like