Have you noticed that Halloween events at malls and churches have seemed to get bigger and bigger? It’s as if spending time in the neighborhood on Halloween is less popular, so other venues now step up to provide a “safe” alternative for us. But wouldn’t the safest thing for the community really be for residents to stay in their own neighborhood to focus on providing something festive for the kids and to build relationships with other residents?
What do you think of outside venues hosting Halloween? Why are residents celebrating outside of the neighborhood?
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I have thought the SAME exact thing. Love the ideas and totally support the other events, but I really think it’s important to “walk and support” your neighborhood. Many areas are seeing less and less opportunities for interaction unless you have a common thread “children, sports, group, etc” that brings you together. It is nice to have that interaction and relationship building if only for a moment and sharing a smile. Great post Ryan, as always. THe backgrounds are a hoot (pun intended)
Well said, Heather. “Love the ideas and totally support the other events, but I really think it’s important to “walk and support” your neighborhood.” I completely agree – 100%. I think you’re right that there may be less opportunities for interaction at times too – especially if there are less kids or even more vacant foreclosures too. Ultimately I think our neighbohroods will be as alive and festive as we make them. What do you guys do to celebrate Halloween?
Glad you’re liking the background. I’m having so much fun with the green screen. Thanks Heather.
I’ll chime in on the side of the churches, charitable organizations, and community centers that are hosting safe alternatives to the traditional door-to-door Halloween.
If their motives are pure, then they are indeed doing their part to engage their neighborhood families, make an event that parents can trust and feel safe at, and introduce those same locally-based residents to their own neighborhood resources, their faces, and their facilities.
Isn’t that what good neighbor TV stands for?
Good thoughts, Andy. I know this is a bit of a hot topic and many will have a very different opinon than I have expressed. I hope this post will be provocative for conversation.
Don’t get me wrong. I think there are some really great church and other non-prof events. I sincerely tip my hat to these organizations that truly make a stand for the community. I think it is wonderful if the organizations go out of their way to introduce resources to the community too. You’re right – that is what goodneighborTV is all about. However, all I’m saying is that I believe it is most empowering for residents to stay in their own neighborhoods to create something wonderful there. There is something very special that happens when residents take charge to be available for kids in their neighborhood. Have you seen how discouraging it is to kids when they knock on door after door and all they see is dim lights because residents no longer pass out candy or they just aren’t around? That doesn’t seem healthy over the longhaul. Kids in a neighborhood should be able to rely on neighbors for so many things – and even candy.
Philosophically speaking, why are neighborhoods not safe enough anymore that we have to promote another place for people to go? When we stand back from the scenario, doesn’t it feel a bit odd that experiencing community or safety has to be found in the mall or in a church parking lot nowadays? Is it possible that it could actually weaken a neighborhood when residents take flight on Halloween and go elsewhere (even if motives are pure or even God-based)? If the church wants to make an impact, why not adopt a neighborhood and throw a huge party in the actual neighborhood itself rather than have the neighborhood come to them? Can you imagine the impact this might have on the community? Could something like that help residents feel safe in their community and maybe leave the neighborhood a bit stronger in the process?
Thanks for the conversation. I’d be curious to hear from anyone on the questions I posed above.
Great post Ryan. For the past few years we have been celebrating Halloween two times a year, once at a church and once in our subdivision. Both are a lot of fun. The church “Trunk or Treat” is a fun time where families decorate their car trunks, the kids dress up, and everyone gives out candy in the Church parking lot. Then on Halloween, we get together with several other families in our subdivision and go door to door. Both are a great way to celebrate and enjoy the time with the community and both have their own benefits. You bring up a good questions though, are neighborhoods not safe enough for children anymore? Do the local churches offer a place to celebrate to make up for this or are they also trying to strengthen the church community? Maybe a little of both. I have gotten to know both my church community and neighborhood community a little better each year.
@Heather “The backgrounds are a hoot” – too funny!
It sounds like you have a couple of really great ways to celebrate. Wow, I’d actually have to keep the trunk of my car clean, so that would be difficult to participate in something like that.
Sounds fun. I really like that the church event is not on Halloween itself too. That is a huge benefit for the community and it does not take people out of neighborhoods either. Kudos to your church.