Early Parties And Reverse Trick Or Treating Gave Some Kids Early Practice For Halloween

By Shannon Hicks

Halloween was celebrated one weekend early at two churches this year.

Newtown United Methodist Church offered a safe Trick-or-Treating opportunity for its children of all ages last Sunday afternoon when its upper parking lot became host for Trunk-or-Treat. Parents — and even adults without children — were invited to park their vehicles in a circle, and then decorate the trucks of their car, truck, or SUV so that children could visit them and receive Halloween treats.

Probably a dozen vehicles were in the parking lot for the event, and children wore big smiles in addition to their costumes as they visited each family’s vehicle for treats. One car had been decorated to look like Snoopy’s pumpkin patch, while another was disguised in black cloth that created a cavelike effect. Parents seemed to have as much fun creating the Halloween setting as their children did reveling in it.

Meanwhile, at Trinity Episcopal Church another costume party was also underway on Sunday afternoon. The twist on this event was that instead of gathering and eating candy for themselves, the youth of the church spent time organizing bags of candy and then delivered them to residents along Main Street.

The church had been collecting bags of candy from its parishioners for a few weeks, and Sunday was the culmination of that candy drive.

Main Street resident Terry Dion was surprised when costumed kids arrived at his door Sunday afternoon, but was pleasantly surprised with their intentions once they explained who they were and what they were doing.

“Wow, this is really nice,” Mr Dion said after receiving a few bags of candy. “This is a great surprise, and it will be a great help for Friday night.”

By Friday, Trinity and NUMC’s children will be ready to go out and put their costumes to use once again. And who knows, maybe some of them will even receive some of that donated candy back in their Trick-or-Treat bags.