The Haunted Shift: From Doorsteps to Food Courts

It’s Halloween 2025, and while ghosts, goblins, and grandkids still roam the night, the trick-or-treating landscape is looking a little different these days. Once upon a midnight dreary (or at least on chilly October evenings past), kids would bundle up in costumes, clutch pillowcases, and march up and down neighborhood streets with the determination of sugar-fueled explorers. Knocks on doors and shouts of “Trick or Treat!” echoed across cul-de-sacs and porches.

Fast forward to today, and many families are swapping porch lights for neon lights, as malls, community centers, and organized parties have become the go-to destinations for safe Halloween fun. In other words, the sweet tooth is still alive and well, but it’s now housed in a shopping mall food court rather than your front porch.

For grandparents, this change might feel a little like Dracula showing up at your door and asking if you’ve got oat milk for his latte. It’s still Halloween… but not quite the same as we remember.

Parents today worry about everything from traffic to treats that don’t look quite right. Another part is convenience, one-stop trick-or-treating indoors means no soggy costumes, no slipping on pumpkin guts, and no “but Grandma, I’m freezing in this Elsa dress!”

And, of course, malls and community events are ready to cash in. With candy stations set up in stores, photo booths, music, and costume contests, the experience is less about knocking on doors and more about creating a festival atmosphere. Even libraries, gyms, and senior centers now host their own “trunk-or-treats” and “monster bashes.”

Now, before you mourn the death of door-to-door trick-or-treating, consider the perks. These organized Halloween gatherings are actually grandparent friendly. You don’t have to keep a cauldron of candy by the door, leap up every time the bell rings, or pray the dog doesn’t eat the mini chocolate bars before the kids do. Instead, you can join your children and grandchildren for the outing, snapping pictures, judging costumes, or sneaking a Kit Kat when no one is looking.

Plus, it’s an excuse to show off your own sense of humor. A well-placed pun can go a long way when you’re standing in line for the haunted house:

• “I’m here for the boo-ritos.”
• “This party is fang-tastic.”
• “Ghouls just wanna have fun.”

Yes, your grandkids may roll their eyes, but isn’t that half the fun of being a grandparent?

Still, it’s worth keeping a piece of the old tradition alive. Even if your grandkids are heading to the mall this year, consider putting a pumpkin on your porch, just in case a few adventurous little monsters come knocking. Halloween isn’t just about the candy; it’s about the memories, the smell of roasted pumpkin seeds, the glow of a jack-o’-lantern, the thrill of a creaky stair or a spooky shadow.

Invite your grandkids over for a “pre-party haunt” at your place:

• Tell a ghost story that’s spooky but silly (bonus points if it involves a haunted refrigerator that only stocks kale).
• Bake Halloween cookies together, letting them decorate with more sprinkles than is technically legal.
• Show them what trick-or-treating was like in your day—when candy corn ruled the world and a plastic mask with two tiny nose holes passed as a costume.

Yes, Halloween has changed. Kids may be more likely to haunt a shopping mall than your front yard, and the scariest thing about the night might be the price of lattes at the food court. But the spirit, the fun, the laughter, the shared thrill, remains.

So, whether you’re manning the candy bowl at home or following your grandkids through the glowing hallways of a mall, remember this: Halloween is less about where you go and more about who you’re with. That’s the real treat.

And if anyone complains about your puns, you can always say: “Don’t be a scaredy-cat… it’s just how I roll! (Pumpkin roll, that is.)” 🎃👻

 

Halloween music

Here is a collection of spooky, fun, and nostalgic novelty songs that capture the spirit of Halloween and the era of classic monster themes.

·        "The Time Warp" by Richard O'Brien

·        "The Addams Family Theme" by Vic Mizzy

·        "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.

·        "Season of the Witch" by Donovan

·        "The Munsters Theme" by Jack Marshall

·        "Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon

·        "Black Magic Woman" by Fleetwood Mac

·        "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder

·        "Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley

·        "I Put a Spell on You"  by Screamin' Jay Hawkins -

·        "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band

·        "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell -

·        "Thriller" by Michael Jackson

·        "Lil' Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs

·        "This is Halloween" by Danny Elfman -

·        "The Blob" by The Five Blobs -

Enjoy the spooky tunes and let the ghoulish fun begin!

Are you ready for Halloween?

Halloween is coming up fast. It has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain but has undergone significant transformations over the centuries. Originally a religious celebration marking the transition from summer to winter and the blurring of boundaries between the living and the dead, Halloween has evolved into a largely secular and commercial holiday in the United States and Canada. It is also gaining popularity in other countries such as Australia.

The commercialization of Halloween has played a crucial role in its growing popularity as retailers capitalize on the holiday. Starting in early October or in late September, they offer a wide range of themed products, from costumes and decorations to specialty foods and beverages. This push makes Halloween more accessible and appealing to a broader audience, turning it into the second-largest retail holiday, after Christmas.

Halloween serves as a unique opportunity for social interaction and community building. The holiday when I was growing up was for kids to go  trick-or-treating, attending parties, and participating in other communal celebrations. Today, Halloween is for the entire family, the neighbours use the evening to take the children out, and at the end of the trick-or-treating, the adults gather to share stories and to light fireworks. This social aspect is important  in an era where many people feel increasingly isolated due to the rise of digital communication and urbanization. Halloween provides a chance for people to reconnect with their communities and experience a sense of belonging and shared joy.

Halloween offers a unique outlet for self-expression and escapism. The holiday allows individuals to shed their everyday identities and adopt new personas through costumes and role-playing. This freedom to express oneself in creative and often fantastical ways taps into the human desire for play and imagination, providing a welcome relief from the routines of daily life.

Also, the spooky and supernatural themes of Halloween, provide a controlled environment in which people can confront and manage their fears. This can be seen as a form of catharsis, where the experience of fear in a safe and predictable setting can be therapeutic and even enjoyable.

The media and popular culture have significantly contributed to the growing popularity of Halloween. Movies, television shows, and literature like Harry Potter, Twilight, and Marvel have inspired a wide range of costumes and decorations, making Halloween more appealing to fans.

Social media platforms like TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram provide users with endless inspiration for costumes, decorations, and other Halloween-related activities. The ability to share and discover new ideas online has created a viral effect, where the excitement and creativity surrounding Halloween are amplified and spread rapidly.

There is a notable generational gap in the enthusiasm for Halloween, with Millennials and Gen Z adults showing greater enthusiasm for the holiday compared to Boomers. This demographic shift indicates that younger people are more inclined to celebrate Halloween, possibly due to its association with fun, creativity, and social interaction. As these younger generations have grown and have families of their own, they are continuing to expand the traditions and celebrations associated with Halloween.

Halloween's emphasis on pleasure and enjoyment allows people to engage in activities that bring them joy, whether it's dressing up in costumes, consuming festive foods, or participating in spooky events. The holiday allows individuals to explore different identities and express themselves in ways that might not be possible in their everyday lives. This aligns with the idea of the freedom to choose one's own path and create one's own meaning. Halloween reinforces the importance of community and social bonding. It is a time when people come together, often engaging in rituals and traditions that strengthen social bonds and a sense of shared culture.

The growing popularity of Halloween reflects a broader societal trend towards commercialization, social interaction, self-expression, and the pursuit of pleasure and community.