Where did Halloween go?
To the editor:
I went to the mall the other day to pick up their calendar. I looked for the time for trick or treating and couldn’t find it. Thinking this was a misprint I asked at the desk and was told, no, no misprint, there will be no trick or treating at the mall this year.
I was crushed and immediately thought of how crushed my four kids would be. This has been our Halloween tradition since my first daughter was born in 2003. We go to the mall in the safety of the lights and the weather-free aisles, we see all the decorations and the salespeople in their costumes, we see our friends and school chums all dressed up and happy. We take a few hours once a year and trick or treat at the mall.
And now it is gone. I ask why? Was there not enough money for candy? I find this hard to believe. I know that the interest is there, I have four little ones who can attest to that. Someone said that it was too chaotic and I ask for who? Yes there are kids everywhere, yes there is a lot of noise, but how is this different from a weekend in December?
The mall gave us a safe and secure place to trick or eat. We did not have to worry about the evening darkness, the weather or temperature. We could relax and not have to watch for cars. We didn’t have to worry about letting our kids take candy from that Raggedy Ann or that ghoul over there. We could simply watch our kids trick or treating and enjoy them and the activity.
More importantly for them, it was fun. Every child that you saw had such a huge grin on their faces. Some merchants, I know, had a hard time joining in at times, some said that trick or treating did not belong at the mall. I say it was once a year, one night a year to dedicate to the children of the parents of the community who shop in your stores.
I worked Halloween for years at Sears and every year I volunteered to come in to hand out the candy to the kids at the mall entrance. Merchants, this is not hard, put an extra person on for three hours at your mall entrance and the children don’t even have to be “in your way.” One night a year for three hours.
I’m thinking if the mall can’t dedicate that to our children — the future shoppers of the area — what kind of message are they sending?
Mall merchants you did us a great service for years. You brought happiness and joy to many. Why are you now taking it all away?
Presque Isle
