Halloween is strongly linked with the concept of trick-or-treating, where we either give a treat or get a trick. But what if we focused more on Halloween kindness this spooky season? Engage in some playfulness whilst also making others happy.
Why Be Kind On Halloween?
Well, as Curry et al. (2018) found in their systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 studies. Performing random acts of kindness and being kind is good for our wellbeing, and makes the people we’re being kind to happy as well.
Halloween is also one of the few times a lot of us as adults engage in playfulness. We should be engaging in playfulness all year round, but most of us don’t. Either way, we should make the most of it when we do. And now we can give ourselves more of a reason to dress up because we’re doing it to be kind and spread joy.
Halloween Kindness: Being Gholusly Good
Halloween, while often focused on costumes and sweets, is also a wonderful opportunity to spread kindness and build community spirit. Here are some ideas for Halloween acts of kindness, ranging from simple gestures to community-wide activities.
Teal pumpkin
In some parts of the world, displaying a teal pumpkin signals that non-food treats are available for trick-or-treaters, which is perfect for kids with food allergies. This simple gesture can make Halloween safer and more inclusive for many children.
Offer non-food treats
Again, along with the standard sweet options, consider providing small toys, stickers, colouring pencils, or other non-edible items as well. This can also be good for children who may be diabetic.
Boo bags
Secretly leave a small Halloween gift basket or bag of goodies on a neighbour’s doorstep. Include a note explaining that they’ve been “Boo’d” and encourage them to do the same for another neighbour. This is a fun way to spread holiday cheer and build community.
Full-sized chocolate bars
This is a staple of many a US show and film, making it the dream. A simple, yet impactful way to make a child’s night extra special is to give them full-sized chocolate bars.
Make Halloween accessible
Set up our treat bowl closer to the pavement so it’s easier for children in wheelchairs or with limited mobility to reach.
Patience
Some children will be shy, have speech difficulties, or experience anxiety. Be mindful that not all kids will be able to say “thank you” or interact in the way we might expect.
Uno reverse trick-or-treating
Instead of going door-to-door for sweet treats, have our kids hand out small treats or notes to neighbours as a way to spread kindness. We could also do this at work. For one of my birthdays, which is a week before Halloween, I gave out Halloween-themed party bags to everyone who came. I wanted to tap into the old days of being a kid, where this was common at every birthday. Because Halloween events are often on or near my birthday, this was one of those times, and I couldn’t pass it up. Although it is hard to find Halloween-themed vegan chocolate in the UK.
Costume drive
Collect used costumes that still have life in them from people who no longer need them and donate them to local shelters, community centres, or families in need. Or, just do it to help reduce waste, as our fancy dress costumes are often one-offs, so this gives them a longer life, helps save money, and is good for the environment.
Volunteer
Volunteer to dress up in a costume and visit a local nursing home or a children’s ward. Bring treats, decorations, or stories to share with them.
Trick-or-treat for charity
Instead of (or in addition to) seeking out Halloween chocolate, encourage kids and the community to collect food items for a local food bank or money for a charity.
Fundraiser
Host a fundraiser event like a zombie walk for charity or a Halloween-themed bake sale. For a bake sale, bake some spooky treats and sell them to raise money for a local charity.
Visit first responders
Drop off Halloween goodies at a fire station, police station, or hospital to show our appreciation for the roles they play in keeping us safe. Chances are, Halloween is going to be a busy time for them.
Compliment cauldron
Set up a cauldron or decorated box in our office or classroom and encourage people to write and drop in positive notes or compliments for others to read. For added fun, have someone dressed as a witch to read them out at an agreed-upon time, like they’re casting a spell.
Costume compliments
Tell a child or anyone in a costume that we love their costume. There’s nothing like hearing how people love our costumes. I know I like it when people say something nice about the outfits I wear for Halloween.
Ghoulish rock adoption activity
This idea comes from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK), and that’s to find some smooth rocks and stones, paint them to look like monsters, and then create adoption cards for the freakish fiends. Then we can give them out as gifts, give them out as gifts for trick-or-treaters who visit, or maybe even sell them to raise money for charity. To find a more detailed explanation for creating some rock ghouls, click here.
Summary
Halloween can be a wonderful time to enjoy some playfulness and let our hair down. But we can still do that while also spreading some happiness. Being kind this Halloween can be a fun way to make this spooky time of year a little different while also still being fun.
As always, leave your feedback in the comments section below. Also, please share your experiences with Halloween and being kind in the comments section below as well. Don’t forget, if you want to stay up-to-date with my blog, you can sign up for my newsletter below. Alternatively, click the red bell icon in the bottom right corner to get push notifications for new articles.
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References
Curry, O. S., Rowland, L. A., Van Lissa, C. J., Zlotowitz, S., McAlaney, J., & Whitehouse, H. (2018). Happy to help? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of performing acts of kindness on the well-being of the actor. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 76, 320-329. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103117303451.