Something Good to Eat: The Liturgy of Trick or Treat

This was written in October of 2020 but I like to repost it every October. This post started me writing again. I hope it is still enjoyable and hopeful.

I have fond memories of trick-or-treating as a child, especially my youngest memories of living in a town home community in Blacksburg, VA in the 1970s. I was not fond of sweets as a child (although I grew out of that) so the treats were not the totality of why I enjoyed the event of trick-or-treating. In a recent discussion on Facebook, I commented that there is a liturgy to trick-or-treating. This was a tongue in cheek comment designed to diffuse some heated back and forth on the substance of Halloween and wether Christians sh ould celebrate Halloween. But once the idea was out there a side discussion started and a friend mentioned the title for this post. What started out as a snarky comment became an idea which I could not shake. There is a liturgy to trick-or-treating that is important in our physically disconnected world (disconnected even before the impact of COVID-19) and for society in general.

The Episcopal Church defines liturgy as "the church's public worship of God. The term is derived from Greek words for "people" and "work." The church's public worship of God is the work of the Christian people. The life of Christ active in the church by the Spirit is expressed through liturgy" (https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/liturgy) In the context of Christian worship, liturgy is the public expression of worship by the people. Every Christian church has a liturgy whether formal or not and that liturgy shapes us and our faith experience. The way we enter the worship space, the songs we sing, the styles of dress, and of preaching are all part of our liturgies. In many churches the sacramental receiving of communion is central to the liturgy and that metaphor of a table in which we participate in the grace of God through the presence of Christ is powerfully formational.

What does this have to do with trick-or-treat? Even in the secular celebration of Halloween, we can see a liturgical experience. Trick-or-treating entails movements and attitudes which can be of good in society. I think one can begin to see the liturgy as we walk through these movements.

Anticipation of the night, the experience, and the treats to be received.

Preparation in dressing in costume and equipping with tools likes sacks and buckets.

Movement throughout the neighborhood.

Call and response in the greeting from homes and the request for treats.

Sharing in trade with one another after visiting the neighborhood.

Eating the treats that have been received.

Anticipation is the beginning. As a child, I remember the excitement of anticipating the visits. You always wondered what surprises might be there, where the "good" candy would be, and whether any homes might have something scary. Then there is the preparation which is mostly about the costume. I would think about what I wanted to be for months and my mother often had to find creative ways to make the costume. Planning a route and knowing where we were going was also important and year to year we learned where the good stuff would be given out. Walking in the neighborhood was part of the fun. You would greet other families and share stories of the homes to visit but no spoilers on frights, that was bad form.

The visiting of homes is what I remember most fondly. Most doors would open and there would be an exclamation of welcome to the costumed children. Often flowery compliments were given. Then came the response, "trick or treat!" You never really planned on the trick part and knew that part of the ritual was some relic of a bygone past. But then the candy or other treats would be placed in the bag, bucket, or fancy plastic pumpkin. Every trick or treater would watch carefully as the treats were given; and there was judgement on the generosity, or lack thereof, in the gift. But overall, there was a sense of community and of greeting neighbors.

After the return home, or to a friend's home if in a group, everyone would go through their treats and separate out what they disliked. Then the trading would happen and there was a certain economic exchange. How many Whoppers boxes is a Reese Cup worth, for example. Who wanted raisins or apples? Exchanges were made but then everyone would start eating. We were warned not to spoil dinner or get upset stomachs, advice we usually ignored for we were wealthy in treats and ready to eat what we had.

I realize that this year is one in which trick-or-treating may not happen where you are. Some families cannot risk contact with the virus and others are in hot spots. But maybe next year we can all remember that we have neighbors and thank God that there is still a night when people wish to go to one another's doors and share treats and a few words in some small connection. Instead of fearing the unknown, we can get to know our neighbors again.