In this YouTube video by Haylo Hayley, titled "TikTok Has RUINED Trick or Treating For Gen Alpha...", she discusses the decline of traditional Halloween trick-or-treating, especially as observed in 2024. She attributes this shift to changing culture. Particularly the influence of social media and technology (notably TikTok and mobile devices) and a decline in cultural participation among both children and adults.
Some of her main points include:
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Some children who do go out report wandering for hours with few houses participating.
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Many kids now prefer to stay home on their devices (iPads, iPhones) rather than participate in Halloween traditions.
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Homeowners are less inclined to decorate or hand out candy because of low turnout.
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Millennials and Gen Z, excited to hand out candy for the first time, are left disappointed by the lack of trick-or-treaters.
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Gen Alpha (kids born after 2010) reportedly see Halloween as "cringe" or "lame," and older kids who try to keep the tradition alive are sometimes ridiculed for being "too old" to trick-or-treat. This creates a cycle where fewer and fewer people participate and go out on Halloween.
Hayley urges viewers to keep celebrating, decorating, and handing out candy regardless of judgment or how many trick-or-treaters show up. She emphasizes that those who keep the tradition alive are crucial for future generations to experience Halloween as it once was.
All in all, her video is a heartfelt reflection on the changing face of Halloween, expressing concern that beloved traditions are fading due to technology and changing social norms. Her message is ultimately hopeful: those who cherish these holidays can keep the spirit alive for future generations, but it will require effort, adaptation, and community involvement.
Taking a look back at Halloween and trick-or-treating in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s can help inspire wider participation.
Imagine stepping outside on a crisp October evening in the 70s, 80s, or even 90s. The sun is just about to set on Halloween night. The streets come alive with trick-or-treaters. Children in homemade or store-bought costumes make their way into the neighborhood, walking house to house with pillowcases, plastic trick-or-treat bags their teachers handed out earlier in the day, or one of those hard plastic pumpkins to carry their candy.
As the sun goes down, porches begin to glow with carved jack-o’-lanterns, fake cemeteries in front lawns, and other Halloween decorations. House after house is in on the fun. Even older residents stay up later on this night to enjoy the sense of community and socializing.
This was a time when Halloween truly was a regular part of community life. But more and more, Halloween is fading from the cultural landscape. Technology has played a role, especially in recent years. But what really got the ball rolling was the rise of “trunk-or-treat” events, often organized by helicopter parents. These have essentially removed the community experience and made Halloween more insular. Especially when trunk-or-treat is held on private property and some are denied participation for no better reason than cliquishness, ostracism, and gatekeeping.
But to continue..
In the past, and in some of the best communities still today, Halloween parties for students during the school day, community Halloween parties, and other Halloween gatherings brought people together with games, haunted hayrides, and haunted houses.
My own childhood experiences during Halloween.. at school on Halloween day we would wear our costumes at school. All of the classrooms in our elementary school wing would have a Halloween party, and the teacher would give us candy. When getting off the bus after school, our bus driver would even hand out small, hand-sized packets with a mix of candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins, my favorite. It was the only time I ever had that candy during the year. Between that and the amount we got during trick-or-treating, the candy corn and candy pumpkins alone lasted us a week or two. That whole season of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas have always been (and still are) my favorite time of year.
Between the school and community events, the Halloween party at our local fire department with Dunkin’ Donuts donut holes and cider, the “haunted house” at the old fire hall, and getting to see my friends while trick-or-treating, those were memorable times. That’s what needs to be brought back: the making of memories.
The Spirit of Togetherness
In our community, there was a sense of togetherness every Halloween evening. Parents watched out for one another’s kids, and after many years of being part of a community, and after many Halloweens, everyone recognized each other. Halloween is for children, yes, but it’s also a night for whole communities to reconnect through parties and the moments when their children are trick-or-treating. That community spirit can be revived and brought back in places where it has faded.
Here’s some ways on how to bring that spirit back:
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Have local organizations host parties at central locations within your community, such as the local fire department.
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Organize games and other Halloween activities at the local park, including a bonfire (if regulations, weather, and fire danger permit) and/or an outdoor movie showing of old horror films or Halloween specials.
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For kids and adults, hold a haunted house, haunted hayride, and/or a haunted cornfield maze.
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Meet up with other community members and go trick-or-treating as a group.
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Decorate your homes for Halloween, just enough decorations without going overboard. Simple is fine; decorations aren’t a competition.
What’s being lost with the decline of Halloween is more than just trick-or-treating; it’s the growing distance between people in their own communities.
So this Halloween, step out of your house and leave your electronic devices behind. Tes, even your smartphone. Get out into your community, share laughs and stories, socialize, and re-establish that sense of community.
If you’re in a community where trick-or-treaters may show up, be out there to hand out candy. If you’re a trick-or-treater, go out and participate. Even if you’re the only one. Consider organizing a group of friends to go out together and spread the word to others in your community, especially if Halloween, trick-or-treating participation has waned.
Many people in your community look forward to the Halloween season. For some, especially the elderly, it may be one of the only opportunities they have to socialize with their neighbors. So get out on Halloween, or be out to hand out candy if you don't trick-or-treat. We cannot just let Halloween and its traditions slip away.
