Trunk or Treating Is Halloween Tailgating at Its Best (and Safest)

While trick or treating on Halloween remains the norm in most countries celebrating the holiday, a relatively new trend will probably come to supplement it, especially in those communities where neighbors don’t know each other all that well, or where the houses are too far apart for kids to travel on foot. Not only does it involve the family car, but it’s also deemed safer and more fun than the actual method of getting treats: trunk or treating.

The name says it all, basically: you’re using the trunk of your car as a stand-in for a house porch, and kids will come to it seeking treats. Trunk or treating events first popped up about 2 decades ago, under the guise of fall festivals, but it’s only recently that they have started to be referred to by this phrase. For some parents, it’s preferable to trick or treating, because it allows constant supervision of the kids, not walking too much and having more fun as a family. Plus, you get to decorate your car whichever way you want, and that’s always fun.

Trunk or treating is really taking off in the U.S. at schools, churches and community centers, and is meant as a way of bringing all community members together for a night (or day) of fun. It’s basically tailgating but with a theme, chosen by each participant, where kids go from car to car, searching for treats. They seem to prefer cars whose trunks are decorated with fangs or teeth and they actually have to slip their tiny arms through them to get to the candy. And who can blame them, who doesn’t love a good scare?

Trunk or treating also works great with larger group of friends (with or without kids), at schools and playschools, or as an impromptu means of celebrating Halloween. It can but doesn’t necessarily have to replace trick or treating, and is usually held on other days than October 31.

Regardless of how many people and cars take part in the event or where it’s hosted, one condition must be met: the cars have to be decorated accordingly. You don’t even have to break the bank to make the most out of your family car: you can opt for DIY decorations if you’re particularly crafty, or can choose from a variety of cheap decorations available online (ad) and at local stores. As long as you have the imagination and are willing to spend some time on it, you’re bound to have awesome results.

Ideally, though, the car should match your and your family’s costumes. You can choose anything from cartoon and kids’ movie characters, scary stuff or the classic Halloween themes like pumpkins and candyland. You can literally pack the trunk of your car with decorations, or opt for a simple piece of fabric that you deem on theme – you have complete freedom, as long as you make sure you also fill it with candy.

For those of you who would have decorated your cars for Halloween either way, taking part in a trunk or treat production should be more fun and considerably easier since you already have the decorating part down.

These gatherings, whether on a large or small scale, are great fun for parents and kids alike: they offer you the chance to make trick or treating safer by bringing it into a more controlled environment, while also including the family car in the festivities. After all, a car is never “just a car:” an early 2019 study shows that most Americans consider their personal vehicles part of the family, much like pets, and will often have names for them.

You already use your car on a daily basis for reasons other than fun; why not include it in the fun part, as well?