A Trick-or-Treating They Will Go

There’s nothing quite as special as decorating for Halloween. Pulling out keepsakes and trinkets that are carefully packed away throughout the rest of the year to fill a home with frightfully fun memories is a time-honored tradition – and for good reason! Because on one of the most magical nights of the year, when the clock strikes midnight and the decorations come alive, four trick-or-treaters will set out around the house on a quest for candy… though they might just learn a thing or two about the spirit of Halloween along the way.

trick or treat story, halloween story, halloween stories for kids

When I was a kid, one of my favorite days of the entire year was the day we’d decorate for Halloween. The air was crisp, the leaves were changing, and I’d wake up on that Saturday morning excited to see all of my favorite decorations being put up throughout the house. Of course, we’d decorate for other seasons and holidays, too, but there was just something special about decorating for Halloween.

We always started with the big plastic bag full of cardboard die-cuts. I’d run from window to window, carefully hanging them with suction cup hooks, each one in its designated spot. Once those were in place, we’d get up the blue storage bins and change over the dining room table. We’d carefully lay out the pumpkin patch tablecloth, one of the most beautiful I’d ever seen, and the centerpiece would be swapped for an ornate candelabra adorned with bats. Window clings would go on the bathroom mirrors and strands of lights would be carefully placed around each room to cast an enchanting glow.

Next, we’d pull up the big stuff: the tin Frankenstein candy holder that was almost as tall as I was, and the whimsical haunted house that sat on a table next to him, also made of tin and just about the same height. From there, it was all about the finer details… wooden signs here, battery powered candles there – little things that just made the house feel magical. And though it was hard to pick a favorite piece, I loved them all so much, it was undeniable that there was something extra special about the four Halloween kids that would go on the coffee table in the living room.

They were about a foot tall each, and dressed in Halloween costumes. One of the boys was a scarecrow with overalls and a big floppy hat, another a ghost wrapped in a white sheet. The girl was a witch, her curly hair sticking out from under her pointed hat, and the last boy was a dapper vampire with a cape lined in orange. They all held little jack o’lanterns in one hand and little bags to collect their Halloween candy in the other. 

Together, this quartet of trick-or-treaters would stand perched on the coffee table, waiting day after day for the chance to go and collect their candy. And on the eve of Halloween, once we’d all gone up to bed, they’d awake for their yearly errand and a trick-or-treating they would go.

***

As the clock on top of the old console TV in the living room strikes midnight within its glass dome, the Halloween kids stretch and come to life, looking to each other with wide smiles.

“It’s time!” the scarecrow says.

“It’s here!” says the ghost.

“There’s not a moment to waste,” the vampire says.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” adds the witch. “Our candy awaits!”

Together, the four kids help one another climb off of their bases and down from the coffee table to embark on this mission they’ve waited for the whole year.

On their way to the foyer, they stop to visit with a pair of skeletons that sit on the small chairs next to the old console TV. One is dressed in a dapper tux while the other wears a white, satin gown.

“Trick or treat!” they say, approaching the skeleton couple and holding out their little brown candy bags. The skeletons have a strand of orange lights wrapped around their chairs that casts a warm glow throughout the room.

“Hello, kids!” says Mr. Skeleton, his plastic jaw bone flapping up and down.

“Happy Halloween!” says Mrs. Skeleton, carefully dropping a small candy bar in each of the kids’ bags. “Do you have your jokes ready to go? You know how the other decorations enjoy a good joke on Halloween!”

“We do!” says the witch. “Want to hear one?”

“Sure!” the skeletons say.

“What do you call a witch on the beach?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” Mr.. Skeleton says.

“A sand-witch!” the witch says as everyone dissolves into a fit of giggles.

“Oh, you little ones have fun tonight,” says Mrs. Skeleton. “And mind that you’re back before dawn – we don’t want you out and about when the humans wake up!”

“Don’t worry,” says the vampire. “We’ll be back before first light!”

***

The four trick-or-treaters head for the foyer, where the tin Frankenstein candy bowl stands tall next to the whimsical haunted house on the entry table. They step carefully so they don’t make too much noise on the hardwood floor.

“Trick or treat!” they call to the Frankenstein that towers above them. “Happy Halloween!”

“Oh! It’s the kids!” he says cheerfully, quietly tapping an arm against the purple-hued haunted house. “Hey look everyone, the kids are here!”

The witch at the end of the thin rod sticking out of the top of the house flies around in her circle, her dress the same purple as the house, as the metal ghosts along the front wave hello.

“Happy Halloween, little ones!” says the metal witch, still flying around the top of the house. “Have you brought us a joke again this year?”

“Oh, I’ve got one!” says the ghost. The others giggle, knowing what he’s about to say. “What do ghosts get in their nose?”

“What?” the metal Frankenstein asks.

“I’m stumped!” the little witch says from atop the haunted house.

“BOO-gers!” the ghost says, and all four of the kids erupt into laughter. The little witch cackles while the metal ghosts along the front laugh, too.

“Good one, kiddo,” the tin Frankenstein says as he tosses some candy down from his bowl to the trick-or-treaters. They catch the candy, piece by piece, and graciously say their thanks.

“Hey kids – before you go, you’ll want to listen to this,” the tall Frankenstein says. “There’s a new decoration in the family room!”

“A new friend?” asks the scarecrow.

“It must be!” says the witch, jumping up and down, her curly hair bouncing as the others join in.

“It’s possible,” Frankenstein says. “But no one’s really sure.”

The kids stop, confused.

“I saw them setting him out when they carried up our house,” the little metal witch explains as she slows to a halt. “I couldn’t really tell what he was, but he’s just about as tall as all of you and wearing a long, dark cloak.”

“A long, dark cloak? That doesn’t sound so scary!” the ghost says. “We’ll have to say hello.”

“And welcome him to the house!” adds the vampire.

“Whatever you do, be mindful,” says the Frankenstein candy bowl. “Perhaps some of the others know more, but not that they’ve mentioned to me.”

The ghosts on the haunted house murmur in agreement.

“And of course,” Frankenstein says warmly, “have yourselves a Happy Halloween!”

***

The kids say their goodbyes to the Frankenstein candy stand and the inhabitants of the big haunted house. They file out of the foyer and continue on their quest for candy, heading toward the dining room.

The pumpkins in the patch on the tablecloth spring to life as they enter, their carved smiling faces breaking into even wider grins, while the bats on the candelabra in the middle of the table flap their wings in greeting.

“Hello!” they say. “Happy Halloween, kids!”

“Hello, pumpkins!” the scarecrow says back. “Happy Halloween to you, too!”

The four trick-or-treaters walk past the dining room table to the far side of the room, where the haunted Halloween village is set up on a buffet over a bright green cloth that’s covered with a tattered, spooky fabric. A tractor hauling pumpkins counts down the days to Halloween out front, while a collection of houses and shops light up the room with their green and purple shine. A large haunted house rises out of the back, carefully positioned on an elevated platform overlooking the village, with trees and pumpkins placed throughout the scene. The little figures that live there – monsters, ghosts, witches and more – come and go as they please, waving to each other as they pass while eerie music plays softly in the background.

“They’re here!” their little voices shout as the trick-or-treaters approach the display. “The trick-or-treaters are here!”

“Trick or treat!” they say softly, so as not to startle the little figures gathering at the front of the buffet.

“Tell us a joke!” the figurines say. “Tell us a joke!”

“Oh, you’ll like this one,” says the scarecrow. “Why did the scarecrow get an award?”

“Why?” they ask.

“Because he was outstanding in his field!” he says, sending a roar of laughs through the little Halloween town. The kids hold out their bags as the residents of the spooky village drop little pieces of candy for them to catch, giggling as they make a game out of it.

“My, what great costumes you all have,” the witch from the costume shop says sweetly once all the candy is passed out.

“Top notch,” agrees the skeleton from the bell tower.

“Thank you,” says the vampire. “We’re having so much fun this year – and we hear there’s even a new decoration in the family room for us to meet!”

“Oh,” the scarecrow that drives the tractor says, walking over. “I’ve heard about him.”

“You have?” asks the ghost.

“Yes,” he says. “The ghosts in the graveyard say he carries a strange lantern unlike any they’ve seen before with a candle lit inside… isn’t that right?”

The ghosts in the back of the village float to the edge of the display as the costume shop witch shudders.

“Beware…” one of the miniature ghosts says softly. “Beware…”

The four trick-or-treaters look from one to another before the vampire turns back toward the figures from the village.

“A dark cloak and a strange lantern? That doesn’t sound so scary,” he says confidently. “He might even be expecting us!”

“Yeah,” says the witch. “After all, it’s Halloween!”

“And speaking of,” says the scarecrow, “we’d better be moving on. There’s more candy to be had!”

The trick-or-treaters wave goodbye to the residents of the spooky village, thanking them for their treats as they go. And though most of the figures shout “Goodbye” and “Happy Halloween”, one of the ghosts in the graveyard keeps saying “Beware…” long after the kids have gone.

***

The next stop on their trek for treats is the kitchen, which is home to a collection of cardboard die-cut decorations: a trio of ghosts spin slowly from where they’re hanging over the back door while a smaller ghost, hanging from the light fixture, rides a broom over the kitchen table; a bat hangs in front of the china cabinet. Strands of Halloween lights with ghosts and pumpkins on them line the plant stand in front of the window and light up the room with a cozy glow as the smell of a pumpkin medley candle lingers in the air.

“Trick or treat!” the kids say cheerfully, approaching the die-cuts.

“Ohhhh, kids! Hello,” says one of the ghosts over the back door, the one holding the candle.

“Happy Halloween!” says the ghost over the table while the bat over the china cabinet rustles his tissue paper wings. “What jokes do you have for us this year?”

“I’ve got one you’ll really like,” says the vampire. “What does a famous vampire get in the mail?”

“We don’t know,” the ghost with the candle says after checking with the others. “What?”

“Fang-mail!” the vampire says before the kids and die-cuts alike burst into laughter.

“You kids are too cute,” one of the ghosts says, dropping a few pieces of candy into each of the trick-or-treaters’ open bags. “Are you having a great Halloween?”

“By the looks of those bags, I’d say so!” the third ghost says, with a laugh.

“Oh yes,” says the witch. “We’ve already had great fun!”

“We visited with our friends in the foyer,” says the ghost.

“And the dining room!” adds the vampire.

“Fantastic!” the bat on the china cabinet says.

“And we heard about the new decoration, too!” the scarecrow says excitedly. The die-cut ghosts stop spinning and face the kids at once.

“You’ve heard about him?” the long ghost says, to which the kids nod eagerly.

“We’re excited to meet him!” says the witch.

“Then you’ve heard he doesn’t have a face,” says the ghost with the candle.

“W-what?” asks the scarecrow.

“Ah yes,” says the bat. “It’s true. I saw them bringing him in a few weeks ago… they said they got him at the market. And there’s no face that I could see – only the hood of his cloak!”

The kids look to each other, before turning back to the die-cuts.

“Well,” begins the vampire, “there’s lots of decorations without faces! Like pumpkins before they’re carved or spooky trees or – ”

“That’s true, little one,” the bat cuts in, his voice squeaky. “But where there are bony hands, like the ones I saw he had, you’d think there’d be a face!”

“Hmm,” the scarecrow says out loud. “A long, dark cloak, a strange lantern, and he doesn’t have a face? Maybe he does sound a little scary…”

“Now, now,” the smallest ghost over the back door says to the others. “We don’t want to frighten them!”

“Just be careful, is all,” says the bat. From a few rooms away, they hear the chiming of the clock in the living room.

“Come on, guys,” the witch says quickly. “We’d better keep going.”

The trick-or-treaters thank the die-cuts for their candy and turn to leave the kitchen, with the cardboard ghosts and the bat calling “Happy Halloween” behind them as they go.

***

The trick-or-treaters next make a stop in the first floor powder room, which has a long strand of purple lights running up and down the vanity that bathes the little room in a mysterious glow. The lights illuminate a set of window clings that are carefully placed around the bathroom’s mirror: a smiling jack o’lantern in a pointed hat with stars, a witch on a broom, and a ghost leaping out of a pumpkin with stars and crescent moons of varying size scattered around the edge of the mirror.

“Trick or treat!” the kids say, entering the room.

“Oh, I thought I heard them coming!” the witch on the mirror says excitedly. “Happy Halloween, kids! Tell us a joke!”

“Knock, knock,” says the ghost.

“Who’s there?” asks the witch.

“Orange,” he says.

“Orange, who?” she asks.

“Orange you glad it’s Halloween!” he says with a chuckle. The clings pass out their candy, and the kids politely thank them. The jack o’lantern can’t help but notice something seems off.

“Everything alright, little ones?” he asks gently.

“Oh yes,” begins the ghost, “we’re having lots of fun!”

“It’s just…” the vampire starts to say, but his voice trails off.

“Have you heard about the new decoration in the family room?” asks the ghost.

The clings lock eyes then look back to the kids.

“We have,” the jack o’lantern says. “And we were going to say something, but we didn’t want to frighten you.”

“Is he that scary?” asks the scarecrow.

“We haven’t met him,” the ghost in the pumpkin says, “but… oh, I’m not sure if we should say!”

“Say what?” asks the witch, clutching the pumpkin in her hand.

“Well,” begins the jack o’lantern, “he has a large scythe resting on his shoulder.”

“A what?” asks the ghost.

“It’s a big, hooked blade,” explains the jack o’lantern. The kids’ eyes open wide.

“A long, dark cloak, a strange lantern, no face and he’s carrying a scythe,” the witch says. “The new decoration definitely sounds scary.”

“M-maybe we should skip the family room this year,” says the vampire. “I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

“We’ve gotta stop and see Midnight,” says the scarecrow. “But after that, maybe it’s best if we return to the living room.” The others nod their heads.

“Thanks for the treats,” the ghost says as the kids leave the room. “And a Happy Halloween to all of you!”

***

The last stop on the kids’ trick-or-treat trail is the family room, home of the stuffed black cat known as Midnight as well as a few odds and ends. They enter the room quietly, looking nervously toward the mantle above the fireplace, but they don’t see the new decoration. Luckily, Midnight sits right inside the entrance, flanked by two flickering lanterns.

“Trick or treat, Midnight,” the kids say quietly.

“Happy Halloween, kids!” he says, handing them their candy. “You may want to be getting a move on, I don’t know if you’ve heard about… ”

“We’ve heard about the new decoration on the fireplace,” says the scarecrow. “That he wears a long, dark cloak.”

“And he carries a strange lantern!” adds the ghost.

“We’ve heard he doesn’t have a face,” says the witch.

“And that he’s got a big, curved blade that rests on his shoulder!” finishes the vampire.

Midnight nods solemnly.

“It’s all true,” says Midnight. “I’ll tell you all, though, I haven’t seen too much of him, he mostly keeps to himself up there.”

“Well these bags are getting pretty heavy,” says the scarecrow, jostling his candy bag about. “I think we’re gonna head back to the living room.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” agrees Midnight, and as he nods toward the mantle, the kids see a cloaked figure looking out from behind a plant.

“That must be him!” the scarecrow whispers quickly, the kids all grabbing one another’s hands in fright. And though it was true that he didn’t have a face, each of the four trick-or-treaters could feel him staring directly at them from across the room.

“Wait,” says the ghost as the figure looks down, his shoulders slumping. “He… he almost looks kinda sad.”

“Yeah,” agrees the witch. “He does.”

“Do you think he’s sad we were about to go back to the living room without stopping to trick-or-treat at the fireplace?” asks the vampire.

“Maybe,” says the scarecrow. “But there’s only one way to find out… Halloween’s for all of us, and we have to be brave!”

The others nod in agreement and hand-in-hand, the four costumed kids march across the family room toward the cloaked figure on top of the fireplace mantle, determined to trick-or-treat at one last home. Behind them, Midnight sits in his chair covering his face with his paws.

“Trick or treat!” the kids yell together when they reach the fireplace, while up on the mantle, the cloaked figure watches from behind the plant. For just a second, he keeps looking in their direction, then slowly ducks behind the leaves and out of sight.

“Maybe this was a bad idea?“ the ghost whispers.

“Let’s try it one more time,” suggests the vampire. “We’ll see if he comes back.”

“Trick or treat!” the kids yell again, a little louder than before.

There’s another rustle in the leaves on the mantle, and the figure slowly emerges. His cloak is as dark as the metal witch in the foyer said, his lantern as strange as the scarecrow from the village warned. He has no face, just like the die-cut bat in the kitchen told them, and on his shoulder rests a menacing scythe, as the jack o’lantern cling on the bathroom mirror said there’d be. He stands at the edge of the mantle, looking in their direction and just as they’re about to turn and run, he jumps down to the hearth.

“Happy Halloween!” he says to the kids, his arms full of candy. “Oh, I was so worried I wasn’t going to get any trick-or-treaters! Here, don’t be shy!”

The figure passes out candy, treats, and more to each of the kids, filling their bags to the brim with all sorts of Halloween goodies.

“It’s nice to meet you,” says the ghost.

“Welcome to the house!” adds the vampire.

“Your black cloak matches my dress,” the witch says.

“Do you want to hear a joke?” the scarecrow asks.

“Of course,” he says. “I love a good joke!”

“What do birds say on Halloween?” he asks.

“Hmm… I don’t know!” the new decoration says. “What?”

“Trick or tweet!” the scarecrow says, giggling as the new decoration doubles over with laughter. He laughs so much that the other kids join in; they can even hear Midnight nervously laughing from across the room.

“Thank you for the warm welcome, kids,” he says, between laughs. “My name is Mr. Grim and I know I look scary, but I love Halloween just as much as all of you! It gets awfully lonely up there, so I’m extra glad you came to see me tonight.”

“We’re glad, too,” says the vampire, struggling to hold his heavy candy bag.

“In fact,” says the scarecrow, “wait right here. We’ll be back in a few minutes!”

He grabs the other kids’ hands and pulls them aside.

“I’ve got an idea,” he says. “Let’s get everyone together so they can meet Mr. Grim, too! Once they see how nice he is, they won’t be so scared!”

The others agree, excited for the rest of the decorations to meet their new friend! They run from room to room calling to the others to join them, and in no time at all, everyone’s gathered in the family room.

“Everyone,” says the scarecrow, “we’d like you to meet Mr. Grim!”

A chorus of greetings rises from the crowd and before long, the kids have introduced Mr. Grim to them all. They spend the next few hours celebrating Halloween together, and just as dawn’s first light starts to rise from the horizon, they make their way back to their places until only the trick-or-treaters are left with Mr. Grim.

“Well, I have to say, you kids restored my Halloween spirit tonight,” Mr. Grim tells them. “I had just about given up on ever getting to celebrate with any of the others when you four showed up at the fireplace… so thank you. Tonight was everything I’ve ever hoped for in a Halloween celebration!”

The trick-or-treaters shout hooray before surrounding Mr. Grim in a big, group hug.

“Halloween is for all of us,” says the vampire. “No matter if you’re scary or not!”

“That’s very true,” Mr. Grim says with a smile. “And I hope you won’t be strangers!”

“Of course not, Mr. Grim,” says the ghost. “You’re part of the family now! We’ll come and see you all the time.”

“Happy Halloween!” the witch says as they start back toward the coffee table in the living room. “This was our favorite Halloween yet, and we’re glad to have met you.”

“Yeah, we hope it was your best Halloween ever!” says the scarecrow. “Until next year, that is!”

-end-

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