Why Halloween Matters, and Why It Shouldn't This Year

Next to "when is my power going to come back on?," on our Marlboro-Colts Neck Patch Facebook page, the most-asked question was "when is Halloween?"

After Gov. Chris Christie postponed the haunted holiday due to Hurricane Sandy, many townships including Marlboro and Colts Neck prolonged that postponement as power was restored and streets were cleared.

And while I understand the sentiment behind trick-or-treating and the excitement of going door-to-door, I think some of us missed an opportunity to teach.

Normalcy after any disaster is paramount. For younger children, the idea of not being able to run down the street in a fantastic costume can be heart breaking. But as adults, this could be a time to teach about sacrifice and giving back.

Both Marlboro and Colts Neck rescheduled Halloween, creating contained trunk-or-treat events, but some residents still wanted the door-to-door experience.

What if you lived in a town that no longer has doors to knock on?

And what if we sat our kids down, from toddlers to teenagers, and explained how we can help? Fill what would be a trick-or-treat bag with canned goods or cleaning supplies and bring your child to drop them at donation sites. 

Giving kids some semblance of normal through a trunk-or-treat event is important, but so is the lesson of being thankful and giving.

No matter what, Halloween just doesn't seem as important this year.