Patch Masters - Bringing Halloween to Denmark one soul at a time.

Trick or Treating has become one of America’s favorite traditions. Denmark however is very new to the whole concept of Halloween so communities and streets need to host a Trick or Treat Street to get this tradition started. I’m going to try and help shed some light on all this explain how to both host a Trick or Treat Street and participate in trick or treating.

Hosting
If you want to host a Trick or Treat Street in your area all you need to do is understand the fundamentals (these can be found under Trick or Treating) and suggest it to your neighbors. I recommend that you pass out flyers to your neighbors at least 2 weeks in advance and try and hold a meeting about one to two weeks before Halloween (Oct 31^st). Explain what Trick or Treating is and ask your neighbors to try and participate, you’ll hand out candy or treats to their children and they’ll do likewise. Keep in mind that you and your neighbors don’t have to have children; the family of your neighbors should be allowed to participate as well. Until it becomes a tradition in your town I suggest you keep it to your area, no one wants to provide candy to an entire town. If you need help or suggestions feel free to contact us.

Trick or Treating
The whole concept is that children in costumes with a bag or pale going door to door and knock/ring the door bell and then say “Trick or Treat”, you then have two options, you trick them (some houses set up a homemade haunted house) or you give them treats. It’s pretty simple right?
There are however guidelines to be followed.
Houses wanting to participate in trick or treating need to remember to turn on their porch light. This signals to the kids that you do indeed have candy to be given away. Likewise, when you run out of candy you turn off your light.
Kids wanting to go trick or treating need to remember to have on costumes, say, “trick or treat” and thank you. They also need to be told only to go to houses that have on their porch lights and in the designated area.
Trick or Treating is very much for children and it’s usually frowned upon for young adults (15+) to participate unless they are chaperoning their younger siblings/cousins. Typically teens will go to Halloween parties, unless they have been bad in which case the parents usually stick them on “Candy Duty” while they themselves go out and have fun.

Treats
Because of some very bad incidences only individually wrapped candies are given away anymore in the U.S. but Denmark is a lot different and I think we can go back to the old rules when it comes to treats.
Buy candies that come in bite size or small portions; very rarely do you find houses anywhere that give out full sized candy bars. I suggest a nice mix of candies, suckers, chocolates, hard candies and the like. Give out a few piece’s per kid depending on the size of the candy.
Bake treats; this is only done for parties in the U.S. anymore but is a rare treat. Remember that it needs to be travel friendly though as the kids will be moving on after getting their candy. I’m going to be putting up recipes for treats at some point so keep an eye out.