Halloween Is a Scary Time for People Living in Poverty
How can we reduce Halloween stress for low-income families?
Holidays separate the poor from the rich in many ways. Halloween is another stressful day in the revolving door of humiliating calendar events for families living in poverty. What can we do to change this?
A brief glimpse of poverty
A few years ago, a friend invited me to do the Welfare Food Challenge. The challenge’s purpose was to give people a glimpse into the life of a person struggling to make ends meet, living on an income well below the poverty line.
I participated to gain insight into poverty and posted my diary to increase public awareness about the issue. When I took part in the challenge, people on welfare in my province had approximately $18.00 per person for food per week. In contrast, the average Canadian family was spending $56.00 per person per week.
With my allotted amount of $18.00, I had to buy my food and drinks for the week and try to carry on with everyday life as best I could. Day 7 of my challenge happened to fall on October 31.
Here’s my diary entry for that day:
Day 7 — Welfare Food Challenge: Halloween Through a Different Lens
On this day, people were posting photos on Facebook of their costumes and all the delicious, fun snacks they were making. I was thinking about how different Halloween, Christmas, and other holidays must look to a person on welfare.
Like other calendar events, Halloween is not something to look forward to — it’s the cause of additional stress. Other people are enjoying themselves — you and your family are not. You can’t afford to make Halloween fun for your kids by buying the outfits and treats other children have. Your poor diet doesn’t leave you with the creative energy to whip up costumes out of cardboard and duct tape.
The average Canadian spends about $40.00 on Halloween candy alone, about double the weekly food allowance for a person on welfare. I hadn’t thought twice about buying candy for trick-or-treaters, party food, costumes, and pumpkins in past years, but I will now.
Every day is scary when you’re living on welfare. Seeing Halloween through the lens of poverty was another eye-opening experience. When I woke up the following day, I’d be able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted. My “challenge” would be over; this was not the case for many others.
Some rich people complain about poor kids trick or treating in their neighbourhoods
In Slate Magazine’s advice column, Dear Prudence, a person called “Prudie” responds to questions from readers on any subject. One reader complained about “poor” people invading their wealthy neighbourhood on Halloween night. They said trick-or-treaters driving in from other areas was inappropriate.
“Halloween isn’t a social service or a charity in which I have to buy candy for less fortunate children.”
In Prudie’s reply, she scolds the reader for being heartless.
“Stop being callous and miserly and go to Costco, you cheapskate, and get enough candy to fill the bags of the kids who come one day a year to marvel at how the 1 percent live.”
Parents without disposable income for Halloween candy or those living in unsafe or poor neighbourhoods may choose to take their kids trick-or-treating in shopping malls or wealthier communities.
Let them — it’s one night of the year.
Not everyone can afford a Halloween Costume
Halloween separates the rich from the poor in more ways than one. If a person arrives at your door on Halloween night without a costume, consider why they don’t have one.
Maybe it’s because they couldn’t be bothered, but more likely, there wasn’t enough money to buy one.
If people can’t afford to buy costumes, why don’t they make them instead? Well, craft supplies cost money, too, and costumes take time to put together. Parents on a low income may be working several jobs with little time or energy to be creative.
In an NPR interview, Poverty Unmasked at Halloween, Desiree Cooper, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, discussed Halloween night in Palmer Woods, a wealthy Detroit neighbourhood.
When Desiree first moved there, she was shocked by the deluge of poor people who came to her door on Halloween night. Many were adults, not wearing costumes, masks or make-up.
They’d hold dirty pillowcases out and say, “Trick or Treat?” with little enthusiasm. Desiree felt it would be an insult to give people her own age candy, so she started giving out health pamphlets along with the Hershey bars.
“At least once a year, I have to come face to face with the reality of poverty in America. Every Halloween, I give what I can, but no matter how much I buy, I always run out. I apologetically close the door, but long after the lights are out, the ghosts keep on knocking.” — Desiree Cooper
Poverty can happen to any of us
None of us think we’re going to be one of “those” people — a poor person lining up at the foodbank or sleeping in a temporary shelter. Few choose to be homeless or live in poverty, but it’s a harsh reality for many.
Sometimes, life pulls the rug from under our feet, and we find ourselves in a situation we’d never anticipated. An accident, injury, health problem or sudden unemployment can put us in a vulnerable financial position. Halloween is not a fun time for families living on a budget. The least we can do is show empathy for less fortunate people.
This Halloween
If you hear others complaining about poor people bringing their kids to trick-or-treat in your neighbourhood, help them see a different perspective.
Parents and teachers can encourage children to help make their costumes instead of asking for expensive store-bought ones. Making simple costumes could be a great class project. If someone comes to your door wearing a homemade costume, compliment them on their crafty skills.
If your budget allows, how about buying some extra Halloween candy? If you prefer not to give out candy, chips, popcorn, glow sticks, or Halloween-themed stationery make great giveaways.
On Halloween night, open your door with a smile
Imagine your doorway through someone else’s eyes. What does the visitor on the doorstep see? A person who looks happy to see them and hands out candy with some cheery banter, or someone irritated about their Netflix show being interrupted?
Trick or Treating is scary when you’re little. You don’t know who will answer the door; maybe someone with a frightening costume or a scowling face. Those little ghouls and goblins on our doorstep are supposed to scare us — not the other way around. If you choose to answer your door on Halloween night, open it with a smile and a cheery greeting.
Halloween and other holidays emphasize the divide between rich and poor. Take the opportunity to be kind to people, wherever they’re from and help others have fun on Halloween night.