halloween

There's a bit of magic to the idea that the circle of life has a through-line of joyous moments. When you're young, you can't see the days ahead of you, and so the tiniest novelties—like dressing up in a pink dress with tulle and getting copious amounts of candy—are spectacular. When we age, some of us lose sight of that magic. "Been there, done that," we might think. And as we near an end to life, perhaps we don't even get exposed to it anymore.

The trend of having children trick-or-treating at senior homes and nursing facilities is ultra inspiring. Such a wonderful opportunity for two age groups to be inspired by one another—an obvious win/win for both the elderly and the kids.

On TikTok, Karen Chan Binnings (@karen.channnnn) shared the video of her young daughter clad in a fluffy, bubblegum pink princess dress with a Halloween pumpkin basket. But what makes this trick-or-treating event different is she is in a nursing home. We see her approach the first resident, who notes, "Look at how pretty you are," as she puts candy in her bucket. She continues down the hallways, with Binnings reminding her to say "thank you" when she forgets.

Occasionally, she happens upon a caregiver or staff member (who are also at the ready with candy), but it's the senior citizens lined up in chairs (some of them in wheelchairs) that make the exchange the most special. About halfway through the video, we get a montage of the young girl posing with different residents.

And while, yes, the candy seems to be her biggest focus, occasionally the camera catches her lock eyes and smile with one of the elderly people. For her, it must feel like 100 grandparents descending all at once with chocolate.

Binnings writes, "If you haven't gone trick or treating at a nursing or retirement home, you're missing out! This is your sign!"

The comment section seems genuinely moved. Many point out that logistically, doing this at a senior facility should ensure that the candy "will be safe."

Another person shares, "The residents look forward to these events so much." Binnings replies, "The residents looked very happy. My daughter was loving the extra attention!"

Their conversation continues, with the person explaining their kids grew up in a senior living facility because they worked in one. They add that both the kids and seniors couldn't wait to count down to Halloween. Binnings exclaims "That is adorable and so special! Kids that enjoy spending time with the elderly have a special old soul."

KSBY News reports that "Hundreds of kids attended (a) Halloween event at Paso Robles assisted living facility" accompanied by a YouTube video of tiny witches, goblins, and ghosts visiting a senior home for their "trunk or treat" event. This specific celebration also helped support a fundraiser for an upcoming Alzheimer's walk, which raises donations and awareness for the disease.

Children attend the Trunk or Treat event at an assisted living facility. www.youtube.com, KSBY News

A popular Instagram page, @thesourcela, put up the reminder message: "If you take your children trick-or-treating, please consider taking them by nursing homes. Most of them give out candy, and the residents would love to see the little ones in their costumes. If you can, please stop by and brighten their day. You have no idea how much this means to them."

The people agree. One person adds, "Everyone deserves a chance to feel the enjoyment of any celebration."