Bring the Halloween Phantom to Your Neighborhood

My daughter and I were walking in her neighborhood when I noticed many of the homes on one block had a flyer posted on their front door. My curiosity got the best of me and I went up to one of the doors to read the flyer. It was a poem about a “Halloween Phantom” who secretly dropped goodies at a neighbor’s house with a request to pass along the poem and goodies to two more neighbors.

I thought it was a creative way to build community in your neighborhood. I knocked on a door where the flyer was posted to ask about it. The woman explained that it was a Halloween tradition someone had started on their block many years ago. All the neighbors had fun surprising each other and building holiday spirit together. She graciously offered me a copy of the flyer.

I wanted to bring this Halloween tradition to my neighborhood. Our cul-de-sac is already a tight-knit little community that watches out for each other. We’ve been having block parties  for over a decade. I printed out two copies of the flyer and made a batch of pumpkin spice cookies. I placed a dozen cookies in a brown lunch bag and taped the poem to the bag.

After dinner, I made my first “phantom call” to my neighbor. I rang her bell, left the bag of cookies and note on her doorstep, then sprinted off into the darkness. Within a week I noticed fliers on several more doors. As Halloween approached, the fliers increased and so did everyone’s curiosity about who started this game. I just shook my head and said I had no idea. Inside, I was smiling as I watched my neighbors try to figure out the mystery.

Don’t wait too long to get the Halloween Phantom started in your neighborhood!

Tagged as: Holidays, Rituals