October 28th, 2013

Trick or Treat

by Brian Walker, Greg Walker and Chance Browne

Halloween is another family holiday that provides good possibilities for colorful and entertaining Hi and Lois scenarios.  Every year, there are difficult decisions to be made about what costumes to wear.  The kids always look cute dressed up as pirates and princesses, witches and vampires, angels and devils.  Trick or treating gets the family outside, knocking on doors in the neighborhood, which offers an opportunity to do some nighttime scenery.  And, after it’s all over, there are bags and bags of candy to be eaten, which can lead to tooth decay.  One year Lois convinced the kids to sell their candy to the Halloween fairy, who pays good money for treats.

The tradition of trick or treating for the United Nation’s Children’s Fund was started by the wife of a Presbyterian minister, Mary Emma Allison, in 1950.  When she saw a UNICEF contribution booth raising money for powdered milk to send to undernourished children around the world, she came up with the idea of kids collecting donations instead of candy on Halloween.  The practice spread to other countries, including Canada, Ireland and Mexico, and over $188 million has been raised.

This Hi and Lois Sunday page from 1967 shows Dot and Ditto trick or treating for UNICEF.

Hi and Lois Sunday page color proof, October 29, 1967.

If you would like to help a worthy cause this year go to:

http://www.trickortreatforunicef.org

Halloween also has a naughty side.  Trick or treaters have been known to spray shaving cream on mailboxes, throw eggs at houses or toss rolls of toilet paper up into trees.  The Flagston kids are more innocent than that.

In this Sunday page from 2005, Ditto acts like a little devil by helping himself to some extra candy.  It’s a good thing he has an angel to watch over him.

Hi and Lois Sunday page, October 30, 2005.

We hope all of our readers have a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

– Brian Walker