Trick Or Treat Alternatives

No matter where you live across Green Country, chances are there's a church or other group hosting a big Halloween party or fall festival.<br/> <br/>News on 6 anchor Craig Day says many parents and

Tuesday, October 31st 2006, 9:44 pm

By: News On 6

No matter where you live across Green Country, chances are there's a church or other group hosting a big Halloween party or fall festival.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day says many parents and kids are choosing to bypass the traditional door to door trick or treating for alternatives.

According to the US census bureau, across the country, between 36 and 40 million kids go trick or treating each year. Those ghosts and goblins will stop at 106 million homes. But some kids make only one stop, at their church.

At Tulsa's First Baptist Church, there are games, pony rides, and of course plenty of candy and costumes. Kyle and Vicki Wilson brought their daughters to the Fall Fun Festival at First Baptist instead of going door to door. "Times have changed. When we were kids, we used to go to neighborhoods in a square mile, every single one of them. Now we bring them to the church. We feel safer here," said Kyle Wilson.

The Wilson's are part of a growing number of parents deciding to bypass the traditional door to door approach to getting goodies. Debbie Thompson, whoâ€™s been in children's ministry for 20 years, says Halloween events like this are becoming more popular. "We just see our numbers increase every year. Parents come here because they feel safe. They feel like their children are safe. They know the candy they're getting, or the prizes they're getting are all safe and it's a good environment for them," said Thompson.

Instead of trick or treating, trunk or treat is becoming a safe alternative to going door to door.

It's a popular event at the Collinsville Church of Christ. The Church has done trunk or treat for several years. In the church parking lot, trunkloads of goodies are given away to a cast of characters. "Candy and light sticks and gifts and things like that. That are safe, and we feel like this has provided a safe alternative to going door to door where you don't know what you're going to get," Carl Harris from Collinsville Church of Christ said.

Parents get an extra option, as well as peace of mind.

Billions of dollars worth of candy is handed out each Halloween. Of course, it's a good idea for kids to examine all treats before eating them to see if they've been tampered with.