My 7-Year-Old Went Trick-or-Treating at a Nursing Home to Brighten Elderly Peoples Day, the Next Day, Someone Knocked on Our Door
My seven-year-old daughter, Lily, wanted a different kind of Halloween this year. Instead of trick-or-treating, she suggested we visit the nursing home down the street. “They don’t get to go trick-or-treating,” she said. “I could bring them treats… and make them feel important.”
I agreed, touched by her thoughtfulness. The night before Halloween, we baked cookies, wrote little notes for each bag, and packed them with care. Lily wore a simple ghost costume — just a white sheet with felt eyes — and twirled in the hallway. “Do I look spooky?” she asked. “You look like a marshmallow with confidence,” I teased.
On Halloween, we arrived at Maplewood Assisted Living. Lily announced brightly, “I’m here to treat, not trick!” She went from chair to chair, handing out cookies, telling jokes, and complimenting cardigans. For a man with an oxygen tank, she gently promised, “Then I’ll make them for you now, so you don’t miss her too much,” referring to his late wife.
The room transformed. Residents laughed, shared stories, and even donned plastic tiaras. Lily wasn’t just giving cookies — she was giving connection, attention, and joy. That night, she collapsed on the couch, exhausted but happy. “Mom, that was my favorite Halloween ever.”