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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

On costumes, candy and Christmas: Manito trick-or-treaters weigh in on Halloween’s charms

Ronan Sullivan, 8, left and Jackson VanDoren, 9, trick or treat through their neighborhood in Rathdrum on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021.  (Kathy Plonka/The Spokesman-Review)

The Halloween spirits couldn’t have drawn it up any better.

It was cool but not cold Sunday night in the Manito neighborhood. Jack-o’-lanterns guarded porches. A rafter of turkeys walked down 17th Avenue toward Grand Boulevard, gobbling. A tiny dragon and a tiny Spider-Man played tag and shouted at each other in a front yard.

This Halloween was the first time lumberjack Soren Chun, 8, had been trick-or-treating.

Soren, who carried a standard claw hammer over his shoulder in place of an axe, had only been to one house by 6 p.m., but he said he’d thoroughly enjoyed trick-or-treating so far. He said his favorite candies are Airheads and York Peppermint Patties.

“Christmas is still better,” Soren said. “I like when you all get together and eat.”

Soren’s friend Oliver Rebow, a 7-year-old Harry Potter and veteran trick-or-treater who enjoys M&M’s and Kit Kat bars, pointed out that Thanksgiving is typically better known for getting together and eating. Soren agreed, but said people also get together and eat at Christmas.

Sisters Scarlett and Harlow Lustig started their trick-or-treating at about 5:30 p.m.

Scarlett Lustig, 9, dressed up as a queen ballerina.

“I was going to be a normal ballerina, and then I saw this huge skirt,” she said.

Harlow Lustig, 11, went trick-or-treating as a princess. She said Halloween is her second favorite holiday and hoped to bring home a solid collection of chocolate. Her younger sister said she’d like to get some Skittles.

As night fell in earnest, more Captain Americas, dinosaurs and SpongeBob SquarePantses took to the streets.

Nine-year-old Jordan Buck didn’t start door-knocking until after 6 p.m. He went trick-or-treating as a Karen, a reference to the internet memes, tweets, Instagram posts and thousands of TikTok videos that have become part of the American zeitgeist in the past two years.

Halloween is Jordan‘s favorite holiday, ahead of even Christmas. And while he likes candy – he’s a Skittles man – it’s not the sugar that makes him look forward to Oct. 31. He’s more of a Halloween purist.

“People get to dress up,” he said. “You see a lot of creative costumes.”