If You See a Blue Halloween Bucket During Trick or Treat, This Is What It Means

Updated: Mar. 08, 2024

Just a bit of knowledge and kindness can go a long way for some kids on Halloween. Here's what to do if you see a trick-or-treater with a blue Halloween bucket.

Halloween is one of the best family holidays of the year. The kids get to have fun with costumes, friends and trick or treat, while parents get to invest in spooky decor and talk about Halloween from years past.

But Halloween doesn’t look the same for everyone. While you’re passing out candy to all the boys and girls during trick-or-treating this year, keep an eye out for kids with a blue Halloween candy bucket.

What Does a Blue Halloween Bucket Mean?

In recent years, a blue Halloween bucket has become an unofficial signifier for kids with autism and autism awareness. While trick-or-treating has been happening for close to 100 years, using blue buckets has only just begun to gain footing. Neighbors came together and started posting on Facebook and other forms of social media to bring awareness to the practice as early as 2018.

Why Are the Blue Buckets Important?

We’re all pretty used to the normal Halloween night practices when it comes to trick or treat. Kids ring the doorbell, say “trick or treat” and swiftly receive some form of sugar-filled compensation. But, it’s important to note that some children with autism may be nonverbal.

Because of this, saying “trick or treat!” as soon as the door is opened may not happen, but that doesn’t mean that child doesn’t still deserve the best Halloween candy you can buy. Seeing the blue bucket and being aware is the most important step!

What About Teal Pumpkins?

Look out for teal pumpkins on Halloween, too. This is used to raise awareness for children with food allergies and food-related medical conditions. It’s an important issue to think about when it comes to passing out candy with potential common allergens like gluten and peanuts. For kids with food allergies, we like these allergy-free Halloween treats.

Just remember that a little bit of knowledge and kindness can go a long way—and can even turn a regular day into a memory a child will hold onto forever!