Halloween generosity takes many forms, and this year I found myself thinking about what we actually give away when we hand out candy—or something else entirely.

In my Lafayette neighborhood, the streets glowed orange with porch lights, candy, and jack-o’-lanterns, each one an unspoken invitation: trick-or-treaters welcome here. I sat by the door with a bowl of the usual chocolate bars, but beside it I kept a small tin of shiny coins and another of non-candy treats. The idea came from years of watching small faces light up for reasons beyond sugar. Some kids can’t have candy. Others simply love the surprise of something different—like a sticker, a marble, or a gleaming quarter that feels like treasure.

Waneka Lake in Lafayette, Colorado is home to beautiful fall leaves. Photo: Lenny “Lensworth” Frieling

There’s a quiet art to the give-away. Candy is quick joy. Toys are memory. Coins are wonder. One little vampire looked at me with round eyes and whispered, “A real quarter?” before tucking it away like gold. A parent smiled and mouthed “thank you.” For me, that’s Halloween at its best—an exchange of joy disguised as sugar and sparkle.

Alluring is the word that comes to mind for this picture.

As the night went on, the candy went first, of course, accompanied by the rare coins. The Sacagawea the rare coins. But the treats that lasted longest were the smiles, the careful thank-yous, and the older kids who brought their younger siblings back just to say hello. Whether you hand out chocolate, crayons, or coins, the real treat is sharing that moment when the world feels safe, playful, and connected again—one doorbell at a time. To add to the playfulness, we add a fire pit and hot apple cider every year. We’ve done that for decades. Even on warm nights the cider is welcome. Halloween is truly a holiday designed around “giving.” What could be more fun than giving candy? Well, in fact, giving rare coins like Sacagawea and loved coins  like “Kennedy Halves,” has proven to be even more fun.

Signed,
Lenny “Lensworth” Frieling
Shared Knowledge Is Power!

Lenny Frieling Pen Of Justice

• Multi-published and widely syndicated blogger and author.
• Most recently published by Amazon, his first book, "Lensworth"a book of his prize-winning photos.
• University lectures at University. of Colorado, Boulder, Denver University Law School, Univ. of New Mexico, Las Vegas NM, and many other schools at all levels. Numerous lectures for the NORML Legal Committee
• Former Judge
• Media work, including starring in episodes of Fox’s Power of Attorney, well in excess of many hundreds media interviews, appearances, articles, and podcasts, including co-hosting Time For Hemp for two years.
• Life Member, NORML Legal Committee, Distinguished Counsel Circle.
• Photographer of the Year, AboutBoulder 2023
• First Chair and Originator of the Colorado Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Committee, a National first.
• Previous Chair, Boulder Criminal Defense Bar (8 years)
• Twice chair Executive Counsel, Colorado Bar Association Criminal Law Section
• Life Member, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
• Board Member Emeritus, Colorado NORML, and prior chair during legalization, as well as pre and post legalization
• Chair, Colorado NORML, 7 years including during the successful effort to legalize recreational pot in Colorado
• Senior Counsel Emeritus to the Boulder Law firm Dolan + Zimmerman LLP : (720)-610-0951
• Board member, Author, and Editor for Criminal Law Articles for the Colorado Lawyer, primary publication of the Colorado Bar Assoc. 7 Years, in addition to having 2 Colorado Lawyer cover photos, and numerous articles for the Colorado Lawyer monthly publication.
• http://www.Lfrieling.com