A New Type of Scavenger Hunt

Image credit: Curated Lifestyle for Unsplash

Halloween is just around the corner and it brings back memories of varied Halloween traditions; trick or treating, pumpkin carving and harvest festivals. When we were growing up, it was popular to have scavenger hunts.

Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt? They are not in vogue as they were in previous generations, but here is how it went. At a Halloween party, you would be divided into teams. Each team would be given the same list of everyday items and tasked with running around the neighborhood, knocking on doors, asking if the occupant could provide one item on the list. There was a catch to this process. Some of the items were challenging to find. For example, rather than simply having to procure a penny, there might be the additional requirement to find a specific date on a penny.

Scavenger hunts were for adults too. There is a famous story in Susan’s family where her parents threw a Halloween soiree. To make the scavenger hunt a little more spicy, they included items that required the revelers to drive to stores to find them. 

What could go wrong? 

Well, people became so consumed in the competition that they dashed into the stores, obtained the items and ran out without paying! Being a relatively small community, her parents were contacted by the local establishments and they sheepishly went to the stores the next morning to pay for the stolen merchandise.

These treasure hunts required a lot of teamwork, creativity and tenacity in order to win (maybe too much in Susan’s parent’s case). Times change and with it so do scavenger hunts. Halloween is the gateway to the holiday season and we wanted to revisit this tradition. The added hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays can leave us all feeling stretched thin and thrown off balance. 

Taking that into account, we reimagined the scavenger hunt to be a search for ways to welcome some positivity, calm and growth to your life. We invite you to join this hunt as part of an individual contemplative practice or involve friends or coworkers to stimulate insightful discussions.

Let the Harmony Hunt begin! Challenge yourself to find the following: 

Something New: Take the time to notice something beautiful or unique on your way to work.

Compassion: Think of a random act of kindness that you can execute and make it happen.

Your inner child: Do something for yourself that nurtures a sense of joy and nostalgia. Resilience: Try something that is out of your comfort zone. It can be something small or something daring.

Community: Get together with friends, loved ones or find new people by joining  a group.

This scavenger hunt may have some of the same challenges as the old fashioned one. Things that may seem simple, may end up being more complicated as you delve into them. The goal is to have some fun and embrace positivity to help you feel energized and grounded throughout the holiday season.