It’s coming up in only a couple of weeks – one of every kids most favorite days - Halloween. I’m sure that it’s as much of an exciting time today as it was when I was growing up. There was nothing that caused us such anticipated joy and excitement as trick-or-treating on Halloween.
When I tried to figure out why it was such a big deal, I think it’s because we realized that WE were in control of our destiny! All that was required was that we spend a little bit of time planning and we could make an incredible haul. I remember sitting down with my friends and trying to draw a map of the neighborhood, and even the adjacent neighborhoods… we had big plans to hit as many house as we possibly could.
There were a few places we had to make sure to hit, since we knew from previous years that there were good treats to be had there – one house even used to give away full-size candy bars! We had to work fast, but we also had to maximize our time out in the streets. We would negotiate with our moms as to how soon we could start, and how late we could stay out. The older we got, the longer we got to be collecting free candy. It was great!
When we were really young, we had plenty of fun fancy costumes (remember that face-mask smell?) and were the pride of our moms as we went door to door and received many an “Awww, aren’t you cute! Who are you tonight?” By the time we reached our tweens and early teens, it was just a matter of putting on some ragged clothes, scribbling a beard on your face with mom’s or your sister’s mascara, and “ta-dah” you were a bum! Grab the biggest pillowcase you could find and make for the road, there was candy to haul in tonight!
We had fun! There wasn’t the fear unknown people, or harm from candy that may have been tampered with that kids might be faced with today. It was basically a good, clean, fun type of experience and one that brings back plenty of pleasant memories still today.
Do you have some favorite memories or stories from your youth as a trick-or-treater?
Oh the plastic little masks - I always felt like I couldn't breathe. And your right, mom was not going to buy a costume when you were a bit older. You grabbed a flannel shirt, dirtied up your face and you were a bum or hobo carrying your pillowcase. Things have changed! I will be going out with my 11 year old and her friends walking the streets with them this year. She has never gone alone. I map out the neighborhood to maximize her candy and she thinks I'm cool. She can not imagine going with her friends without mom tagging along. She said she likes that I go along. I find that very strange. Perhaps she knows the world is creepy. I don't know.
ReplyDeleteMy costume was the same for 3 years - an angel. My brother was a fireman once and had the Emergency! helmet and bullhorn thing. I was kind of disappointed when I didn't get chocolate candy.
ReplyDeleteLaraAnn - Yeah - the WORST was when you got healthy food for Halloween. I mean, like, what were those people thinking?!?
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