Times sure have changed from when I was a child. We had masks made out of brown paper bags, rubber bands and string. We did not go in costume, there was no money for that. Instead of trick or treating we went to the school for our Halloween party. We played games, bobbed for apples. Had sack races, peanut races, there was even apples on a string hanging in a door way, for you to try and catch with your teeth. At the end of the evening there was a sack of goodies for each of us. It would have peanuts, an apple, an orange and usually taffy wrapped in orange and black, For me the best part was if there were a couple of stick of black jack gum. Oh how I loved that gum. Candy and gum were rare in our house, so the holidays were good things to look forward to.
I remember when a trick was tipping over the outhouses, or soaping windows. When my kids were young, the tricks were soaping windows and egging cars, there were no more outhouses to tip. When the kids were little they wore the lone ranger masks for the boys and pink ones for the girls. As they got older they would make their own costumes. I remember one neighbor girl wrapping herself in white rags and ace bandages, I wonder how her body had any circulation, but she survived. They would get together with a bunch of friends and off they would go. I think every house in our town was visited.. After day light savings time started it was a bit harder for the kids going out in the dark. The most fun for them was when they got back home and looked to see who got what.
There was always a favorite candy that they would bargain with each other for.
They made a game out of it. Then it was bedtime , that was the hardest night of the year except for Christmas Eve to get them settled down. I would tell them a spooky story if they would lay quiet and soon they were off to dreams Halloween fun.
Today it is all about glitz and fancy costumes, the adults taking the night over. Of course the children will be all decked out in store bought outfits also. Now they have to escorted and only go where the light is on. There are no more homemade cookies or popcorn balls, homemade taffy or krispie bars.
Tonight my light will be on and all the lady bugs, pumpkins, Dora the explorers, little monsters and princesses including my grand children will come in costume. I will give too much goodies and their parents will have fun getting those kids to sleep tonight.
