How do you celebrate Halloween?
How did you treat it as a child versus an adult? Has it changed?
Growing up, the evening of Oct. 31st, we hit the streets. Bag in hand not missing a neighbor’s house for blocks away! Back then, it was always the 31st not another night!
We had a few house rules … we had to come up with a costume using things in our house. Mom didn’t buy us costumes. Although, I recall a mask or two being used. I don’t recall if they were hand-me-downs from another family or she bought them. We got creative or did the same thing every year … it didn’t matter.
“Old Lady” seemed a recurring theme. We were ghosts, dressed-up lady (fancy like), pirates, sports players (my brothers had uniforms), sometimes just a T-shirt or accessory representative of something, clowns, hippies, cowboys/girls, “Greasers”, etc. Our costumes were pretty simplistic, but the fun was in the “treating” and being out among the neighbors, which were friends and playmates.
I recall homemade popcorn balls. Some people invited us inside with a table full of homemade goodies for you to eat on the way or take home. Being apple season, Mom liked to give apples. We stopped at an orchard on one of trips to see my grandparents in PA and brought several bushels home. As we got older, we told Mom not to give apples!
Somebody somewhere hid razor blades in apples on Halloween and ruined the wholesome snack idea. I remember, Emergency rooms opening their doors for parents to bring their children’s Halloween bags for inspection through the X-ray machine in search of treacherous items. That was the beginning of safety issues on Halloween, as I remember.
Mom seemed to resist the idea, saying, “Parents will check the apples and know they’re okay.” They instructed us not to eat anything before we brought it home and could check it out in the light.
When we got home, the living room floor transformed into a dumped carpet of candy art with four contributors. Trading began. I didn’t like trading, maybe I liked the variety or didn’t want to make a bad deal. My brothers treated it as sport; part of the tradition. They’d trade a whole bundle of candy for one “full size” candy bar. All the mini sizes weren’t yet marketed, so if someone was giving out candy bars they were the big ones. Whole packs of gum and candy/bubble gum cigarettes were another favorite. Candy cigarettes …. complete separate topic😂.
Another memory that has left the arena was stepping inside someone’s home. I remember homes asking us to step inside to get candy and to see my outfit in interior light; a kind and welcoming gesture. That’s a foreign concept today. Truthfully, even though I traveled blocks and blocks away, most people knew me. Or they’d say, what family are you from? I’d reply the “Smith Family” on Hillside Lane. They’d smile and instantly know something about me. People knew people then and I grew up in Suburbia where there were tons of people!
Coming from this practice, my Halloween parenting started out much the same. I think my oldest son was an “Army Man” the first year he trick or treated; donning a fatigue hat and pants we already had, twigs and leaves pinned to his hat with some brown scruffy makeup-mud on his face to complete the look. He was adorable.
Like my Mom, I was never a costume purchaser although I am sure my children wanted me to be. It wasn’t in the budget: bigger holidays were around the corner. I might purchase an accessory or two for their outfit, but rarely entire outfits. I didn’t take time making them either: spending lots of time for something to be worn one night didn’t seem the best use of our resources. I did assist them putting an outfit together.
Trick or treating was okay…
Until evil meanings became attached and broadcast through the media. Churches began having “Fall Festivals” on Halloween night, changing the name and encouraging Christians not to practice Halloween like “the world.” The focus became Fall and Harvest.
Okay, my husband, being a pastor, made this tough. In my personal space and attitude, I rebelled. Dressing up for my kids was the funnest thing, E.V.E.R.!! They became award winning actors in middle and high school: their talents surfaced early!
My theory was and still is … the “evil” projected into the event was NOT what we were celebrating. We were having fun with our neighborhood and friends. No evil was intended or practiced. Those thoughts never surrounded this tradition for us.
Moreover … if this one night of the year all my neighbors showed up at my door, I felt a responsibility to welcome them and let them know they were important to me. Turning off my porch light and hiding seemed anti-Christian! Neighbors were willingly coming to my door. The least I could do was welcome them, give them a smile, and let my face and comments express hospitality. We met lots of new neighbors this way and reconnected with some we hadn’t seen in a while. Jesus stressed “community”. This was one step on one night: I didn’t have to orchestrate, plan or force it!
Many churches today have come full circle and now, incorporate this mindset …. Finally!!! I was a couple decades early😁
I was ahead of my time, at least in the Christian world! It wasn’t easy nor popular, but I held my convictions! Thank God he made that conviction strong in me. I was adamant. My husband could tell his side of the story and you’d see😉.
In my community now, we do “Trunk or Treat”. Our roads have no sidewalks and few streetlights, so it’s safer for the children and parents. We’ll be there with an open trunk! Last year, we had 200-300 children!
I tend toward giving a play treat versus a sweet. Our trunk will be giving glow sticks or punching balloons this year. Small lollipops accompany them.
Here are my links if you are interested:
FYI … last year, we did slap bracelets and super balls, if you want more ideas.
Welcome those young babes with open hearts, smiles, giggles, interest, ooohhhhs and ahhhhhs!! Hospitality and candy can touch hearts, young and old!
Treats All Around,
Elaine Stone 