Remember when Halloween was……..

I don’t know about you, but Halloween just isn’t the Halloween I remember growing up.  That isn’t to say that Halloween is not fun and festive (because it is) – but it is definitely different.  When I was young we would start trick-or-treating right after dinner – like around 6pm.  My friends and I would pull out our boxed Halloween costume (boxed costumes were the best) representing the most favorite superhero of the moment, take Mom’s oldest pillowcase, and then set out to ring doorbells for as long as we could hold out.  Starting with Mrs. Nolan next door (who made the best popcorn balls in the whole world), our group made a wide swatch that took us far and wide, eventually returning home at about 9 p.m., tired and worn out but all candied up.  Then it was about separating the good stuff from the bad – deciding what you ate then and there, and what you horded for future binges.  It was all so simple and easy.

Over the years, though, things changed.  First there were razorblades in the candy, then it was drugs masquerading as candy, and after a while parents didn’t trust sending their kids out alone on a night that was all about celebrating childhood.  There were still costumes, candy, and scares galore, but now it was about driving until you found the safest neighborhood or attending a school or community sponsored event where children could safely play under the watchful eyes of adults.

I know that things change.  Change is a part of life, but somehow I find it sad that the freedom I experienced as a child isn’t the freedom that our young people experience day to day.  There was something exhilarating about setting out one night a year to plunder the neighborhood of all its delectable goodies. There was something freeing about know that you were safe and under the watchful eye of countless neighbors who actually knew who you were and where you lived.  But more importantly, it was a time when you got to be a “little adult” for an evening.  You were set free to explore your world unencumbered by your parents (except when you were required to “check-in” at pre-ordained times, just to ensure you could follow instructions), and building memories that last a lifetime.

As we draw near to Halloween, I pause to remember my youth and the joy that this unique holiday brought into my life so many years ago.  May you have as many wonderful memories of October 31st as I do!  BOO!