Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

[Bubba1235]

It's about that time of year again and I see people getting ready for Halloween parties and such, stocking up on store bought candy, and buying their kids costumes. I guess I'm getting old because I think back to when I was young and Halloween was one of the best holidays ever! (Second only to Christmans)

First, no one I knew "bought" a costume. We with mom's help made our costumes and we enjoyed the process for two weeks before we ever wore them. Next I and my siblings worked up some "tricks" or jokes so we didn't sound lame or all tell the same joke. Yeah, that too was a lot of fun as we tried them out on each other and our parents. Um, they also got my brother and I in hot water with mom when we tried to get our little sister to tell an off color joke without her knowing it was off color. We were also allowed to go out trick or treating with out armed guards and (GASP) could eat our goodies before mom and dad inspected everything and that brings me to the big one, todays treats. Man I miss the old Halloween "treats". We had an elderly neighbor that made the BEST popcorn balls in the entire world! They were somethig we looked forward to every year! Candied apples were a big hit. Punkin bread wrapped in wax paper was another biggie. Molasses Cake was one of my favorites and who could forget Almond bark? Truth is if someone gave out one of the small stire bought candy bars they usually got traded for something "good".

Somehow, in our effort to protect our kids we managed to lose a lot along the way.



***Oh yeah, the off color joke we taught our baby sister***

How do you catch a bear in the winter time?

You go to the pond, cut a hole in the ice and spread popcorn balls around the hole and then hide. When the bear comes along and bends over to get a popcorn ball you run out and kick him square in the ice hole.

Mom seen ZERO humor in it when it came from her 6 year old daughter.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

Times change. I don't know that they are better or worse: just different. My kids sure got a lot more candy than I ever dreamed about and some of their costumes were remarkable as well as being home made. Halloween is what you make of it like any other holiday. Have fun but please be safe.

This year, ScubaBoard will be having a Halloween dive in the Ginnie Springs Ballroom. Some will wear underwater costumes and we'll have a "Galaxy Dive" where we allow small amounts of cyalume into the water. Its like you are swimming through a galaxy and its awesome.

 

[Scott Chinsota]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

sure aint like it used to be. sad really. i remember filling a pillow case and having to go back home for an empty to keep going...til like midnight! soapin windows and toilet papering was the typical tricks for no treats but other than the mess, harmless fun. pretty much ensured the entire neighborhood participated in the holiday. these days, kids would get arrested for soapin' a window.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

I hated those home made popcorn balls personally. But recently at work the subject came up and said "no parent in their right mind would let their kid eat a HOME MADE popcorn ball from a stranger"

Too bad.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

ahhh, the good 'ol days indeed..I talked to a customer the other day who said they get at least 1000 TRICK OR TREATERS! Can't imagine that many kids or that much candy!

 

[ngt]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

I don't get trick or treaters in my area. It's a suburb, but not one of the nicer ones in town. We tried handing out candy, but had like 3 groups. I usually just hand out candy at work. I teach first grade and the school does a trick or treat night. Most teachers simply sit by their door and hand out candy or pencils. I usually make some big setup out of cardboard and have fun with it. Last year I made a giant fish tank and my wife and I were inside of it with snorkels and goggles dropping candy over the top with little walmart goldfish nets. My favorite was a giant cardboard monster truck with a wheel that spun via an old fan motor. My wife was in a smashed cardboard car and the wheel was spinning over her head I had monster truck engine revving noises looped on a cd playing in the back gound. It was great and the kids loved it. We usually get between 300-400 kids in an hour and a half.

As for times changing, yeah, they've changed. Normal places aren't as safe as they were. Parents are more cautious and often with good reason. My dad says, "parents now are all sissified from hippy parents going all flower child on them". lol. I think my best costumes ever were the costumes my mom made for me.

 

[nlain]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

My wife is making costumes for our 2 grand sons, I am making the accessories to go with them. Daughter was complaining that she could not afford $50. per kid, we spent no where near that much. Wife did buy some material and I did buy some paint for the accessories, went in the woodshop and picked up some scraps to make them with. The boys are as happy as can be, us old folks is makin sumpin for dem.

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

It has changed but here on the east coast it isn't totally lost yet. There are still few home made costumes, but very few home made goodies for the same reaons OP said.

But a good example of how it is enjoyed is from my own BIL and his wife. 7yrs ago they had a Halloween wedding. The wedding was just like every other wedding with the white gown and tuxedos. But, the reception was the opposite. After the dinner the guest that chose to put on heir costume sto enjoy the dance.

The groom was Elvis, the bride was dressed as the bride of Dracula. On the ceiling were huge "spiders" made of plastic bags stuffed with paper. Over the center of the dance floor was a huge crepe paper web with aspider in the center. The stage had a white gown, compete with a bloody neckline and tuxedo that were "mysteriously" floating across the stage. There was even a grave yard set up with a fog machine. I have three very outgoing neices that made a surprise visit, dressed up (with nother cousin's help) as KISS. The candles on he head table wre shaped like skulls.

At midnight there was a light lunch served. The devilled eggs looked like bloodshot eyeballs. Cookies shaped like witches fingers. A head of cheese shaped like a real head.

The funniest aprt of the whole nigght was another BIL dressed up like stripper, complete with body suit, tassles and a thong to "dance" for groom that never had the chance at his stag the previous week.

Think of a man that is 6"4' and about 325lbs dancing around dressed like a hippie from the 70's with bodt suit underneath. The suit had the tassles and thong. The groom is only about 5'11" and about 200lbs. The whole place was almost in tears with laughter the "stripper".Especcially since he is the one who always sits back and enjoys the show. That night he was the show.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

We really don't get any trick or treaters. It's a nice neighborhood and all but I think the houses are too far apart, too much walking. Seems like these days mom and dad drive the little buggers around so they don't have to walk in the cold.

 

[Kohrah]

Re: Halloween of yesteryear - Our kids are getting cheated.

Living up north growing up we always either made or choose costumes that left enough that you could layer under them. This was a two fold reason. Small town = limited houses. layers = multiple costumes. hit the housed up two or three times.

Now bear in mind to some of you i'm a yung'in. So being that it was a small town (500 in the village and 2000 in the town) you tended to know who lived where and if the kind older lady gave you something home made you just told your parents which house it was and got the "Ohh it was so and so yea that's fine go ahead i'll write her a thank note." some of the home made treats i remember are the popcorn balls, caramel apples, and one lady would give out brownies that she would cut out and than using the frosting make em into spiders which was cool as heck growing up.