I took the kids out trick or treating tonight. It had been a while since we had done that. Last year the fires in San Diego were either still burning or just out on the 31st (I can’t remember) either way we weren’t at our house and did not go out. The year before that my family came down to San Diego and stayed with me at the Residence Inn, my home at the time. I think we did go over and trick or treat at a strip mall, but not the same. Regardless I was able to enjoy a wonderful evening watching my 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son as they quickly learned the art of collecting free candy. Pretty amazing to watch a whole community celebrate something together. An event that removes the worries of the economy, politics or even a health crisis for a bit, while giving us a chance to meet or catch up with our neighbors. We lose our concerns with security and safety for just a few hours as we allow our children to walk up to a strangers door (but only the ones with the porch light on), knock and ask them for candy. Also, the kids get a crash course in manners (don’t grab, just take one and say thank you).

Little different than the old days. All the candy is store bought and has to be inspected by the parent before the kids can eat it. Gone are the days of the popcorn balls, cookies and candied apples (a huge loss if you ask me). This is all the fault of some wack job putting razor blades into the home made treats sometime when I was a kid.

Also different are the costumes. Most (but not all) are store bought. I remember as a kid that you could buy a costume that consisted of a suit made of some sort of vinyl (can still remember the smell) and a paper thin plastic mask made to last most of the day at school and part of the evening before the elastic band holding it to your head pulled out. There were nose, mouth and eye holes that were not cut to match anyones features that I knew and as such they were usually pulled up to rest on top of your head until you were actively asking for candy.

Even better than those, I remember the classic homemade costume. Today I see it as incredibly creative and frugal, but at the time I was always jealous of the kids that smelled like a fresh beach ball. My costume selection process usually went something like this.

Eric: mom, I want to be luke skywalker for Halloween
Mom: here is your dads flannel shirt, you’re a logger

There were obviously variations, and I am sure there were times we bought the plastic suit but we were a “creative” family so we made a lot of stuff. I never was a ghost with a bed sheet with eye holes cut out, that would have ruined a good sheet. More likely it would be a garbage bag with eye holes cut out, and we didn’t have the white bags you see today, so I would have been a black ghost. Nice thing was, if you folded it up carefully, the next year you could stuff it with paper and be a California Raisin.

All this to say, when I was a kid the streets were filled with creative, frugal homemade costumes, with a few store bought items thrown in. A little different than what you see today.

What hasn’t changed is the chance for the grown ups to stand and visit while they keep an eye on the kids from the end of the walk. A true look at the way a community should be, even if it is for one night a year and the former logger is now watching his princess and dragon trick or treat.

Now that they are asleep its time to go raid the bags 🙂

Eric