Just not what it used to be....

Happy Halloween 2010!

Oh, how I love halloween! The creativity of costumes, the dressing up, and of course, the collection of candy !

I don't think of myself as "old". I go and play on Halloween with the kids, and we have a blast.
But it's just not the same.

I'm not aware of when it all changed.

When we were kids, we'd dress up, and gather with all the neighbor kids on someones front lawn- I mean 10 to 15 kids, from age 6 to 12-14.we had quite the 'block" . On top of that, we would all also have an exta personal pal or two to go with us. we'd have one or two parents along, who usually got left behind or split up, and no one panicked, because all of us kids stayed together, and knew where to go.
door to door , we even trick or treated our own houses!

These evenings usually ended on another lawn, costume masks and capes tossed around, jackets scattered, and the trading and snacking of candy all over the place.

the next morning of course we'd all meet there again, at the demand of our parents, and walk up and down the street collecting the wrappers.

I understand that times have changed. . . parents are waaay paranoid, and being one myself, rightfully so. there are reports of crazies pulling children into thier homes, picking them up off the road, putting harmful items into the candies...

these things were happening "back in the day" as well , just perhaps not as well known. We were all very trusting of our neighbors, because we did everything as a community.

These days, people keep to themselves, the kids are all but secluded in paranoia.

They load up into parents trucks and vans, and ride from house to house.( the case here because the houses are miles apart!) the parents looking down each sidestreet, desperately hoping to see more than one porch light lit. ( and there are few, as all the people with kids have left to share the same mission,leaving no one to give out goodies)

When this becomes too much for the wired out excited children, the parents seek "trunk and treat" events. This is actually a good idea. The churches, & community centers decorate their cars and vans for halloween, fill their tunks with candy, and park in well lit parking lots. the kids go 'trunk to trunk" .
The problem I have with this, is that parents end up driving all over town to get to each of these events before they close down. Many times its a repeated mission of find the event, and get there AS they close down because they are out of candy already.

back to the porch light search, and then to relatives' homes, hoping they're home so the kids can knock on just one door.

It almost becomes more of a seek n search mission.

Husband and I have decided we will be creating our own halloween event here at the nuthouse in years to come. we will set up spooky trails, craft tables, games, and of course, trick or treating.