Let’s travel back in time to when our grandparents—or even great-grandparents—were in that magical age range of 5 to 12 years old. Holidays held such a special sparkle, with magical figures like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. And the last day of October meant school parties, costumes, mystery, make-believe, and the biggest reward of all: candy.
Halloween has changed drastically since our elders’ days. Back then, the holiday was filled with simple fun, innocence, trust, and a distinct lack of commercialism. Unlike today, an adult’s role in the holiday was minimal—perhaps driving the kids around, but usually just answering the door to bask in the fun of asking, “Who are you supposed to be?” (Or, if you ran into the Halloween equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge: “Aren’t you a little too old for trick-or-treating?”)
Today, Halloween is celebrated by children of all ages, many well above the age of 18. It’s a $13 billion holiday, with the average person spending around $115 on costumes, decor, and accessories. It’s big business. But it wasn’t always that way.
- Seventy years ago, our grandparents were children, and Halloween held the sweet promise of future cavities and a payday for the dreaded dentist. Mothers often crafted costumes out of old bedsheets, cardboard, or hand-me-down clothes. Stores had a single aisle dedicated to inexpensive plastic masks held on by thin rubber bands. These masks had tiny eyeholes and a single small opening to (barely) breathe through. The specific character you were portraying didn’t matter much…as long as you were wearing a costume, that entitled you to take part in the ritual of trick-or-treating.
Once darkness came, usually around 6:00 PM, packs of costumed kids took to the streets without adult supervision. They walked house to house, ringing doorbells and shouting, “TRICK OR TREAT!” Homeowners, under the lighthearted threat of a harmless prank, willingly relinquished sugary payment. Kids usually received store-bought sweets, though many households gave out apples, caramel apples, popcorn balls, or homemade Rice Krispies treats. Some towns had that one dentist who handed out toothbrushes, hoping to strike a little fear of tooth decay into the neighborhood trick-or-treaters. Decades later, such toothbrush tomfoolery would be greeted by a tree streamed with toilet paper or a house plastered with eggs for said dental expert. Trick, indeed!
It was a simpler time. Porch lights were on, doors were open, and everyone in every neighborhood joined in the fun. There was no worry about food safety or the urban legends that arose decades later. While some children called it a night after two hours with a full pillowcase, others aimed for maximum profit—running through every neighborhood in town until 10:00 PM to secure enough candy to last until Christmas.
Of course, once back home, Mom or Dad would ‘inspect’ the loot, likely taxing their offspring a few bite-sized treats before warning them about impending tummy aches. Overall, it was a wonderful time to be a child, regardless of stories now of how they may have trick-or-treated uphill, both ways…
That was Halloween for your grandparents growing up. Don’t you wish you could have experienced it? There’s a reason why our beloved seniors call them “the good ol’ days”—because they truly were.
From everyone at Parkview Senior Living, where we warmly welcome trick-or-treaters on Halloween eve: have a happy and safe Halloween!
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