1970's HALLOWEEN FLASHBACK

Trick or Treating through the 1970's brings back a feeling of nostalgia.  This morning, I am flooding with memories of the "times".  Costumes were typically Super-Heroes, monsters and witches.  Home made costumes such as gypsies, princesses, bums and pirates were not uncommon.  My oldest friend, Cindy, with whom I "trick or treated" every year as a kid, was always an old lady.  Everyone in our neighborhood knew who she was, and her costume was always very cute, sporting her white wig, long beige coat and rouged cheeks. 

I recall the smell of dried Autumn leaves, apples and chimney smoke; and, the warnings from friends not to go to a certain house because the old lady who lived there put razor blades in the apples she was giving out  - which, of course was not true - but we didn't go there just the same.  As we got older and braver, we would knock on the door just to get the apples to throw at other friends.

Our older brothers would be out around town raising hell - throwing eggs and apples at people and cars - or spraying shaving cream on people - and running away from the local cops....... I guess it was their age and personal form of amusement back then. 

There was definitely more than one occasion where we "trick or treated" with a foot or two of snow on the ground, but it didn't deter us.  Come hell or high-water, we would trudge through the cold with our pillow cases in hand, seeking the candy pot of gold.  I remember one snowy year, where an elderly woman gave us nickels as she had run out of candy!

My family's house was on Main Street, so it was usually the hub of activity.  My sister and her friends, my brother and her friends, and me and my friends would gather out front to watch others, throw eggs at people and cars, yell and scream at one another and so on.  Eventually, my mother would always come to the front door and beckon me to bed.  I was never that disappointed, as it was the opportunity for me to examine my haul from my door-to-door trick or treating.  

All in all, I had a great childhood, and Halloween was always a favorite event for me.