The Halloween I fondly recall was all about simplicity and joy—donning costumes and indulging in candy. My memories are tinged with the unmistakable scent of those inexpensive, plastic masks from the local drugstore. I can still remember panting through the neighborhood, my breath fogging up the “made in China” mask, unaware of the potential toxins I was inhaling. That smell enveloped me as I raced from house to house, clutching my flimsy orange pumpkin, whose handle had snapped off after I stuffed in my tenth Tootsie Pop.
Craftiness was not my mother’s forte, and creativity was not my strong suit either. The big difference? She didn’t have Pinterest telling her how to do Halloween “the right way.” But one year, she decided to try her hand at making me a costume. For some reason, she thought a peacock would be a fitting choice. What self-conscious, slightly chubby fourth grader wouldn’t want to strut around in a leotard festooned with colorful feathers? My mom glued on what felt like a million feathers that year.
As the day wore on during the school parade, feathers began to shed at an alarming pace. I ended up with a plastic baggie to collect my fallen plumage, molting all over school. But despite the chaos, it was a blast. Halloween was always a joy. As kids, costumes and candy held immense sway over our hearts, but today’s Halloween landscape is a different story thanks to the influence of Martha Stewart, Heidi Klum, and Pinterest.
Halloween Then:
- Costumes: Somewhere between October 20th and 25th, your mom would ask what you wanted to be for Halloween. Options included a witch hat and black dress, a sheet with eye holes cut out, or a quick trip to the drugstore for whatever was on sale.
- Candy: While at the drugstore, mom would grab a few bags of treats. On Halloween, she’d dump them into a large stew pot to serve to trick-or-treaters.
- School Parade: When the Halloween parade rolled around, mom would drop you off, relieved that teachers would handle the pandemonium of countless candy-fueled kids in costumes.
- Pumpkin Carving: This involved a trip to the grocery store for a couple of pumpkins, a kitchen knife, and some candles from the junk drawer.
- Decorations: Halloween decor consisted of glittery witches and skeletons from the drugstore, hung with care.
- Pre-Trick-or-Treating Meal: Mom would swing through the drive-thru at McDonald’s on the way home to grab something “healthy” for dinner before you plowed through mountains of candy.
- Trick-or-Treating: If you were over seven, mom would send you out with friends to collect candy, trusting the neighbors and knowing you wouldn’t get into too much trouble.
- Candy Guidelines: Mom insisted you toss any apples, fearing urban legends about razor blades, and told you to stick to the candy.
- Parents: While passing out candy, mom and dad would kick back with wine and snack on non-organic cheese and crackers, observing the parade of ghosts and witches.
- Candy Overload: Once home, you and your siblings would dive into your loot, gorging on as much candy as your pillowcase or plastic pumpkin could hold.
- Photography: A few polaroids captured the chaos of the night.
Halloween Now:
- Costumes: These days, mom starts asking the kids what they want to be in the spring, ensuring she can find the most accurate costumes inspired by summer blockbusters. She also begins her Pinterest board well in advance.
- Candy: By the first day of school, mom heads to Target to snag the best candy to hand out, prioritizing non-GMO options.
- Crafting: After Target, she stops at Michael’s to gather supplies for creating decorative baskets to hold candy.
- Costume Additions: In July, catalogs arrive, and mom carefully chooses kids’ costumes, spending a small fortune on “Wishworks” costumes. She even purchases a backup costume for Halloween night.
- Professional Makeup: Once the costumes are sorted, mom books a face painter for both the school parade and Halloween night to ensure everything is picture-perfect.
- Pre-Trick-or-Treating Feast: Planning a neighborhood potluck is essential, with organic chili, homemade cornbread, and salads that come from her garden to fuel the kids while trick-or-treating, supervised by a gaggle of adults.
- Trick-or-Treating Bags: Mom orders personalized, glow-in-the-dark trick-or-treat bags from Pottery Barn before they sell out.
- Halloween Decor: While the kids are at school, mom fills beautifully decorated baskets with gourds, mini pumpkins, and various Halloween-themed plants.
- Pumpkin Carving: Preparing for pumpkin carving is now an event, complete with specialized tools and recipes for pumpkin soup and spiced seeds.
- School Halloween Social: Mom bakes non-GMO, gluten-free cookies for the school’s Halloween social, where candy is banned. She’s often asked to help kids change out of their costumes afterward to avoid distractions.
- Photography: Mom documents every moment with countless photos, sharing them across social media platforms.
- Candy Control: At the end of the night, mom takes the candy bags hostage, allowing only one piece a day to control sugar intake.
Happy Halloween to all!
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In summary, Halloween has evolved from a simple night of costumes and candy to a meticulously planned event, with parents going above and beyond to create the perfect experience for their kids. While the essence of fun remains, the approach has changed dramatically.