Halloween

We had 0 trick or treaters at our house Saturday night, not a single one. Each year we seem to have fewer and fewer children at the door. I think we maxed out at about 20 some years ago. We do live in a rural area, with no sidewalks and fairly widely spaced homes with long driveways, and there aren't many kids in our immediate vicinity. All in all, however, the idea of Halloween night as a time of general mischief and kids running wild seems to have faded. When I was a child, back in the dark ages, we would roam the streets for hours. My neighborhood was not that much different from the one I live in now, the big difference was the number of kids. We traveled in packs, collecting candy and causing trouble. We would soap car windows (or sometimes WAX them). We scared the younger kids by jumping out of bushes and ditches. We wandered aimlessly.

Costumes were secondary to our pursuits. We went simply--as ghosts, hobos, skiers, or witches. A few odd pieces of clothing, maybe some make-up or a wig, and we were set. I don't think I ever owned a store bought costume. When my kids entered Halloween age I was overwhelmed by the whole costume scene. I hated making them or buying them. I hated dressing the kids up. I hated taking them trick or treating. Instead of Halloween being a kid holiday, it became a parental chore. I lost my enthusiasm. Maybe that's why we don't get many trick or treaters, they can tell this is a house inhabited by Halloween naysayers.