Halloween is quickly approaching and with it pumpkins, overly candied children, and scary movies on television. There is talk of “eye of newt and tow of frog.” There is planning of good-natured and harmless mischief. There is dressing up and the already ringing in our ears sound of “trick or treat.”
Growing up in the 1970s in rural Connecticut, Halloween was different. It was not just the lack of technology that keeps us all tethered to one another now, it had a more innocent feel to it. Perhaps that is just middle age nostalgia. However, back in the day Halloween was a two-day event. The night before was “Doorbell Night” a time when neighborhood kids would make mischief of one kind or another.
In a town of less than 6,000 people Doorbell Night was tough. Everyone knew everyone. If someone saw you doing something you should not be doing your parents would know about it before you got home. The local market, of which there was only one in our small town, would not sell toilet paper or shaving cream to anyone under the age of 16 for the week leading up to anticipated night. Mostly we hung out at the street corner and ran into the woods or corn field when cars approached.
Halloween itself was the main event and it was planned for with military precision. We would spend days pouring over a local map, looking for concentrations of potential trick-or-treat targets, avoiding corn fields and overly long driveways. We would layer over the homes most likely to have candy and avoid the World War I veteran down the street who went to bed at 7 p.m.
Finally, the day would arrive. We would be prepped and ready to run out the door at 5 p.m. The next four hours were spent running between homes to get as much candy as possible. We would be sweating, laughing, yelling, as we spent the evening going up one street and down another.
What were our costumes? I honestly cannot remember. However, I do remember the Pape’s, who lived at the bottom of South Street, gave out Peanut Butter Cups, and the World War I veteran would stay up late to greet the trick-or-treaters and give out full-sized candy bars. It was good natured fun and our dentist’s favorite day of the year…By the way our dentist was not on our route, but friends across town said he would give out dental floss.
We can all be a bit nostalgic for our youth at times, especially when the memories are happy ones. Perhaps it is the time of year as well. The days are getting shorter and darker and spookier. We find ourselves watching scary movies that get our adrenaline pumping while a fire warms the house. Like our parents in the 1970s we are trying to avoid turning on the heat for as long as possible.
When Halloween does arrive this coming Tuesday, we encourage everyone to be vigilant as you drive around town. Kids still run between houses more focused on candy than cars. Be patient and kind. If you are home handling out candy, give out the full-size candy bars. If your youngster is trick-or-treating, you may want to schedule their dentist appointment now. Most important is to enjoy Halloween and the season.
One of our favorite quotes for Halloween comes from the witches’ scene in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth:
“Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.”
