Growing up on the streets of Brooklyn, Halloween was a big deal, something children looked forward to. It was all based on childhood ingenuity and creativity none of us could afford to buy a costume. Our costumes came out of attics, cellars, and closets, handcrafted and not out of a box with a barcode. We were so poor we couldn’t even afford to pay attention.
When we went to a door and rang the doorbell, it was often with mischief in our hearts and minds, ready to run like Hell when the door was answered and there was no candy or treats and we left our calling card. We didn’t show up, look blankly at the resident and hold out our plastic pumpkin, instead we knocked or rang the doorbell, yelled “Trick or treat!” and meant it.
There were never any toddlers going from door to door with their parents standing in the street, they were too young. And when we reached a certain age we stopped trick or treating. Yesterday some trick or treaters wore their football jerseys as costumes. I had to ask where they parked their cars!
All the wonderful traditions of the past are gone for sure. The electronic age has evaporated the joys of growing up and decimated sweet memories for the future. No one tried to injure children with needle and razor blade laced candy, and children were thrilled with candy or cakes they got and not so thrilled with fruit. A prank was generally laid out for those neighbors who were nasty, to begin with and so traditions lived by the way they were meant to be.
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