Halloween memories for the older crowd

[KJJ]

Halloween always brings back a lot of great memories. October 31 is just another day on my calendar now and has been for many years, but as a child growing up it was one of my favorite days. Halloween is the one time when you can pretend to be something you're not and be rewarded for it. My trick-or-treating years were during the 1960s and part of the 70s. You know you’re getting old when some of the Halloween costumes you wore as a kid have become high priced collectibles. It didn't make my daily mega dose of Geritol go down any easier seeing "vintage" to describe an old Deputy Dawg costume like the one I wore as a child. There were no Halloween stores with wall to wall costumes and accessories years ago. Parents either made their kids Halloween costumes from cheap household materials or they took them to a five and dime and bought them a costume in a box for under 10 bucks.

You would put them on over your clothes. The eye holes on the mask never fit your eyes perfectly, which limited your vision. The breathing holes were so damn tiny they wouldn't facilitate oxygen flow, making it difficult to breathe, but naturally you never said anything fearing you wouldn’t be allowed to wear it. The growth of TV in the 1960s-70s and the programs we watched, especially on Saturday mornings had a big influence on the Halloween costumes we wore. Along with the usual ghouls and goblins on Halloween night were the George Jetsons, Quick Draw McGraws, Huckleberry Hounds and Atom Ants. You would see one of the Beatles tagging along with Little Joe Cartwright and trailing behind trying to keep up was a pint sized Maytag repairman.

The streets around the small town I grew up in were so traffic free that some parents would allow their kids to trick-or-treat unsupervised with a group of other kids, with the older kids keeping an eye on the younger kids. Parents were probably more worried about their kids on Halloween when they outgrew trick-or-treating, because Halloween isn’t all about cute costumes, candy corn, cookies and M&Ms, it’s about pranks! Water balloons, talc bombs and toilet papering people’s property. The neighborhoods were a potential pranking battle ground for kids who after a decade of trick-or-treating had finally grown tired of going from door to door on Halloween night, pretending to be Bullwinkle, Mr. Whipple and Gumby, just to get a bag full of candy. They were ready to up their game as teenagers and play some tricks on Halloween.

 

[Cowpolk]

Was one of my favorite holidays in the late 50's thru the 70's Had a bad one when I was 6 2 teenaged punks stole my large full bag from me Pissed me off so bad that I started picking up rocks and started to nail them They ran away but they kept the bag

 

[Runwildboys]

In the 70's, from probably ages 10 - 15, my friends and I would walk for miles and miles, and come home with pillow cases and garbage bags full of candy. I remember my oldest sister bringing me to an apartment complex in Jersey City once, and it was ridiculous how much candy I got in about half an hour. People back then (at least in my rural town) didn't care if you showed up at 9 or 10 at night, though a lot of them were out of candy by then.

We had one house in our neighborhood in which the husband and wife were both artists, and every year they'd decorate their Victorian house (To the rest of us, who all lived in log homes on the lake, it looked like a witch's house already.) and one of them would hand out candy, dressed as a witch, werewolf, skeleton, etc., staying in spooky character the whole time. It was awesome!...until Billy Voight ran down the driveway screaming, and started throwing rocks at the house. They still continued to dress up after that, but Billy wasn't allowed to go there.

Yeah, Halloween was amazing. Now I get all these brats coming to my house, trying to get free candy, with their parents waiting in the car at the edge of the yard.

 

[Cowpolk]

In the 70's, from probably ages 10 - 15, my friends and I would walk for miles and miles, and come home with pillow cases and garbage bags full of candy. I remember my oldest sister bringing me to an apartment complex in Jersey City once, and it was ridiculous how much candy I got in about half an hour. People back then (at least in my rural town) didn't care if you showed up at 9 or 10 at night, though a lot of them were out of candy by then.

We had one house in our neighborhood in which the husband and wife were both artists, and every year they'd decorate their Victorian house (To the rest of us, who all lived in log homes on the lake, it looked like a witch's house already.) and one of them would hand out candy, dressed as a witch, werewolf, skeleton, etc., staying in spooky character the whole time. It was awesome!...until Billy Voight ran down the driveway screaming, and started throwing rocks at the house. They still continued to dress up after that, but Billy wasn't allowed to go there.

Yeah, Halloween was amazing. Now I get all these brats coming to my house, trying to get free candy, with their parents waiting in the car at the edge of the yard.

I have actually seen parents driving kids from house to house Honest

 

[Runwildboys]

I have actually seen parents driving kids from house to house Honest

I know, they do it here, and I live on a dead end street!

 

[Tabascocat]

Once my candy days were over, we wreaked havoc in the neighborhood

 

[Fritsch_the_cat]

Halloween used to be the best day to be a kid, after Christmas and your birthday.

 

[KJJ]

Once my candy days were over, we wreaked havoc in the neighborhood

I used to play some crazy pranks once my candy days were done. My brother was preparing to go to a Halloween party so before he took a shower, I unscrewed the shower head and dried the inside of it thoroughly. I then poured in a red powered drink mix and replaced the shower head. I can still hear him screaming as he was being showered with fake blood. Lol

 

[Cowpolk]

I used to play some crazy pranks once my candy days were done. My brother was preparing to go to a Halloween party so before he took a shower, I unscrewed the shower head and dried the inside of it thoroughly. I then poured in a red powered drink mix and replaced the shower head. I can still hear him screaming as he was being showered with fake blood. Lol

I use to pretend to be hanging by the neck with a light below me With a Alka-Seltzer in my mouth with a red food die mixed in always wore a white t-shirt when we did it got lost of mixed reactions from it

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

In the 70's, from probably ages 10 - 15, my friends and I would walk for miles and miles, and come home with pillow cases and garbage bags full of candy. I remember my oldest sister bringing me to an apartment complex in Jersey City once, and it was ridiculous how much candy I got in about half an hour. People back then (at least in my rural town) didn't care if you showed up at 9 or 10 at night, though a lot of them were out of candy by then.

We had one house in our neighborhood in which the husband and wife were both artists, and every year they'd decorate their Victorian house (To the rest of us, who all lived in log homes on the lake, it looked like a witch's house already.) and one of them would hand out candy, dressed as a witch, werewolf, skeleton, etc., staying in spooky character the whole time. It was awesome!...until Billy Voight ran down the driveway screaming, and started throwing rocks at the house. They still continued to dress up after that, but Billy wasn't allowed to go there.

Yeah, Halloween was amazing. Now I get all these brats coming to my house, trying to get free candy, with their parents waiting in the car at the edge of the yard.

You know what will fix those brats? Give them Candy Corn and watch them never come back,

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

I use to pretend to be hanging by the neck with a light below me With a Alka-Seltzer in my mouth with a red food die mixed in always wore a white t-shirt when we did it got lost of mixed reactions from it

Haha, i did the same a few times. Dressed up as monster tied to a chair on the front porch. When the kids got comfortable with me being there i jumped up and scared em, One little girl ran off dropping her bag of candy and never came back.

 

[SlammedZero]

Halloween was fantastic when I was young. When I was a kid it was late 80s/early 90s. I feel like there were tons of kids out everywhere back then! Nowadays, neighborhoods feel a lot quieter to me. It was fun. Plus, it was a tradition for me to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. One of my favorites growing up. Speaking of, I haven't watched that in years. I may have to find a way to watch it.

They do some cool things around Boise now. There is a historic district called Harrison Blvd that is full of old mansions. They have always had amazing decorations, but now Boise shuts down the entire boulevard for only foot traffic. It's really cool. Wish I had that growing up. lol

 

[cowboyec]

one year my mom made me a batman costume.
we stayed out so long...my sweat ruined the mask.
my dad took my friend lance and i thru several neighborhoods in his truck...the last stop was an apt complex...we cleaned up.
it was a massive haul.
we were soo tired.
i didnt own a pair of black or blue boots.
just brown suede.
i was the only batman in brown boots.
but i didn't care.
i thought that suit was so cool.

another year my mom and i came up with a costume idea just a few hours before i went out.
in my mind i wanted to be a ware-wolf...in the beginning stages.
after my mom shredded the sleeves...i put in my vampire teeth.
i didnt have anything for hair...so i got out green face paint.
when she was done....the ware-wolf became the incredible hulk.
and to this day other than the costume on the spot...what i remember most is this good looking single lady hitting on my dad on our candy route at one of the houses we stopped at.
stayed just between us.

my last time going out...i was the phantom gun-fighter.
i wore a hobo mask that looked alot like the oklahoma state cowboy pistol pete.
had my favorite black cowboy hat...one of my dads white dress shirts and strapped on my pistol.
i was proud of that costume.
on the spot.
my own invention.
no one else was the phantom gunfighter.
my older brother went with me.
every house went the same.
they'd ask me what i was.
my muffled mask response was...the phantom gunfighter.
my brother's....he's a tax collector.
i said louder...too no avail...no...i'm the phantom gunfighter.
it still pisses me off.
but i made another great candy haul.

 

[lukin2006]

I have a sweet tooth and I love candy…so halloween was just about the best night of the year,

 

[Rockport]

Once my candy days were over, we wreaked havoc in the neighborhood

No surprise.

 

[Runwildboys]

My favorite Halloween memory was actually when I was a young adult.

My father and his wife had come out from Michigan, because my mother and his wife went on a cruise together. (She was a really fun lady, who my father didn't deserve.)

They were coming back on Halloween night, and we figured they'd be a little sad that their cruise was over, so we decided we'd dress up and pick them up at the airport in costume. My first thought was obvious - Hare Krishnas.

We got bald scalp caps, dyed some old robes, and my father, brother, his girlfriend, and I went to the airport to pick them up. As we're walking through the airport, trying to hand out flowers and Happy Halloween flyers, everyone - and I mean everyone - is walking way out of their way around us. It would have been insulting, had it not been a joke.

As we approach my mother and stepmother, my stepmother points at us and says, "Dotty look, Hare Krishnas!" Then laughter as they say, "Oh, they're just costumes!"

Then my mother looks directly at me, and her mouth just drops. It took a few seconds before they both almost fell on the floor, laughing.

That's a Halloween memory I'll never forget.

 

[Roadtrip635]

My favorite Halloween memory was actually when I was a young adult.

My father and his wife had come out from Michigan, because my mother and his wife went on a cruise together. (She was a really fun lady, who my father didn't deserve.)

They were coming back on Halloween night, and we figured they'd be a little sad that their cruise was over, so we decided we'd dress up and pick them up at the airport in costume. My first thought was obvious - Hare Krishnas.

We got bald scalp caps, dyed some old robes, and my father, brother, his girlfriend, and I went to the airport to pick them up. As we're walking through the airport, trying to hand out flowers and Happy Halloween flyers, everyone - and I mean everyone - is walking way out of their way around us. It would have been insulting, had it not been a joke.

As we approach my mother and stepmother, my stepmother points at us and says, "Dotty look, Hare Krishnas!" Then laughter as they say, "Oh, they're just costumes!"

Then my mother looks directly at me, and her mouth just drops. It took a few seconds before they both almost fell on the floor, laughing.

That's a Halloween memory I'll never forget.

That's pretty funny, a classic! You couldn't do that nowadays, you'd get tazed by airport security!

 

[Roadtrip635]

Always loved Halloween as a kid. Parents never accompanied kids door to door past the age of 6 or 7, from 7-8 you're on your own with friends. We'd divide and conquer, trying to find the houses with the best candy and avoid the apples and popcorn houses...lol.

Our neighborhood got more dangerous after about 9:00, the older high school kids would drive around bombing kids with water balloons and/or eggs, but it was totally worth the risk to get to as many houses as we could....lol

 

[Vtwin]

Around here in the late 60's early 70's the night before Halloween was known as Cabbage Night and was when the pranksters had their fun. Just about every neighborhood had it's band of pranksters roaming the city. Stores would pull the eggs off the shelves. Every cop on the force, and maybe a few special deputies would be out patrolling, often in their own vehicles. It never took long to figure out which vehicles were the cops and they would then be targeted. I honestly think the cops back then enjoyed the night. Of course we knew every backyard and every fence, and they would try and pattern us and head us off at the pass. No real damage was done. The usual irresponsible prankster stuff.

Halloween night was much calmer and completely safe for everyone to trick or treat wherever they wished. Chances of having to wear your costume over a winter parka were good so you had to be prepared for that. Definitely one of the highlights of the year.

 

[KJJ]

Around here in the late 60's early 70's the night before Halloween was known as Cabbage Night and was when the pranksters had their fun.

Cabbage night around our house was my brother constantly farting. My mom made rolled cabbage once a week and my brother turned it into a fart fest. He became a professional flatulist for a couple of months, loading up on cabbage before every performance. However, he was forced to give it up after rupturing his sphincter muscle during a farting contest.