Traditional Classic Halloween Was the Scariest!!

 

Several decades ago, Halloween celebrations were classic, like classic rock. They never become outdated, but manufacturing and retail would like us to forget it and move on each season with new items. Let's review why traditional classic Halloween rules!

In the 1950s, 60s, and 70s when the baby boomer generation was a huge part of the population, Halloween took on the tradition we know now, knocking on doors, saying "trick or treat" and getting free candy. 

Costumes started out as homemade creations, paper bag masks, capes, cardboard boxes, and mom's scrap fabrics. The industry hadn't caught on yet that manufactured masks and costumes might be a money making deail. 

It was autumn and everything was harvest-related, so things like hay bales, cornstalks, scarecrows, and the like were a part of the decor. Bobbing for apples, paper napkin ghosts, black construction paper bats, corn dollies, and carved dried apple heads were in the lineup, as well.

Popular costumes might have been cowboys, astronauts, hobos, gypsies, princesses, and witches.

And jagged-tooth jack o'lanterns were a permanent symbol of the season. 

The folk art vibe of children's constructed misshappen paper masks, the tattered clothing, and candlelit pumpkins, the scratchy dry corn stalks, and harvest gourds mingled with woodsmoke and crunchy leaves. 

If kids didn't carry a plastic pumpkin bucket for candy, they sure as heck ambitiously carried pillowcases. Cute songs played on the radio to get the anticipation going and TV offered ads for all kinds of holiday specials and goodies.

The most anticipated day of the school year was to wear your costume to class and have the classes parade the hallways to show off the lineup while receiving licorice and other treats from the teacher. Class parties involved punch, donuts, candy corn, and other delicious treats with orange and black streamers twisted overhead and black cut out paper bats taped to the windows and walls. 

Somewhere along the way, neighbors didn't know each other, parents didn't trust strangers, and political correctness meant honoring the holiday in school was forbidden, and children were encouraged to show up at trunk or treat events with parents standing over them instead of running like unsupervised pagans up and down the streets with heavy pillowcases until 10-11 pm.

retro candy

If you're feeling nostalgic and still love Halloween, enjoy my book - it is full of ways for adults to take back the season that we helped establish.

Adult Halloween: Taking Back the Season!