As Halloweens go, this one was a bust. I just turned off our porch lights, as the official time for Trick or Treating in our community is over. We had a grand total of three children come by.
It’s true we don’t live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of children, and we also don’t live where parents from other neighborhoods take their offspring because of rumors of generous candy-givers. No, we are definitely off the beaten ghostly path.
At the same time, I wonder if the custom of going house to house asking for candy is becoming obsolete altogether. Each Halloween, the late news has stories of children eating tainted candy or apples with razor blades hidden inside. It’s enough to frighten anybody with a grain of sense.
This isn’t the same as saying Halloween is becoming obsolete; it’s that the celebration of it is changing. Maybe schools are having more parties during the day; maybe at-home parties are growing in popularity. Not having school aged children, I don’t have the definitive answer.
I understand that, next to Christmas, Halloween is the second largest retail holiday in terms of decorations. I don’t doubt it; even my Starbuck’s barista was decked out in a costume this morning. And I’m sure that tomorrow will be the best time to buy Halloween candy, just as the best time to buy holiday wrapping paper is December 26. I don’t need any, however, as I’m well supplied.
Leave a Reply