The Halloween of my childhood was uncomplicated and delightful — a time for costumes and candy. I can still recall the pungent, synthetic aroma of those budget-friendly masks from the local pharmacy. I remember huffing and puffing through the neighborhood, my breath fogged by the “made in China” mask, with an unspoken awareness of who knows how many harmful chemicals I was inhaling. That distinct scent wafted around me as I raced from house to house, clutching my plastic pumpkin, which had already lost its flimsy handle after a mere ten Tootsie Pops.
My mom wasn’t particularly crafty, and neither am I. The major difference is that she didn’t have Pinterest whispering the “perfect” way to celebrate Halloween. However, one year, she decided to take a stab at creating a homemade costume for me. For reasons unknown, she thought I would look magnificent as a peacock. What slightly chubby, self-conscious fourth-grader wouldn’t want to don a leotard plastered with a riot of feathers? My mom had glued thousands of feathers onto that outfit.
As the school parade progressed, feathers rained down, and I ended up gathering them in a plastic baggie, molting all over the place. But you know what? It was a blast. Halloween was always a good time. As a kid, costumes and candy were everything, but now it seems like Martha Stewart, Heidi Klum, and Pinterest have changed the game.
Halloween Then:
- Costumes: Somewhere between October 20th and 25th, your mom would inquire about your Halloween costume. She would either give you a witch hat and a black dress, or a sheet with eye holes, or take you to the drugstore to see what was on sale.
- Candy: While at the drugstore, your mom would grab a few bags of candy. On Halloween night, she’d mix all the candy in a big stew pot from your kitchen to serve to trick-or-treaters.
- School Parade: When the big Halloween Parade at school happened, mom dropped you off, relieved that the teachers would manage the chaos of hundreds of excited kids parading in costumes, hyped up on sugar.
- Pumpkin Carving: Carving pumpkins was a simple affair involving a trip to Giant for pumpkins, a sharp kitchen knife, and some candles mom scavenged from the junk drawer.
- Decorating: Halloween decorations were limited to sparkly witches and skeletons available at the drugstore alongside candy and costumes.
- Trick or Treating Dinner: Mom would swing through McDonald’s on the way home to grab something “healthy” for dinner before the candy feast began.
- Trick or Treating: If you were over seven, mom would send you off into the neighborhood with friends, trusting the neighbors and knowing you wouldn’t get into too much trouble.
- Candy Guidelines: Mom would make you toss any apples because of urban legends suggesting they could be tampered with. “Just eat the candy, kids!” she’d say.
- Parents’ Role: While passing out candy, mom and dad would kick back, enjoying wine and non-organic cheese and crackers, watching the parade of ghosts and witches, with the occasional Rubik’s Cube thrown in.
- Candy Feasting: After returning home, you and your siblings would devour as much candy as you could grab from your pillowcase or plastic pumpkin.
- Photography: Some Polaroids would capture these moments.
Halloween Now:
- Costumes: Moms now ask their kids what they want to be in the spring, so they can gather the right materials for an authentic costume. No one wants an Elsa in the wrong cape, right? Pinterest boards are already in the works.
- Candy: Moms raid Target for the best candy right at the start of school, with bonus points awarded for Non-GMO treats.
- Crafting: After Target, it’s off to Michael’s to buy decorations like large baskets, faux leaves, and orange velvet for candy-giving.
- Costume Accessories: In July, the costume catalogs arrive, and moms are busy picking out extravagant “Wishworks” costumes and backup outfits, just in case.
- Professional Makeup: Once costumes are settled, moms hire a face painter for both the school parade and Halloween night.
- Trick or Treating Dinner: Moms now plan elaborate neighborhood potlucks with organic chili, homemade cornbread, and salads to sustain kids while they go door-to-door, often with two adults per child for extra supervision.
- Trick or Treat Pails: The monogrammed, glow-in-the-dark Halloween totes are ordered from Pottery Barn or Lands’ End, typically by August 1st, or they sell out!
- Halloween Décor: While kids are in school, moms fill their decorated baskets with fancy miniature gourds from the local nursery.
- Pumpkin Carving: Pumpkin carving is now an event, complete with specialized tools from William-Sonoma and gourmet meals served during the process.
- School Halloween Social: Moms attend school Halloween socials, baking non-GMO, gluten-free cookies for bake sales and bringing organic snacks, since candy is banned.
- Photography: Every child is photographed in their full costume for social media sharing.
- Candy Control: After trick-or-treating, moms confiscate all candy, allowing just one piece a day to keep daily sugar intake in check.
Happy Halloween!
In summary, Halloween has transformed from a simple night of costumes and candy into a carefully curated event filled with elaborate preparations, endless Pinterest boards, and a focus on health. The essence of fun remains, but it now comes with a side of stress and planning.
Keyphrase: Halloween Then and Now
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