What has happened to Halloween? Maybe it is different where you live, but where I am kids don’t trick or treat anymore. Every year I carve pumpkins (and yes, of course I roast the seeds), buy candy and wait for the bell to ring. And every year, nothing. Yes, I am glad for the candy I am now “forced” to eat, but I miss the kids.  Where are they? Well,  they go to “Fall Festivals”, malls and city sponsored events.  Really? Are parents that afraid? I think this is more than a shame, I think it is a crime.  To deprive kids of the unparalleled joy of running recklessly, while in a hot mask, from door to door collecting candy is dare I say, un-American.

I have such fond memories of Halloween’s past. EVERYBODY went trick or treating then. There were no festivals or mall events. Just good old-fashioned door to door begging.  First, I had to go with my Mom and sister.  Mom always got tired, but still the fun we had… Even the time I was so excited to beat my sister to the door that I tripped on my costume and slammed into the driveway blooding my hands and knees, is a fond memory. I simply got up and started running again.  Amazing the power of sugar!  Then when we got home, we officially started the swap.  You know, where you pour out all of the nights treats and trade what you didn’t want, for what you couldn’t live without.  I wasn’t a fan of chocolate then (I KNOW!), so I would trade my chocolate bars for my sister’s Twizzlers & Dum Dum pops.  We were allowed to eat all we wanted that night and then my Mom would take control and would give us treats in our lunch boxes.

As I got older, Halloween became even more fun. No more Mom to slow me down. No more bossy older sister. And no more hot, sweaty plastic masks. Once older I opted for make-up.  I think I was a Hobo at least 20 times.  I went out with my friends.  Mom would always order pizza so we would have a “good” meal before we left (LOL!). And then I was off. My friends and I were relentless. Never tiring and never getting enough candy.  There was always, “Just one more house.” Or, “Apartments! More candy less work!”   I would return home with a pillowcase (graduated from the plastic pumpkin) so full of candy I could barely hold onto it.  Looking through my candy on those nights I felt what rich men must feel looking at all their money… An odd mix of happiness, greed and protectiveness.

I trick or treated until I was fifteen. I loved it that much.  But then I became “cool” and “cool” kids didn’t trick or treat. They went to Halloween parties, drank too much beer and made out with each other while in slutty costumes.  But before I started my night of debauchery, I always answered the door at home and handed out candy. Because secretly, even then, part of me wished I was trick or treating.

So, here I am, too old to trick or treat. Believe me, if I could get away with it, I would go in a second.  And no kids at my door.  Here is my plea. Parents, let your kids trick or treat. I don’t care if they still get dressed up and get candy. When the lady at The Gap is handing you a fun sized Snickers at the mall, it just isn’t the same. Set your kids free. Let them run from door to door. Even smash a pumpkin or two. It is all part of growing up and all the Fall Festivals in the world can’t take the place of one wild Halloween night when all the world and its candy is yours.  Remember, you trick or treated and you are alive today to talk about it.  Please don’t leave me with unseen Jack O’Lanterns, uneaten candy and the feeling that a tradition is slowly dying.  And while I am on my soapbox, if you are lucky enough to get trick or treaters, don’t hand out boxes of raisins and toothbrushes. They simply get thrown away. If ever there was a night for pure, unrivaled sugar decadence, Halloween is it.