Halloweening

Halloweening is what we called it when I was a kid growing up in Slatington. No one said trick or treating.

We always did our Halloweening on Halloween! What a concept!  It wasn’t the closest Friday to Halloween. It was Halloween! School night be damned! October 31 was the night to get in our costumes and descend en masse on the uptown and downtown neighborhoods of my small town. It was always fun. It was always innocent. It was, for sure, a simpler time.

I can remember my first Halloween costume. I was a devil! I think, back then, that all Halloween costumes were made by the same company, with the same materials, and with hard plastic masks.  Collegeville, PA comes to mind as the place where they were made. That may just be a false memory.  The favorite costume I wore was the year I was Popeye. It had big mesh puffy sleeves as if I had just ate a can of spinach!

My memory says that a large majority of homes were open to receiving Halloweeners. We used to make out like thieves, with our bags of real candy. Yes, real candy!  Full size chocolate candy bars!! I feel bad for the kids today coming home with a bag full of tiny packages of Sweet Tarts and other non-chocolate “treats”.

I wonder how many of my Slatington readers will remember this from Halloweening: The absolute best house to visit was the Dr. Haines house on Washington Street. You know why?  Cash!! If you were lucky there could be five and ten dollar bills in your bag!

It was an innocent time. There were absolutely no fears of being abducted while going door to door for candy.  There were no fears of razor blades in apples.  It was a wonderful time to grow up and I miss it dearly.

Speaking of Halloween. Emma and I are going tomorrow night for the 40th anniversary screening of the original Halloween. She has never seen it and I can’t wait for her reaction.  It is showing, one time only, at Frank Banko Ale House Cinema at Artsquest in Bethlehem. Join us!

Big rainy Nor’easter is supposed to wash away the weekend in the Lehigh Valley. Better get out the door and get my hike in!