We had no less then 58 trick-or-treaters, and this is our first year as distributors! Our neighborhood is a new one, all built in the last 1.5 years or so, with very small lots. Naturally, lots of new families with young’uns. I think it must be Trick-or-treat paradise to have such a high concentration of participating houses; less walking, more candy. And the decorations! Last year, just after we moved in (in November) the 6 or so residents that preceded us (by a few weeks at the most), had decked their houses for Christmas! And this while still unpacking! Homeowner enthusiasm runs very high around here, so it was no suprise that many had their Halloween lights (when did these come along?) up by mid-september. We went spookier and less-kid-friendly with blacklights, skulls and skeletons (most others had the goofy cartoony-looking decorations…wussies!) I answered the door as Julius Ceasar (a costume that won me the office costume-contest prize!) thereby confusing the hell out of small children whose history curiculum is doubtlessly inadequate (I’m positive I knew who Ceasar was by 3rd grade!). One thought I was an angel. sigh
I do love the holiday, though. It is one of the few remaining community holidays around. Christmas and Thanksgiving are generally for families. Independence Day is spent with friends. Halloween, though, when celebrated traditionally (that is, not in a sanitized, wimpy, “let’s-drive-to-then-walk-around-the-well-lit-mall” way), is all about the commuity. Without any sort of organizing structure, folks deck out their homes, and buy tons of candy, all for the benefit of kids (of all ages). They don’t have to, and many don’t, but it makes kids and their parents aware of their neighbors, something missing in today’s world. And anyone who gives out decent candy on Halloween couldn’t be that bad a person any other day out of the year.
Enough ramble for now.