Halloween is Halloween

Here are some of things that I sometimes find myself saying to my kids: We didn't have Iphones when I was your age. We didn't have DVRs when I was your age. That's right...we couldn't just pause live TV. We didn't have On Demand. We watched what was on the 5 channels that we had and went to the bathroom when there was a commercial. Really, you like commercials? Well, you wouldn't like them if you HAD to watch them all the time like we did. We didn't have portable DVD players. When we drove in the car for 6-7 hours, we looked out the window. We had records, eight track tapes, cassette tapes and walk mans. I didn't have a computer until I was in 9th grade. And, typing was called typing. Not keyboarding.

Generations do this. They talk about the way things were against the way things are. That's how it's always been, and I suspect that's how it always will be.

But, one of the times when I don't find myself talking about how things were different...is when it comes to Halloween. Despite some of the additional bells and whistles of costume choice, improved decorations and the friendly suggestion of not eating opened candy for fear of razor blades or poison, it's pretty much the same as it was in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. My kids enjoy Charlie Brown's The Great Pumpkin just as I did. It's nice to show up at my kids' schools, watch a good old fashion costume parade followed by a Halloween party. Halloween feels the same now as it did "then". And, I like it that way. You dress up. You walk around. You look for the "good candy houses". You ring the doorbell. And, then you say "Trick or Treat". You hope that you get a full size candy bar. And, when you do-it's the best thing that ever happened. It's pretty simple. And, it's the same as it was for me. And, it was the same as it was for my parents. Trick or Treating remains unchanged.

The differences of now vs. then haven't changed the actual events of Halloween. You can, of course, order costumes online...which obviously wasn't the case in 1979 or 1989. And, the candy is a little less simple. I didn't even know that Snickers had an almond version until tonight. Between health movements and very dangerous food allergies (usually at least one child/class)...the food at parties in our school district consist of pre-wrapped foods with all ingredients listed. There are now healthy snacks (fresh fruit, cheese and yogurt) and no hand-dipped pretzels or Oreos. Back in my day-there is no way a pumpkin face tangerine would have made its way into my classroom. Small differences haven't changed this big tradition.

I really like that Halloween is Halloween. I suspect that the kids of 2040 will be much more technologically advanced than the kids of 2011. But, even if that's the case I am pretty sure that they will still dress up, walk around the neighborhood and say "Trick or Treat."