Is Trick or Treat gone? Eileen Dahill/N. America
I am working until 6:30 p.m. on Halloween and my roommate is in class until 9:00 p.m. Will I miss the first Trick or Treat of my life?
Trick or Treat was a canvassing of neighborhoods for the best and most candy. We had pillowcases. And it was mostly in the dark. Perhaps a parent had a flashlight. No wands, fiber optic gizmos, or cell phones to light the way. Some of my friends had the same costume every year. They put vaseline on their face and smeared coffee grounds on top to make beards. And off they went in old clothes as clowns, hobos, or ghosts.
But now many children hit the malls for indoor warmth or pop in and out of cars as they visit immediate family. There are a few neighborhoods that still get dozens. Last year my count was 9.
But I’ll figure something out. It was a fun tradition in our family.
