Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Another thing you don't see anymore that we had was wax candy. Wax lips that you could wear and later eat, and wax bottles with different color liquids inside. I see this stuff is still available online. We ate a lot of artificial stuff and dyes back then! And of course PEZ was highly sought-after.
Work had a costume party off-site, with prizes. Madonna was in the news at the time for pics of her showing unshaved armpits. So, I dressed in her outfit at the time, per a pic of her, and went to the beauty shop across the street for some clean hair from a single haircut (small town, I knew those involved so knew it was clean hair).
I swept it up, put something (Elmers glue?) in my pits and sprinkled on the hair. At the party, while dancing, I casually lifted my arms up over my head, as Madonna in the pic that showed her pits, and won first prize!
I refer to that as the Ann Arbor look (My first job sent me to Ann Arbor for several months in 1979).
The first Halloween I remember was 1951. I was three. They bought me a pair of Groucho Marx glasses and I got to pass out candy. Didn't know what the heck was going on.
In the eighties my son did the porch up to the max. Life-sized ghouls and witches, speakers, black lights. It was too much for many of the little T or T'ers and we had to take their treats out to the sidewalk.
One of his friends had to take his little sister along and she wouldn't go up on the porch so her brother who was in on the surprise reminded her that the scaries were all dummies. But our son had traded places with one of them and when she came up the steps he stood up.
Poor kid about lost it. I came running when I heard the hysterics. If I'd have known they were up to this trick I'd have stopped it. But I think it got him out of taking her to any more houses. Boys!
Last time I ever got to know what he was up to on Halloween he and his sister were in a bar. The picture was of him as a pirate and her as a fairy. He had a stuffed parrot tied to his shoulder but apparently as the evening went on it had tipped over and he hadn't tightened it up again. I commented on it and he said, "Yeah, right about that time the parrot passed out." Don't really want to know much more than that. Heh.
Status:
"Happy Memorial Day to all who served."
(set 2 days ago)
Location: The New England part of Ohio
24,165 posts, read 32,664,385 times
Reputation: 68534
I came from a Halloween loving family, and I love Halloween as much my parents did. In later elementary school, we were allowed to Trick or Treat after dinner with a large group of friends, as long as we stayed in our development of split level homes. We all knew each other, and our neighbors knew our parents. I remember an older couple who had grown children. Each year we were invited inside for freshly baked cookies. We weren't afraid of being poisoned and we were each given a sandwich bag of cookies to take home for our families. I wish I had that recipe.
When I was ten my mom made me the best "Gypsy" costume ever! (Yes, I know they are called Roma or Sinti now. My apologies to anyone who is offended, that was the word in the '60s) She wasn't a great seamstress, but her creativity and fashion sensibility made up for it. She bought a pair of purple cafe' curtains on clearance at the local five and ten. It was also the source of glass beads, bangles, and clip on hoop earring along with lots of bright make up. She bought orange fabric and a roll of triple thick sequins. She made a bolero out of the fabric and trimmed both with the sequins. A thrift shop provided a brightly colored paisley scarf that I tied around my waist. I felt so pretty and special that night. Thank you, mom.
My dad was also very involved with Halloween! He loved it. Each year, on October first we made a Scare Crow. We stuffed a flannel shirt and a thrifted pair of dungarees with straw added a plastic pumpkin head and perched an unafraid black crow on his shoulder. On Halloween night he replaced the fake pumpkin head with a real Jack lantern which was lit with a flashlight. We had moved by then and our house had a front porch. Before Halloween night, "Corny" (named for my grandfather Corneilius who we never met) not only had a head transplant, but he was also moved from a chair to the porch roof. The sight of his glowing face, along with the 20 plus real Jack o' lanterns was quite impressive and scary.
When we were in later elementary school and Junior High, we had much more freedom. We started after dinner and traversed the entire town. We still wore costumes. Most of the boys were Hobos and the girls were witches, flappers or beatniks.
As we got older we did some wild and crazy things. After all, by then it was the 1970s.
We liked to visit an eighteenth-century graveyard first. We thought that we "discovered " it in the woods. Back then it was unkempt and overgrown. many of the graves were those of children, which was creepy itself. It was a great place to tell scary stories and read palms. Our attempts to commune with the dead were futile, but a few times we heard some strange noises from the woods. We made a bonfire and I remember my boyfriend borrowed a flask filled with Jack Daniels, from his stepdad. Calm down. No one was hurt.
After, we kicked off Trick or Treating at the home of a favorite older teacher, Mrs. Sammis, a prim woman with a steel grey bun and blue metal harlequin glasses. She had even taught some of the other kids' parents. Mrs.Sam invited us inside of her Victorian home and served us heated spiced apple cider and best, gave us full sized Hershey bars! We sat on the Burgandy colored velvet couch with lace doilies on the arms and chatted until the next group of students rang her bell. We must have walked 20 miles those nights. Our pillowcases bulged with candy. One night, Tommy, a mischievous member of our rag tag crew, suggested that we Trick or Treat at The Beltons. We all gasped and laughed. He couldn't be serious! Not the BELTONS!
The Beltons was another Victorian house, but nothing like the home of Mrs. Sam. It was garishly painted a bright blue that looked more like primer than paint, It had flashing neon light that read "Bar and Grill", which is what it officially was, yet no one knew anyone who admitted to having a beer or a burger there.
The Beltons was rumored to be a house of ill repute. Since it was at the edge of town, where the oyster plant and oil tanks were located, no one really cared about it. The end of West Main was a shabby, located low traffic area.
We REALLY wanted to know if it was "one of those houses", and we were fifteen and none of us had ever seen a Lady of the Evening. There were rumors that someone was shot and killed during prohibition and one of the girls had killed another in the 1950s because she stole her boyfriend. We came to the conclusion that it was a creepy place, and it was probably haunted, so a visit on Halloween was in order. We weren't kids. We were fifteen. Maybe we'd see a ghost or...something else. This was a different kind of scary, because it all could be true.
As we walked towards the Beltons, we noticed that the bright blue house was lit up like a Jack Lantern. The neon "Bar and Grill" sign flashed on and off. Other neon signs read "Rheingold" "Schaffer" and "Budweiser". Outside, beat up cars and a few old pickups were parked in every conceivable direction on the small lawn. The parking lot was filled. As we got closer, the jukebox throbbed a country western song. "Walking After Midnight". I was familiar with it because my dad loved Patsy Cline.
"I'm not knocking on the door. Someone could kill us...or something..." said Susan." Also, we could get caught". "Caught doing what?" I heard my boyfriend's deep voice. It's not against the law to knock on a door on Halloween". I found myself saying "don't go if you don't want to. I want to see what goes on there" All of the others agreed. We wanted to know.
So, we knocked on the door. At first no one came. The jukebox continued to boom, this time an old song "Duke of Earl" We knocked louder. Stale beer and cigarette smoke could be smelled from the porch. One of the boys knocked even harder. Then we noticed a doorbell. That was odd. A Bar and Grill with a doorbell. We pressed it and it emitted a shrill old-fashioned sound. We heard loud talking and laughter. "Let's get out of here" one of us said, this is boring". Just as he said that the door swung open. "Trick or Treat" we said in unison. There stood a pretty lady with platinum hair. She looked like Marylin Monroe. She was joined by a woman with long black hair who looked like Morticia Addams. I wasn't sure if these were costumes, or this was how they always dressed. I am still not completely sure.
The black-haired lady gave us each a treat. A full-sized Hershy bar! We were stunned. We thanked them but she quickly closed the door.
When I got home, my sisters were already there. My parents weren't strict about curfews on Halloween. They were in the family room watching a scary movie. My dad asked if we were all too old for him to read the poem, he always read to us on Halloween, "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Rielly. "No dad! Read it!" said my younger sisters. "Please, read it", I said. He did this every Halloween.
I can still hear his deep voice reading the familiar yet pleasantly chilling poem.
So much has changed, but I raised my children with homemade costumes, Scarecrows and that haunting poem. Still, Halloween was different then. No silly Trunk or Treat or staged haunted houses.
My mother created something similar for me with sheer curtains for the legs and a velvet bolero jacket with trim, only it was an "I Dream of Jeanie" costume, based on the show...
"Sew" talented; thanks, Mom!
Last edited by otterhere; 10-26-2022 at 09:29 PM..
I came from a Halloween loving family, and I love Halloween as much my parents did. In later elementary school, we were allowed to Trick or Treat after dinner with a large group of friends, as long as we stayed in our development of split level homes. We all knew each other, and our neighbors knew our parents. I remember an older couple who had grown children. Each year we were invited inside for freshly baked cookies. We weren't afraid of being poisoned and we were each given a sandwich bag of cookies to take home for our families. I wish I had that recipe.
When I was ten my mom made me the best "Gypsy" costume ever! (Yes, I know they are called Roma or Sinti now. My apologies to anyone who is offended, that was the word in the '60s) She wasn't a great seamstress, but her creativity and fashion sensibility made up for it. She bought a pair of purple cafe' curtains on clearance at the local five and ten. It was also the source of glass beads, bangles, and clip on hoop earring along with lots of bright make up. She bought orange fabric and a roll of triple thick sequins. She made a bolero out of the fabric and trimmed both with the sequins. A thrift shop provided a brightly colored paisley scarf that I tied around my waist. I felt so pretty and special that night. Thank you, mom.
My dad was also very involved with Halloween! He loved it. Each year, on October first we made a Scare Crow. We stuffed a flannel shirt and a thrifted pair of dungarees with straw added a plastic pumpkin head and perched an unafraid black crow on his shoulder. On Halloween night he replaced the fake pumpkin head with a real Jack lantern which was lit with a flashlight. We had moved by then and our house had a front porch. Before Halloween night, "Corny" (named for my grandfather Corneilius who we never met) not only had a head transplant, but he was also moved from a chair to the porch roof. The sight of his glowing face, along with the 20 plus real Jack o' lanterns was quite impressive and scary.
When we were in later elementary school and Junior High, we had much more freedom. We started after dinner and traversed the entire town. We still wore costumes. Most of the boys were Hobos and the girls were witches, flappers or beatniks.
As we got older we did some wild and crazy things. After all, by then it was the 1970s.
We liked to visit an eighteenth-century graveyard first. We thought that we "discovered " it in the woods. Back then it was unkempt and overgrown. many of the graves were those of children, which was creepy itself. It was a great place to tell scary stories and read palms. Our attempts to commune with the dead were futile, but a few times we heard some strange noises from the woods. We made a bonfire and I remember my boyfriend borrowed a flask filled with Jack Daniels, from his stepdad. Calm down. No one was hurt.
After, we kicked off Trick or Treating at the home of a favorite older teacher, Mrs. Sammis, a prim woman with a steel grey bun and blue metal harlequin glasses. She had even taught some of the other kids' parents. Mrs.Sam invited us inside of her Victorian home and served us heated spiced apple cider and best, gave us full sized Hershey bars! We sat on the Burgandy colored velvet couch with lace doilies on the arms and chatted until the next group of students rang her bell. We must have walked 20 miles those nights. Our pillowcases bulged with candy. One night, Tommy, a mischievous member of our rag tag crew, suggested that we Trick or Treat at The Beltons. We all gasped and laughed. He couldn't be serious! Not the BELTONS!
The Beltons was another Victorian house, but nothing like the home of Mrs. Sam. It was garishly painted a bright blue that looked more like primer than paint, It had flashing neon light that read "Bar and Grill", which is what it officially was, yet no one knew anyone who admitted to having a beer or a burger there.
The Beltons was rumored to be a house of ill repute. Since it was at the edge of town, where the oyster plant and oil tanks were located, no one really cared about it. The end of West Main was a shabby, located low traffic area.
We REALLY wanted to know if it was "one of those houses", and we were fifteen and none of us had ever seen a Lady of the Evening. There were rumors that someone was shot and killed during prohibition and one of the girls had killed another in the 1950s because she stole her boyfriend. We came to the conclusion that it was a creepy place, and it was probably haunted, so a visit on Halloween was in order. We weren't kids. We were fifteen. Maybe we'd see a ghost or...something else. This was a different kind of scary, because it all could be true.
As we walked towards the Beltons, we noticed that the bright blue house was lit up like a Jack Lantern. The neon "Bar and Grill" sign flashed on and off. Other neon signs read "Rheingold" "Schaffer" and "Budweiser". Outside, beat up cars and a few old pickups were parked in every conceivable direction on the small lawn. The parking lot was filled. As we got closer, the jukebox throbbed a country western song. "Walking After Midnight". I was familiar with it because my dad loved Patsy Cline.
"I'm not knocking on the door. Someone could kill us...or something..." said Susan." Also, we could get caught". "Caught doing what?" I heard my boyfriend's deep voice. It's not against the law to knock on a door on Halloween". I found myself saying "don't go if you don't want to. I want to see what goes on there" All of the others agreed. We wanted to know.
So, we knocked on the door. At first no one came. The jukebox continued to boom, this time an old song "Duke of Earl" We knocked louder. Stale beer and cigarette smoke could be smelled from the porch. One of the boys knocked even harder. Then we noticed a doorbell. That was odd. A Bar and Grill with a doorbell. We pressed it and it emitted a shrill old-fashioned sound. We heard loud talking and laughter. "Let's get out of here" one of us said, this is boring". Just as he said that the door swung open. "Trick or Treat" we said in unison. There stood a pretty lady with platinum hair. She looked like Marylin Monroe. She was joined by a woman with long black hair who looked like Morticia Addams. I wasn't sure if these were costumes, or this was how they always dressed. I am still not completely sure.
The black-haired lady gave us each a treat. A full-sized Hershy bar! We were stunned. We thanked them but she quickly closed the door.
When I got home, my sisters were already there. My parents weren't strict about curfews on Halloween. They were in the family room watching a scary movie. My dad asked if we were all too old for him to read the poem, he always read to us on Halloween, "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Rielly. "No dad! Read it!" said my younger sisters. "Please, read it", I said. He did this every Halloween.
I can still hear his deep voice reading the familiar yet pleasantly chilling poem.
So much has changed, but I raised my children with homemade costumes, Scarecrows and that haunting poem. Still, Halloween was different then. No silly Trunk or Treat or staged haunted houses.
It was magic.
How true!! You made your memories so real I felt I was there!
We have a couple of new neighbors who have really decorated this year so we will do that also!
Love seeing all the kids!
But how different! Our parents didn't even worry and I guess I didn't either with my kids (last year out around 2010) but I probably would today.
So funny about the Beltons! We sure got away with a lot more back in the day.
My husband grew up in Miami and they used to TP the homes and RUN!!!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Popcorn balls
