Hallowe'en has changed here in the States. At least in the area where I grew up. It's always been somewhat commercial, but all the holidays have become more and more so. There have been Christmas decorations up in the store for a month already!
I loved Hallowe'en as a kid. The parents only came when we were very little, but as soon as we were reasonably able to take care of ourselves (and for me that was young since I had older siblings to look after me), we could go out on our own amongst the other packs of marauding children. We really could play tricks on each other as we walked around to get our treats. People would get really into it, too, and not with a bunch of pre-made decorations and massive blow-up figurines in the front yard. I remember one family that made their front rooms into a haunted house. At the end when we were at the door, she had bags of candy and we had to choose one. I remember her telling me to choose wisely or else the devil will appear. I was young enough to half believe it and I was terrified, but of course she knew that whatever bag I chose, no devil was going to appear, so every kid who went through there who half-believed her would leave thinking, "I am SO SMART! I chose the non-devil bag!"
These days? That woman would probably face a lawsuit. Kids don't go on their own anymore. Costumes are more elaborate and there are a lot more "rules" about what people should or shouldn't give out as treats. I remember getting a lot of apples and homemade treats, but no one does that anymore. People have gotten more fearful and paranoid. When I was young enough to be affected by this (but old enough to remember it well), there was a huge thing about cyanide in Tylenol, and after that, there were a bunch of news reports about tampered candy. Everyone was freaked out by anything that wasn't contained in a perfectly sealed package. No more apples or Rice Krispie treats after that!
As an adult, I still enjoy a good costume party or a trick (I've been known to show up to my classes wearing vampire teeth and putting fake spiders on some students' chairs) but it just doesn't feel the same, and I don't think it's all about the fact that I am now viewing the same activity as an adult instead of as a child. Everything just seems...slicker, more organized and sanitary. For example, few costumes are homemade anymore. My favorite costume was when I went as a PopTart box. Made the costume myself. Even put on an offer for a free Frisbee with 6 proofs of purchase on the back
It was great to protect myself from the eggers, too. Just turtled in the box until they went away.
The world just ain't what it used to be, and while that's often a good thing, it's also sometimes kind of sad.
