Save Halloween for the Kids

Sorry, kids. The adults have taken over Halloween.

When I was a child, Halloween was a holiday for children. We would save our pennies to buy cheap costumes at the local five-and-dime or, mostly, make our own. Adults had the job of buying candy or wrapping a couple of nickels in tin foil, and being there to open the door when we would yell, “Trick or treat!” at the top of our little lungs. Most adults were happy to see us and compliment us on our costumes. There was the year my baby brother used his All Saints Day pageant costume for Halloween, and his St. Francis of Assisi get-up – complete with the fake parakeet on his finger that he stole from my own pet’s cage – earned him extra candies from the swooning Irish housewives of the neighborhood, who were enthralled by “such a grand saint.”

I have some neighbors, across the street, who typically decorate their home for Halloween. And then, during the day on Halloween, they take down their decorations and go out that evening, leaving a darkened house that just screams, “No candy for you!” at the little urchins who come by.

What the hell, indeed.

It seems to me that Halloween is becoming more of an adult holiday than one for children.

First, in a trend starting with Christian (but not Catholic) schools, more school districts in an effort to keep church and state separate have “harvest festivals” rather than call them Halloween. So the holiday is reduced to a class party, and even then with veggie and fruit snacks, since little Octavius has that peanut allergy and too much processed sugar can result in false positive test results for ADHD.

Then, go to places like Party City where most kids locally buy their costumes. The majority falls into one of two categories: (a) sexy or (b) gory. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate little boys’ love of all things bloody and scary – there is nothing like a good axe embedded in the cranium to lighten up a dull outfit. But it seems to me that the costumes are designed by adults with themselves in mind – how else can you explain a toddler size pimp costume? Adults seem to lose track of what is age appropriate and instead compliment themselves on how “edgy” their kids are.

I think that is the problem – the adults are not willing to be adults and abdicate the fun of Halloween to the kids. They want to prolong their own childhoods as long as possible, and amuse their friends with how far they can push the envelope with their costuming. Bars and pubs look forward to the business they get by promoting a costume party and this year – with Halloween falling on a Saturday night – you can be sure that business will be booming. After all, the kids had their party at school – don’t Mom and Dad deserve some fun?

So, what will I do on Halloween night? I am happy to say that the kids still come and I will be there waiting for them, with massive amounts of candy. I don’t even mind giving candy to their accompanying parents, who often dress up as well, because they are taking the time to slog through the streets with their darlings. And I will tell the children how great they look and compliment them on their costumes and take pictures. And wish everyone a Happy Halloween and a Feliz Dia de los Muertos!