The Good Candy

When I was young Halloween was a time of fun and candy. Tricks to be pulled and treats to be had.

It all started for us with the "one cent sale" at the Rexall Drug store. Buy one can of shaving cream and get the second can for a penny. Bars of soap could be purchased as well. I'm sure there were other items but darned if I can remember them. Those were the only two items of interest. We would also buy a dozen eggs and hide them outside somewhere to spoil. Be careful to put them where Mom or Dad won't find them.

Goose eggs were especially prized for their larger size but difficult to obtain.Costumes were usually homemade or those jumpsuit style ones with the plastic mask. Witches,ghosts and hobos were the popular choices for homemade costumes. Store bought ones were usually cartoon characters. Most of us carried either a paper sack or plastic pumpkin

There were no set times or policies for trick or treating. You waited until it was dusk and set out. If you were very young Mom or Dad would drive you to all the relatives houses first. Thats' where the best candy was !

After completing the obligatory rounds they would take us "up town" Here you could start on the end of the street and work your way up and then back down. To those of us you lived outside of town it was a pretty cool concept. All the houses in a row just ripe for the picking. Good candy up town too.
When we got old enough we set out by ourselves. No costumes though we were too old for that. No knocking on doors and trick or treating . At this stage is where the shaving cream and soap came into play along with the eggs if you had them. I think the toilet paper trick came a little later on because I don't remember doing that.
The shaving cream and soap was for all the windows in town. Up and down Main street and Newtown lane.
Made quite a mess. The eggs were for throwing at each other,although few actually got hit because you just tried to come as close as possible. Not a good idea to actually hit the other person the reaction may not be favourable,if you know what I mean.
The day after if you got uptown early enough the shop owners would hire you to clean their windows. It was a simpler time back then. No damage was caused to anything. There were unwritten rules you played by.
Now,at least where i live,the trick or treating hours are set by the town,age limits are set by policy,and it just doesn't seem as much fun . Maybe that is due to my age but seems like Halloween is not as much for the children anymore. They can wear their costume to the elementary school one day for a parade,as long as it isn't too frightening ! Must be careful because some people have no taste or sense of proper decorum.
Still.I enjoy seeing the little ones come to the door. The costumes are more elaborate and the time abbreviated but their joy is still evident. And yes,I'm not politically correct I will give out sweets ! Chocolates,the good candy !