By Ken
Hello, and Happy Halloween to everyone out there! Welcome to Spooky Season! On this edition of the Nostalgia Oasis, we’re going to talk about probably my most favorite holiday ever, Halloween, and my favorite decade ever, the 1980s! Combining the two is just pure nostalgia and full of wonderful childhood memories that last a lifetime. Living in the Midwest, nothing was better than when October 1st hit! The cool weather, the leaves changing color, and of course the ambiance and Halloween vibes that would start to settle in. You just knew that a bunch of activities and Autumn fun were about to unfold. Especially trick or treating! So, let’s unpack those Ben Cooper costumes, grab a caramel apple, put on the It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown soundtrack in the background, and let’s reminisce on what it was like to trick or treat in the 1980s!
A Night of Freedom in the Neighborhood
In the 1980s, trick or treating was a true, one-of-a-kind neighborhood adventure! Kids flooded the streets in groups, most often without the supervision of parents. A flashlight, maybe some glow sticks, a pillowcase or a plastic pumpkin bucket was all you needed, and you were ready to go. Pretty much the whole neighborhood participated, with porches lit up and jack-o-lanterns glowing. My biggest disappointment of today is that not a lot of houses participate anymore. I now live in the same neighborhood that I lived in from 1976-1983, and it is a far cry from the way it was. People back in the 80s were excited to see the kids all dressed up.
Classic Costumes and Simple Treats
Costumes in the 80s were a mixed bag of homemade creations and store-bought classics! Ben Cooper costumes were the pinnacle of Halloween costumes in the 1980s, in my humble opinion. Yes, they were cheap plastic, and you were lucky if they made it through the night, but to me they defined our childhoods and the holiday back then. I myself dressed in a number of Ben Coopers over the years. Darth Vader, Woodstock from Charlie Brown and Sylvester the Cat from Looney Tunes were some of the classics that I wore. Other popular choices included Star Wars characters, superheroes, Ghostbusters, cartoon favorites and plenty of classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and mummies. Most houses handed out simple treats like candy bars, Tootsie Rolls and Fun Sized favorites. Occasionally you would also get the homemade treat. One of the other standouts I remember getting wasn’t candy, but McDonalds would offer booklets of 20 gift certificates for $1 that you could redeem at restaurants for treats like McDonaldland cookies, ice cream cones or sundaes and soft drinks! It was always fun to go get a treat for free at McDonalds. To me, trick or treating wasn’t about the biggest haul, it was about the fun, friends and the experience.
The Aftermath of Trick or Treating
After a couple of hours on the streets (yes, we stayed out late!), the real fun began once you got home. Dumping out the candy, trading and checking out everyone’s haul, was the peak of the night. While your parents would sneak a few pieces of candy here and there, much of the candy would last a few days, and if you were lucky, maybe even a couple of weeks. I would love to stick my head inside the trick or treat bag and take one big whiff of all the candy mixed together! It’s a smell I can still remember to this day. The night usually ended with a TV special like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, or once you got a little older a scary movie. It always felt like the perfect ending to a perfect night of candy, costumes and childhood memories.
Hopefully you all enjoyed taking this trip down Halloween memory lane. At 52 years old, I still get excited when the calendar hits October! I still try to bring the Halloween vibe and spirit into my home, and yes, we hand out candy every year! I plan to write a few more articles for the website this spooky season. Enjoy the season everyone, see you soon. -KEN