My Turn: Recapturing sweet Halloweens

Halloween used to be fun, an eagerly anticipated day of the year. My mother was very good at coming up with costume ideas for us. Sometimes, we had store-bought costumes, but the better getups were the ones Mom created. They were different from all others.

As a kid, how did I know we really couldn't afford the manufactured outfits? Mom had us believe it was better to have the homemade ones. I now appreciate what a good brainwasher Mom was.

It was fun going door-to-door, loading up with candy from all over the neighborhood. We'd move as quickly as possible up and down the streets. If we were really good at it, we'd have to stop home to dump our stuff and start over. And if we were lucky, there would be some unknown but generous people giving out money or full-size chocolate bars. We'd be out very late, and later have fun sorting through our loot.

Then, things changed. Some people got mean and put razor blades and pins in the treats. Those isolated incidents were enough to scare everyone. Parents had to examine their kids' collection of candy or keep them from trick-or-treating. Safe Halloween parties replaced the door-to-door tradition. Some schools even stopped allowing parents to send in homemade goods.

Now that I'm older, I eagerly anticipate Halloween -- not in the good way I did as a child. I almost dread it and can't wait for it to be over. How much candy do I need to have on hand? Will there be a lot of kids at my door? The numbers have increased in the past few years. Will they be ringing the bell when we're sitting down to dinner? Will there be older kids banging on the door when we're ready for bed? Will they egg the house and key the car if we don't answer or they don't like our choice of candy?

Last year, all went well. It was a pleasant Halloween. The weather was sunny and just a little cool. The trick-or-treaters were not a problem. We had just shy of 40 of them. They were polite, orderly, grateful and an interesting mix of cute and scary hooligans. Many made me chuckle.

My fears were unfounded. -- Pat Rizer, Patchogue

Lasting treat of friendship

My children were 5 and 8 years old, and a neighbor, Peggy, with two children around the same age, had just moved next door.

Peggy and I were just getting to know each other, and our kids were starting to play together, so we decided to trick or treat together.

Peggy and I were excited; we were young mothers building a friendship in a new town. That Halloween, the forecast was ominous, and the rain never let up.

So, with costumes hidden under raincoats and shoes that had seen their last walk, the six of us ventured out in the storm -- complete with umbrellas. We had so much fun; our shoes squished and people were so amazed as they answered their doors to observe the enthusiasm of these four children, who were soaked but ready to trick or treat. We were never so tired, cold and marinated with rain, but that night our relationships bloomed into deep friendships.

My friend Peggy has since moved to Florida, but I will call her this year and reminisce about the good old days when our babies were young. And if you ask our children, who are now 27- and 30-year-old adults, about Halloweens past, all four will agree they loved that one the best!

It wasn't about the candy -- it was about the fun time we all had! --Rosemarie Cammarata, Merrick