Halloween isn’t the same

By Chris Jones/Column

I’m not sure if anyone else has noticed, but Halloween sure has changed since I was a kid.

I remember running through crowds of other costumed children dressed as a ninja, a vampire, or a zombie with a pillowcase filled to the brim with candy, sometimes even overflowing, a trail of candy behind me – much to my chagrin.

And it was always after dark, when the holiday had reached its peak of seasonal spookiness.

But now, I look out every year and see fewer and fewer kids going door-to-door on what is supposed to be the scariest night of the year.

I remember at least 100 costumed children would come to my house when I was a kid. But that seemingly dried up as I got older.

Then I moved away for school, and for a couple of years I lived in student housing, and not many kids usually trick-or-treat in those areas. But, now I’m not living there. I’ve been away from those areas for a few years now, and live in a neighbourhood with many families, but I still don’t see many children on Halloween.

When I do see trick-or-treaters, it’s quite often before the sun has gone down. Now, I understand having toddlers home before dark, but for a 10-year-old part of the fun is being out at night.

So, what’s changed? Is Halloween less popular than it was when I was a kid?

I remember when I was younger Halloween was a time to celebrate. Everyone would come to class dressed up in their costumes. Now when I drive by a school on Halloween while heading to work, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Of course, I might just be experiencing nostalgia goggles. After all, I looked forward to Halloween throughout the year when I was a kid, so why wouldn’t I look back on it fondly?

Maybe what I remember as 100 fellow trick-or-treaters was actually more along the lines of the same group of 30 or 40 going in the same direction as myself.

It’s also possible that my current neighbourhood doesn’t have as many families as I thought, despite the fact there are constantly kids playing on the street in front of my house.

Now, with COVID-19 forcing most parents and children to stay home instead of participating in the festivities, is it time for what was once one of my favourite days of the year to be laid to rest?

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Teresa Tam doesn’t think so. She has said kids can trick-or-treat as long as they maintain physical distancing, stick to pre-packaged treats, and have hand sanitizer available.

Whether or not she’s right remains to be seen. Keep in mind this is the same government that closed the border, but is still allowing Canadians to fly to the US, and vice versa.

We’ll have to wait and see if there’s a rise in the number of cases or not after Halloween.

Ultimately it comes down to one of a few things: am I in the wrong neighbourhood for trick-or-treaters? Do they go somewhere else? Or do I just live in a world of nostalgia?

But no matter what, this year’s Halloween will be unique, and everyone should remember to stay safe and healthy.