Halloween has always been a special time for me. I grew up in one of the most breath taking areas of the country to live in during the fall. The state of Vermont. Around the time that the leaves start to change colors the air starts to smell crisp and then and only then would my sisters and I know that fall was here and Halloween was coming.

The smell of cold air mixed with the freshness of changing colors in the trees was always a welcome attraction to me taht signified the start of school, fall and Halloween. I looked forward to school. Working with my friends collecting leafs and making art prodjects of them for our up coming halloween party. In school we would also make our costumes and after dressing up walk in a parade around the neighborhood ,seeing all the businessmen and women in teh area before showing ourselves to teh rest of the neighborhood in the darkness of night.

When we would get home form school my mother would cook us a special quick dinner because she knew the excitement of what was about to come was to much for us to be able to have a sit down dinner as a family.

My mother would throw big family parties when I was a chid. Much was the trend in the late 60's early 70's . We would all dress up in our favorite costumes and tell ghost stories, bob for apples and play games. The smell of hot apple cider still comes back to me as I write this.

When we were older my father would allow us to go out Trick or treating but only if we went to houses that we knew.

He would dress us up and take us to the homes of friends,family and people he had worked for. This gave us alot of doors to knock on in the neighboring towns.

I love this time of year. I look forward to it. Times have changed alot though and that saddens me. Children can no longer feel as safe as they once did. In the older towns the streets are still covered with small children dressed up candy bags and moms in tow. But its not the same as it once was. Children now have to worry about being kidnapped,hit by cars and tanted candy. It isnt fair that the innocense of Halloween has been taken from them the way we once had it.

It is my hope that in the future my children can change the new ways back to the old ways. And once again our children can enjoy my favorite time of the year for generations to come.

Learn more about this author, Penny Babson.
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