Return to "semi-normalcy"
Halloween is an important holiday in my neighborhood. Every year the police block off our 4-block street with barricades, police cars, and flashing lights. They close the street at 4:30 pm for the youngest trick-or-treaters and don't reopen it until 9:30 to allow for all the highschoolers and adults. Last year I had candy for 1,000 and ran out before the end of the night, at about 9:00. This year I bought candy for 1,700 a week before the fire. Our neighborhood was concerned that, only one day after the power came back on, there would be few kids coming through. We needn't have worried. I ran out of candy again. This year at about 8:30, just as the highschoolers began coming out in force.
One of the neighbors owns a set of very detailed plastic skeletons to which he can attach thin rods and hidden motors for movement. Last year they became a mariachi band. This year they were a set of hula dancers, swaying to the recorded music. Another neighbor built the prow of a pirate ship (three stories tall!) last year, complete with plastic pipe cannons and smoke bombs. This year he constructed an Alice in Wonderland scene with a rabbit hole for kids to travel through. Another neighbor built a carnival with games, ending with a wheel of fortune to select the candy prize. Our local sculptor built a large stage for a D.J. and his entire family in monkey costumes, dancing. There was plenty of dancing in the street. A brass band marched up and down the street, as did a set of white costumed dancers. There were lighted kinetic sculptures.
I was planning something much more sedate with a purchased Joker costume to stand next to the Batman sculpture in our front yard passing out candy. Instead, grandson and his girlfriend showed up at about 4:00. Grandson decided to become the Joker and his girlfriend became Nurse Ratched. They had a great time passing out candy, especially to the very little ones who always show up first. From 4:30 to about 5:30, the only trick-or-treaters over the age of 5 or 6 were costumed parents or accompanying older siblings. The ages gradually increased over the evening.
It seemed like a normal year. Just more kids than usual.