In days of yore... back all
through the 80's when I lived in the deep snow frozen north, we made a big deal of Halloween for our son and the entire country community. Big house, heavily decorated inside and out with appropriate haunted music/sounds piped
through big speakers in two upstairs front windows that could be heard from way off into the night, lots of home maiden fresh baked goodies and hot drinks for the tricksters to come in out of the cold and enjoy in front of fires roaring in both fireplaces, the entire basement turned into a haunted obstacle course to run, games for them to play, and lots of scary surprises that were randomly done to keep them all guessing, including the parents. It was a like a magnet for kids and their parents alike from the entire area with many showing up in cars from far away. Hundreds stopped by to stay awhile, some would stay most of the evening. Other fun times we made a similar big deal of was Christmas with much of the same and presents for everybody, and the 4th of July with a BBQ and games running all day long for all who came by, and lots of aerial fireworks that night (illegal but safe because we lived in the country, a sheriff neighbor even helped set them off). The life has changed, the world has changed, but the memories will always be there from when both were better places to be.
