Trick or Treat back in the day

**Dfd** · October-09-13, 10:24 PM

If you were a kid back when the streets were all lined with houses and trick or treater's, what was it like?

**sumas** · October-10-13, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Dfd

If you were a kid back when the streets were all lined with houses and trick or treater's, what was it like?

It was just great fun in Detroit. Everyone was so generous. My best friends aunt worked with the grosse pointe theater group so we always had fantastic costumes.

Help the poor was always a good chant. The whole chant is, help the poor my britches are tore give me some money, I'll buy some more. There were others but I am having a senior moment.

My Dad always wanted to inspect our "loot", mostly he was cherry picking for candy he wanted to eat.

Sadly it seems so much of that no longer exists, Halloween seems to be a adult party thing now.

**GPCharles** · October-10-13, 08:18 AM

We get 250+ kids every year.

**canuck** · October-10-13, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by sumas

Sadly it seems so much of that no longer exists, Halloween seems to be a adult party thing now.

It also seems like Halloween is 365 days a year for adults here in Montreal anyways. What with the bunch of tattoed, pierced and scarified folks walking around like the latest zombie pictorial.

**Packman41** · October-10-13, 08:48 AM

As a kid growing up on the far, east side in the middle 1950s it was great. The homes on my block were on 30 foot wide lots, some lots had duplexes and all homes had the porch light on to let you know it was OK to “beg” there.

After begging on my block my brothers and I [[with Mom walking with us) would head over to the adjacent blocks to beg there. The sidewalks were filled with kids and parents out having fun. We would always walk down to Kercheval where the business owners gave out the really good stuff, like a full-sized candy bar instead of bite-sized penny candy. All I remember is the treats and none of the trick stuff. Maybe it was the parental supervision.

In very short order we would come home with an obscene amount of candy. So much so, that my parents told us the most we could keep was about half of it. The rest they took to an orphanage for the kids who could not go trick or treating.

**gazhekwe** · October-10-13, 08:52 AM

We have big lots and long driveways, not too many kids, ever. Last year, just one bunch that came together with their parents. Well, when I was a kid, I lived in Brightmoor for a time, little houses pretty close together, shorter front yards. When I was seven, I was allowed to go by myself for a couple blocks either side of our house, as long as I didn't cross Lyndon until the very end of the street. I would fill a pillowcase. People would come out with little cups of hot chocolate for us. We'd yell "Help the Poor!" I never knew there was more to the chant than that. There would be much admiring of costumes, lots of porches decorated with candlelit pumpkins.

When we moved to the Soo a couple years later, first Halloween I tried yelling Help the Poor, but no one else knew that one. It was strictly Trick or Treat from then on. By that time, we could go all over town. I would quit with one pillowcase, my brother often went back out and got a second pillowcase full.

That was years before razor blades in apples and poison in candy. We had a big thing going about costumes catching fire from those candlelit pumpkins, and only going with a group so you don't get grabbed by some pervert, but the candy and homemade popcorn balls and other goodies, we never gave them anything but a big Yum as they went down the hatch.

**canuck** · October-10-13, 09:25 AM

Yes, that was the big scare for us too; the apples with razor blades in them. We also would go to convenience stores and get surprise bags with a bunch of stuff in them.I remember a weird custom; older folks sometimes would carve the initial call letters of a radio station; CKVL, meaning they were listening to radio and not answering the doorbell. My mom had a supermarket and was always wary on halloween night of older kids walking in with masks on because in the seventies, Montreal had an outrageous amount of hold-ups. She was held up about four times and I was there in 76 when four guys put us in the meat freezer with customers, one guy had a gun to my mom's head just next to me.
Not a happy highlight.

**jackie5275** · October-10-13, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

That was years before razor blades in apples and poison in candy.

I remember as a kid, I think it was in Redford Twp, the police offered to scan your candy through metal detector to find razors, needles, etc. You'd see all these news reports from the station with the cops saying to bring your candy there. I don't think that's done anymore.

**Hermod** · October-10-13, 10:24 AM

In the late 1940s, I could collect enough loot on just four blocks of Nottingham. I would head out with two shopping bags and fill them up in the two blocks from Grayton to Whittier [[small houses). I would go home and empty them out and head out again. I could fill them up again on the two blocks from Grayton to Morang [[all duplexes). Most of the neighbors made up special bags of goodies for the kids they knew and had a couple of the peanut butter "kisses" in the orange and black wrappers for the hoi polloi traipsing by. When they ran out of candy, they would fall back on tossing some pennies or a nickle in your bag.

**preserve** · October-10-13, 10:37 AM

My street in Corktown is a reminder of what it was like back in the day, lots of
kids, lots of costumes. Adults walking with them, waiting while the kids come up to the porch. It reminds me a lot of what it was like long time ago, before
all the nastiness. I always hated to get apples.

**Honky Tonk** · October-10-13, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

Yes, that was the big scare for us too; the apples with razor blades in them. We also would go to convenience stores and get surprise bags with a bunch of stuff in them.I remember a weird custom; older folks sometimes would carve the initial call letters of a radio station; CKVL, meaning they were listening to radio and not answering the doorbell. My mom had a supermarket and was always wary on halloween night of older kids walking in with masks on because in the seventies, Montreal had an outrageous amount of hold-ups. She was held up about four times and I was there in 76 when four guys put us in the meat freezer with customers, one guy had a gun to my mom's head just next to me.
Not a happy highlight.

WOW! I was there the first time in '76, [[Expo), and thought it was the greatest City on Earth! We stayed with a family, in their home, [[to get a "feel" for the City), and being from Detroit, I was shocked they didn't lock their doors. It was right outside the prison somewhere. I'm sure we had no idea things were that rough there. Sorry to hear about your Mom's plight.

**Honky Tonk** · October-10-13, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

In the late 1940s, I could collect enough loot on just four blocks of Nottingham. I would head out with two shopping bags and fill them up in the two blocks from Grayton to Whittier [[small houses). I would go home and empty them out and head out again. I could fill them up again on the two blocks from Grayton to Morang [[all duplexes). Most of the neighbors made up special bags of goodies for the kids they knew and had a couple of the peanut butter "kisses" in the orange and black wrappers for the hoi polloi traipsing by. When they ran out of candy, they would fall back on tossing some pennies or a nickle in your bag.

I wonder if that's where the term "nickel bag" came from?

**canuck** · October-10-13, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

WOW! I was there the first time in '76, [[Expo), and thought it was the greatest City on Earth! We stayed with a family, in their home, [[to get a "feel" for the City), and being from Detroit, I was shocked they didn't lock their doors. It was right outside the prison somewhere. I'm sure we had no idea things were that rough there. Sorry to hear about your Mom's plight.

Yes, the rate for hold-ups was way up there for a while in those days. Then things started changing when timer-boxes were installed for stashing away cash.

The prison may have been Bordeaux jail in the north end of the city, or St Vincent de Paul in Laval. These days the city is pretty tame as far as violent crime goes, but in the sixties, seventies, it was pretty rough.

**Dave70** · October-10-13, 01:00 PM

We got most of our loot from Payton, Riad, Dutchess, and sometimes Laing. Between Morang and Moross. '75-'85 Most houses gave out treats and I remember a house on Payton always had lots of decorations and haunted house music playing. Maybe a werewolf or two to scare the kids.

It was a lot of fun!

**Honky Tonk** · October-10-13, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by canuck

Yes, the rate for hold-ups was way up there for a while in those days. Then things started changing when timer-boxes were installed for stashing away cash.

The prison may have been Bordeaux jail in the north end of the city, or St Vincent de Paul in Laval. These days the city is pretty tame as far as violent crime goes, but in the sixties, seventies, it was pretty rough.

Thanx, except I had a senior~ moment. It was Expo 67, not 76. I DO remember, [[I think), that Montreal had major issues with motorcycle gangs and drug dealings for a while. I still think it's a beautiful City, only rivaled by Quebac City, [[IMO).

**Onthe405** · October-10-13, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Thanx, except I had a senior~ moment. It was Expo 67, not 76.

Honky, it may not have been a total senior moment. In addition to the World's Fair [[Expo '67), 1976 was also an equally significant year in modern Montreal history: it hosted the Summer Olympics.

**Honky Tonk** · October-10-13, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Onthe405

Honky, it may not have been a total senior moment. In addition to the World's Fair [[Expo '67), 1976 was also an equally significant year in modern Montreal history: it hosted the Summer Olympics.

Cool, Thanx for the support.

**canuck** · October-10-13, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Thanx, except I had a senior~ moment. It was Expo 67, not 76. I DO remember, [[I think), that Montreal had major issues with motorcycle gangs and drug dealings for a while. I still think it's a beautiful City, only rivaled by Quebac City, [[IMO).

Thank you for the compliment, and yes Quebec City is really stunning indeed.

**gazhekwe** · October-10-13, 03:54 PM

I wonder if that's where the term "nickel bag" came from?

No, that's a whole 'nother bag of tricks.

**sumas** · October-10-13, 07:35 PM

Fun hearing memories, so many from the eastside, I know all those streets. Thought I'd share my Mom's memories, she lived on Barham near Mack. She has passed on at age 91. She said everyone dressed like hobos and they mostly got apples, oranges and pennies.

My husband grew up southwest Detroit when it was mostly Polish. Bar on every corner. He said the bars were the best. The old dudes would hand you money, they weren't cheap either, so you could go to the corner store next day and get what you really wanted.

**Django** · October-11-13, 04:56 AM

I attended Hartland schools. Everyone would dress up in their costumes and a parade would start in the school so everyone would march through every classroom so everyone got to see every hobo, GI Joe, and princess as well as join the march and strut their stuff.

Im currently in a discussion with a Christian sister in law on FB because she believes halloween is the devils work. I feel for her kids who dont get to have the fun I did.

**Downriviera** · October-11-13, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

Yes, the rate for hold-ups was way up there for a while in those days. Then things started changing when timer-boxes were installed for stashing away cash.

The prison may have been Bordeaux jail in the north end of the city, or St Vincent de Paul in Laval. These days the city is pretty tame as far as violent crime goes, but in the sixties, seventies, it was pretty rough.

Was on our way to play hockey in Laval and the bus driver made a wrong turn and we ended up at the prison. At first we were thinking they had some mean fans if the hockey arena had to be surrounded by barbed wire.

I hated to get apples, too. Some people gave out pennies and I didn't like that either. Always about the quantity though. Had to get at least 4 pillow cases full. Hit the ground running and never stopped. No costume, slowed us down, just a mask. Never on the sidewalk always ran acoss the lawns to save time. Hit the local stores on the main drag first to to get the big candy bars before they ran out. It was all very strategic. We were like Seal Team 6 or Black Ops, on a mission.

**Hermod** · October-11-13, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by Django

Im currently in a discussion with a Christian sister in law on FB because she believes halloween is the devils work. I feel for her kids who dont get to have the fun I did.

Well, when the Christian church was trying to convert northern Europe, they had trouble dealing with the pagans and their ingrained folkways. To get around it, missionaries co-opted the pagan holidays into the Christian calendar.

Easter was placed on the spring equinox festival of the pagan goddess Ostara/Eostre whose sacred animal was the rabbit and colored eggs were laid on her altar as a spring fertility symbol.

Halloween was the evening before All Saints Day and replaced a pagan harvest festival called Samhain. During Samhain, the wall between the living world and the spirit world was stretched thin allowing the spirits of the dead to visit the living world.

Yule was the Germanic celebration of the winter solstice and the return of the sun ending the darkness of dark winter. The evergreen tree was the symbol of the continuation of life. To be sure the sun was returning, the festival went on through twelve days. Every family placed a "sun wheel" [[wreath) on their door which was burned on the last of the twelve days of Yule.

**Honky Tonk** · October-11-13, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Well, when the Christian church was trying to convert northern Europe, they had trouble dealing with the pagans and their ingrained folkways. To get around it, missionaries co-opted the pagan holidays into the Christian calendar.

Easter was placed on the spring equinox festival of the pagan goddess Ostara/Eostre whose sacred animal was the rabbit and colored eggs were laid on her altar as a spring fertility symbol.

Halloween was the evening before All Saints Day and replaced a pagan harvest festival called Samhain. During Samhain, the wall between the living world and the spirit world was stretched thin allowing the spirits of the dead to visit the living world.

Yule was the Germanic celebration of the winter solstice and the return of the sun ending the darkness of dark winter. The evergreen tree was the symbol of the continuation of life. To be sure the sun was returning, the festival went on through twelve days. Every family placed a "sun wheel" [[wreath) on their door which was burned on the last of the twelve days of Yule.

Those damn Christians......

**gazhekwe** · October-11-13, 09:38 AM

Many of us believe the spirit world is closer in that period after the harvest when the air is getting colder. It is a time to share the bounty of the harvest with the ancestors. But that did not enter our heads during Trick or Treating, not at all. We might, if in an observant family, put an offering of our candy on the spirit plate.