I can't get over the effort people are making for Halloween these days. I've been going door-to-door for twelve years now. When I first started making my rounds, people were generally handing out a mixture of apples, nuts and sweets. Nowadays, very few people hand out nuts or fruit. Kids don't want it, so most people give out little chocolate bars and other little candies, which is what we got when I was a kid in New York.
The treats aren't the only change. Loads of folks are going to great effort to decorate their houses, some even add sound effects. Many adults are wearing costumes too, whether they're trailing along after the little tricksters or manning the fort. Back when I first started going around with my oldest, I felt like something of a pioneer - an adult who had participated in the 'new' Halloween as it was in Ireland at the time. Now I'm the stick in the mud who spurns the costumed look and insists on wearing a coat and sensible shoes.
