Halloween - The New Era

So now that I have a teenage son, we can no longer tag along for trick or treating. What is most disappointing is not seeing all of his friend's costumes, and not seeing Halloween through the eyes of a child. I will never forget our first trick or treating with Max when he was around 3. He could not believe that people were giving him candy, and we were letting it all happen. He ate every piece of candy as it came into his bag.

Over the years he got more sophisticated, as we all did, in divying it up at the end of the night and judging the evening's success by how many name brand chocolate candies received vs. Polish hard candies (sometimes though they are weirdly soft) with pictures of generic fruit on the wrapper. Since the kids in the East Village trick or treat at the stores and not to individual's homes, the night's take can have surprises - comic books, candles and stickers are not uncommon.

So last night, we prowled around, feeling jealous of the parents with young kids with the candy-hunger in their eyes. Then we met up with Vicky, the mother of Max's oldest trick or treating partner, and with whom we have spent every Halloween for the past 12 years. But our kids were at a party, and probably getting into trouble, without us.

We had a nice sushi dinner and then to Theater for the New City, another tradition that I didn't realize was a tradition until this year when we realized we'd come to this party for the past several years. It seems that their Halloween party has become more established and elaborate over the years, with more performances and interesting costumes than ever. This year Matt's band played, and Max, his friend and 2 Polish girls (I never learned their names) had painted a mural the night before.

Halloween of Year's Past.