Trick or Treat!

Halloween is quickly approaching! The kiddos are anxiously waiting to dawn their costumes and trek around towns for candy. One thing they will never understand is the feeling of those old costumes with the thin plastics masks we all wore. Remember how hard it was to breathe in them? Remember the sound of the flexible costume rubbing as you walked? Those were the days. As you know, Halloween is celebrated each year on Oct. 31, but the tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced "sow-in") when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated Nov. 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, wearing costumes and eating yummy treats. It wasn't until the 1950s that monster costumes came into the scene, and then in the 1960s it became popular for adults to partake in the festivities too, with their own parties (such as what we know today). Vintage Halloween items are incredibly collectible, especially ones from the turn of the century through the 1940s. If you see any at a local sale, make sure you buy them! People still love to collect anything vintage Halloween. From plastic blowmolds to what we call plastic popcorn decorations to anything in between. Postcards from the early 1900s are another huge Halloween collectible. Some of these oddly interesting postcards can fetch well over a $100 each depending on their content such as witches and goblins. Enjoy this beautiful time of year. Get your bowls ready to fill up candy for the kiddos and keep your eyes out for collectible Halloween items to purchase. Kari Lindstrom, known for The Melamine Cup on Facebook, is a past board member of The Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce and has a background in career counseling.