When it came to Halloween costumes, no store-bought plastic masks and highly flammable materials were welcomed in our house. Creativity and imagination was encouraged, and one year my brother was Snoopy’s Dog House.

When the highly anticipated night of trick or treating arrived, the neighborhood came alive with ghosts and ghouls, witches and black cats, princesses and warriors. There were rules to follow: everyone stay together, make sure to say “Trick or Treat” (and don’t forget to say thank you) and only knock on doors that have porch lights on.

For the most part, houses were not decorated as they are today. There might have been a few pumpkins here and there, but if there were decorations, they were gleaned from everyday objects and the imagination.

At one house they made a giant spider that took up the whole living room, and under the spider all the candy was scattered on the floor. I remember one lady who handed out pennies, as much as our fist could hold, which were hoarded until the Halloween loot ran out. Then it was a trip to the penny candy table at the Village Bake Shop.

The night did not end with the final door, that last trick or treat, before heading home; it was only the beginning. We wanted to get home, check over the bounty of candy and be ready when the Halloween guests arrived. Now it would be time to chase that apple dangling on its string and wait to plunge your head into a tub filled with water and apples.

Of course, we also watched out for “monsters” hidden in the shadows waiting to grab us and make us scream with terror and delight. Happy hauntings!

The East Lyme Historical Society always welcomes new members and volunteers. Stop in any non-holiday Monday morning at the East Lyme Library from 10 a.m. to noon in the East Lyme Room. You can also visit the society’s website at eastlymehistoricalsociety.org