BREAKING NEWS: In just 2 days – 48 hours – the Grand Procession will commence and strange looking folks will likely knock on your door asking for treats. Good reason for it all. Friday is HALLOWEEN and that means our neighborhoods, cities and towns will be filled with spooks, goblins and witches looking for a handout.
In fact, many cities and towns hold celebrations downtown with entertainment and free candy as attendees march in costume as well.
Be sure and check with your city for information of your neighborhood Trick or Treat times and if any celebrations being held downtown. Make your plans now. In fact, be sure and check your local weather outlook for Friday evening.
It’s a good idea if you are participating for the costumed visitors, be sure and leave your porch light on.
You can bet there will be plenty of costume parties, bonfires, apple bobbing, and haunting attractions throughout your area.
Halloween ’25 in all of its glory, spectacle, and costumes, celebrates with the kids, its a Holiday of Fun every October 31.
This one day of 365 has a certain magic about it all. Kids of all ages from toddlers to adults don their Halloween costume and the march begins around 6 p.m.
For the kids, Halloween gets a head start at their respective schools with drawings and sketches. Once upon a time in 1954 back in my hometown of Ashland, the city celebrated its centennial of 1854-1954 by holding area high school competition of Halloween drawings on the windows in the Arcade downtown.
The Spirit of Halloween filled the arcade with every window becoming the drawing board to send their messages of BOO.
My alma mater – Ashland Holy Family — was represented by students John David Meyers, David Gallion and Eddie Smith. They won it all with their incredible drawing of THE HAUNTED HOUSE.
By now, your front lawn and neighborhood could be filled with every thing from pumpkins, ghosts, ghouls, and witches celebrating the Big Boo.
Yesteryear history tells us that Halloween EVE once was known as “Trick or Treat” night. The phase meant exactly what it says: “Give us a treat or you will be tricked!”
If you turned them down, or didn’t answer the door, your car windows just might be soaped or egged. This was not accepted at all
.
Many cities saw the pre-Halloween night was an open invitation to vandalism and it was universally eliminated. Good idea.
Across the country 75 years ago many movie theaters scheduled their Horror Movies to coincide with Halloween.
You certainly remember the legendary “Beatles” that became known as: THE FAB FOUR.
Well, Halloween movie audiences of the 40’s and 50’s would feast on these FAB FOURS: FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE WOLFMAN, AND THE MUMMY.
1978 brought us the movie “Halloween” with Michael Myers. 6 years later in 1984, we were introduced to the infamous antics of Freddy Krueger and “Nightmare on Elm Street.”
The listings go on and on, just check your TV listings for now through Friday for some the classics horror movies of our times.
From the movies of the Halloween Spirit we also have the haunting music that still rocks us on. For those who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s you certainly remember the #1 hit of the day on Billboards Hot 100 chart from October 20-27 1962 – THE MONSTER MASH performed by Bobby “Boris” Pickett and his rockin band – The Crypt-Kickers. In fact, Bobby Pickett appeared on American Bandstand in October 1964 performing in front of a costumed audience dancing away.
The song itself fit the spirit of Halloween with these lyrics:
“I was working in the lab one night when my eyes beheld an eerie sight! For my monster, from his slab, began to rise and suddely to my surprise – He did the Monster Mash!
“It was a graveyard smash, it caught on in a flash when he did The Monster Mash
“The Zombies were having fun, the party had just begun when the guests Wolfman, Dracula and his son were digging the sounds
“The scene was rocking, all were the digging the sounds – Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds, the coffin bangers were about to arrive with their vocal group – The Crypt – Kickers Five
“Now everything’s cool, Drac’s a part of the band and my Monster Mash is the hit of the land! For you, the living this Mash was meant to rock the graves When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you!”
Take a couple of minutes today, go to YOUTUBE and click on “The Monster Mash.” It will make you smile and you’ll be entertained for sure.
As we are on almost howling to celebrating Halloween ’25 Friday, I leave you with these “BOOLIDAY” wishes:
May your Witches’ Brooms have auto pilot – may your Goblins Gobble all they can eat, may your Skeletons be wind-proof and may your Best Ghost be named CASPER.
From our house to yours – may you and the kids along with Grandpa and Grandma have a haunting HAPPY HALLOWEEN. BOO!