This may come as some surprise, but, when I was young, Halloween meant candy. I know dentists hate to hear that, but it's true. Candy was special and free candy was even better. Candy just wasn't something I had a lot of as a child. So, you can imagine how my young eyes looked forward to such an opportunity as Halloween. I can remember thinking Halloween was third in the holiday hierarchy, behind only my birthday and Christmas. It made sense to me. It was a holiday mostly for kids featuring free treats (read that as candy), where we got to put on costumes, go out at night and stay out a bit past bedtime. Are you sure grownups planned this? Whoever had the idea, it was a good one. Halloween was certainly something special.

I suppose kids still enjoy the holiday for many of the same reasons, but I miss the big crowds of trick-or-treaters. I look around now on Halloween and there are crowds, but they don't compare. Sometimes you almost need radar to spot a group. When I was a kid, radar was never necessary. It looked like a Broncos game. By 6 p.m., or whenever it got dark, which ever came first, the swarms would appear. I do mean swarms.

In my neighborhood, there were lots of kids. It seemed every family had at least two kids, most had four and some had even more. I remember one family of 11 children. That translated to 20 or 30 kids per block and all were anxious to pillage the neighborhood for Halloween booty. For my sisters and me, we lived just a few blocks from grandma. We would get dressed, walk over to grandma's and she would accompany us on our candy crusade. Mom stayed home and held off the assault at our house while grandpa manned the portcullis at his. Then, all night long (read that as "until 9 p.m.") the streets belonged to the costumed revelers.

We trick-or-treated the Park Hill neighborhood in northeast Denver. During the peak hours, every house had at least one group at the door accepting treats and one or two more waiting in line. Grandma made us wait until the last group left before she let us take our turns, even if other kids weren't so polite. The manners were different then, and so were the treats.

It was not unusual to get apples as treats, or even candied apples. Many people made homemade treats such as cookies, Rice Krispies treats or popcorn balls. You won't see than anymore. Now, there is too much concern over razor blades, pins and chemicals. Besides, who wants to eat X-ray candy? For me, I loved to get chocolate. I still do. I have a weakness for peanut butter cups. I also liked any other candy bars, bubble gum and, really, just about anything the people were willing to hand out. There were, however, a few dreaded treats. Maybe it's just me, but I dreaded that nasty candy corn, and that "peanut-butteresque" taffy that came in the orange and black wrappers especially for Halloween. I cheerfully accepted them and I usually ate them, but they weren't the first to leave my Halloween bag. I'd be pulling those out of the bag sometime around Thanksgiving.

All in all, it was a very rewarding childhood experience. Looking back, I'd have to say the best treat I got was that bag full of memories I am still pulling treats out of. Those treats lasted the longest by far. Although Halloween is associated with images of ghosts, witches and goblins, it really had nothing to do with anything evil. In my eyes, it was a chance for us kids to get free treats, dress up and stay out past bedtime. It was just a fun day for kids. I guess that's why so many adults still like the dress-up and party on Halloween. It's difficult to let go of something that special. Holidays should be special, and, for me, Halloween certainly was something special. It still is. Now, let me have one of those peanut butter cups! Boo!