Can you imagine having to tell your kids that Halloween has been cancelled? I wouldn’t even want to think about it. Halloween is a big deal in our family. Everyone, not just the kids, would be devastated. So how could Halloween be cancelled?
In 1942 that is exactly what happened. Halloween was cancelled for the duration of the war. No decorations. No Trick-or-Treat. No costumes. No Halloween candy. Why?
The rationing of sugar made candy hard to find whether store-bought or homemade. With so little sugar available to the public or to the candy industry, candy for Halloween was out of the question.
Other factors were at play also. The somber mood of the country discouraged the fun and festivities of Halloween. By the fall of 1942 the United States had only begun to ramp up its resources to build a war machine to defeat the Japanese and the Germans. Lost battles in the Pacific meant lost lives and lost territories. Germany occupied the European mainland creating what appeared to be an impenetrable fortress. Hitler and Tojo became the boogy-men instead of ghosts and gobblins.
So Americans, as usual, made do. How?
Treats became apples and nuts. Popcorn balls were popular as well as homemade baked goods made with ration-friendly recipes. Tricks were discouraged. Shortages of all types of things made soaping windows and “TP-ing” houses unpopular with both young people and authorities.
Costumes were homemade back then. They used old clothes, hats, accessories, along with make-do make-up to create whatever character they wanted to be. The children would rummage through attics and basements to find materials for costumes. Moms would help with the sewing, and sometimes the make-up. Paper Mache made fun masks, too.
Sometimes parents got together and held Halloween parties for the kids. Many communities held parties or festivals to make up for not having Halloween. Back in the ’50’s I remember going to our small town’s community house to a Halloween festival. The one thing that stood out to me, as a very small child, was watching people bobbing for apples. I can still see them on their knees with hands behind their backs dunking their faces in the water to try to catch a floating apple in their mouths. So funny. Games played a big part in the festivals as well as “Best Costume” contests or best Jack-O-Lantern contests. Festivals and parties offered fun for both children and adults.
The Halloween fun remained but in different ways. By 1945 Halloween was back in full swing. The war was over and everyone was ready to celebrate.
Barbara Whitaker 