Letters

When I was growing up in Southampton Village, the spot to be on Halloween was Elm Street. With our house being in a central location, my parents, their friends and their children would all gather and walk to Elm Street to trick-or-treat and return with bags full of candy. When we got a little older, it was mainly tricking and not treating, with the typical mischievous activities of teenagers on Halloween.

Fast-forward nearly 30 years, and now my wife and I are doing the same thing with our son, our friends and their children.

While saying that Southampton Village has changed in 30 years is certainly an understatement, it surprised me that Halloween night on Elm Street this year had that same nostalgic feel of Halloweens past. I couldn’t help but be totally mesmerized by this new perspective of Halloween in my new role as a father.

“Just wait until you have children” is often said to us when growing up, and it rang true as I saw the enthusiasm and dedication that the adults of our village put into making Halloween so special for the children.

The Village Police warmly engaged the children by decorating their vehicles and asking how much candy they had collected. Southampton Polish Hall had the kids dancing with a DJ and light show, the Andrews’s residence had an elaborate haunted maze, and residents like Judge Barbara Wilson meticulously decorated their homes to welcome swarms of trick-or-treaters.

Thank you again to our neighbors in Southampton Village for all you do in making our home a special place.

Dominick Abbate

Southampton Village