As a kid, Maine Halloween trick or treating, what a concept I thought with glee.

Going up to total strangers houses with your cousins, ringing the bell after hopping up the front porch stairs and the light comes on. An older lady or gentlemen look a fake surprise or fright and everyone screams "Trick or Treat"!

Other goblins up and down the street are moving like the plague from house to house as most front porch lights are on.

As an adult, can still remember the houses where the best treats were. And before the Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter social networking, word spread on which home owners took this Halloween concept seriously and went all out.

Kids spread the word on homes, neighbors to put on the must visit list before curfew and the ones not worth door knocking, that ate in to house to house production, collection. It was more than candy quantity...it was quality of treats, the experience you went thru to get something plopped worth keeping in to the open sack.

     Had a fellow in from Arkansas that remembers a local home town home owner giving out silver dollars..and this was in the late 1960's when silver dollars would buy more than a happy meal. I remember the Chamberlain sisters who would invite you in to their big federal style Court Street, Houlton ME home and fresh, hot donuts..usually chocolate and molasses were waiting with hot cider.

That stop was a highlight of the door to door candy or cavity campaign but getting out of the place took some effort as everyone had to remove their masks, let the ladies know who your dad and mom were. Socialize a little before eating, drinking. Running full throttle to the next neighborhood home.

That stop did eat into production but the donuts were addictive. The home was a definite must stop and on the top three of places to visit. I knew of some kids carrying another mask, disguise that would double back and try to hit the same candy bank again.

     I remember a stop with my own 4 kids on Commonwealth Ave Houlton Maine, where three families joined forces and dooryards. It was like Disney land in Southern Aroostook County.

A big Army tent was set up with blacklights, and zombies roaming the premises.

In jerky motions indicated they may have been to the other side and come back for unfinished business.

To haunt little kids with costumes, pillow cases full of various forms of sugar.

There was a fellow in an open coffin, and a BOO hollers as the kids got closer to see if that was a real, sleeping or dead person in that final resting place.

Snakes hooked to a pulley with piano wire or fishing line danced in the trees operated by an old geezer with a chain saw in his lap on the front porch. Lots to see and everyone pretty quiet as the kids went thru the "stations" weaving in to get a glimpse, grab a treat and then pick up production in the door to door frenzy.

Another neighborhood with a kid in a tuxedo, white gloves, spats and a nylon over his head making mime like robot, Michael Jackson moon walk motions.

Saying nothing and just in the neighborhood we were marauding.

Getting curious, who is this guy glances as kids steered a wide path around, not sure how to take his presence and out of place attire, look.

He has since gone on to work in a circus, juggling, high wire acts, and carnival like.

Wth his skills honed with the Halloween opportunity to entertain, amuse in Houlton Maine.

Another small Maine home town property owner worked at Nabisco and that home's candy bowl had oversized treats like you get in the movie theatre.

There was always a line, take a number, have a seat or stand in line reaching in for a treat from the treasure chest to sample, munch on to keep your energy up.

Remember from my own trick or treating career as a kid the homes where there was a small orange, black and white bag> Lovingly put together with the blackened witch on a broom outline in the moon lit sky. That was filled with a variety of treats.

My personal favorite in the trading the next day in someones living room with other short door bell ringers?

Payday candy bars.

I was not a sweet tooth or obsessed with candy as a kid because of the sound of a high speed dentist drill in the back of my head.

A fear from my mom who like most folks, was not sending the dentist a Christmas card or looking forward to the six month check up.

But paydays, Nestle Crunch that were a close top three treats and enjoyed in the potato field breaks each fall were always involved in a trade.

The peanut butter chocolate anything rounded out the top three and the first treats to download, cast off and just be rid of? The popcorn balls that were dryer than a desert, maybe left over from a decade before that got tossed into the bag but almost rejected by this goblin.

Small, tiny apples that were brown from bruises, or early frost and had black blight spots were not traded..they were tossed immediately.

I remember one drunk apartment owner who called my trick or treat posse into the home and in to the kitchen, opening up the cupboards and saying help yourself...forgot to buy candy. Somehow reaching for a can of Dinty Moore beef stew or baked beans seemed not right.

Giving him, Mr Hammered from a thirty pack some popcorn balls, apples if they had not already been jettisoned to "re-gift" or "re-treat" seemed appropriate and Robin Hood like. Kids have a sense of honor, rules of the game and fairness at the earlier age. when they are under 44 inches tall and can not go on all of life's rides. Small Maine towns are still safe for trick or treating.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine, It's Safe To Trick Or Treat Here, Live Here.