5 Ways Halloween Has Changed Since You Were a Kid

More sexy costumes, fewer sweet treats, less freedom.

ByABC News
October 31, 2014, 1:37 AM
The proprietor of the Big Brothers Discount Hardware Store serves candy to "trick or treaters" on Oct. 31, 2013 in New York City.
The proprietor of the Big Brothers Discount Hardware Store serves candy to "trick or treaters" on Oct. 31, 2013 in New York City.
J. Countess/Getty Images

— -- Halloween isn't what it used to be.

Parents worry today about sugar and calorie counts in candy, and many don't know their neighbors -- so forget trick-or-treating. Halloween costumes seem to get sexier and more expensive every year, but at the same time, many schools ban dressing up on Oct. 31.

Here's how else Halloween has changed in the past decade:

Before: Trick-or-Treating at the Neighbors'

Now: Trick-or-Treating on Main Street

Years ago, kids wandered the neighborhood knocking on doors and filling plastic pumpkins with sour candies and miniature chocolate bars. Now, many parents are uneasy about letting their children go door-to-door, and prefer to go trick-or-treating at local stores and businesses.

PHOTO: Two-year-old Lee Beal gets ready to celebrate a food allergy free Halloween.
Two-year-old Lee Beal gets ready to celebrate a food allergy free Halloween.

Before: Sugar Highs All Around

Now: Got Allergies? No Problem.

Speaking of trick-or-treating, there might be fewer sugary sweets to go around this year. If you do still go door-to-door, keep your eyes peeled for teal-colored pumpkins. Those houses have planned ahead for kids with allergies, and stocked up on small toys to give to kids with allergies, instead of candy.

Health-conscious parents have also started to consider more nutritious treats for trick-or-treaters to avoid kids overdoing it on the sugar and calories.

Before: Sexy Halloween Costumes

Now: Sexy Halloween Costumes ... For Kids

Halloween has long been a holiday to get creative when it comes to what you wear, and oftentimes that involves attire you probably wouldn't wear to the office.

But in recent years, the sexy costume trend has drifted into the kids' aisle, and more tots and tweens are dressing up as sexy cats or scantily-dressed superheroes.

PHOTO: Maggie Ryan, 13, left, and Meredith Sullivan, 13, right, shop for Halloween costumes in this file photo.
Maggie Ryan, 13, left, and Meredith Sullivan, 13, right, shop for Halloween costumes in this file photo.

Before: We Called October 31 Halloween

Now: Schools Rename Holiday 'Character Day'

Or "Pajama Day" or "Costume Day" or "Orange and Black Day," depending on where you live. And some schools don't even allow kids to dress up, claiming the costumes are a distraction.

Before: Carving Pumpkins

After: Painting Pumpkins

Hey, it's safer. Speaking of safety concerns, remember bobbing for apples? That also doesn't happen as much anymore, but when it does, parents will change out the water between kids.