Classic Halloween traditions like dressing up and carving pumpkins have been around for a while — much longer than sexy lobster costumes and deep-fried pumpkin space lattes. Here, check out how kids and adults in decades past celebrated the year’s spookiest day.
Children celebrate at a Halloween party in New York City circa 1940.Keystone—Getty ImagesA young boy and girl crouch and bob for apples on Halloween circa 1935. Lionel Green—Getty ImagesBlindfolded children search for a candle to try to blow it out in an old Halloween tradition circa 1900s.Bettmann—CorbisFirst lady Betty Ford greets costumed school children on the White House South Lawn on Oct. 31, 1974 in Washington D.C. during a Halloween benefit for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.HENRY GRIFFIN—APA boy wears a knight costume.Michael Martin—CorbisA Halloween festival held in Anaheim, Ca., on Oct. 20, 1962. APChildren parade through Central Park in New York City on Oct. 30, 1966. Jacob Harris—APParticipants in the 10th annual Halloween Parade in New York, Oct. 31, 1983.Ray Stubblebine—APSecond-graders pick their pumpkins during a class outing Oct. 19, 1984, at a farm next to their school near Doylestown, Pa. George Widman—AP07 Oct 1930 --- Children carve their own pumpkins for Halloween on Oct 7, 1930.Underwood/CorbisA boy carves his pumpkin for Halloween circa 1900s.Underwood/CorbisA young boy looks at a lit jack-o-lantern that he helped carve for Halloween, New York, 1949. Rae Russel—Getty Images
