The costumes may look a little different, but Halloween in the 1950s was surprisingly similar to how people celebrate today. The holiday featured the same activities and traditions: kids dressed up in costumes, they went trick-or-treating, they carved jack-o-lanterns, and they ran around their neighborhoods causing general mayhem.
The biggest difference you'll see in these vintage Halloween pictures are the costumes themselves. Pre-made costumes weren't as readily available in the '50s; you typically either made your outfit yourself, or got some help from your parents. That resulted in some creative cute and scary looks – and some unfortunate offensive costumes as well.
People in the 1950s saw Halloween as a time to party, indulge in sweet treats, and perhaps even break the law. Old school Halloween looked just about as crazy and fun as it is today.
