My american mother was basically the initializer of halloween celebration in my home place. My brothers and I had parties with our classmates and went around to our parents trick or treating. My parents always made a ton of decorations and told spooky stories. My grandma hid in a nearby woods with a small candlelight and gave treats to whoever dared approaching.
That was almost 30 years ago, but to this day my parent's house is still "the Halloween house" of the town.