Hi Mary Ellen,
"Kinkle Kinkle" is not something I've ever heard regarding Halloween. I just did a search on Google and look what I found:
"Oh, the things you find on the internet - and right under your nose: - it's a "Hamilton" thing!
From the Dayton Daily News:
'Kinkle-Kinkle'
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Editor's note: This letter is a sequel to the Oct. 26 letter ("A name game") about trick-or-treating in Hamilton.
The answer is "Kinkle-Kinkle." Yes, we were called Kinklers and we went Kinkling. I have received more than 125 e-mails as a result of my request and about 95 percent of them had the right answer.
I've come to the conclusion that Kinkle is German for a homemade doughnut, coated with sugar. But I never got an answer as to why the term Kinkle-Kinkle is only used in Hamilton ... This term is unheard of, even in Middletown and Cincinnati. So that's a mystery that needs to be solved.
It was a pure delight to get not only e-mails, but phone calls and letters from folks who said, "Thank you for taking us down memory lane." We used to go out Kinkling for days before Halloween, not just one certain night from 6 to 8 p.m. We had no fear of being molested or having bad things in our treats. We rarely got store-bought candy, but homemade goodies, such as cookies, doughnuts, popcorn balls, candy apples, cider and hot chocolate. We were invited into the homes, sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed our treats. Also, we rarely wore store-bought costumes. We made our own.
Another precious memory was High Street blocked off and a giant Halloween party that was held in the middle of the street. Many remembered the old stores that used to grace High Street ... Many agreed that those were good times in old Hamilton. Sorry to see them gone. Downtown Hamilton was an awesome place.
So, to all those Kinklers out there: Thank you so much. My children are now believers!
Barbara Harris Yauger
Centerville"
http://www.mainstreetmonroe.com/voice/topic.asp?topic_id=20016
Hope that helps you!
--Donna Proctor
